Gospel Music

[Ed. Note: Some of you may remember the "Gospel" website at www.island.net. From the late '90s to 2000, I contributed reviews and other content for the site. My reviews were of recordings I believed essential for building the ultimate gospel music collection.When the "Gospel" site was discontinued two or three [...]

Oh Happy Day ReunionThe Original Edwin Hawkins SingersLight 2004 (originally released in 1992)http://www.lightrecords.com/OK, I admit it: I am not a fan of the early ‘70s contemporary gospel scene, so I wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy this project. Suffice to say that I enjoyed it very much, far more than I [...]

"Churchin'"Angela "Missy" BillupsFrom the CD Churchin' Missy B Music 2005www.missyb.comResplendent in her going-to-church millinery, "Missy" Billups reminds us on the hand-clapping, organ-and-tambourine powered "Churchin'" what singing sounds like when saints get together to have "ch'ch." The song is a vibrant, non-stop medley of old-time songs, led by Billups and her [...]

Music of the Old SouthPolk Miller and the Old South QuartetteFlaherty Recordings 2006www.polkmiller.com Polk Miller was that most American of specimens: a man of notable contradiction. A pharmacist who developed animal medicines that formed the basis of today's Sergeant's Pet Care Products, Miller was also a talented banjo player and [...]

“Call Jesus” Bruce Parham From the upcoming Emtro Gospel CD Dwell Together Street Date: June 5, 2007 http://www.emtro.com/ Bishop Bruce V. Parham, Sr., founder and pastor of Wilmington, Delaware’s Oasis of Refreshing Ministries, possesses the closed-eyes vocal intensity of James Cleveland when he posits the opening question on his new [...]

We Praise YouThe McClurkin ProjectGospocentric Records 2007http://www.gospocentric.com/On We Praise You, gospel superstar Donnie McClurkin hands the microphone to the female McClurkins (Andrea, Tanya, Cheri, and Olivia), and to “first member” Carol Carter. While Donnie chimes in from time to time – for example, lending his reassuring voice to “You’ll Be [...]

Last May, TBGB reported on the magnificent $350,000 grant that Baylor University professor Robert Darden (left), author of People Get Ready! A New History of Black Gospel Music, secured to identify, acquire, clean, digitize and catalogue black gospel recordings.This month Darden told TBGB, “The Black Gospel Music Restoration Project is [...]

From D.A. Johnson of the Malaco Music Group:The Malaco Music Group regrets to announce the passing of Air Gospel Recording Artist William “Man” Barnes of The Sunset Jubilaires.On Thursday, May 10, 2007, approximately 1 am, the Lord called him home after a long bout with cancer.William “Man” Barnes was an [...]

Scott Harlow of Chicago has created an interesting and fun website devoted to funk, soul and gospel 45s from the Midwest. Most of the issues are of late 60s-1970s vintage, when indie and vanity labels grew exponentially and captured the sound of the times. On the Illinois Gospel page, you'll [...]

The Spiritualaires of Hurtsboro, ALSinging Songs of PraiseCaseQuarter 2007www.aumfidelity.com/casequarter.htmlFor every gospel quartet that made a record, even if it was only a vanity single, there are a dozen quartets that never even stepped into a recording studio. That doesn't mean that only the best quartets made it on vinyl. On [...]