Feed Your Ears

[Luigi]

Dorothy Love Coates was a Gospel singer in Birmingham, AL starting around 1949. She died in 2002. She and the Gospel Harmonettes sing "Holding On to My Faith." This is a live version, which I like more than the original recording because we get to see her facial expression and her stage movements as well as hear her voice. 

 

[Luigi]

I've posted a couple of other songs by Mother Willie Mae Ford Smith. But she's good enough to post another. This is "What Manner of Man Is This?" This is taken from the documentary Say Amen, Somebody. She's singing at a Gospel music convention with a back-up choir that she didn't usually perform with. The second verse relates to the Resurrection , and she wants to go straight to the third verse, which relates to today's Gospel; she starts to sing the third verse, but the choir bulldozes straight ahead with the chorus. So she repeats the second verse and then I guess she signals the choir to keep quiet and she goes ahead with the third verse. She was about 80 when this film was made - her voice isn't what it once was, but it's still good, and the recording quality is much better than the original recording. (Footnote: The trio seen in the video is the Barrett Sisters, a Chicago group that Mother Smith mentored. I haven't posted anything by them yet.) 

 

[Luigi]

This being the feast of the Annunciation, I feel like I have to post something related. So this is the Hail Mary sung in French as a duet by two men. The first time through, they sing in unison. The second time through, they sing in harmony. 

 

[Luigi]

Nicodemus figures in today's Gospel, so here's a song for him. He was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin, but he also approached Jesus to discuss what he (Jesus) was teaching, and he is sometimes referred to as the Defender of Jesus because he reminded the Sanhedrin that a man should be heard at trial before he is judged. So here's Buddy Greene singing his song "Recovering Pharisee," which I find to be an interesting concept. Del McCoury does a more bluegrass version of the song, if you like bluegrass. 

 

Edited April 10 by Luigi

[Luigi]

The actor Dennis Quaid found religion rather late in life. He claims that religion pulled him through his addiction. He plays guitar and sings, and he writes his own songs. Including "Fallen."  

 

[Luigi]

Rhonda Vincent has been singing & playing country/bluegrass music in southern Missouri for a long time, along with her brother Darrin, and their mother Carolyn. Mama's on the left (white hair), Rhonda in the center (blond hair), and Darrin on the right (no hair). Here they are singing "Wounded Soldier." It sounds like a medley of two songs to me because of the change in tempo-pulse-and-melody near the end, but it's listed as one song. 

 

Edited April 12 by Luigi

[Luigi]

I've posted other songs by the Marshall Family. This one's called "Mr. Jesus." I believe it was written by David; that's who sings lead and plays banjo, too. I don't hear Pop, although he's shown in the picture. But Ben plays bass, and Judy and Danny sing harmony. Today's Gospel reading is the feeding of the 5,000, which is featured in the song's chorus. 

 

[Luigi]

Rev. Cleophus Robinson was one of the great Gospel singers. This is, arguably, his greatest hit, "Wrapped Up, Tied Up, Tangled Up (in Jesus)." It's got what I call "that walking beat" - slow, but steady and strong. To me, that beat expresses perseverance. 

 

[Luigi]

The Dixie Hummingbirds have been around a loonnngggg time - since 1928! Here they are singing "If Anybody Asks You Who I Am" (tell 'em I'm a child of God). It's a little on the brief side - the standard pop radio song back in the old days was 2:30 or so - but it's energetic. 

 

Edited April 15 by Luigi

[Luigi]

As I've mentioned before, the Carter Family (AP, Sarah, and Maybelle) recorded a lot of Gospel songs. In 2004, somebody produced a Carter Family tribute album called The Unbroken Circle. It included "On the Sea of Galilee" by Emmylou Harris and the Peasall Sisters. They provide the innocent, angelic voices on this song. Back in 2004, they were 8 to 12 years old I'd guess, but they're all grown up now and they don't sound like this any more. Anyway, the song doesn't have a real clear point; it's mostly personal reflection/questioning, but it's very pleasant to listen to and sing along with, especially if you want practice singing harmonies. 

Edited April 16 by Luigi

[Luigi]

"Where the Soul Never Dies" is a standard - even a classic. Today's first reading is the stoning of Stephen, so I figure this is appropriate even if it's not all that new or different. It is sung by Heather Berry and Tony Mabe - they have different last names but they're married. Heather has a pretty voice and she plays guitar; Tony plays guitar, banjo, and piano, as well as singing. They have a YouTube channel where they post a song a day. They're not all Gospel songs, but a lot of them are. 

 

[Luigi]

Michael Smith has been a singer-songwriter in the Chicago folk music scene for decades. This is his performance of his song "Sister Clarissa." 

 

[Luigi]

"Down in the River to Pray" is a old standard. It got cross-over famous in the movie "O Brother, Where Art Thou." But that's been 24  years ago. Like a lot of folk songs, it has a very simple structure lyrically and melodically. But you know what they say, "The simpler the chords, the richer the harmonies." This is the version recorded by Alison Krauss and a choir, for the movie. I also like the old photographs in this particular video. 

 

[Luigi]

Smokey Robinson is one of America's greatest singers and songwriters, and has been for over 50 years. (Say "Amen!," somebody!) In this video, he sings his Gospel composition "The Road to Damascus." It doesn't tell the story; it encourages people to conversion. It's not is "Gospel style." It's in Smokey Robinson style - it sounds similar to his pop songs. And I like that. 

 

[Luigi]

"Where Could I Go But to the Lord?" was written by James Buchanan under the name J. B. Coats. It's considered Country Gospel, but it was inspired by a Black man, Buchanan's neighbor, Joe Keys. Keys was dying, and Buchanan asked him if he knew where he was going to spend eternity; Mr. Keys replied, "Where could I go but to the Lord." Which are actually St. Peter's words in today's Gospel. Buchanan wrote the song years later. 

This is a pretty straightforward version of it - good voices, good enunciation, nice fiddling, nice harmony.