“I Promised Jesus”
The Echoaires
Ecko Records (release date: February 6, 2026)
By Robert M. Marovich
With an old-fashioned gospel quartet name but a style that blends old- and new-school, the Echoaires introduce “I Promised Jesus” with an explosion of sound before the song settles into the quintessential quartet backbeat.
The rhythm and melody seem derived from the Soul Stirrers’ 1953 “He’ll Welcome Me” but the tempo is faster and the lyrics are not about going home to glory but about giving thanks to God and serving Him here on terra firma. Also unlike the Stirrers’ song is the fiery vamp, which features raucous hard-shouting call-and-response singing between lead and quartet. The infectiousness of “I Promised Jesus” makes it an ideal “B” selection for a gospel program.
The Echoaires were formed in 1993 by Joseph Johnson and Charles Houston, and if all went as planned, the group recorded a live album late last month in their headquarters of Moscow, Tennessee, just east of Memphis.
Written by : Bob Marovich
Bob Marovich is a gospel music historian, author, and radio host. Founder of Journal of Gospel Music blog (formally The Black Gospel Blog) and producer of the Gospel Memories Radio Show.
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