Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

This lovingly compiled reissue has excellent sleevenotes from Clive Richardson who starts his story by remembering how he was introduced to the world of gospel music "by Tony Cummings (then a soul fanzine editor, now an executive with Christian organisation www.crossrhythms.co.uk) sometime during 1966." Richardson goes on to say that TC described the Blind Boys as being like "The Temptations with religious words." Well, quite. To be fair, many in the secular soul department are more than happy to check the Blind Boys as an influence but these men deserve recognition in the own right. Perhaps one day the eminent rock historian Pete Frame will draw up one of his inimitable family trees to show who sang with whom and when as the Blind Boys Of Mississippi and Alabama both had members in common as well as linking to many other greats of the 'Golden Age Of Gospel'. This CD contains two collector's items, the Peacock LP 'Precious Memories' from 1961 and 'Father I Stretch My Hands To Thee' from 1964 but resequenced to make a more satisfying whole. And of course if we want to listen to the songs in their original order we can reprogram our CD player. If you are not familiar with the Blind Boys Of Mississippi the closest comparison is the Blind Boys Of Alabama although I appreciate that this might not help the uninitiated. This is the real thing: true soul music with dynamic call-and-response vocals laced with Archie Brownlee's passionate screams. Some of the spoken numbers have not aged as well as the singing but still add to the atmosphere. If you have any interest in the roots of gospel and soul music then you need to hear the Blind Boys and this is a very good place to start.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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