You need do no more than scratch the surface of American music to discern the huge influence of gospel. It"s the choral harmonies on a Motown hit, the impassioned preaching of a Stax singer, the "Bridge Over Troubled Water" imagery of Paul Simon...there"s no escaping it. The fact remains that gospel is, was and will remain a cornerstone of American music for as long as it is recorded and performed. Here are fifty reasons why.