Partly based on telephone interviews with Robert Broussard in 2005 By Opal Louis Nations Robert Broussard is sadly one of the unheralded baritone shout leads from gospel quartet’s Golden Age. He led the jubilee-rooted Ever Ready Gospel Singers of Shreveport in 1953-1954, then switched to Nashville’s famous Skylarks Quartet near the close of 1954. He denies ever recording with the Skylarks after 1957 despite the fact that Hayes & Laughton in their Gospel Records 1943-1969 discography have him down as a member in the group on the November 15th, 1962, August 4th, 1965, and January 1967 Nashboro studio dates, and ...

“Amazing Grace” The McCrary Sisters McCrary Sisters Productions (release date: April 30, 2021) www.mccrarysisters.com By Robert M. Marovich Only the McCrary Sisters, who could sing the phone book (remember those?) into the gospel charts, could pull off “Amazing Grace” sung to the tune of “House of the Rising Sun.” Except, that is, for the Blind Boys of Alabama, who did it originally. Still, the McCrary Sisters offer an equally intriguing, and arguably more evocative, take on this mix of regret and redemption. Daughters of the late Reverend Sam McCrary of the Fairfield Four, the McCrary Sisters—Ann, Deborah, Regina, and Alfreda—share ...

God’s Gonna Do It – Ricky Dillard & New G (Motown Gospel) Yes I Am! – Michelle David & the Gospel Sessions (MDGS Records) I Don’t Wanna Go – Isaac Carree (Shanachie Entertainment Group) Take Me Back – DOE (Life Room / RCA Inspiration) Shepherd – Nashville Life Music featuring Leeland (Integrity Music) I’ll Never Stop Praising the Lord – Northern Delaware Chapter GMWA Recording Choir (Enon Music Group) A Charge – Desmond Roberson & the Roberson Bunch (3 Sonz) Never Gave Up – Tasha Cobbs Leonard (Motown Gospel) Take a Look in the Book – Legendary Ingramettes (Virginia Folklife ...

Episode 147 Playlist: Bow down – Christina Bell Happy in Jesus – Exciting Holy Sons Never leave you alone – Supreme Angels Joy – Philip Mercer God’s power – Minister John Taylor Jr. Alright – Bishop Larry Trotter & Sweet Holy Spirit Choir Trust and believe – Mona Moore Hope – David Billingsley Psalm 33:2 – Instruments of Musick Carry us through – All Nations Music Lord forgive me – Mali Music Over and over – PJ Morton feat. Commissioned Rock my soul – Fisk Jubilee Singers feat. Fairfield Four

Fisk Jubilee Singers Celebrating Fisk! (The 150th Anniversary Album) Curb (release date: August 10, 2020) www.fiskjubileesingers.org By Bob Marovich On the eve of the sesquicentennial of its founding, the Fisk Jubilee Singers have released an album more musically and culturally diverse than any of its other recordings, going back more than a century. Founded in 1871 to raise funds for a young and financially-struggling Fisk University, the Fisk Jubilee Singers toured the U.S. and Europe, ultimately raising the needed funds but also triggering a jubilee-singing phenomenon emulated by other HBCUs as well as by commercial troupes. Jubilee singers also gave ...

“Gospel Roots of Rock and Soul” will be broadcast by US public radio stations during Black History Month (February) Note: Journal of Gospel Music’s Editor-in-Chief Bob Marovich is honored to have been interviewed for this remarkable radio documentary. PHILADELPHIA (JANUARY 15, 2019): A new radio documentary that explores the history of black gospel music and illustrates its significant influence on the formation of rock and soul music will be broadcast by US radio stations in February, during Black History Month. Hosted by GRAMMY award-winning gospel singer CeCe Winans, Gospel Roots of Rock and Soul is produced by Philadelphia public radio ...

By Bob Marovich To carve out a niche in a quartet community crowded with local and national artists, the Gospel Sensations are employing a time-honored principle that has been all but abandoned in gospel music. A cappella harmony singing. That’s right: trendsetting by going back to the way gospel quartets sang prior to the 1950s: without musical instruments. And people like it. “Sometimes music takes a more commercial turn, and I get that,” said Robert C. Marion Jr., member of the Gospel Sensations. “It takes money to finance a ministry, but the a cappella sound, when it is done right, ...

Gospel winners at the 58th GRAMMY Awards: 36. Best Gospel Performance/Song “Wanna Be Happy?” – Kirk Franklin 37. Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song “Holy Spirit” – Francesca Battistelli 38. Best Gospel Album Covered: Alive in Asia [Live] (Deluxe) – Israel & Newbreed (RGM Newbreed/RCA Inspiration) 39. Best Contemporary Christian Music Album This is Not a Test – Tobymac (ForeFront Records) 40. Best Roots Gospel Album Still Rockin’ My Soul – Fairfield Four (Fairfield Four Records) 45. Best American Roots Performance “See That My Grave Is Kept Clean” – Mavis Staples (Anti) For a complete list of winners and nominees, visit ...

    Playlist: Jesus, oh what a wonderful child – The Walls Group Go tell it – Calvin Bridges Time to celebrate – Voncile Belcher Bethlehem morning – Caleb Collins feat. Morris Chapman God rest ye merry gentlemen – Livre’ O come all ye faithful – Grace Covenant Worship This Christmas – Tony McClendon Silent night – Immeasurable The Christmas song – Deon Robertson Don’t take Christ out of Christmas – Angelo & Veronica Worship the newborn king – Tim Spady Carol of the drum – Robert Person O holy night – Kevin Riley Savior of the world – The ...

The Fairfield Four Still Rockin’ My Soul Fairfield Four Records (2015) www.thefairfieldfour.com By Bob Marovich In 1925, when the Fairfield Four organized in Nashville, Tennessee, quartet singing was done a cappella. No instruments, just the human voice.  And God saw that it was good. No–great. Over the years, quartets added to the mix an ever-expanding combo of guitar, piano, organ, drums, electric bass, and synthesizer until the music threatened to overpower the vocal harmonies. Whether or not you are a fan of quartet singing with music, we can agree that there’s something seriously magical about hearing a cappella vocal singing. ...