Spreading the Word: Early Gospel Recordings

Overview

Yet another of JSP's exhaustive budget-priced box sets of public domain recordings, Spreading the Word: Early Gospel Recordings provides just what the title promises, 105 tracks' worth of traditional African-American gospel recordings from 1926 to 1950. Listeners who know their history will already be familiar with some of the material here, such as the complete 16-song oeuvre of the Dallas-based blind mestiza singer/pianist Arizona Dranes that opens the first of these four discs, but much of this material will be new to all but the most devoted collectors of the style. Rarities like Luther Magby's strangely jaunty organ showcase "Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit," the Holy Ghost Sanctified Singers' "Jesus Throwed Up a Highway for Me" (a song that '70s AM radio enthusiasts will note sounds startlingly similar to Mungo Jerry's "In the Summertime"), and Sister Mary M. Nelson's scarifying "The Royal Telephone" sound great next to more familiar songs like Washington Phillips' idiosyncratic country blues-derived two-part single "Denomination Blues." The liner notes are sketchy, understandably so given the casual circumstances under which many of these songs were no doubt recorded, and it must be said that even a decent remastering job can't do much when your source material is coming from rapidly deteriorating 78s, but Spreading the Word: Early Gospel Recordings is of interest to musical and spiritual historians alike. ~ Stewart Mason

Product Details

Release Date:	06/21/2019
Label:	Jsp
UPC:	0788065721428
Rank:	131406

Tracks

Disc 1

1. In That Day  - Arizona Dranes
2. It's All Right Now  - Arizona Dranes
3. John Said He Saw a Number  - Arizona Dranes  - Richard M. Jones  - Sara Martin
4. My Soul Is a Witness for the Lord  - Arizona Dranes  - Richard M. Jones  - Sara Martin
5. Crucifixion  - Arizona Dranes
6. Sweet Heaven Is My Home  - Arizona Dranes
7. Bye and Bye We're Going to See the King  - Arizona Dranes  -  Rev. F W McGhee & His Jubilee Singers
8. I'm Going Home on the Morning Train  - Arizona Dranes  -  Rev. F W McGhee & His Jubilee Singers
9. Lambs Blood Has Washed Me Clean  - Arizona Dranes  -  Rev. F W McGhee & His Jubilee Singers
10. I'm Glad My Lord Saved Me With  - Arizona Dranes  -  Rev. F W McGhee & His Jubilee Singers
11. I Shall Wear a Crown  - Arizona Dranes  - Coley Jones
12. God's Got a Crown  - Arizona Dranes  - Coley Jones
13. He Is My Story  - Arizona Dranes  - Coley Jones
14. Just Look  - Arizona Dranes  - Coley Jones
15. I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go  - Arizona Dranes  - Coley Jones
16. Don't You Want to Go  - Arizona Dranes  - Coley Jones
17. The Royal Telephone  -  John Davis  - Clarence Nelson  - Mary M. Nelson
18. Judgement  -  John Davis  - Clarence Nelson  - Mary M. Nelson
19. The Seal of God  -  John Davis  - Clarence Nelson  - Mary M. Nelson
20. Isaiah  -  John Davis  - Clarence Nelson  - Mary M. Nelson
21. Thou Carest Lord for Me  -  Holy Ghost Sanctified Singers  - Bessie Johnson  -  Melinda Taylor  - Will Shade
22. Jesus Throwed Up a Highway for Me  -  Holy Ghost Sanctified Singers  - Bessie Johnson  -  Melinda Taylor  - Will Shade
23. Sinner, I'd Make a Change  -  Holy Ghost Sanctified Singers  - Bessie Johnson  -  Melinda Taylor  - Will Shade
24. When I Get Inside the Gate  -  Holy Ghost Sanctified Singers  - Bessie Johnson  -  Melinda Taylor  - Will Shade
25. God Give Me a Light  -  Louisville Sanctified Singers
26. So Glad I'm Here  -  Louisville Sanctified Singers

Disc 2

27. Mother's Last Words to Her Son  - Washington Phillips
28. Take Your Burden to the Lord and Leave It There  - Washington Phillips
29. Paul and Silas in Jail  - Washington Phillips
30. Lift Him Up That's All  - Washington Phillips
31. Denomination Blues: One  - Washington Phillips
32. Denomination Blues: Two  - Washington Phillips
33. I Am Born to Preach the Gospel  - Washington Phillips
34. Train Your Child  - Washington Phillips
35. Jesus Is My Friend  - Washington Phillips
36. What are They Doing in Heaven Today?  - Washington Phillips
37. A Mother's Last Words to Her Daughter  - Washington Phillips
38. I've Got the Key to the Kingdom  - Washington Phillips
39. You Can't Stop a Tattler: 1  - Washington Phillips
40. You Can't Stop a Tattler: 2  - Washington Phillips
41. I Had a Good Father and Mother  - Washington Phillips
43. No Room at the Hotel  - Bessie Johnson  -  Johnson
44. Key to the Kingdom  - Bessie Johnson  -  Johnson
45. One Day  - Bessie Johnson  -  Johnson
46. The Whole World in His Hand  - Bessie Johnson  -  Johnson
47. The Great Reaping Day  -  B. Taylor  - Bessie Johnson  - Will Shade  - Sally Sumler
48. He Got Better Things for You  -  B. Taylor  - Bessie Johnson  - Will Shade  - Sally Sumler
49. He's Got the Whole World in His Hands  - Bessie Johnson  -  Melinda Taylor  - Will Shade  -  Williams Memphis Sanctified Singers
50. I Will Meet You at the Station  - Bessie Johnson  -  Melinda Taylor  - Will Shade  -  Williams Memphis Sanctified Singers
51. He's the Lily of the Valley  - Arizona Dranes  -  Texas Jubilee Singers
52. He's Coming Soon  - Arizona Dranes  -  Texas Jubilee Singers

Disc 3

53. The Master Came and Called Me  - Richard Bryant
54. Saul, A Wicked Man  - Richard Bryant
55. Come Over Here  - Richard Bryant
56. How Much I Owe for Love Divine  - Richard Bryant
57. Lord, Lord, He Sure Is Good to Me  - Richard Bryant
58. Watch Ye Therefore,You Know Not the Day  - Richard Bryant
59. A Lie Was Told But God Know'd It  - Richard Bryant
60. A Wild Man in Town  - Richard Bryant
61. He Shut the Lion's Mouth  - Richard Bryant
62. Everybody Was There  - Richard Bryant
63. Blessed are the Poor in Spirit  - Luther Magby
64. Jesus Is Getting Us Ready for the Great Day  - Luther Magby
65. King of Kings  - Johnny Blakey  - Bessie Johnson  - Lonnie McIntorsh
66. Jesus Was Here on Business  - Johnny Blakey  - Bessie Johnson  - Lonnie McIntorsh
67. Warming by the Devil's Fire  - Johnny Blakey  - Bessie Johnson  - Lonnie McIntorsh
68. The Devil Is Loose in the World  - Johnny Blakey  - Bessie Johnson  - Lonnie McIntorsh
69. Soon We'll Gather at the River  -  Southern Sanctified Singers
70. Where He Leads Me I Will Follow  -  Southern Sanctified Singers
71. Where Shall I Be  - Sammy Price  -  Professor Johnson & His Gospel Singers
72. Give Me That Old Time Religion  - Sammy Price  -  Professor Johnson & His Gospel Singers
73. Angels  - Sammy Price  -  Professor Johnson & His Gospel Singers
74. Standing in the Safety Zone  - Sammy Price  -  Professor Johnson & His Gospel Singers
75. When I Move to the Sky  - Burt Bailes  -  Ellis Home  - Squire Girsback  - Clancy Hayes  - Bunk Johnson  - Turk Murphy  - Pat Patton  -  Sister Lottie Peavey
76. Nobody's Fault But Mine  - Burt Bailes  -  Ellis Home  - Squire Girsback  - Clancy Hayes  - Bunk Johnson  - Turk Murphy  - Pat Patton  -  Sister Lottie Peavey
77. Christ, the Teacher  - E.S. "Shy" Moore
78. The Solemn Warning  - E.S. "Shy" Moore

Disc 4

79. What Kind of Man Jesus Is  -  B. Taylor  -  Elders McIntorsh & Edwards' Sanctified Singers  -  Sisters Bessie Johnson
80. Since I Laid My Burden Down  -  B. Taylor  -  Elders McIntorsh & Edwards' Sanctified Singers  -  Sisters Bessie Johnson
81. The 1927 Flood  -  B. Taylor  -  Elders McIntorsh & Edwards' Sanctified Singers  -  Sisters Bessie Johnson
82. The Latter Rain Is Fall  -  B. Taylor  -  Elders McIntorsh & Edwards' Sanctified Singers  -  Sisters Bessie Johnson
83. Take a Stand  -  B. Taylor  -  Elders McIntorsh & Edwards' Sanctified Singers  -  Sisters Bessie Johnson
84. Behold! A King Shall Rise  -  B. Taylor  -  Elders McIntorsh & Edwards' Sanctified Singers  -  Sisters Bessie Johnson
85. Earth Is No Resting Place  - Arizona Dranes  - Jessie May Hill
86. The Crucifixion of Christ  - Arizona Dranes  - Jessie May Hill
87. God Rode in the Windstorm  - Arizona Dranes  - Jessie May Hill
88. [Untitled]  - Jessie May Hill
89. This World Is Not My Home  - Arizona Dranes  - Jessie May Hill
90. Sunshine in the Shadows  - Jessie May Hill
91. I'm Going to Lift Up a Standard for My King  - Jessie May Hill
92. Traveling  -  Eddie Davis  - Goldia Haynes  - Joe Liggins  - Gene Phillips
93. The Great Judgement Day  -  Eddie Davis  - Goldia Haynes  - Joe Liggins  - Gene Phillips
94. Oh Lord, How Long?  -  Eddie Davis  - Goldia Haynes  - Joe Liggins  - Gene Phillips
95. There's a Hand Leading Me  -  Eddie Davis  - Goldia Haynes  - Joe Liggins  - Gene Phillips
96. I'm Going to Hold On  -  Eddie Davis  - Goldia Haynes  - Joe Liggins  - Gene Phillips
97. The Truth in the Gospel  -  Eddie Davis  - Goldia Haynes  - Joe Liggins  - Gene Phillips
98. He's Coming Soon  - Laura Henton
99. Heavenly Sunshine  - Laura Henton
100. Lord, You've Sure Been Good to Me  - Eddie Durham  - Laura Henton  - Bennie Moten  - Joe Page
101. I Can Tell the World About This  - Eddie Durham  - Laura Henton  - Bennie Moten  - Joe Page
102. Plenty Good Room in My Father's Kingdom  - Eddie Durham  - Laura Henton  - Bennie Moten  - Joe Page
103. Lord, I Just Can't Keep From Crying Sometimes  - Eddie Durham  - Laura Henton  - Bennie Moten  - Joe Page
104. Let Us Therefore Come  - Joe Lenley
105. Lord Who Shall Abide in Thy Tabernacle  - Arizona Dranes  - Joe Lenley

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Sister Lotta Peavey   Primary Artist
Luther Magby   Primary Artist,Organ,Vocals
Arizona Dranes   Primary Artist,Piano,Vocals
Elder Richard Bryant   Primary Artist,Vocal Group
Laura Henton   Primary Artist,Vocals
Louisville Sanctified Singers   Primary Artist
Keith Johnson & the Spiritual Voices   Primary Artist
Rev. E.S. "Shy" Moore   Primary Artist,Vocal Group
Southern Sanctified Singers   Primary Artist
Texas Jubilee Singers   Primary Artist
Professor Johnson   Primary Artist
Professor Johnson & His Gospel Singers   Primary Artist
Sister Lottie Peavey   Primary Artist,Vocals
Rev. Sister Mary M. Nelson   Primary Artist,Vocals
Bessie Johnson   Primary Artist,Vocals,Vocal Group
George Washington Phillips   Primary Artist,Dolceola,Vocals
Holy Ghost Sanctified Singers   Primary Artist
Jessie May Hill   Primary Artist,Vocals,Vocal Group
Brother Williams Memphis Sanctified Singers   Primary Artist
Rev. Johnny Blakey   Primary Artist,Vocal Group
The Elders McIntorsh & Edwards' Sanctified Singers   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Rev. Joe Lenley   Primary Artist,Vocals
Washington Phillips   Primary Artist,Vocals,Dolceola
Goldia Haynes   Primary Artist,Vocals
B.E. Taylor   Vocals
Bessie Johnson Sanctified Singers   Vocals,Featured Artist
Bunk Johnson   Trumpet
Turk Murphy   Trombone
Lonnie McIntorsh   Guitar
Sammy Price   Piano
R.J. Jones   Vocals
Pat Patton   Banjo
Sally Sumler   Vocals
Burt Bailes   Piano
Malinda Taylor   Vocals
Joe Page   String Bass
Will Shade   Guitar,Harmonica
Ellis Horne   Clarinet
Sisters Bessie Johnson   Vocals
Ellis Home   Clarinet
Eddie Davis   String Bass
Melinda Taylor   Vocals
Rev. F W McGhee & His Jubilee Singers   Vocals
B. Taylor   Vocals
Sara Martin   Vocals
Richard M. Jones   Vocals
Squire Girsback   String Bass,Guitar (Bass)
Coley Jones   Mandolin
Clancy Hayes   Drums
Bennie Moten   Piano
Joe Liggins   Piano
Eddie Durham   Guitar
Gene Phillips   Guitar

Technical Credits

Arizona Dranes   Composer
Clarence Nelson   Assistant
Charles Albert Tindley   Composer
John Davis & the Georgia Sea Island Singers   Assistant
K. Johnson   Composer
W.R. Calaway   Composer
John Davis   Assistant
Traditional   Composer
Jessie May Hill   Composer
Rev. Johnny Blakey   Composer
The Elders McIntorsh & Edwards' Sanctified Singers   Duet
Keith Briggs   Liner Notes
P. Williams   Composer
George Washington Phillips   Composer