The Gospel Greats

Song title: Through It All
Song by: Andrea Crouch

Keyboard Music and Vocals by: Gail Nobles
Photo Credit: Vince Allen Carter/Wikipedia.org
Usage: CC BY-SA 4.0
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Andraé_Crouch_with_Internet_Radio_DJ_Vincent_Allen.jpg

Andrae Crouch was a gospel singer, songwriter, arranger, record producer and pastor.
In the 1980’s and 1990s, he was known as the “go to” producer for superstars who sought a gospel choir sound in their recordings, appearing on a number of recordings including Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror”, Madonna’s “Like a Prayer”, and “The Power”, a duet between Elton John and Little Richard. He even collaborated on some of his recordings with artists, such as Stevie Wonder, El Debarge, and Sheila E just to name a few.

The most popular songs by Andrea Crouch with his group The Disciples are “The Blood Will Never Loose it’s Power”. “Bless His Holy Name”, “Soon and Very Soon, “Jesus is the Answer”, “My Tribute”, and “Through It All”. After The Disciples in 1979, Crouch continued on with a solo career.

Let’s talk about Andrae’s song through it all and what inspired him to write it.

Andrae said, “I got message, and it was from a little guy name Albi Pearson. He said, Andrae, the Lord told me that you’re going through something.”

The message that Albi Pearson gave inspired Andrae to write his song. The more I live and the more I learn, I understand and feel the lyrics of Andrae’s song, “Through It All”. Through It All! I’ve learned to trust in Jesus. I’ve learned to trust in God.

Andrae Crouch left us, but he left us with great memories of music. I’m your host Gail Nobles, and you’re listening to a show about The Gospel Greats.

About the great gospel singers.

Sermon: S.M. Lockridge Preaching
Usage: CC0 1.0 Universal
Downloaded from: Archive.org
Photo credit: Image by dzako83 from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/photos/lion-people-twins-sunset-nature-3099986/
Keyboard music: By Gail Nobles


The gospel is not only about singing. It's about preaching too. Today's topic is Shadrach Meshack Lockridge. Welcome to the gospel greats.

Shadrach Meshach Lockridge was the past or Calvary Baptist Church, a prominent African-American congregation in San Diego, California, from 1953 to 1933. He was known for his preaching across the United Stats and around the world.

Lockridge was born in Robertson County, Texas, the oldest of eight children and the son of a Baptist minister. A graduate of Bishop College in Marshall, Texas, he worked for two years as a high school English teacher. In 1940 in Dallas, he felt led to preach.

He held doctorates and numerous honorary degrees, and was often sought as a public speaker, even after he retired in 1993. He served as guest lecturer at numerous schools and universities and on the faculty of several others, including the Billy Graham School of Evangelism.

Lockridge was active in the civil rights movement, and under his leadership Calvary Baptist hosted several of its leaders, including Martin Luther king Jr.

Lockridge was great with words, and his best known message is "Amen" ("That's My King").
Lockridge was born March 7, 1913, and he died April 4, 2000. He was 87 years of age.

Let's listen now to his sermon, "That's My King".

About the great gospel singers.

Song Title: Sing and Shout
Song by: Mighty Clouds of Joy
Podcast vocals by: Gail Nobles
Ending Podcast theme by: Gail Noble
Keyboard Percussion by: Gail Nobles

The Mighty Clouds of Joy's "Sing and Shout" was an album released in 1983. They were a gospel group formed in 1959 in Los Angeles, CA as a traditional - based style group. It wasn't until 1961 as the group became famous. They added base, drums and keyboards to the standard guitar backup and developed a funky sound that split the difference between gospel, and rhythm and blues. In a break with tradition, the groups sound incorporated Soul, R&B, and Rock; all of which flourishes into their musical mix (one of their early hits was produced by Gamble and Huff) without diluting the essential religious essence of their material.

The Mighty Clouds of joy sings and gives great praised to God. They praise the Lord with a shout and with instruments. When they sing a song, you can understand it , and that it's about the Lord.

(Sing)

About the great gospel singers.

Podcast theme by: Gail Nobles © 2020
Story by: Gail Nobles
Music by: Gail Nobles

(Theme song)

Shirley Caesar told us some great stories in her gospel songs.
No Charge
I Remember Mama
Be Careful of the Stones You Throw
Faded Rose .... and many more.

Shirley Caesar talks and tells her stories, and even when she's just singing, her singing alone tells a story (Singing). Shirley Caesar tells a story about how Jesus one day rescued her in her song titled, "I Won't Let Go".

The great storyteller has a preaching voice and a voice for shouting. When I hear the name Shirley Caesar, I know it's time for a gospel sermon. You know Shirley Caesar is a pastor. She has several names. She's called The Queen of Gospel Music, and The First Lady of Gospel Music. She's also a great storyteller.

You're listening to a show about The Gospel Greats by Gail Nobles. Have a blessed day to day. ...

About the great gospel singers.

Podcast theme by: Gail Nobles
Story by: Gail Nobles
Song Title: What About The Price
Song by: Mighty Clouds of Joy
Photo credit: Image by Jeff Jacobs from Pixabay

Today’s topic is the Mighty Clouds of Joy “What About The Price”. It was a song from their album Changing Times in 1979. I was eight years old and had no idea what the Mighty Clouds were singing about like I do today. We got to think about the cost and who we shake hands with and who we make deals with. Probably even the ones we sit down and eat with because the Bible warns us about the evil ones. Proverbs 23:6-76Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: 7For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. Proverbs 23 teaches that we need to consider what is diligently before us.

Proverbs 23:4 Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Proverbs 23:6-7 warns us of a greedy kind of man that holds back from the poor and needy to increase his own wealth. If you’re not careful, you can sign your life away. That’s why the Bible warns us about a lot of things. Just because something looks and sounds good doesn’t mean it’s always good. Proverbs 3:31 Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.

About the great gospel singers.

Song title: Divine Love
Song by: The Original Soul Stirrers with JJ Farley

Podcast vocals: Gail Nobles
Photo credit: By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6253529

(Singing)
Today's topic is Divine Love from the Original Soul Stirrers with JJ Farley.
The Soul Stirrers have been singing for a long time. According to their bio, their career spans over eighty years. They had a major influence on soul, doo top. and Motown, some of the secular music that owed much to gospel. The Soul Stirrers are the ones that brought Sam Cooke into the limelight. But the song "Divine Love" is by the Original Soul Stirrers with JJ Farley. The Label is Malaco Records.

Divine Love is a beautiful gospel song. What is divine love? Divine love is when you receive God's love. The lead singing Soul Stirrer mentions in the song that when he was just about to give life up, God stopped and saved his life. So Divine Love is the love of God.

(Singing)
1 John 4:8 He that liveth not knowers not God; for God is love. I'm Gail Nobles and you're listening to a show about The Gospel Greats.

About the great gospel singers.

Title: Old Ship of Zion
By: The Mighty Wonders

Podcast vocals: Gail Nobles
Podcast Theme: Gail Nobles
Keyboard: Gail Nobles

Hello, I'm Gail Nobles, and you're listening to a show about Gospel Greats. It is said that gospel music didn't really become mainstream until the 1960's. Aretha Franklin brought the style to music and gospel was soon a hit with wider audience.

There are gospel groups I've never heard of like The Mighty Wonders of Aquasco, Maryland. They would sound something like this (singing) ...

The Mighty Wonders had a soulful acappella. You can hear them on YouTube. Just look up The Mighty Wonders of Aquasco Maryland "Old Ship of Zion". The label of their record is Mark Custom Records. It looks like that record label was around 1967 and in the 70's. I don't know what year the Mighty Wonders recorded their record. I wish I could have posted a picture of the group. I don't even know if they put a picture of themselves on the record. I wish that I could give you more history of the group.

There seems to be variations of the group. The Sensational Mighty Wonders, The Mighty Wonders of Winston Salem, NC, and The Mighty Wonders. So The Mighty Wonders might still be around.

(Podcast Theme) Gospel Greats!

About the great gospel singers.

Song Title: He's Got the Whole World in His Hands
Song by: Mahalia Jackson

Podcast Vocals: Gail Nobles
Keyboard: Gail Nobles
Info: Wikipedia

Hello! I'm Gail Nobles and today's topic is Mahalia Jackson on The Gospel Greats. A show about great gospel singers. Did you know Mahalia Jackson once appeared on Sesame Street? It was 1969 when she sung the gospel "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands". (singing) ....

..... Mahalia would sing something like that, and she would never sing a song the same way all the time. Mrs. Jackson was a great gospel singer, and I was surprised to find out that she had appeared on Sesame Street.

Mahalia would refuse to sing any but religious songs or indeed to sing at all in surroundings that she considered inappropriate. But she sang on the radio and on television.

With her mainstream success, Jackson was criticized by some gospel purists she complained about her hand-clapping and foot-stomping and about her bringing "Jazz into the church". She had many notable accomplishments during this period, including her performance of many songs in the 1958 film St. Louis Blues, singing "Trouble of the World" in 1959's Imitation of Life, and recording with Percy Faith.

At the March on Washington in 1963, Jackson sang in front of 250,000 people "How I Got Over" and "I Been Buked and I Been Scorned". Martin Luther king Jr. made his I Have a Dream speech there. She also sang "Take My Hand Precious Lord" at his funeral after he was assassinated in 1968. Mahalia made many performances and recorded about 30 albums (mostly for Columbia Records) during her career, and her 45 rpm records included a dozen "gold" - million sellers.

Jackson's last album was What The World Needs Now (1969). The next year, in 1970, she and Louis Armstrong performed "Just a Closer Walk With Thee" and "When the Saints Go Marching In" together. She ended her career in 1971 with a concert in Germany and the she returned to the U.S., she made ne of her final television appearances on The Flip Wilson Show.

There is a quote left from Mahalia Jackson. She said, "I sing God's music because it makes me feel free. It gives me hope. With the blues, when you finish, you still have the blues."

When I hear Mahalia Jackson sing, I'm reminded to remember this song ......

About the great gospel singers.

Story by: Gail Nobles
Podcast Theme by: Gail Nobles © 2020
Photo credit: Wikipedia
Usage: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RVA_Folk_Fest_Legendary_Ingramettes_(2_of_3).jpg

It all started with Maggie Ingram and The Ingramettes, which performed together for more than five decades. The Ingramettes stopped recording after the death of Maggie Ingram which was in 2015. She was known as the Gospel Queen of Richmond, Va. Now Maggie's daughter Almeta Ingram-Miller has a new group, and they are known as The Legendary Ingramettes.

I love their acappella sound with Maggie Ingram. They sang.......(Singing)
But Maggie Ingram and The Ingramettes had a more raw and natural sound, and their notes and voices were different than mine. And the new group still uses their acappella talent with music as they did back then.

That song is titled "When Jesus Comes" from the Legendary Ingramettes on their new album titled "Take A Look In The Book". The first song was with Maggie Ingram titled "Down To The River."

You can hear their new album on YouTube and Spotify. I'm sure you'll love the album if you love true traditional and soulful gospel music. I'm Gail Nobles, and today's topic ... The Legendary Ingramettes.

Title: The Consolers
Song title: I Thank God That Things Are As Well As They Are
Song by: The Consolers
Podcast vocals by: Gail Nobles
Keyboard player by: Gail Nobles

How many of you remember the gospel group, The Consolers? They would sing a song that would go something like this....

When I finished my conversation on the telephone
After talkin' to my mother way back home.
When I asked her how she was fairin'
These words I heard her say
I thank God that things are as well as they are...

According to their biography by Ron Wynn, The Consolers were a Florida husband and wife duo that became extremely popular during the 50's and 60's with theirwith their song sermons and downhome stories of spiritual triumph. "Brother" Sullivan Pugh played a blues-tinged guitar and was lead vocalist, while his wife Iola provided harmony. At one point, only Rev. James Cleveland topped their sales figures on the gospel circuit.

The Consolers' song, "I Thank God That Things Are As Well As They Are" is a song I remember my mother and father playing on the record player a lot when I was a child. It was a green labeled 45 record with a record label name written on it in great big old words NASHBORO. Back then, I never knew what the Consolers looked like, but hearing their voices, I pictured them just as I see them today.

The Consolers had other great songs like
1. Waiting For My Child
2. After the Clouds Roll Away
3. God Makes No Mistakes
4. Want It Be Grand
5. Some Sweet Day After Awhile
6. Say a Prayer For Me.

I'm Gail Nobles and you're listening to a show about The Gospel Greats. Today's topic is The Consolers and their song goes like this.......