Reflection: Recognizance of Negro Spirituals In The Church

By: Joseph Middleton

Golden Era Gospel is true Americana. It is an art form and an expression of spirituality and faith. It is the story of a people, a message of salvation to a world that desperately needs to hear it. Its sounds range from a hard driving beat accompanied by squalling vocals which drive a congregation into a frenzy, to a simple chorus singing with a sound of urgency. These differing sounds of Golden Era Gospel owe their existence to a common musical ancestor, the Negro Spiritual.

It seems like perfect timing to mention Negro Spirituals on this blog seeing as it's February, which means it's Black History Month in the United States. While many churches regularly take a trip down "Old School Boulevard" some Sunday mornings, this time of the year may be the only time many Music Ministry Departments will take the time to depart from modern repertoire and touch a Negro Spiritual or a song from the Golden Era for just a few minutes, if at all. This is unfortunate. Just as it would be wrong for a high school U.S. History class to ignore the Founding Fathers, it should be just as wrong for a Music Ministry Department to ignore this important heritage, and ignore the songs of yesteryear. These sounds of divine inspiration provided hope and sustenance to those who have traveled before us on this pilgrim journey. I hope some Pastors and Ministers of Music will take heed to this message and help spread kernels of knowledge about these songs and their writers to their congregations through song and other presentations.

I'll conclude this post with a spoken word narrative by the late United States Congresswoman, Barbara Jordan of Houston, Texas. Jordan was accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of London as she spoke of the importance of Negro Spirituals and "The Gospel Train" as only she knew how, with eloquence and poise.

Barbara Jordan: The Gospel Train

As for me? I'm boarding the Gospel Train, won't you ride along with me? Come on aboard, there's room for many more!

PBS Special on Sam Cooke set to air on Monday, January 11, 2010

Get your TiVo, DVR, or VCR ready. On Monday, January 11, 2010 at 9pm ET/8pm Central, PBS will air an episode of American Masters focusing on Sam Cooke. In the 1940s and 50s, Sam Cooke made his mark in the gospel world as a member of The Highway QCs and The Soul Stirrers. In 1957, he left The Soul Stirrers and crossed over as an R&B artist. His untimely, yet controversial death (which has even sprouted conspiracy theories) is still the topic of conversation among people some 45 years later. If you're a Sam Cooke fan, a fan of golden era gospel or 1960s R&B, or just want to learn more about the life of Sam Cooke, don't miss this episode of American Masters.

More info: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/sam-cooke/crossing-over/1506/

As has been noted on Bob Marovich's "The Black Gospel Blog", a comment on the aforementioned PBS website is written in a way to suggest that The Soul Stirrers sang in "jook joints" or "night clubs." That is not true. The Soul Stirrers sang in churches and auditoriums, but not clubs or joints.

How would you like to own a piece of Golden Era Gospel History?

By: Joseph Middleton

Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with the seller, I'm just reporting something that I believe is interesting.

If you've wanted to own a piece of Golden Era Gospel History, look no further than 4901 S. Woodlawn Ave. in the Hyde Park section of Chicago. What's so special about this house? Well, according to a 1960 article published the Chicago Defender, it once served as the residence of the one and only Roberta Martin. Boy, if those walls could talk, who knows how many prolific songs were composed inside that home and how many gospel greats graced those steps at the front?

The 1902 build home, designed by noted architect Howard Van Doren Shaw, is listed as having 7 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, a 2 car garage (which most likely housed her Cadillac which took the singers all across the nation during their heyday) and is 8000 square feet. That's a mighty nice residence for a black gospel singer from the golden era if you ask me, heck, that's nice for anyone in 2010!

You're probably wondering how I came across this. Well, I googled the address after finding it in the article and that's what popped up in the results. It was interesting to find out to say the least. So, if you have $1.9 million to plunk down and want to own a piece of gospel music history, I'd say this is the house for you.

More info on the home: http://lucidrealty.com/homes-for-sale/Chicago_Kenwood/single_family_homes/4901-S-Woodlawn/

A Special Treat: A 2005 Interview with Sarah McKissick

In 2005, Sarah McKissick was interviewed by Eric Majette as part of the National Visionary Leadership Project. This video interview is now available for viewing in multiple parts at this link: Sarah McKissick Interview. Mrs. McKissick was the first cousin of Dorothy Norwood, the wife of the late Norsalus McKissick of The Roberta Martin Singers, and a legendary gospel singer who sang with The Caravans, The Little Lucy Smith Singers, The Roberta Martin Singers and The Dorothy Norwood Singers. Mrs. McKissick passed away in 2008, but these videos will ensure that her legacy will continue for years to come.

Special thanks to Shane Steward-Cowan for bringing this interview to my attention.

In Memoriam, A Tribute to Those We Lost in 2009

Every year, the earthly roll of golden era gospel singers grows a little shorter as they go on to receive their heavenly reward. To honor their memory, here's a list of those golden era gospel artists who have gone on this year to sing with the heavenly choir. If I have forgotten anyone, please leave me a note in the comments section.

Claude Jeter (The Swan Silvertones)

Hazel Henderson

Willa Mae Dorsey

Bishop Charles Edward Cook (Mighty Gospel Giants)

Ethel Holloway (solo artist, Jessy Dixon Singers, Thompson Community Singers, Ethel Holloway Singers)

Rev. Leroy Taylor (The Soul Stirrers, Christland Singers)

Margaret Aikens-Jenkins

Shirley Joiner (Southeast Inspirational Choir)

Rev. Timothy Wright
(I know that Rev. Wright and Ms. Joiner weren't golden era artists, but because of their influence in the traditional gospel genre, I believe they both merit mention.)

Vera Jean Eskridge Jenkins (The Loving Sisters)

Eugene Smith (The Roberta Martin Singers)

Dr. Horace Clarence Boyer (noted gospel music historian and member of The Boyer Brothers)

Delores "Sugar" Poindexter

Marie Knight (partner with Sister Rosetta Tharpe)

Alexander "Pete" Dixon (St. Paul's Echoes of Eden)

Elder Norvell Woolfork (Clara Ward Singers)

Sister Lucille Barbee

Frances Steadman (Mary Johnson Davis Gospel Singers, Clara Ward Specials, Clara Ward Singers, The Stars of Faith)

O Johneron Davis, Where Art Thou?

By: Joseph Middleton

Just about everyone who has an interest in Golden Era Gospel knows about Albertina, Shirley, Bessie, Cassietta, Delores, Dorothy and James (Cleveland and Herndon) as some of the best known members of The Caravans. Yet, there's one member that's rarely talked about and little is known about her. Her name was Johneron Davis.

From 1953 to 1962, Davis was a member of The Caravans. Davis sang a distinctive soprano register which could easily be picked out in the background vocals. To my knowledge, Davis only led or co-led two songs while recording with The Caravans. Those songs were "In His Name" which was recorded in 1960, and "Remember Me" from her last recording session with the group 1962 in which she duets with Albertina Walker as they sing the "Father, I stretch my hands to thee" portion of the song. Despite her nine years with the group, little is known about Davis such as where and when she was born, what other groups (if any) she sang with, how she became a member of the group, and her life after she left the group in 1962. This post is probably more of a plea than anything else, but I would like some help in finding out about Davis's life. I'll do my part, but I'll need some help. If you have any information about her, please contact me by leaving a message in the comments section of this post.

Thanks!

The bridge between James Cleveland's "Christ the Redeemer" and Donald Byrd's "Cristo Redentor"?

By: Joseph Middleton


The late great Rev. James Cleveland was no stranger when it came to combining elements from other genres of music with gospel. As early as 1959, Rev. Cleveland was transforming secular hits into church friendly compositions when he turned Ray Charles' "Hallelujah I Love Her So" into "Hallelujah I Love Him So." His most popular gospelization may have been when he turned Gladys Knight's "You're The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me" into "Jesus Is The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me" for his 1975 double LP of the same title with the Charles Fold Singers.

While Rev. Cleveland drew upon much inspiration from the R&B and pop singers of the day, he may have also drawn inspiration from the world of jazz. In the early 1960s, legendary jazz pianist and composer Duke Pearson arranged a song titled "Cristo Redentor." As the story goes, Pearson saw the famous Cristo Redentor statue in Rio de Janeiro during a trip to Brazil with Nancy Wilson while he was Wilson's accompanist, and was inspired to compose the song. Along with "Cristo Redentor," Pearson arranged three more tracks for jazz trumpeter Donald Byrd's album titled "A New Perspective." "A New Perspective" was released in 1963 for Blue Note records and "Cristo Redentor" became a jazz hit. "Cristo Redentor" featured Byrd on trumpet, Herbie Hancock on piano, Hank Mobley on tenor sax, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Donald Best on vibraphone, Butch Warren on bass, Lex Humphries on drums, a gospel choir providing background vocals directed by Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, and the sound engineering was done by Rudy Van Gelder.

Some of you may be thinking to yourself "Rudy Van Gelder? That name sounds familiar." If it does, it's probably because he was the sound engineer for many of Savoy's late 50's material produced by Ozzie Cadena. Cadena and Van Gelder's work with Savoy gospel artists can be heard on mid to late 50's material by artists such as The Davis Sisters, The Caravans, The Roberta Martin Singers and The Famous Ward Singers. While that may not have much to do with the works in question from 1963 and 1966, it's still interesting to note from a gospel music historian's standpoint.

In 1966, Rev. James Cleveland, just 6-7 years into his solo career, recorded a project with The Walter Arties Chorale. One of the songs on the LP was "Christ the Redeemer," which is what "Cristo Redentor" translates to from Portuguese into English. Cleveland utilized the Walter Arties Chorale to provide a vocal sound that sounds similar to the Perkinson directed choir on "Cristo Redentor." When you listen to Cleveland's other work from the same era, "Christ the Redeemer" sounds like a serious departure from the familiar James Cleveland sound typical of his 50s and 60s work. This similar to the departure many jazz artists of the day were making as they experimented with new sounds in lieu of traditional arrangements.

Now, I encourage you, the informed listener to take a few minutes and listen to both compositions and come to your own conclusion(s).

Donald Byrd- "Cristo Redentor" (1963)


Rev. James Cleveland and the Walter Arties Chorale- "Christ the Redeemer" (1966)