Heavenly Gospel Singers - Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Vol 4 1939-1941

Published Wednesday 23rd April 2008
Heavenly Gospel Singers - Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Vol 4 1939-1941
Heavenly Gospel Singers - Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Vol 4 1939-1941

STYLE: Gospel
RATING 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
OUR PRODUCT CODE: 21310-12073
LABEL: Document DOCD5455
FORMAT: CD Album
ITEMS: 1
RRP: £9.99

Reviewed by Nigel Harris

This is the fourth and final instalment of Document Records' painstaking preservation of The Heavenly Gospel Singers' contribution to America's gospel music heritage. The Heavenly Gospel Singers were founded in Detroit in the late 1920s and were notably led during the mid 1930s by the great bass singer Jimmy Bryant, who was replaced in 1938 by William Bobo. Both Bryant and Bobo went on to sing with the long running Dixie Hummingbirds, Bobo until his death in 1974, while other members of the group also went on to greater things elsewhere. They represent the link between the Jubilee styles of the pre-war era and the hard quartet sound of the late 1940s, '50s and '60s. At their peak they were one of the most recorded black gospel quartets of the 1930s. By 1939 the group had seen numerous changes in personnel - two key members drafted into the army at the outbreak of the Second World War - and they were beginning to lose momentum. Although the group continued in various guises right up into the 1950s they did not record again after the session on 1st October 1941, having by then cut 102 titles for Bluebird. To hear them at their best try the previous volumes in this set rather than this one. On this volume the group comprises Roosevelt Fennoy on lead vocals with "Bob" Beatty, Henderson Massey and William Bobo. The recording quality is quite variable on this CD, some tracks featuring the genuine pop and crackle of old 78rpm records! They manage a competent if not outstanding version of "Nobody's Fault But Mine", for example, which is typical of the rich vocal harmonies and doo-wop style of the group at this time. "My Lord Is Writing All The Time" is a more upbeat number with its clever vocal arrangement and the characteristic use of voices to mimic musical instruments. The final track, "It's Cool Down Here" sees the group bow out with undiminished energy, the backing singers keeping up a solid accompaniment to Fennoy's lead with alternative lead vocals provided by the others too, as if perhaps they knew it was their last opportunity to feature with this group. For anyone interested in hearing the roots of modern gospel and popular music, this set of recordings is well worth investigating.

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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