VARIOUS ARTISTS
Kings Of The Gospel Highway (Shanachie)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

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This single-disc collection is an education in the history of gospel singing. It presents six of the most important groups of the genre, beginning with possibly the most important of them all, The Soul Stirrers. This group would eventually feature a young Sam Cooke on lead vocals, but the six tracks offered here feature a spectacular talent by the name of R.H. Harris, who had a profound effect on Cooke but isn't often given his due today. The Soul Stirrers introduced a background harmony vocal style that became the blueprint and the yardstick. All six of their tracks on this collection delve into different sub-styles of the genre, but on each their unique sound is instantly recognizable.

Elsewhere in the Stirrer's state of Texas, at exactly the same time, The Pilgrim Travelers were doing things differently, allowing the background singers to comp and vamp at will. The more cluttered but in some ways more interesting sound maintained the spirit well, and the conviction and joy shine through the static and the years. These two distinct camps produced their own offshoots. Soul Stirrers disciples The Five Blind Boys of Mississippi added very basic percussion to the equation, and later recorded with a full band. (One track here, "Someone Watches Over Me," even features piano). The Spirit Of Memphis' background vamping and high-energy outbursts put them in the Pilgrim Travelers' camp. Their four tracks here are among the most spirited on the disc. The Sensational Nightengales' use of acoustic guitar and bass put them in their own category at the time, and The Swan Silvertones' pre-doowop vocal configuration (with the goosebump-inducing bass vocals of Henry Bossard) would echo in the work of 90% of the vocal groups of rock & roll's infancy a decade later.

The sound quality of Kings Of The Gospel Highway isn't going to make audiophiles do flips. Get over it. The original recordings left plenty to be desired as far as that goes. On the other hand, it sounds good enough to allow the listener to be swept up in the joy of the performances, and that's what gospel music is all about, whether you're a believer or just a fan of great vocal harmony.

Track List:

The Soul Stirrers - Walk Around * The Soul Stirrers - Sleep On Mother * The Soul Stirrers - I Want To Rest * The Soul Stirrers - I'm Willing To Run * The Soul Stirrers - I'm A Soldier * The Soul Stirrers - Does Jesus Care * The Pilgrim Travelers - Dear Lord Look Down Upon Me * The Pilgrim Travelers - Go Ahead * The Pilgrim Travelers - I Wonder Will We Meet Again * The Pilgrim Travelers - Lord Hold My Hand * The Swan Silvertones - Lord I've Tried * The Swan Silvertones - Working On A Building * The Swan Silvertones - The Old Account * The Swan Silvertones - All Around * The Spirit Of Memphis - Jesus Jesus * The Spirit Of Memphis - Sign Of The Judgement * The Spirit Of Memphis - Tell Heaven * The Spirit Of Memphis - Jesus Brought Me * The Five Blind Boys Of Mississippi - I Was Praying * The Five Blind Boys Of Mississippi - The Lord Will Make A Way * The Five Blind Boys Of Mississippi - Will My Jesus Be Waiting * The Five Blind Boys Of Mississippi - Someone Watches Over Me * The Sensational Nightengales - God's Word Will Never Pass Away * The Sensational Nightengales - Lord Have Mercy * The Sensational Nightengales - I'm Coming Up Lord * The Sensational Nightengales - Somewhere To Lay My Head

© 2000 - DJ Johnson