Emeritus Professor Robert Darden Publishes "Soon & Very Soon"

Robert F. Darden, founder of Baylor's Black Gospel Music Restoration Project and Emeritus Professor, recently released "Soon and Very Soon: The Transformative Music and Ministry of Andraé Crouch,” with co-author Dr. Stephen M. Newby, the Lev H. Prichard III Endowed Chair in the Study of Black Worship and Professor of Music at Baylor University. 

Newby and Darden collaborated for more than nine years on the book, interviewing nearly 200 musicians, singers, family, friends, gospel music scholars, producers and colleagues. The forward is written by renown scholar, Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. At Crouch's passing in 2015, President Barack Obama called him "the leading pioneer of contemporary gospel music." The book was published in March 2025 by Oxford University Press. 

Advance reviews of Soon & Very Soon include the prestigious Library Journal, wrote a lengthy review that ended with "Darden and Newby are to be commended for this title, likely to become the definitive exploration of this influential artist." 

Darden (B.S. In Education, 1976) taught in the Department of Journalism, Public Relations & New Media for more than 20 years. While at Baylor, Darden received the Master Teacher designation, Piper Foundation Outstanding University Professor in Texas Award, The Cornelia Marschall Smith Award for Outstanding Faculty and other honors. Darden retired from Baylor in May 2023.

Order your copy of "Soon and Very Soon" online through Oxford University Press, Amazon or Barnes & Noble.