... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Raw and rumbling gospel sounds from the Designer Records vaults – real and resonant southern gospel from Reverend Douglas Bell & Th Stage Cruisers! Heavy vocals & sermonizing with swirling organ and wailing keyboards along with the impassioned vocals. As with the material on the Together compilation, the material is well produced, with bluesy, gritty immediacy. Titles include "Nuclear Blast", "Bitter And The Sweet", "I Got To Make Heaven My Home", "Hard Love Affair", "I Got A Home", "I'll Fight Goliath", "How Many Miles To Heaven", "What You Need From The Lord" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Classic work from the earliest years of this gospel giant – tracks that include "Too Close To Heaven", "Holy Ghost", "I Can't Tarry", "What Did John Do", "God Searched The World", "The Lifeboat", and "I Won't Sell Out". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent group harmony work from this long-running ensemble – a set of tracks that includes "Count Your Blessings", "There's Power In The Blood", "The Harvest Is Past", "Beams Of Heaven", "I Love To Call His Name", and "Sunshine Always Follows Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful batch of gospel tunes recorded by Lou Rawls with the Pilgrim Travelers – his early group from pre-secular soul days, reunited here for a rare studio session! The album's a great bridge between Lou's two worlds in music – and is recorded with a great 60s soul approach that predates many later efforts to link together gospel and soul. Lou's vocals are in the lead, with great harmony support by the Travelers – and arrangements are by JW Alexander and Rene Hall, in a nicely punctuated 60s Capitol groove. Titles include "Didn't It Rain?", "Walking In The Light Of The Lord", "That's Heaven To Me", "Stand By Me Father", and "If He Holds Your Hand". (Soul, Gospel) LP, Vinyl record album

A blistering live set from the legendary Sister Rosetta Tharpe – an artist who may be a gospel singer, but was also a huge influence on soul and rock music too – thanks to an incredible vocal range, and a way of playing the electric guitar that influenced countless others! This 1966 live set has Rosetta captured at a time when she was well aware of her influence on newer styles of music – and maybe working even harder than usual to top them, commanding the stage with a presence that's incredible – just guitar and vocals, but with a righteous power that would blow most other large ensembles away! Titles include "Up Above My Head I Hear Music In The Air", "Down By The Riverside", "Sit Down", "Moonshine", "This Train", "Didn't It Rain", "Go Ahead", "Bring Back Those Happy Days", "Beams Of Heaven", and "Two Little Fishes Five Loaves Of Bread". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice compilation on the Cotillion subsidiary of Atlantic collecting spiritual soul tracks and gospel numbers performed by R&B artists from the late 60s. 11 numbers in all: "Let It Be" by Aretha Franklin, "Steal Away" and "Lord Pity Us All" by Wilson Pickett, "I Wish I Knew (How It Would Feel To Be Free)" by Solomon Burke, "I Told Jesus" by Roberta Flack, "Down By The River Side" and "Without A Doubt" by the Sweet Inspirations, "Heaven Help Us All" by Brook Benton, "God Gave Me A Song" by Myrna Summers & The Interdenominational Singers, and "Milky White Way" and "People Got To Be Free" by Marion Williams. (Soul, Gospel) LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection of rare gospel tracks from the postwar years – done with the same thoughtful choice of cuts that Mississippi has been bringing to its compilations of soul and blues, but with a leaner approach overall! The collection digs deeper than the big names of the time, and has a strong focus on the kinds of group harmonies that were also having a big impact on soul music – heard especially well in some of the smaller groupings here. Titles include "Love Hides All Faults" by The Holy Light Jrs, "Beams Of Heaven" by Church Of To-Morrow, "Lord You Are My Burden Brother" by The Hubbard Heavyweight Gospel Singers, "When The Gates Swing Open" by Joyful Souls Of Dallas, "Trouble Of The World" by Soul Revivals, and "I Thank the Lord" by Dynamic True Tones. LP, Vinyl record album