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TBGB reader Will Harris contributes his own review of Cassietta Lerone Baker's book, Miss Walk Around Heaven All Day:The legendary Cassietta George is one of the gospel industry’s most revered trailblazers. Her trademark voice is often imitated, but it cannot, and will never be, duplicated.Sadly, Mrs. George is not known [...]

The National Association of Negro Musicians, Inc.NANM Sings SpiritualsNANM, Inc. 2006www.nanm.org/products.htmIn the introduction to NANM Sings Spirituals, Roland Carter, immediate past president of the ninety year-old National Association of Negro Musicians, explains that the purpose of the NANM is the “preservation and cultivation of African American music, with an emphasis [...]

BloodlineTime for Change: Live in ColumbusBAMM Records 2008www.BloodlineMusicGroup.com“Originality with no compromise.” “New Sounds for Generation Now.” “Urban gospel with a twist.” “Crazy Praise.”These are just a few of the ways Bloodline describes itself. Listening to the Richmond, Virginia group’s first full-length project, Time for Change, I must say the descriptions [...]

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I Got Two WingsLynn AbbottCaseQuarter 2008www.aumfidelity.com/casequarterThis is the story of an electric guitar-slinging, gospel music singing evangelist from the Church of God in Christ whose popularity was greatest in the 1940s and 1950s.No, I don't mean Sister Rosetta Tharpe. A lesser-known but equally electrifying musician was Elder Utah Smith. Smith [...]

The New Faith Missionary Baptist Church on Chicago's south side reported that Rev. Leroy Taylor passed away January 8, 2009. Homegoing services were on January 11.The 89 year-old Taylor was a member of the Soul Stirrers and a founding member of the Christland Singers (above). He pastored New Faith from [...]

“We’re Going to a Meeting”The Soul StirrersFrom the Malaco CD A Soul Stirring Reunion (2008)www.malaco.comLead singer Willie Rogers summons the spirit of fellow Stirrers alumni Sam Cooke, Johnnie Taylor, Spencer Taylor and Martin Jacox on “We’re Going to a Meeting.” The song was written by Malaco quartet maven Darrell Luster, [...]

RetrospectiveBlind Boys of AlabamaSheridan Square Records 2007www.sheridansquaremusic.comThe Blind Boys of Alabama are among the most anthologized quartets in all of gospel music. For good reason, too – the group has been recording since music was on thick ten-inch discs and Truman was in the White House. Earlier this month, they [...]

GratitudeCalvin EarlBack to Basics Records 2004www.calvinearl.comFollowing in the footsteps of artists such as Ella Jenkins and Odetta, who performed African American spirituals within a folk music context, Calvin Earl has produced Gratitude. It is Earl’s personal statement of “gratitude” to his ancestors for their gift of the spiritual, which he [...]