he writes the birth of this song: "Precious Lord":

. . . "Back in 1932, I was a fairly new husband. My wife, Nettie and I were living in a little apartment on Chicago's south side.

One hot August afternoon I had to go to St.. Louis where I was to be the featured soloist at a large revival meeting. I didn't want to go.

Nettie was in the last month of pregnancy with our first child.. But a lot of people were expecting me in St. Louis .

I kissed Nettie good-bye, clattered downstairs to our Model A and, in a fresh Lake Michigan breeze, chugged out of Chicago on Route 66.

However, outside the city, I discovered that in my anxiety at leaving, I had forgotten my music case. I wheeled around and headed back.

I found Nettie sleeping peacefully. I hesitated by her bed; something was strongly telling me to stay. But eager to get on my way, and not wanting to disturb Nettie, I shrugged off the feeling and quietly slipped out of the room with my music.

The next night, in the steaming St. Louis heat, the crowd called on me to sing again and again.

When I finally sat down, a messenger boy ran up with a Western Union telegram.. I ripped open the envelope. Pasted on the yellow sheet were the words: YOUR WIFE JUST DIED.

People were happily singing and clapping around me, but I could hardly keep from crying out. I rushed to a phone and called home. All I could hear on the other end was 'Nettie is dead.. Nettie is dead.'

When I got back, I learned that Nettie had given birth to a boy. I swung between grief and joy. Yet that same night, the baby died. I buried Nettie and our little boy together, in the same casket. Then I fell apart.

For days I closeted myself I felt that God had done me an injustice. I didn't want to serve Him anymore or write gospel songs.

I just wanted to go back to that jazz world I once knew so well. But then, as I hunched alone in that dark apartment those first sad days, I thought back to the afternoon I went to St.. Louis.

Something kept telling me to stay with Nettie. Was that something God? Oh, if I had paid more attention to Him that day, I would have stayed and been with Nettie when she died.

From that moment on I vowed to listen more closely to Him.. But still I was lost in grief. Everyone was kind to me, especially one friend.

The following Saturday evening he took me up to Maloney's Poro College, a neighborhood music school. It was quiet; the late evening sun crept through the curtained windows.

I sat down at the piano, and my hands began to browse over the keys. Something happened to me then. I felt at peace. I felt as though I could reach out and touch God.

I found myself playing a melody, once into my head they just seemed to fall into place:

'Precious Lord,
take my hand,
lead me on,
let me stand,
I am tired,
I am weak,
I am worn,
through the storm,
through the night,
lead me on to the light,
take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.'

The Lord gave me these words and melody, He also healed my spirit.. I learned that when we are in our deepest grief, when we feel farthest from God, this is when He is closest, and when we are most open to His restoring power..

And so I go on living for God willingly and joyfully, until that day comes when He will take me and gently lead me home.

-Tommy Dorsey-


For those too young to know who he is, Tommy Dorsey was a band leader in the Thirties and Forties.

Did you know that Tommy Dorsey wrote this song? I surely didn't. What a wonderful story of how God CAN heal the brokenhearted!

Oh, Donna, that's absolutely amazing. I never would hav dreamed that Tommy Dorsey wrote a gospel song. I just got goose bumps when I saw his name the end. I didn't know that he was a Christian!

Very touching story. Thank you for posting this, Donna!

I grew up listening to big band music. My parents were particularly fond of Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller.
What a great memory of childhood.

I knew Tommy had written this song, but I had forgotten what the circumstances were.

Precious Lord take my hand....AMEN and AMEN

Email: ljpoohbunny@insightbb.com

Wow, what a touching story.

Thanks for posting it Donna!

Brenz

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlmCflPD2s8

Testimony narrated by Thomas Dorsey, song sung by Mahalia Jackson

I can hear the heavenly hosts, including Tommy, Elvis, and Mahailia singing this very song above!!!

If we only knew how close the clouds of witnesses through Jesus really are . .

Thank you Donna so much for sharing and like others I had an outbreak of goose bumps when I read that it was Tommy Dorsey that wrote Precious Lord...I didn't know

Email: jpcarr@att.net

Tommy Dorsey DID write Precious Lord Take my Hand - but this was Tommy A. Dorsey a black gospel singer/songwriter. Not the big band leader.

Email: Mehyndshaw@AOL.com

uh oh, Betsy, I think you're right. I looked up the background, . . I posted this article from an e-mail. , . . shoulda' searched further. Still, the story and song are amazing huh.



"This well-known Gospel song is also known as "Precious Lord, Take My Hand" or simply "Precious Lord", and was written de profundis by the black American Thomas Dorsey, who is not to be confused with the trombonist and bandleader Tommy Dorsey.

Much great poetry and music is inspired by personal tragedy, and this modern hymn, which can be said to have started the Gospel genré, is generally recognized as his greatest composition out of more than four hundred songs.

Thomas A. Dorsey had religion and music in his blood; he was born in 1899, the son of a minister and a piano teacher.

Unsurprisingly, he became a professional musician, and in 1925 married his first wife, Nettie

terrific story !!
I love this !
thanks , D !!...bb

This story really touched my heart..

The pain of this life and the blessings that God can bring out of it if we only listen to his voice..


Joseph