Gospel Music

For those who have contacted me to learn whether James Davis, longtime member of the Dixie Hummingbirds has passed, I have confirmed that he died on Tuesday, April 17. The funeral will be on Friday, April 27 in Philadelphia. I will post more details as I receive them.In the photo, [...]

TBGB correspondent Matt Garret from Australia brought this website to our attention (thanks, mate). Quoting from the site's home page:"Since its creation in 1779 in England, 'Amazing Grace' has grown in popularity to become one of the best-known hymns in America. This Web site explores its history through items from [...]

Witness7 Sons of SoulZomba 2007www.7sonsofsoul.comFrom Washington, D.C., the 7 Sons of Soul – Cliff Jones, Dave Lindsey, Deonte Gray, Kenneth Epperson, Doug Hayes, and Sam Kendrick – blend today’s beats with south of the Mason-Dixon line quartet singing, complete with backbeat, bluesy guitar riffs, lead trading, and hard singing.In fact, [...]

My Best to YouKatie SankeyMeltone Records 2007www.meltonerevue.comKatie Sankey’s voice is so large it can hardly be contained within the borders of her home state of Alabama, where she is a Jefferson County native. It’s no surprise Katie won the Dorothy Love Coates Life Achievement Award at the 2006 American Gospel [...]

“Fisher of Men”BatisteFrom the DaMil Records CD Love is Your Greatest Gift 2006www.batistemusic.comDeLois Barrett Campbell believes that the Barrett Sisters blend harmonies so well because they are blood-related sisters. If kinship breeds quality harmony, it’s no wonder brothers Lionel (Ray) and Lyndon Batiste create such a heavenly sound together. Not [...]

Tramaine TreasuryTramaine HawkinsLight Records 2004www.lightrecords.comEdwin and Walter Hawkins may have smoothed the edges of gospel music with jazz chords and soft-rock arrangements to render it more appealing to the masses, but Tramaine’s churchy shouting was a constant reminder of its raising.A product of the Church of God in Christ, Tramaine [...]

We’ll Never Turn BackMavis StaplesAnti- 2007www.mavisstaples.com“It’s the 21st Century – it feels like it’s 1960!”Mavis Staples’ lament in “99 and ½,” a track on her new project, We’ll Never Turn Back, pretty much sums up the album’s theme. A revisiting of the Civil Rights Movement's musical lexicon, We’ll Never Turn [...]

Gospel DreamVarious ArtistsVerity 2007www.verityrecords.comGospel Dream is the debut compilation of performances by the Christian and Gospel finalists from the popular Gospel Music Channel program based on you-know-what ubiquitous television sensation (unnecessary hint: one judge wears a black t-shirt). The project demonstrates aurally what we already know intuitively: that any Gospel [...]

“You Can Make It”Terrence Mackey & Nu RestorationFrom the CD Nu Restoration - Vol. 1 (Spiritual City Music 2007)www.spiritualcitymusic.comWhile “Crossover,” with its fresh hip hop beats, is the signature single from Dallas native Terrence Mackey and Nu Restoration’s debut project Nu Restoration - Vol. 1, I’m partial to the traditional [...]

From a press release on the City of Chicago website, 3/30/07:Mayor Richard M. Daley today applauded the Chicago City Council for passing an ordinance giving official landmark status to the Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ building, the site of the 1955 visitation for Emmett Till.For four days in [...]