Aimee Semple McPherson
Aimee Elizabeth Semple McPherson (née Kennedy; October 9, 1890 – September 27, 1944), also known as Sister Aimee or Sister, was a Canadian-born American Pentecostal evangelist and media celebrity in the 1920s and '30s, famous for founding the Foursquare Church. McPherson pioneered the use of broadcast mass media for wider dissemination of both religious services and appeals for donations, using radio to draw both audience and revenue with the growing appeal of popular entertainment and incorporating stage techniques into her weekly sermons at Angelus Temple, an early megachurch. In her time, she was the most publicized Protestant evangelist, surpassing Billy Sunday and other predecessors. She conducted public faith healing demonstrations involving tens of thousands of participants. McPherson's view of the United States as a nation founded and sustained by divine inspiration influenced later pastors. National news coverage focused on events surrounding her family and church members, including accusations that she fabricated her reported kidnapping. McPherson's preaching style, extensive charity work, and ecumenical contributions were major influences on 20th-century Charismatic Christianity. |
Birth and Death Data: Born Salford (dispersed rural community in Ontario, Canada), Died September 27, 1944 (Oakland (city and county seat of Alameda County, California, United States) )
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1920 - 1931
Roles Represented in DAHR: speaker, vocalist, composer, lyricist, piano
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor | C-24733 | 12-in. | 12/15/1920 | The coming of the Lord | Aimee Semple McPherson | Recitation, with male vocal quartet and piano | speaker | |
| Columbia | W142791 | 10-in. | 10/18/1926 | I ain't-a gonna grieve | Aimee Semple McPherson | Female vocal solo, with vocal chorus | vocalist | |
| Columbia | W142792 | 10-in. | 10/18/1926 | Come unto me | Aimee Semple McPherson | Sermon | speaker | |
| Columbia | W151860 | 10-in. | 10/22/1931 | The lost sheep's return | Aimee Semple McPherson | Sermon, with male vocal solo and organ | speaker | |
| Columbia | W151861 | 10-in. | 10/22/1931 | The crucifixion | Aimee Semple McPherson | Sermon, with organ | speaker | |
| Columbia | W151862 | 10-in. | 10/22/1931 | Calvary's rose | David L. Hutton ; Aimee Semple McPherson | Female-male vocal duet, with organ and chimes | vocalist, composer, lyricist | |
| Columbia | W151863 | 10-in. | 10/22/1931 | Aimee McPherson Hutton and David Hutton | David L. Hutton ; Aimee Semple McPherson | Female-male vocal duet, with piano | vocalist, instrumentalist, piano |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "McPherson, Aimee Semple," accessed December 24, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/101893.
McPherson, Aimee Semple. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 24, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/101893.
"McPherson, Aimee Semple." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 24 December 2025.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Aimee Semple McPherson
Discogs: Aimee Semple McPherson
Grove: Aimee Semple McPherson
IMDb: Aimee Semple McPherson
Britannica: Aimee Semple McPherson
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: McPherson, Aimee Semple, 1890-1944 - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n50007859
Wikidata: Aimee Semple McPherson - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q2563141
VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/67270403
Fast: https://id.worldcat.org/fast/2185 - https://id.worldcat.org/fast/2185
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