There Might Be Someone Famous Right in Front of You

Several years ago, I was standing in a long line at a crowded grocery store when the thought occurred to me: What if someone in this line is famous for something?

By “famous,” I was thinking of what you might call “niche famous.” In other words, a person unlikely to appear on the cover of any magazines sold in that grocery but, nevertheless, distinguished as a leading light in some American subculture.

Could a champion amateur bowler, or a gamer with a massive following on Twitch, or Ohio’s Teacher of the Year be in line right next to me?

If Del Ray Grace had been standing in that line, he would have been exactly the sort of person I was thinking of.

It would not be an overstatement to describe Del Ray Grace as the Alan Lomax of gospel steel guitar music. Known among its devotees as “Sacred Steel,” it is a distinct art form within the African-American gospel tradition — and Grace believed it needed to be preserved as such.

Beginning as a young man, he amassed over the next 40 years the world’s largest archive of recorded performances of and historical documents about Sacred Steel music. He recently established a brick-and-mortar museum for the collection in his hometown of Toledo, Ohio (and is already outgrowing his space!) — but that’s not all. He and his family members have staged annual events here that have made the city a major destination for the nation’s top Sacred Steel performers. And, in true evangelical spirit, Grace has a website and broadcasts on local cable to share the story of Sacred Steel and its music with all who want to experience this distinctive form of religious expression.

You don’t have to be an ethnomusicologist to be fascinated by the story of Sacred Steel — or Grace’s personal story of testing and triumph as he worked to make his vision a reality. And, the music itself simply must be experienced. You’ll get a taste of both in this week’s podcast. If you like what you hear, you’ll want to visit sacredstrings.com for an encounter with Sacred Steel Hall of Fame members and to explore the deep variety within this uniquely American style of music.

I should also note that the Sacred Steel Museum was supported in part by The Arts Commission, which was the first organization featured on Your Community Matters.