Ain't Got Time to Die

Ain't Got Time to Die by Johnson

Soloist: Ricky Dillard

Hall Johnson (1888-1970) was born in Athens, Georgia. He formed the Hall Johnson Negro Choir, among other ensembles, and become known for composing and performing music for Hollywood films and Broadway musicals. Johnson is best known as one of a group of composers who worked to elevate the profile of the African-American spiritual, of which this song is an excellent example. This song was composed by Johnson in the style of a spiritual but was meant to be a concert piece. The composer used specific markings and guidelines in the score to inform the singers of his stylistic intentions as opposed to relying on a rote (by ear) mode of learning.