Category: Traditional Gospel

Rest For The Weary

  1. Rest For The Weary Rev. Milton Brunson And The Thompson Community Singers 4:39

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Milton Brunson’s Thompson Community Singers are one of the best known choirs from the golden days of big gospel choral groups (1980-1990’s). Born in Chicago in 1928, Thompson lived there his entire life, dying in 1997. At age 18 after graduating high school, Milton decided he wanted to be a musician and sought out some people to help him learn his craft. He came under the tutelage of some of the very best gospe/blues musicians Chicago had to offer…Thomas A. Dorsey (the Father of Gospel Music), Mahalia Jackson (The Queen of Gospel) and Robert Johnson (King of the Delta Blues), to develop his craft in the musical world.

In 1948, at age 20, Brunson forrmed The Thompson Community Singers (named after a Chicago pastor. The original choir was made up of 40 of Brunson’s McKinley High School friends. The rest is Chicago and gospel music history; many great gospel artist from Chicago sang with “The Tommies” including Rickie Dillard. The “Tommies Reunion Choir” still performs to this day.

This song is a typical gospel song in that it speaks to a better life to come; one that offers rest for the weary, when one reaches “the other side”. Sadly too many blacks in America have longed for the day when they can go to “that holy, happy, land” where they will find rest for the weary.

THE TOMMIES / THOMPSON COMMUNITY SINGERS SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY

1984 MIRACLE LIVE #06 Billboard Top Gospel Album Sales

1986 THERE IS HOPE #01 Billboard Top Gospel Album Sales

1987 IF I BE LIFTED #01 Billboard Top Gospel Album Sales

1989 AVAILABLE TO YOU #01 Billboard Top Gospel Album Sales

1993 MY MIND IS MADE UP #01 Billboard Top Gospel Albums Sales

1994 THROUGH GOD’S EYES #04 Billboard Top Gospel Album Sales

1995 SHOUT #05 Billboard Top Gospel Album Sales

1997 HE’S STILL GOOD #09 Billboard Top Gospel Album Sales

1998 50 Blessed Years #24 Billboard Top Gospel Album Sales

Tommies Poster
Tommies Poster

Do Not Pass Me By

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

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“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!!!!

 

Blown Away from PS 800x583
Blown Away

Oh Give Thanks

  1. Oh Give Thanks Rev. Charles H. Nicks, Jr. & The St. James Baptist Church Adult Choir 6:27

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Rev. Charles Nicks and The St. James Baptist Church Adult Choir are one of the venerable old church gospel choirs from “back in the day”, and they helped cement Detroit’s position as a major center for gospel music in the U.S.

Charles Nicks Jr. first came to The St. James Baptist Church as organist in 1957 beginning what would become a 30 year career there. In 1972 he was named pastor of the St. James Missionary Baptist Church, serving the church until his death in 1988.

In 1966 and again in 1971 he recorded albums with the church’s youth choirs. Then, beginning in 1975, the choir put out 10 albums in the ensuing 13 years. This song, “Oh Give Thanks” is from the album “Hold Back The Night“; one of last albums Nicks made before his death.

Rev. Nicks became a master of the Hammond B3 organ, and he shows off a bit of his skill on the minute long intro. The song has three verses which are all repeated twice, after which the first versw is reprised followed by a great vamp that takes the song out.

I love everything about this song, but it’s the originality of the tune and structure of the multi-lined verses. No choruses, no specials, just info, verses, vamp and done. Great clapping and great bass line too.

Medley: I Stood On The Banks Of Jordan / Lord Do It For Me / Lord Help Me To Hold Out / Peace Be Still

  1. Medley – I Stood On The Banks Rev. James Cleveland And The Charles Fold Singers 7:00

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Rather than going into a long analysis of the medley, I’m lifting the description from Spotify and modifying it a bit.

The “live” cut blends four classic gospel tracks—starting with “I Stood on the Banks of Jordan”—into a continuous live medley that acts as a sermon in song:

Watching Loved Ones Cross Over: In “I Stood on the Banks of Jordan,” Cleveland emotionally recounts standing by as family members pass away (“You took my father, you came back and got my mother”). He uses the metaphor of watching the “Ship of Zion” sail away to carry loved ones home to glory.

Carrying Through the Storm: The live medley flows seamlessly into endurance anthems like “Lord Do It for Me” and “Lord Help Me to Hold Out,” before culminating in the calming reassurance of “Peace Be Still,” capturing a powerful arc from deep mourning to spiritual peace.

Assurance of Faith: Amid the sorrow of losing everything dear, the narrator looks down at the banks of the river and gains comfort knowing, “I sure got my ticket, and it’s stamped”.

I’ll Say Yes Lord All The Way

  1. I’ll Say Yes Lord All The Way The Corinthian Radio Choir 5:26

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A wonderful uptempo song that is interesting because more than HALF the song…60%, is the VAMP. That is uncommon, but it certainly works for this song.

The Corinthian Temple Church of God in Christ, now referred to as the “Temple of Praise”, was founded in Chicago in 1919 and is still alive and vibrant today. The church began to grow rapidly in the 1960’s under the leadership of Rev. Benny Allison. Come the 70’s they build themselves, by hand, a new brick building that was funded by selling bricks to the community. The Minster of Music at this time was Sister Lavonia Whittley who spearheaded to growth and direction of the choir, including having the choir perform for the church’s weekly church service that was broadcast every Sunday night.

The liner notes on the back of the album that this song is from, “I’ve Already Been To The Water”, are wonderfully written by Lavonia Whittley. Below is an excerpt. It certainly makes one wish they actually was there for the recording. Lucky for all of us we have the recording on the performance to get a feel of what went on.

“When the Levitical singers and musicians sang at the dedication of Solomon’s Temple, the glory of the Lord so filled the temple that the priests couldn’t minister (2 Chronicles 5:12-14). It was because the anointing of God was present, uniting the singers and musicians. They were flowing together in pure praise, and God dwelt in the praise.

And so it was on the night of the “Live” recording of The Corinthian Temple Church of God in Christ Radio Choir. The Temple was filled with the glory of God and the singers and musicians were saturated with God’s anointing. Hearts were touched, spirits were set free, yokes were broken, lives were changed and souls were filled with the Holy Ghost. It was a night of praise and thanks for having had the opportunity to minister to millions each Sunday morning during the church’s weekly radio ministry. And it was on that night that the Corinthian Temple Choir vehemently and enthusiastically proclaimed, “I’ll Say Yes Lord All The Way.”

Lavonia Whittely
Minister of Music

The Lord Is Blessing Me

  1. The Lord Is Blessing Me Rev. Milton Brunson & The Thompson Community Singres 3:03

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Here are two versions of the same song, each very different.

The first version is by The Thompson Community Choir (“The Tommies”) It is great traditional version of the song. It’s a dead give away the moment the songs opens with the Hammond B3 organ and the piano doing the intro that this is real deal traditional gospel. Listen for the chords on the piano…they couldn’t be any more bluesy and/or pure gospel. The vocal performance is stellar, with the choir delivering each clipped phrase with exact precision and perfect enunciation and the soloist leading the choir onward and upward. No real vamp on this version, but it makes one wonder how long that last part that fades out actually continued; you know how it is when the “spirit” takes you and you just don’t quite want to stop.

  1. The Lord Is Blessing Me Bishop Larry Trotter 4:46

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This second verse is also what I would term “traditional gospel”….it’s a “traditional” gospel song after all, but the arrangement is MUCH more energetic and uptempo. The intro is longer than on the first cut, with the driving beat of the snare drum and the clapping in perfect time together. And yes, all the while the B3 player is doing his thing along with the piano player. And, like the first cut, the choir here is spot on. A crisp, forceful, staccato of lyrics. There is no soloist on this track. The choir repeats the chorus and verse a couple of times, which is then followed by a long instrumental interlude until the men take us into a build for the final vamp. It’s so wonderful as the parts with different pitches and differently timed lyrics intertwine with each other. The only criticism I have of this track is that they didn’t give that fantastic vamp enough time…it could have gone on a minute or more so we all could really appreciate it.

By and By

  1. By And By The Davis Sisters 2:57

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Time for a little old time, traditional, gospel…and some of the best traditional gospel was performed by The Davis Sisters.

I had never head of The Davis Sisters until about 10 years ago when a friend in our gospel choir recommended that I listen to some of their music. I was blown away. ALL the tracks I listened to were exceptional!!

The group was started by Ruth “Baby Sis” Davis in the late 1940s in Philadelphia. Ruth was 17 at the time. They were the first female group to start singing old traditional gospel which were, at the time, exclusively male groups.

The four Davis Sisters – Ruth, Selma, Audrey and Alfreda grew up in Mount Zion Fire-Baptized Holiness Church in Philadelphia. (What a great name for a church!!). Their golden days were in the 50s and 60s. Ruth “Baby Sis” Davis died in 1970, but even with some changes to personnel,,they performed right up until the 80s, cutting their last album in 1984.

He’s Worthy

  1. He’s Worthy

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This 100+ voice choir from Atlanta Georgia had a huge hit with their 1996 “Gospel Celebration” album.  The choir sings mostly traditional gospel songs and this cut, “He’s Worthy”, gets a 1990’s mass choir makeover from the song’s early days. The choir makes a big beautiful sound and adds some things that have a little different twist on what one might usually hear. The vamp at the end is a great mash up off all the different voices parts falling in as called on …sounds great.

I Worship Thee

  1. I Worship Thee The New Jerusalem Baptist Church Choir 13:37

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You might wonder how I decide what song to feature next. Very often I get the idea during my morning dog walk when, more often than not, I’m listening to gospel through my headphones. That’s exactly where today’s song comes from.

The name Jeffrey LaValley might ring a bell with some of you. He wrote “Hallelujah, Salvation and Glory”, among many others. His albums directing The New Jerusalem Baptist Church Choir are all great.

Today’s song runs a little long at 13 1/2 minutes, but every second is worth it. What makes it so long is that after the song itself is over (8:00), the song continues with a brilliant “exhortation” accompanied by the choir. As the exhortation winds down, the choir ends the song with a reprise of the original ending. Spectacular!!!!

PLEASE do find the time to listen to this song, you’ll be glad you did.

I Shall Wear A Crown (Soon As I Get Home)

  1. Soon As I Get Home Minister Thomas Whitfield And The Thomas Whitfield Company 6:30

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  1. I Shall Wear A Crown Rodney Bradley And Friends 6:31

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One of my very favorite songs, and one I hope will be played at my memorial service when that day comes. Although Thomas Whitfield was a talented and prolific composer, this particular song that he is so famous for was actual written by Roscoe Corner. Thie song has been a sung or played at many a “homecoming/homegoing” service in the black church. Whitfield was born and raised in Detroit and started recording around 1977, just as contemporary gospel was starting to emerge. The song is not your typical gospel song in terms of its sound, but otherwise the verses, the chorus and the vamp are similar. 

DON’T overlook Rodney Bradley’s version of this song, which I actually like a bit more than Whitfield’s original. The vamp and ending of Bradley’s version are magnificent…in my humble opinion.  

Enjoy both songs, they are gems.   

AND, if you want to see a video of a fantastic performance of the song, check out Ms. Yolanda DuBerry singing at Dionesha Clarke’s Homegoing Service at First Church of God, Columbus Ohio on January 10, 2019.