- Jesus On The Mainline Willie Neal Johnson & The New Gospel Keynotes 16:25
So, Willie Neal Johnson and The Gospel Keynotes are one of the better know names when it comes to the gospel quartets. Prior to the 1960’s when Jame’s Cleveland changed the face of gospel with large mass choirs and songs that contemporized gospel, gospel was dominated by solo artists, small women’s groups (like the Davis Sisters) and men’s groups, primarily quartets.
The “quartet sound” has never been my cup of tea, mostly because I find it remarkably unexciting and even more that that, just plain BORING. It has a way of sort of going on and on and on with the band and the singers repeating simple phrases ad infinitum/ ad nauseum.
IF you think I’m being a bit harsh here, make your own determination. Here is a quartet version of the great song “Jesus on the Mainline”; a 16 MINUTES worth. Whadda you think?? Let me know…leave a comment.
I like the harmonies of a quartet, but, yeah- 3 or 4 minutes is enough. I can’t imagine listening to 16 minutes. You probably go into a trance.