Breaking News: Legendary Golden Era group, The Caravans, set to release new CD in 2010

By: Joseph Middleton

Since 1952 (or 1949 if you want to count their days as Robert Anderson's backing ensemble), The Caravans have become one of the legendary female gospel groups of all time. While other female groups from The Golden Era such as The Davis Sisters or The Clara Ward Singers no longer exist, or simply exist without any original founding members still singing with the group, The Caravans are still going strong with an original founding member and are recording today with essentially the same lineup from 1958-59, give or take a few members. That's a rarity in both secular and gospel genres.

According to Albertina Walker's brand new website, AlbertinaWalker.com, The Caravans are set to release a 10 track CD later this year titled "My Soul Says Yes".Those of you familiar with that title may remember the song, written by Cassietta George and led by Josephine Howard from their 1965 Vee-Jay album, "The Caravans in Concert", or its 1969 re-release on Buddah Records.

I'll keep you posted as I get more information. You can read the blurb about the new CD here: http://albertinawalker.com/theCaravans.html

Happy Birthday to the Father of Gospel Music, Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey

On July 1, 1899 in Villa Rica, Georgia, Thomas Andrew Dorsey was born. Over the next 93 years, Dorsey would set forth a path that would take him from being a top blues artist in the 1920s and 1930s known as "Georgia Tom", to one of the most prolific writers of gospel music. While Rev. Dorsey's songwriting career was at its peak from the 1930s to the 1950s, Rev. Dorsey influenced generations of gospel singers, and that influence still resonates today in new artists and songwriters such as Marvin Sapp, whose hit composition, "Never Would Have Made It", took churches by storm during 2007 and beyond in a similar fashion to Rev. Dorsey's "Precious Lord, Take My Hand" in the 1930s. Other songs like "Peace in the Valley", "I Was Standing by the Bedside of a Neighbor (If You See My Savior Tell Him That You Saw Me)" "When The Gates Swing Open" and "I Don't Know Why" are still in regular rotation in churches worldwide and can be found in many a modern hymnal.

No doubt about it, Rev. Dorsey left behind a rich legacy.

Check out some of these videos featuring songs by Rev. Dorsey, and footage of Rev. Dorsey himself.

Check this out! Vintage tracks from a 1962 LP by the Savettes with Elder Goldwire McClendon on lead!

It's no secret, Elder Goldwire McClendon is a contender to be the winner on BET's Sunday Best for 2010. 79 year old Elder McClendon is clearly no stranger to gospel music, having started singing in the church at 9 years old. Something that only a few folks know is that Elder McClendon recorded during the Golden Era with The Savettes, and was featured as a lead vocalist on their first ever recording session in 1962. Here are 3 songs posted by Linwood Heath taken from the 1962 Savoy Records album featuring Elder McClendon on lead, with one song featuring Elder McClendon and his wife, Ruth on lead.

The Chicago Gospel Tour continues! Somewhat....

I've been home for a few months, but the Chicago Gospel Tour continues!

Here's a photo (courtesy of Bob Marovich) of Mahalia Jackson's first Chicago house, located at 3250 S. Prairie.

Nominate The Golden Era Gospel Blog for the 2010 Black Weblogs Award!

On June 1, 2010, nominations began for the 2010 Black Weblog Awards. The Black Weblog Awards started in 2005 as a way to honor and showcase Black bloggers and their blogs, both of which have generally been overlooked by mainstream Internet awards. Submissions for nominations can be sent in through July 25, 2010. Finalists will be announced on August 1, 2010, and voting for finalists will end on August 31, 2010. The winners will be announced on September 1, 2010.

Of the 35 categories listed, I'm certain that my blog is eligible for nomination in the following five categories.

1. Best Culture Blog

This category is for blogs which analyze and discuss Black culture and/or the African diaspora with respect to art, dance, Black history, music, and other related content.

2. Best Faith-Based Blog

This category is for blogs which feature unique religious and spiritual content from any religion or faith.

3. Best Music Blog

This category is for blogs that focus on music; blogs can provide downloadable mp3s, and may cover more than one genre of music. The majority of the blog should be about music, not satire on pop culture.

4. Best New Blog

This category is for blogs of any topic which have been started on or after September 1, 2009. (Just for the record, this blog was started on September 23, 2009.)

5. Blog to Watch

This category is for that great blog that not everyone knows about…but should! It’s undiscovered. It’s a best kept secret. (Although it won’t be anymore if they win this award!)

A reader notified me that they nominated this blog for a sixth category for Best Writing in a Blog. If you believe the material on this blog is well written based on the overall posts, you can go ahead a nominate it in the following category.

6. Best Writing in a Blog

This category is for blogs which have exceptional writing.

A blog can be nominated in more than one category, so you can nominate this blog in just one, or all six of the categories listed above. You can nominate this blog by clicking on the 2010 Black Weblogs Award icon in the upper right hand corner of this page, or by clicking on this link:
2010 Black Weblog Awards Nomination Form

It will ask you for the URL of the blog you wish to nominate, so remember, this blog's URL is http://goldeneragospel.blogspot.com/

So, why not take a few minutes and help out by nominating this blog?

Thanks!

Alberta Bradford (1942-2010)

The month-long lull in reporting golden era gospel related news on this blog has ended, although the ending has come with sadness. Another legend has gone on home to Glory. Alberta Bradford, pianist for The Alex Bradford Singers and Stars of Faith, singer, stage actress, minister of music, and widow of gospel legend Professor Alex Bradford passed away on Friday, May 21, 2010. Homegoing services will be held on Friday, May 28, 2010 at Jones Tabernacle Baptist Church. 2100 W. Baltimore Ave., Baltimore, MD. Visitation/viewing will be from 9-11am, and the Homegoing service will begin at 11AM.





Here is a tribute to Mrs. Bradford created by Dwayne "Rowoches" Lightsey.

Hey! Where are the updates?

By: Joseph Middleton


After the numerous posts I made in April (a blog record), it would probably appear to you that this blog has taken a vacation! That would be wishful thinking. I guess you can say that I'm on hiatus. Things seem to be pretty quiet for now on the Golden Era Gospel front compared to the whirlwind we had in April. As usual, I do hope to have some things of interest to post in the near future.

On the other hand, others are doing some things of interest. For example, if you remember my Chicago Gospel Landmarks tour, my tour guide and friend of the blog, Bob Marovich, embarked on a similar tour this month in none other than the Crescent City itself, The Big Easy. New Orleans, that is. Bob was able to see the (now gentrified) neighborhood in which Mahalia Jackson grew up, and took some photos. So turn on your favorite Mahalia songs and take a look at his pictures.
Mahalia Jackson's Neighborhood in New Orleans