“You can not measure the good things God has prepared for me!” Just some good old traditional gospel for a Sunday morning. Great song with a marvelous vamp at the end starting at 2:08.
Good Things Prepared For MeBishop H. Daniel Wilson & Voices of the Valley3:44
Hold on to God’s unchanging hand. This isn’t your average gospel song. Not sure where/how I found it, but I really like it. The recording is a little rough but it’s full of sincerity, power and conviction. It’s kind of a sleeper until about 2:35 when the choir starts to kick in full power.
Okay, this really IS an Andraé Crouch song, one of his “greatest hits” that has become a gospel staple. I THOUGHT Andraé wrote this song, but Crouch released this version, recorded live at Carnegie Hall in 1982, and James Cleveland and The Charles Fold Singers released an album in 1975 with a version of this song on it too. Go figure.
For those of you with a hankering for some good old traditional gospel, I’ve got just the song for you.
Heaven Oh HeavenAlvin Dread Singers2:58
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The Alvin Dread Singers were a group from Houston Texas in the late 70’s and early 80’s who performed and composed some great traditional gospel. Here’s one of their offerings.
A nice contemporary song from The Gabriel Hardeman Delegation contained on their first album in 1976. It’s kind of easy to tell this is his first album (the album never charted), the song is pretty rough, with so-so vocals and less than perfect mixing of the solo voices that seem a bit to”out front”. I LOVE the song though.
Born in Atlanta, Hardeman became not only a gospel recording artist, but also a producer and a composer of secular R&B hits like “I Feel Good All Over” by Stephanie Mills in 1987 and “Love Under New Management” by Miki Howard in 1989. Gabriel died in 2012 at the age of 69.
A nice slow powerful gospel ballad. Not sure I love the addition of the trumpet at the very end, but it’s okay. I really like the way the song builds and builds to the great ending.
Okay, I just FINISHED writing this post and I was doing a little fact checking and couldn’t find THIS particular song ANYWHERE on the internet. Andre Crouch did have a hit with a song of the same title, but this isn’t it. Oh well…since I can’t tell you about who does sing THIS song, I’ll tell ya about Andre Crouch anyway since I’ve already written the text!!!
This song is a bit more traditional with a soloist and a handful of backup singers, but still features a wonderful strong bass line and a nice upbeat tempo.
Can't Keep It To MyselfAndraé Crouch3:39
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A little something from Andre Crouch, one of the more influential composer/artists from the 60s and 70’s, He earned the title “the father of modern (contemporary/urban) gospel music” for his great compositions.
EVERYBODY who is great in their genre of music seems to get a title of royalty. Ladies and Gentlemen, may I introduce to you the “Prince of Praise”, Byron Cage.
Starting in 2003 Byron Cage made a big impression on the gospel music community, signing a record deal with Kirk Franklin’s Gospocentric Records. His first Gospocentric album, “Byron Cage: Live At New Birth Cathedral”, contained a great song written by Kurt Carr titled “The Presence Of The Lord Is Here”. This song went on to win the Stellar Award for Gospel Song of the Year in 2004 and Cage was off and running as a major artist. I don’t hear much about Byron Cage these days, and I don’t know if he has retained his “Prince of Praise” title…these titles can be both ephemeral and contested. Nonetheless, I love this song; it’s VERY easy to get wrapped up in the (14 minute!!!) song as it build and builds and culminates in a vamp that modulates up and up and up and….
Another of my favorites I first learned during the first year of The Geoff Hicks Inspirational Choir in 1999. I like this song so much, that I’m making today a twofer Saturday (Good Morning Eastham, MA), with two versions of the song. I have my favorite version; which do you prefer??
Have a great day!!
Just As Soon As I Get ThereChicago Mass Choir4:27
Just As Soon (I'll Be Shouting)Beverly Crawford5:06
The Queen of Soul herself, the great Lady Soul, Aretha Franklin, showing off her gospel roots. She sang at the Detroit church of her father, Reverend C.L. Franklin, with her sisters Carolyn and Erma while growing up in the 1950s and she made her first recordings as a gospel artist at the age of 14.
This cut is from her 1972 gospel album “Amazing Grace” which ultimately sold over two million copies in the United States alone, earning a double platinum certification. As of 2015, it stands as the biggest selling disc of Franklin’s entire fifty-plus year recording career as well as the highest selling live gospel music album of all time. It went on to win Franklin the 1973 Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance.
This is not pure traditional gospel; this is more contemporary Aretha Gospel with a great band…check the bass line, the riffs on the lead guitar, the great rolling piano and finally the old B3 kicking in for the vamp…James Cleveland’s Southern California Community Choir for backups, and arrangements that feature her incredible vocal prowess. Great music. My only criticism…it’s too darn short. Just like Oliver Twist; “Please Ma’am, I want some more.”