• Much of the lyrics of gospel music derives from actual scripture.the orthodox gospel image by fotosergio from Fotolia.com
  
  Throughout time, humans have continuously found ways to express faith, with one of the more common mediums being music, With the advent of radio, gospel music, or music that expresses religious and spiritual beliefs, found a wider following as several gospel acts found crossover appeal. The 1940s, for example, witnessed several popular gospel groups, many of which were all female.
  
  

The Ward Singers

• One of the more appreciated and prosperous gospel women groups, the Ward Singers, also known as the Famous Ward Singers, consisted of a mother-daughter-sister combination, featuring gospel artist Clara Ward, her mother, Gertrude, and an older sister, Willa. The group began touring as early as 1943. By the close of the decade, they had added a fourth member, begun recording and toured from coast to coast. The Ward Sisters peaked in the 1950s, one of gospel music's golden ages, and they were known for songs such as "Surely God Is Able" and "Packin' Up," in which they used mimed movements to illustrate the song.
  
  

Roberta Martin Singers

• The Roberta Martin Singers were active as a gospel group mostly in the 1940s. Roberta Martin was at the helm, responsible for not only singing, but playing the piano. She later became a popular gospel music publisher and talent evaluator. Not strictly a female group, Roberta Martin Singers employed both male and female members, and each singer's individual voice was distinguishable, rather than having a broad background sound. Famous songs dating from the 1940s include "Old Ship of Zion," "He Knows How Much You Can Bear" and "Yield Not To Temptation."
  
  

The Gospel Harmonettes

• The Gospel Harmonettes were a women's gospel group that originated in 1940. They are perhaps best known for their lead singer, Dorothy Love Coates, who joined with the group in the 1950s. Despite forming in 1940, the group only had their first recording in 1949, at the tail end of the decade. Their songs included "God Shall Wipe Away All Tears," "Till My Change Comes" and "Come and Go With Me."