Charles Henry Pace

Charles Henry Pace (August 4, 1886, Atlanta, GA – December 16, 1963, Pittsburgh, PA) was an American composer, publisher, and choral director of Christian music.

At the age of 13, he relocated with his family to Chicago. There, he continued to study piano, and composed gospel songs and arranged spirituals for Beth Eden Baptist Church and for Liberty Baptist Church. In 1925, he founded Pace Jubilee Singers, a gospel group which recorded songs written by himself, Charles Albert Tindley, and others for Victor and for Brunswick Records 1926–1929. Thomas A. Dorsey briefly accompanied the group.

In 1936, Pace moved to Pittsburgh, where he founded the Pace Gospel Choral Union: an ensemble of 25 singers, enlarged to around 300 on special occasions, which performed gospel songs and spirituals. African-American churches in Pittsburgh and its suburbs would raise funds by having the ensemble perform for them. He also founded two music publishing houses in Pittsburgh: Old Ship of Zion Music Company (1936–-51) and Charles H. Pace Music Publishers (1952–63), through which he published most of his 104 sacred compositions and arrangements and his 26 secular songs. Between 1941–45, Old Ship of Zion Music Company had 301 agents committed to selling its songs, and 2,511 direct mail order customers in the U.S.; making it one of the best-known publishers of gospel music in America.

His gospel songs "are in the style of Tindley’s songs, with a verse-chorus structure, memorable melodies, and simple, effective harmonies". In a 1980 doctoral thesis for the University of Pittsburgh, Mary Tyler divided his 104 gospel songs into five categories: (1) personal testimonies, (2) questioning belief and introspection, (3) scriptural messages, (4) dialogue with God, and (5) personal counsel to listeners.

His archives are preserved at the University of Pittsburgh.

Some sources confuse or conflate him with Harry Pace (Harry Herbert Pace, 1884–1943), American music publisher and insurance executive, founder of Black Swan Records.

Birth and Death Data: Born August 4, 1886 (Atlanta), Died December 16, 1963

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1926 - 1929

Roles Represented in DAHR: choral director, arranger, composer, vocalist, lyricist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 26-36 of 36 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia CO45795 10-in. 4/25/1951 He said if I be lifted up Chuck Wagon Gang Mixed vocal quartet, with guitar composer, lyricist  
Brunswick C760 10-in. 4/20/1927 We will walk thru the valley of peace Pace Jubilee Singers ; Hattie Parker Female vocal solo, with mixed vocal chorus arranger  
Brunswick C715-C716 10-in. 2/25/1927 We will walk thru the valley of peace Hattie Parker Female vocal solo, with mixed vocal chorus arranger  
Brunswick C717-C718 10-in. 2/25/1927 Is it well with your soul today? Hattie Parker Female vocal solo, with mixed vocal chorus arranger  
Brunswick C719-C720 10-in. 2/25/1927 My lord will deliver me Pace Jubilee Singers Mixed vocal chorus arranger  
Brunswick C721-C722 10-in. 2/25/1927 Lawdy won’t you come by here Pace Jubilee Singers Mixed vocal chorus arranger  
Brunswick C728-C729 10-in. 4/18/1927 My Lord will deliver Pace Jubilee Singers Mixed vocal chorus arranger  
Brunswick C756-C757 10-in. 4/20/1927 I’ve started and I'm goin' all the way Pace Jubilee Singers ; Hattie Parker Female vocal solo, with mixed vocal chorus arranger  
Brunswick C758-C759 10-in. 4/20/1927 Don’t you want to meet your mother over there? Pace Jubilee Singers ; Hattie Parker Mixed vocal chorus, with female vocal solo arranger  
Gennett 12617 10-in. 3/2/1927 There is room enough in heaven for us all Pace Jubilee Singers Mixed vocal chorus vocalist, composer  
Gennett 12618 10-in. 3/2/1927 Steal away and pray Pace Jubilee Singers Female vocal solo and mixed vocal chorus vocalist  
(Results 26-36 of 36 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Pace, Charles Henry," accessed May 10, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100565.

Pace, Charles Henry. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 10, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100565.

"Pace, Charles Henry." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 10 May 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100565

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