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 1-25 of 36 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-36426 10-in. 9/28/1926 Testimonial meeting Rev. Mose Doolittle Sermon, with vocal chorus composer  
Victor BVE-36427 10-in. 9/28/1926 Get on board Rev. Mose Doolittle Sermon, with vocal chorus composer  
Victor BVE-46029 10-in. 6/30/1928 What a friend Pace Jubilee Singers Mixed vocal chorus, with organ choral director  
Victor BVE-46030 10-in. 6/30/1928 Nothing between Pace Jubilee Singers Mixed vocal chorus, with organ choral director  
Victor BVE-46031 10-in. 6/30/1928 Ezekial saw de wheel Pace Jubilee Singers Mixed vocal chorus, with piano choral director  
Victor BVE-46032 10-in. 6/30/1928 Stand by me Pace Jubilee Singers Mixed vocal chorus, with piano choral director  
Victor BVE-46033 10-in. 6/30/1928 Leave it there Pace Jubilee Singers Mixed vocal chorus, with piano choral director  
Victor BVE-46034 10-in. 6/30/1928 Old-time religion Pace Jubilee Singers Mixed vocal chorus, with organ choral director  
Victor BVE-46035 10-in. 6/30/1928 When the saints go marching in Pace Jubilee Singers Mixed vocal chorus, with organ choral director  
Victor BVE-46036 10-in. 6/30/1928 Seek and you shall find Pace Jubilee Singers Mixed vocal chorus, with organ choral director  
Victor BVE-46057 10-in. 7/5/1928 My lord's going to move this wicked race Pace Jubilee Singers Mixed vocal chorus, with piano and organ choral director  
Victor BVE-46058 10-in. 7/5/1928 Roll, Jordan roll Pace Jubilee Singers Mixed vocal chorus, with piano and organ choral director  
Victor BVE-46059 10-in. 7/5/1928 Everytime I feel the spirit Pace Jubilee Singers ; Hattie Parker Mixed vocal chorus, with piano and organ choral director  
Victor BVE-46060 10-in. 7/5/1928 I'm going to do all I can for my Lord Pace Jubilee Singers ; Hattie Parker Mixed vocal chorus, with piano and organ choral director  
Victor BVE-48628 10-in. 11/27/1928 You're going to leave the old home, Jim Eva Parker Female vocal solo, with mixed vocal chorus and guitar choral director  
Victor BVE-48629 10-in. 11/27/1928 Careless love Eva Parker Female vocal solo, with mixed vocal chorus and guitar choral director  
Victor BVE-48833 10-in. 1/29/1929 Steal away and pray Pace Jubilee Singers ; Hattie Parker Mixed vocal chorus and soloist, with piano choral director  
Victor BVE-48834 10-in. 1/29/1929 The haven of rest Pace Jubilee Singers ; Hattie Parker Mixed vocal chorus and soloist, with piano choral director  
Victor BVE-48835 10-in. 1/29/1929 In that city Pace Jubilee Singers ; Hattie Parker Mixed vocal chorus and soloist, with piano choral director  
Victor BVE-48836 10-in. 1/29/1929 No night there Pace Jubilee Singers ; Hattie Parker Mixed vocal chorus and soloist, with piano choral director  
Victor BVE-48837 10-in. 1/29/1929 I've done my work Pace Jubilee Singers ; Hattie Parker Mixed vocal chorus and soloist, with piano choral director  
Victor BVE-48838 10-in. 1/29/1929 My task Pace Jubilee Singers ; Hattie Parker Mixed vocal chorus and soloist, with piano choral director  
Victor BVE-48839 10-in. 1/29/1929 It pays to serve Jesus Pace Jubilee Singers ; Hattie Parker Mixed vocal chorus and soloist, with piano choral director  
Victor BVE-48840 10-in. 1/29/1929 I'll be satisfied Pace Jubilee Singers ; Hattie Parker Mixed vocal chorus and soloist, with piano choral director  
Victor BVE-57321 10-in. 10/25/1929 It is well with my soul Pace Jubilee Singers Mixed vocal chorus, with organ arranger  
(Results 1-25 of 36 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Pace, Charles Henry," accessed November 2, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/100565.

Pace, Charles Henry. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 2, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/100565.

"Pace, Charles Henry." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 2 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/100565

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