Marie Knight (née Roach; June 1, 1920 – August 30, 2009)[1] was an American gospel and R&B singer.
Early life
She was born Marie Roach[2] in 1920,[3][1] though she claimed to have been born in 1925.[4] Sources differ as to her place of birth – either Attapulgus, Georgia,[1] or Sanford, Florida[5] – but she grew up in Newark, New Jersey. Her father was a construction worker and the family were members of the Church of God in Christ.[2] She first toured as a singer in 1939 with Frances Robinson, an evangelist. While she was touring with Sister Rosetta in the 1940s, her two children died in a fire at her mother's house in New Jersey.[2][3]
In 1946, she made her first recordings, for Haven Records with the masters soon purchased by Signature Records,[6] as a member of The Sunset Four (aka The Sunset Jubilee Singers). Shortly afterwards, Sister Rosetta Tharpe saw her singing at the Golden Gate Auditorium in Harlem, on a bill with Mahalia Jackson, and invited Knight to join her on tour.[2] Tharpe recognized "something special" in Marie's contralto voice.[3]
She continued to record and perform with Tharpe through the 1940s, sometimes acting out the parts of "the Saint and the Sinner", with Tharpe as the saint and Knight as the sinner.[2] Among their successes were the songs "Beams of Heaven", "Didn't it Rain", and "Up Above My Head", recorded for Decca Records. "Up Above My Head", credited jointly to both singers, reached No. 6 on the US R&B chart at the end of 1948, and Knight's solo version of "Gospel Train" reached No. 9 on the R&B chart in 1949.[7]
She left Tharpe to go solo around 1951, and put together a backing group, The Millionaires (Thomasina Stewart, Eleonore King and Roberta Jones), with whom she recorded the 1956 album Songs of the Gospel.[2] She began recording secularR&B music in the late 1950s, for various labels including Decca, Mercury, and Okeh. Her duet with Rex Garvin, credited as Marie & Rex, "I Can't Sit Down" released on the Carlton label, reached No. 94 on the pop chart in 1959.[8][9] In the late 1950s she also toured Britain as a guest of Humphrey Lyttelton.[2]
She toured with Brook Benton, the Drifters, and Clyde McPhatter, and regularly reunited onstage with Tharpe.[3] She remained friends with Tharpe, and helped arrange her funeral in 1973. In 1975, having given up performing secular music, she recorded another gospel album, Marie Knight: Today. In 2002, Knight made a comeback in the gospel world, recording for a tribute album to Tharpe. She released a full-length album, Let Us Get Together, on her manager's label in 2007.[2]
Personal life
She married preacher Albert Knight in 1941 but the union ended in divorce.
Death
Marie Knight died in Harlem of complications from pneumonia, on August 30, 2009, aged 89. She was survived by a sister, Bernice Henry.[3]
Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Marie Knight; Sam Price Trio / Sister Rosetta Tharpe; Sam Price Trio
1947 Decca 48043 - Oh When I Come To The End Of My Journey / This Train; flip side only by Sister Rosetta Tharpe; Sam Price Trio.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe; Marie Knight; Sam Price Trio
1947 Decca 48054 - Stretch Out / Didn't It Rain
Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Marie Knight; Sam Price Trio
1948 Decca 48070 - Beams Of Heaven / Precious Memories
Marie Knight; Sam Price Trio
1948 Decca 48072 - What Could I Do / I Must See Jesus
Marie Knight With The Sam Price Trio
1948 Decca 48084 - The Land Beyond The River / My Heavenly Father Watches Over Me
Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Marie Knight with The Sam Price Trio (members Sister Rosetta Tharpe (vocals and guitar), Marie Knight (vocals), Sammy Price (piano), George "Pops" Foster (bass) and Wallace Bishop (drums))
1948 Decca 48090 - Up Above My Head I Hear Music In The Air* / My Journey To The Sky; *recorded 1947
Marie Knight with The Dependable Boys; Sam Price Trio / Marie Knight; Sam Price Trio
1949 Decca 48092 - Gospel Train / Behold His Face; flip side only by Marie Knight; Sam Price Trio.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe and M. K. / Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Marie Knight
1949 Decca 48098 - He Watches Me / He's All I Need; flip side only by Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Marie Knight.
Marie Knight With Sam Price Trio
1949 Decca 48102 - I Can't Forget It, Can You / Up In My Heavenly Home
Sister Marie Knight with The Sunset Four
1949 Candy 4000 - The Negro National Anthem / I Just Couldn't Keep It To Myself
Sister Marie Knight
1949 Candy 4001 - I'll Let Nothing Separate Me ... / Where Could I Go But To The Lord
Marie Knight
1949 Candy 4002 - I'll Never Turn Back No More / The Lord Will Make A Way
1949 Candy 4003 - Today / Something Within Me Banishes Pain
1949 Candy 4004 - Just A Closer Walk With Thee / The Land Beyond The River
1949 Candy 4010 - The End Of My Journey / What Could I Do
Marie Knight And Vivian Cooper; With Sam Price Trio
1949 Decca 48111 - Out Of The Depth / Touch Me Lord Jesus
Marie Knight With The Sam Price Trio
1949 Decca 48120 - I Must Have Jesus All The Time / I Thank You Jesus
Marie Knight
1950 Decca 48128 - Jesus Loves Me / Whispering Hope
Marie Knight With The Sam Price Trio
1950 Decca 48147 - Live The Life / Seal Of Heaven
1950 Decca 48173 - Lord Search My Heart / In Shaded Green Pastures
1950 Decca 48189 - The Florida Storm / Hallelujah What A Storm
Sister Rosetta & Marie Knight
1950 Decca 48194 - I Shall Know Him / I Was Healed
"Jersey Joe" Walcott and Maria Knight
1950 Decca 14594 - Have Faith / Say A Little Prayer
Marie Knight
1951 Decca 48198 - I Heard My Mother Pray / Don't Miss That Train
1951 Decca 48219 - Satisfied With Jesus / The Old Rugged Cross
Sister Rosetta And Marie Knight With The Sam Price Trio
1951 Decca 48227 - Milky White Way / His Eye Is On The Sparrow
Marie Knight
1951 Decca 48233 - Every Day Every Hour / My Expectations
1951 Decca 48253 - On The Battlefield / I'll Fly Away
1951 Decca 48262 - Adeste Fideles (O, Come All Ye Faithful) / It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
1952 Decca 48285 - Sit Down Servant / Does Jesus Care
1952 Decca 28128 - Wildwood / He's My Light(with The Anita Kerr Sisters)
Sister Rosetta T. & Marie Knight
1952 Decca 28509 - There Is A Highway To Heaven / I'm Bound For Higher Grounds
Sister Rosetta Tharpe And Marie Knight
1952 Decca 9-28625 - Old Landmark / Pressing On
Marie Knight With The Nightingales
1953 Brunswick 05071 - The Old Rugged Cross / Satisfied With Jesus
Marie Knight
1953 Decca 28545 - Jesus Walk With Me / Get Away Jordan
1953 Decca 48298 - I Just Can't Keep From Cryin' / On My Appointed Time
1953 Decca 48301 - Let Go His Hand / Let's Go On
1954 Decca 48308 - Calvary / God Spoke To Me
Sister Rosetta & Marie Knight
1954 Decca 48309 - Nobody's Fault But Mine / Shadrack
Marie Knight; Leroy Kirkland and his Orchestra
1954 Decca 48315 - You Got A Way Of Making Love / I Know Every Move You Make
Marie Knight
1954 Decca 48320 - This Old Soul Of Mine / I Tell It Wherever I Go
