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Higher Ground: Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Curtis Mayfield, and the Rise and Fall of American Soul
In Higher Ground , one of our most insightful music writers brilliantly reinterprets the lives of three pop geniuses and the soul revolution they launched.
Soul music is one of America's greatest cultural achievements, and Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, and Curtis Mayfield are three of its most inspired practitioners. In midcentury America it was soul music--particularly the dazzling stream of recordings made by these three stars--that helped bring the gospel vision of the black church into the mainstream, energizing the era’s social movements and defining a new American gospel where the sacred and the secular met. What made this gospel all the more amazing was that its most influential articulators were the sons and daughters of sharecroppers, storefront preachers, and single parents in the projects, whose genius gave voice to a new vision of American possibility.
Higher Ground seamlessly weaves the specific and intensely personal narratives of Stevie, Aretha, and Curtis’s lives into the historical fabric of their times. The three shared many They were all children of the great migration and of the black church. But the gospel impulse manifested itself in different ways within the dramas of their individual lives and musical creations. In Stevie Wonder’s case, it was a literally color-blind universal sense of spirituality that expressed itself in his life and music as an urge toward transcendence, particularly in the mid-seventies when albums like Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life radically revised what a pop album could be. For Aretha Franklin, the traditional gospel vision of a beloved community anchored in the strength of women comforted her through a life littered with tragedy and found expression in propulsive pop songs like "Respect" as well as in her legendary gospel albums. And for Curtis Mayfield, the gospel notion of conscious living inspired him to create songs that served the purposes of the Civil Rights movement and the radical Black Power movement alike, from the gritty street drama of Superfly to the transcendent call of "People Get Ready."
Werner doesn't just provide a narrative of three fascinating lives; he ties them together with a provocative thesis about American history and culture that compels us to reconsider both the music and the times. And aside from the personalities and the history, he writes beautifully about music itself, the nuts and bolts of its creation and performance, in a way that brings a new awareness and understanding to the most familiar music, forcing readers to listen to songs they've heard a thousand times with fresh ears. In Higher Ground , Werner illuminates the lives of three unparalleled American artists, reminding us why their music mattered then and still resonates with us today.
Soul music is one of America's greatest cultural achievements, and Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, and Curtis Mayfield are three of its most inspired practitioners. In midcentury America it was soul music--particularly the dazzling stream of recordings made by these three stars--that helped bring the gospel vision of the black church into the mainstream, energizing the era’s social movements and defining a new American gospel where the sacred and the secular met. What made this gospel all the more amazing was that its most influential articulators were the sons and daughters of sharecroppers, storefront preachers, and single parents in the projects, whose genius gave voice to a new vision of American possibility.
Higher Ground seamlessly weaves the specific and intensely personal narratives of Stevie, Aretha, and Curtis’s lives into the historical fabric of their times. The three shared many They were all children of the great migration and of the black church. But the gospel impulse manifested itself in different ways within the dramas of their individual lives and musical creations. In Stevie Wonder’s case, it was a literally color-blind universal sense of spirituality that expressed itself in his life and music as an urge toward transcendence, particularly in the mid-seventies when albums like Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life radically revised what a pop album could be. For Aretha Franklin, the traditional gospel vision of a beloved community anchored in the strength of women comforted her through a life littered with tragedy and found expression in propulsive pop songs like "Respect" as well as in her legendary gospel albums. And for Curtis Mayfield, the gospel notion of conscious living inspired him to create songs that served the purposes of the Civil Rights movement and the radical Black Power movement alike, from the gritty street drama of Superfly to the transcendent call of "People Get Ready."
Werner doesn't just provide a narrative of three fascinating lives; he ties them together with a provocative thesis about American history and culture that compels us to reconsider both the music and the times. And aside from the personalities and the history, he writes beautifully about music itself, the nuts and bolts of its creation and performance, in a way that brings a new awareness and understanding to the most familiar music, forcing readers to listen to songs they've heard a thousand times with fresh ears. In Higher Ground , Werner illuminates the lives of three unparalleled American artists, reminding us why their music mattered then and still resonates with us today.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published March 9, 2004
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316 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 21, 2014
Excellent book about Soul music and it's connection to the civil rights movement. I learned a lot through this book. Stevie Wonder has always been one of my heroes and this book taught me a lot about his life. Also learned a lot about Curtis and Aretha, including the fact that "Aretha - Live at the Fillmore West" was a record that I needed to hear, but hadn't. It blew me away! Definitely read this book if you are interested in soul music and it's effect on society. A great read!
March 19, 2009
A solid, well-researched overview of three icons of soul music (Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield, Aretha Franklin) would likely have a wide appeal for fans and historians alike. Who hasn't been touched by at least one or more of their songs in their lives? There is little doubt to the relevance of these three powerhouses. But although Werner provides a solid case for their influence and brilliance, something is missing here. There are parallels to the civil rights movement but without a wider perspective his points sometimes fall flat. Werner might have been able to flush the work out a bit with additional interviews of actual civil rights activists. But he mostly stays in his comfort zone which is the creation of the music and personalties of the artists
Without a doubt "Higher Ground" enhanced my knowledge of the development of these three amazing artists but ironically the "soul" of the story itself was lacking. Maybe it was because Werner tended to jump back/forth along the book's timeline, maybe it was because Werner injected a political tone throughout the book, or maybe it was because his writing was more journalisitic/stilted. Something was missing.
In the end, "Higher Ground" is good stepping stone to other important works in the story of soul music. Personally, reading Nelson George's "The Death of Rhythm & Blues", listening to the Stax Box set of Memphis R&B, and watching Trouble Man/Superfly/Standing in the Shadows of Motown, is great way to compliment such an essential period of american culture.
Without a doubt "Higher Ground" enhanced my knowledge of the development of these three amazing artists but ironically the "soul" of the story itself was lacking. Maybe it was because Werner tended to jump back/forth along the book's timeline, maybe it was because Werner injected a political tone throughout the book, or maybe it was because his writing was more journalisitic/stilted. Something was missing.
In the end, "Higher Ground" is good stepping stone to other important works in the story of soul music. Personally, reading Nelson George's "The Death of Rhythm & Blues", listening to the Stax Box set of Memphis R&B, and watching Trouble Man/Superfly/Standing in the Shadows of Motown, is great way to compliment such an essential period of american culture.
January 4, 2025
Very commendable research done by Werner. I was most intrigued by the personal backgrounds of the singers. It was very interesting to follow their personal lives and careers with what was going on in American society, and how this was reflected in their music. At times, I dragged my feet through the author's thorough analyses of each artists' discographies since there were just so many works to get through. But, I cannot say the author did not do his due diligence. It was fun to look up new music and performances I had never heard, especially Franklin's first album recorded in her church, Franklin's performance with Ray Charles at rhe Filmore West, and her performance of "Natural Woman" during the Divas Live taping. I learned a lot about the civil rights issues especially in Chicago and Detroit. The book truly reflects each artist's reach for the gospel vision despite their personal circumstances and that we must "keep on pushing" for "higher ground."
September 26, 2019
Good book.
May 31, 2025
Interesting dive into how music, life, & activism connect
December 19, 2010
An interesting look at how soul music both reflected and added to life in the USA during it's heyday of the 60's and 70's through the life of 3 of it's great practicioners.
The author shows how much the music meant to African-Americans during that time frame, and also how it reached out and touched the lives of white Americans also. He also makes a great argument of how soul music came from a gospel background.
I don't think I'll ever listen to Aretha demanding Respect in the same way.
The author shows how much the music meant to African-Americans during that time frame, and also how it reached out and touched the lives of white Americans also. He also makes a great argument of how soul music came from a gospel background.
I don't think I'll ever listen to Aretha demanding Respect in the same way.
August 17, 2007
The book is a bit redundant at times, but an incredibly lucid overview of the work of Wonder, Franklin and Mayfield.
December 20, 2010
good book
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews