God Is Not Dead

From the Queen of Gospel Music, Miss Albertina Walker, comes this 1969 gem, “God Is Not Dead”.  I’m not sure what might have inspired this song to be written, but there is a good possibility that it was in response to a famous article/cover story in Time Magazine from April 8, 1966 titled “Is God Dead?”  It garnered lots of attention from Christians, Atheists and everyone in between.  The Time cover has now become iconic for it’s striking simplicity and graphic design.

 

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  1. God Is Not Dead Albertina Walker 3:47

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In the early 1950s Walker founded her own Gospel music group The Caravans, enlisting fellow singers from The Robert Anderson Singers, Ora Lee Hopkins, Elyse Yancey and Nellie Grace Daniels. The Caravans’ membership has included an amazing group of great gospel ledgends including James Cleveland, Bessie Griffin, Shirley Caesar, Dorothy Norwood, Inez Andrews, Loleatta Holloway, John McNeil, Cassietta George, and Delores Washington. Her discovery of these artists resulted in the nickname “Star Maker”. Walker retired The Caravans in the late 1960s, performing as a solo artist.  This song is from early in her solo career.

 

Psalm 34

Here’s a real treat from Youth For Christ of Shannon, North Carolina. This 1999 recording from their album “Higher” really shows off what these young people can do. Their album was produced by The Georgia Mass Choir, so that’s one reason why these kids are so good and so well rehearsed.

 

  1. Psalm 34 Youth For Christ 5:03

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He Watches Over Me

Greg Kelly studied at North Carolina State University where he became the director of the school’s New Horizons Gospel Choir. He currently serves as the Minister of Music at the Miracle Temple Holy Deliverance Church of God in Fayetteville, North Carolina.  The Miracle Temple Mass Choir is GREAT.  I really like this song.

 

  1. He Watches Over Me Greg Kelly and The Miracle Temple Mass Choir 5:20

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Here is an interesting snippet from Greg’s bio on his website. “Greg, known as “Da’Maestro” among his peers, was “miraculously anointed” to play the organ at the age of 16, in the midst of a revival service. The regular musician for the church had to leave for work during the service, and no one was left to play. As the people continued to dance and praise God, Greg sat down at the organ and began to play. Many people in the service failed to realize that the regular musician had left. Greg has been playing under the anointing of God ever since.”

For The Good of Them (Who Love The Lord)

This is a classic song from Chicago’s Milton Brunson and The Thompson Community Choir (“The Tommies”). Kim Mcfarland gained quite a bit of well deserved notoriety for the work she did on the lead solo on this song…it’s lovely. Kim sang with all the big gospel singers and gospel choirs in the ’90’s and put out two albums in the late 90’s.

 

  1. For The Good of Them Rev. Milton Brunson & The Thompson Community Choir 6:35

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God Can Work It Out

A nice uptempo contemporary gospel song from none other than Ramsey Lewis…yes, the same Ramsey Lewis that had an instrumental top 40 hit in 1965 with the song, “The In Crowd.”

So, some 45 years later he’s still making music and in 2009 he puts out a gospel CD, “Ramsey Lewis With One Voice”.  He composed about half the songs on the CD, and he also gets a big, soulful, appearance from gospel vocalists Smokie Norful on this cut, “God Can Work It Out”. The CD also features 50 members of the J.W. James Memorial A.M.E. Church Combined Choir from Maywood Illinois.

 

  1. God Can Work It Out Ramsey Lewis with One Voice 6:18

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Jesus Is His Name

This song is just the thing you need for a good post-Thanksgiving “I need a workout to get rid of that extra piece of pie” dance. Come on and join in on this one; clap your hands, tap your toe, stomp your feet, move your body,  and sing along and groove with Chicago’s own Ricky Dillard and The New Generation Chorale!  Somebody say “Amen”!

 

  1. Jesus Is His Name Ricky Dillard & The New Generation Chorale 6:35

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EVERYDAY is Thankgiving

Last Thanksgiving I posted the original version of this song perform by Dr. Charles G. Hayes & the Cosmopolitan Church Choir. This Thanksgiving we are revisiting the song with a wonderful version from L. Andre Patterson and the S.H.O.P. Choir. It’s a great rousing version, much more meaty than the original.  I love it!! The vocals are off the hook.
Enjoy, take time today (well, everyday) to count all your many blessings, and have a Happy Thanksgiving.

 

  1. Everyday is Thanksgiving L. Andre Patterson and the S.H.O.P. Choir 4:45

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He’s Got The Whole World In His Hand

I’m a bit of a cultural troglodyte and am not a huge fan of the operatic style of gospel singing…however…Jessye Norman’s and Katheryn Battle’s rendition of “He’s Got The Whole World In His Hand” as the finale to their “Spirituals in Concert” recording is amazing…as evidenced by the huge ovation they receive at the end of the song. The beginning is lovely with the big orchestra backing them up, but the real fun starts when 1.) the backup choir comes in and then 2.) at 2:09 when everyone jumps in for last minute and a half…the two singers, the choir, and the orchestra. Great music!

 

  1. He's Got The Whole World In His Hand Jessye Norman and Kathleen Battle 3:37

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If you enjoyed this song, a video of the ENTIRE March 18, 1990 “Spirituals in Concert” at Carnegie Hall (22 songs, 90 minutes) is available on YouTube.

 

Trouble of This World

A follower of this blog emailed me and told me of a group she knew of named “The McCrary Sisters”. (I LOVE it when people comment and get involved with the blog and the music…hint, hint.) I hadn’t heard of them before so I watched/listened a few of their videos on YouTube and loved them. She brought one song in particular to my attention; a slow blues-ed up version of the spiritual “Soon-Ah Will Be Done (Wid Da Troubles ob da Worl’)”. It IS great song and I am pleased to post it as today’s “Gospel Song of the Day”. (Take note of the great guitar work by Mike Farris.)

 

  1. Trouble of This World The McCrary Sisters 5:38

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The McCrary Sisters are a gospel music sister quartet from Nashville, Tennessee, formed in 2010, with members Beverly Ann McCrary, Deborah Dianne McCrary, Regina Avonette McCrary, and Alfreda Antionette McCrary. They have released three studio albums, Our Journey (2010), All the Way (2013), and Let’s Go (2015), all on McC Records.

The four are all daughters of a former Baptist preacher, Reverend Samuel H. “Sam” McCrary (1913-1991), who was a founding member of The Fairfield Four. The four members are Beverly Ann McCrary, Deborah Dianne McCrary, Regina Avonette McCrary, and Alfreda Antionette McCrary. Ann McCrary is a former session musician for many gospel music artists, and Regina toured with Bob Dylan from 1979 until 1985.

Lord Send Your Anointing

Rev. Marvin Sapp was one of the members of a unique group from Detroit Michigan named “Commissioned”. Formed by Fred Hammond in the late 1980s, “Commissioned” brought a new, fresh approach to urban contemporary gospel and were hugely popular. Although Commissioned as a group continued for many years, the geniuses behind the group, Hammond and Sapp, left the group in 1994 to pursue solo careers. This cut, “Lord Send Your Anointing” is from Rev. Sapp’s second album “Grace and Mercy” released in 1997 that charted to #10 on the gospel charts. Rev. Sapp continues to record to this day, his last porject was released in June of 2015.

 

  1. Lord Send Your Annointing Marvin Sapp 6:46

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