Ella Hanshaw’s Black Book

Ella Hanshaw’s Black Book

A beautiful release of Ella Hanshaw’s home recordings from her big and her little black book. This release features original gospel songs and secular country tunes that appear to span several decades. In addition to a few semi-professional recordings with her gospel group, the Hallelujah Hill Quartet, most tracks are simple tape recordings “made in…

Preaching by the Roadside

Preaching by the Roadside

Five different versions of the same song, by Joe And Blanche Lewis, The Smith Trio, The Ritchie And Shepherd Gospel Singers, The Looper Trio, and a field recording of an Unknown Singer from Berea, KY. 1.Preaching by the roadside, under a tree;Folks come along and make a mock of me.They say we’re crazy, soon we’ll…

Documentary: Chase the Devil: Religious Music of the Southern Appalachians, 1983

Documentary: Chase the Devil: Religious Music of the Southern Appalachians, 1983

Amazing documentation about the music and the people of the Southern Appalachians. An exploration of the religious music of the southern Appalachian mountains, and the conflict between the sacred, political, and profane. Religious music of the South Appalachians covers a wide panorama. At one extreme, the fundamentalist Baptists regard any music as “the devil’s work,”…

Historic Photos of Harrison Mayes’ Sign Ministry

Historic Photos of Harrison Mayes’ Sign Ministry

Ivan Massar, From the Selma to Montgomery, 1965 Like photo-essayist James Karales, photojournalist Ivan Massar documented the fifty-four-mile voting-rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. Like Karales, Massar took a picture of Harrison Mayes iconic roadside marker in the foreground and the marchers on US-80 in the background. Elliott Erwitt, Alabama, 1955 French-American photographer Elliott…

Walter Brown And Daughter Theda – Gospel Singing “Why Not Make Heaven Your Home”

Walter Brown And Daughter Theda – Gospel Singing “Why Not Make Heaven Your Home”

While Walter Brown and Son Floyd’s 45 on Melody Records is raw country gospel, this album by Brown with his daughter is much more calm and piano based. Theda Brown became a gospel singer herself. What’s the proper sub-genre to describe this kind of gospel music, just gospel? Quite a rare album, I believe. Enjoy!…

Blue Grass Gospel By The Country Valley Singers

Blue Grass Gospel By The Country Valley Singers

A decent bluegrass gospel album on the Crusade Enterprise/Records label out of Illinois. The Country Valley Singers Leonard Smith, Pete Price, Mary Martin, Bob Martin, and Gene Weeks Bluegrass gospel music (often referred to as country or mountain music) is one of the most popular genres today. During the recording session, The Country Valley Singers…

The Singing Burke Family – By Faith I Believe

The Singing Burke Family – By Faith I Believe

Beautiful debut album by The Singing Burke Family from Bypro, Kentucky. The Singing Burke Family – Clinging To A Saving Hand By Faith I Believe by The Singing Burke Family Today, we are beset with fad religions, false prophets, fake gurus, and complicated religious doctrines that are confusing, and often, misleading. There are so many…

The Springtime Gospel Quartet – Sing His Praises

The Springtime Gospel Quartet – Sing His Praises

This gospel quartet, out of Indiana, had ties to both Russell County and Pulaski County in Kentucky and the Separate Baptist Church denomination. “Sing his praises” was written by the mother of two of the band members. The Springtime Gospel Quartet proudly presents this first album of songs which have been the most requested since…