▁African - American ▁to ▁be ▁ord ained ▁in ▁the ▁Arch di oc ese ▁of ▁C inc inn ati . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁passion ate ▁about ▁the ▁drama ▁of ▁public ▁worship , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁music ▁that ▁was ▁the ▁" s oul " ▁of ▁worship . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁equally ▁devoted ▁to ▁African ▁American ▁culture ▁and ▁was ▁known ▁for ▁his ▁lav ish ▁vest ments ▁and ▁distinct ive ▁j ew el ry . ▁It ▁was ▁his ▁music ▁that ▁made ▁him ▁famous , ▁beginning ▁with ▁his ▁" An ▁American ▁Mass ▁Program ," ▁which ▁combined ▁Greg or ian ▁Ch ant ▁with ▁the ▁mel od ic ▁patterns ▁and ▁rh yth ms ▁of ▁traditional ▁Neg ro ▁Spirit uals . ▁ ▁His ▁most ▁bel oved ▁h ymn ▁was ▁" G od ▁is ▁Love ." ▁ ▁He ▁first ▁sang ▁the ▁song ▁at ▁the ▁National ▁Lit urg ical ▁Conference ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁and ▁received ▁a ▁ 1 0 - min ute ▁standing ▁ov ation . ▁ ▁He ▁received ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁Ber ak ah ▁Award . ▁ ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁being ▁a ▁gift ed ▁composer , ▁he ▁had ▁an ▁acc laimed ▁vocal ▁style . ▁ ▁But ▁it ▁was ▁his ▁personal ▁faith ▁and ▁belief ▁in ▁the ▁lit ur gy ▁as ▁a ▁place ▁where ▁one ▁encountered ▁God ▁that ▁motiv ated ▁all ▁of ▁his ▁work . ▁ ▁He ▁died ▁unexpected ly ▁at ▁age ▁ 7 3 . ▁ ▁References ▁▁ ▁Category : 2 0 0 4 ▁death s ▁Category : Pe ople ▁from ▁Sel ma , ▁Alabama