The Saxophone as a Solo Instument in Gospel Music: The Musical Contributions of Dr. Vernard Johnson

Abstract

Dr. Vernard Johnson (b.1948) is an African American musician who introduced the saxophone as a solo instrument to the gospel music tradition in the black church. Though Johnson is not the first to play the saxophone in church, he is the one who popularized and blazed the trail for other instrumentalists to appear as soloists with choral accompaniment. Previously, instruments played a limited role as added features to the standard five-piece rhythm section, which consisted of organ, piano, drums, bass and lead guitars. Because of Johnson’s innovation, many pastors began to encourage young parishioners to bring their gifts of music to worship services. This document intends to show how Johnson left a Kansas City nightclub and brought the signature instrument of jazz into the sacred sanctuary of the church. Through interviews, testimonies, periodicals, concert reviews, solo recordings, and the author’s experience as a Church of God in Christ minister, this research will detail how Johnson used his saxophone to place himself in the heart of the gospel community as a solo artist.