Contemporary Gospel Archives - The Gospel Highway

Do Not Pass Me By

Do Not Pass Me By Detroit Sings "Nu Hymns" 8:31

“Do Not Pass Me By” is one of the “old songs” of the church. It was written by Ms. Fanny Crosby in 1868. Not only was Fanny a great hymn/song writer, she, like Helen Keller some 68 years later, was blind since her birth in 1820. She never was in anyway resentful or bitter and lived her life to its fullest, giving back to others as best she could.

The story behind this song is that she was doing some work in a prison; she did a lot of motivational speaking and preaching hoping to turn people to Jesus by telling her story. While she was at the prison she played some of her songs, and it’s said that she heard the voice of one of the inmates, cry out, “Saviour, do not pass me by!”

Crosby heard this and thought, “Wow, that’s a very powerful phrase.” That very night she sat down and wrote this song. Well, not only was that phrase powerful, so was her song which became hugely popular.

However, there were critics who made the case that God loves EVERYONE, unconditionally, and thus “He” would never pass anyone by. Point taken. It’s STILL a good song.

And talk about POWERFUL, this particular version of the song is REALLY POWERFUL. And with one GOOD REASON spelled D-E-T-R-O-I-T…aka Motown or The Motor City.

In 2005 gospel music producer and performer Dietrick Haddon, a native son of Detroit, gathered over 200 of Detroit’s finest gospel singers from more than a dozen black churches to record this the album “Detroit Sings Nu Hymnz – Volume 1”, a compilation of several “old songs of the church” into which he infused new life. energy and meaning.

You need to listen no further than the opening note from the choir that follows the very restrained 45 second intro to fully understand when I say this song is really POWERFUL.

JUST LIKE IN THE ICONIC MAXELL PHOTO “BLOWN AWAY” BELOW

I just love it and I hope you do too!!!!

‘Til We Meet Again

Til We Meet Again Evelyn Turrentine-Agee 5:56

This is just a lovely kind of dismissal/benediction piece that works really well because of how well Evelyn and her backup singers, “The Warriors”, perform it. Evelyn’s spoken style on the vocal lead is perfect. This cut is from her first album, “God Did It”, released in 1992. Great song.

Saved And Sent To Sing

Saved And Sent To Sing The Gospel Music Workshop Of America Mass Choir 4:35

St. Louis, MO, summer 1988. The annual gathering of James Cleveland’s Gospel Workshop of America is in full swing and, after rehearing all week, the GMWA mass choir is ready to record it’s new album to be released in the spring of 1989. James Cleveland founded The Gospel Music Workshop of America (GMWA) in 1967 to offer gospel musicians an alternative outlet to present their work that might not be accepted by the “other” annual summer gospel gathering, Thomas A. Dorsey’s National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses (NCGCC) that he founded in 1933.

Dorsey (“The Father of Gospel Music”)/NCGCC = Old School gospel
Cleveland (“The King of Gospel Music”)/GMWA = New School gospel
Cleveland studied and learned his craft at Chicago’s Pilgrim Baptist Church under the tutelage of Thomas A. Dorsey.

I like this song a lot and I like the idea of some amazing grace saving Larry Dennis so he could write this song and sings lead on this album. I get the feeling that, for reasons unknown to me, that Mr. Dennis truly believes in his heart he has “been saved and sent to sing”.

Jesus Saves

Jesus Saves The Pentecostal Community Choir And Keith Pringle 5:18

For those of you who might not be deep into fundamental Christianity, like myself, do NOT be scared off by the song title. I think I have said before (and if I haven’t, I’ll go on record here), in my humble estimation, one doesn’t not have to faithfully believe all the lyrics to all these great gospel songs to appreciate the music. Take the lyrics them as you received them and let the song wash over you. That’s all that is required. If there is no doubt in your mind that Jesus Saves, bless you, And if you believe that is not the case for what ever reason, bless you. I’m not here to argue theology, I just want to share with others the music I have come to love. Can somebody give me an “Amen”??

This album featuring Minister Keith Pringle and The Pentecostal Community Choir was a big deal when it was released in 1988. And this song is one of the very best on the entire album, which is saying A LOT, because ALL the tracks are great.

Both the choir and lead singer, Marshall Petty, sing their hearts out. (I saw one comment about Marshall’s perfomance that read “He really is singing his face off.” True dat, Amen! Marshall sadly passed away in 2007, but this video is proud part of his digital legacy.

What He’s Done For Me

What He’s Done Southeast Inspirational Choir 3:47

In 1970, three gifted, passionate, skilled gospel visionaries, Brenda Waters, Shirley Joiner and Carl Preacher combined their directing, playing, singing and song writing gifts to present a youth musical to benefit the Mt. Olive and Outreach Missionary Baptist Churches in Houston Texas. Ms. Brenda Waters directed the choir, Carl played the organ and Ms. Shirley played the piano…the young singers just did what they were told to do. They presented their first Dedication and Praise concert at Houston’s South Park Baptist Church on Valentine’s Day in 1971.

The choir’s leaders decided to turn the group into a permanent choir. They lived and “churched” in southeast Houston, so they named the choir “The Southeast Inspirational Youth Choir” aka Southeast. Brenda, Shirley and Carl taught 45 adolescents to sing soprano, alto and tenor, obey directions; and praise God in song and life. In the summer of 1971, at the James Cleveland Gospel Music Workshop of America in Dallas, they were named the “1971-72 Most Promising Choir”. The choir is still in existence today, now into the second and third generation of singers.

In 1982 the choir released a single titled “My Liberty”, with Yolanda Adams, then a sophomore at Texas Southern University, singing lead. Her voice drew the attention of Thomas Whitfield of Sound of Gospel records. She eventually was signed and made her debut album in 1987. The rest is history as Yolanda became, and continues to be a huge gospel recording personality. She has sold over 10 Million albums world wide.

Glorious

Glorious Martha Munizzi

The infectiousness of Hezekiah Walker’s “Every Praise” makes me recall another song.

Martha Munizzi grew up in Lakeland Florida, in a very religious and musical family. The family toured together as a christian music “team” and Martha began singing church songs as a young child.

The great, and curious, thing about this song is its Latin flavor. The song was written by Martha and Israel Houghton who was producer on one of her records. The lyrics and verses to the song came to Martha very late one night as she struggled and prayed for inspiration for one last song on an upcoming album. Israel Houghton, born in Jamaica, has fused gospel with all kinds of different music. It was Israel who set the song to the strong, funky, Latin beat.

One summer our gospel choir traveled to perform in Brazil. Our first concert was a joint concert hosted by a small Brazilian school for arts. The “kids” were amazing singers and dancers! As the joint closing song we sang “Glorious”. Although the kids struggled a bit with the english lyrics, their dancing, clapping and energy more than made up for it. It was a VERY memorable moment for all involved.

LASTLY, there is a female percussionist/drummer who has followed in the footsteps of early Latin musicians like Xavier Cugat (“The Rumba King”) and Pérez Prado. Sheila E. is known around the world for her Latin drummer style. And what a TREAT when Shelia E. joins Martha Munizzi to perform “Glorious” together. LOVE this video.

Every Praise

Every Praise Hezekiah Walker 4:37

Hezekiah Walker is one of the progenitors of praise and worship gospel songs. They are easy to sing, have great messages, and lend themselves to marvelous music videos.

“Every Praise” is one of his best. I can remember vividly ending a joint concert in Portugal with the combined choirs singing “Every Praise”. Not long into the song, EVERYONE in the church was on their feet, singing, clapping, swaying…it was a great happening when the “spirit” seemed to fill the entire room.

AND, while I have here, take the time to watch the music video for the song that was filmed at Five Points South on the south side of Birmingham Alabama. It is a great “Flash Mob” type happening. There was a time when a blg group of people of color dancing and singing in the streets of Birmingham would not have gone over well…some progress has been made.

We Magnify Your Name

We Magnify Your Name Richard Smallwood 5:06

A truly amazing song in so many ways. First of all, the instrumental INTRO is unique in all of gospel to my knowledge.

The song starts with only a very funky drum rhythm accompanied by the sound of a güiro, a percussion instrument consisting of an open-ended, hollow gourd with parallel notches cut in one side. It is played by rubbing a stick along the notches to produce a zipper-like ratchet sound. . The güiro is commonly used in Cuban, Puerto Rican, and other forms of Latin American music; rather novel for a gospel song, contemporary or not. [Thanks to Wikipedia for the info on the güiro, )

Next come a few singers singing the title refrain, “Oh Lord, we magnify your name.”

Add in Richard Smallwood himself adding a very classically influenced piano part with a couple of fun flourishes. (He received a degree in Classical Piano from Howard University),

I’m going to let YOU, the listener, discern all the voices and instruments that continue to be added one by one until the intro is full established after more than 2 minutes.

Then on to a single verse repeated three times by Richard and his singers, followed by a vamp and exhortation on “You’re worthy…so worthy!”, followed by a reprise of the verse to close the song out. DO NOT MISS RICHARD’S VOCAL at 4:31.

I Will Give You Rest

I Will Give You Rest Lillian Lilly 5:02

Although this song is attributed only to Lillian Lily, at least on the album cover, this song is just as much about the choir that backs her up. Fantastic.

Listen especially closely to the vamp at the end (2:53)…”Rest, give you rest”. After the vamp modulates you begin to hear the sopranos come in just a hair (eighth rest??) before the rest of the choir. This is by design and it keeps you listening to see if it comes back around, and it does. I’ve tried to follow along making the “early” entry and always end up mucking it up…it’s hard to know when to EXACTLY come it.

The vamp not only modulates up powerfully several times, but there are a few surprises by the end of this song.

I don’t know, nor have I looked for, any other songs, from Lillian Lily, but take a look on YouTube, you might find some more great contemporary gospel there.

My Everything

My Everything Richard Smallwood And Vision 6:07

Okay, back to a gospel classic many of you will know from the amazing Richard Smallwood. Smallwood’s unique blend of classical piano and soaring harmonies and group vocals may never be surpassed.

Richard graduated from Howard University where, among many other things, he started the school’s first gospel group, The Celestials”, as well as the schools the first gospel choir. (Hard for me to imagine a large black college like Howard with no gospel programs until the 80’s!!)

Smallwood “broke out in 1982 with the release of his first album, “The Richard Smallwood Singers”. It was a huge hit and stayed on the Billboard Gospel for over a year and a half!!!

“My Everything” is one of my favorites and I was fortunate to be able to learn and perform it during my time with the “Joyful Voices of Inspiration”. Enjoy.

Embed

Embed

Embed

Embed

Embed

Embed

Embed

Embed

Embed

Embed