Recommend your favorite gospel music.
January 3, 2013 8:34 AM   Subscribe

Please recommend your favorite gospel artists, records, and compilations. My particular likes are inside.

I love gospel music, in many different guises. I tend to like it a bit more gritty, so vocal quartet gospel from the Golden Age is not my favorite. On the other hand I love large choir gospel, I love pre-war country gospel, and I am particularly enamored of gospel funk right now.

Here is a (pretty partial) list of records I have:

My two big loves right now are
This May Be My Last Time Singing & Fire In My Bones, and they prompt this question. What I like about them is that they are gritty, funky, and unexpected.

I've loved Rance Allen recently.

Goodbye Babylon

Sacred Steel

Various "mountain gospel" compilations.

American Primitive 1 & 2

The two gospel funk records on Numero: Good God!

I love the honky tonk gospel of Fern Jones.

A bunch of Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Mahalia Jackson records.

U2's early albums.

A couple of shape note compilations.

I do not tend to like anything "easy listening."

I've seen this question.

What else might I enjoy listening to?
posted by OmieWise to Media & Arts (9 answers total) 19 users marked this as a favorite
 
I love Yolanda Adams and Rachelle Ferrell.
posted by nakedmolerats at 8:56 AM on January 3, 2013


Candi Staton. Also, there are a ton of house records with gospel vocals.
posted by empath at 8:57 AM on January 3, 2013


Sounds of Blackness? Their version of "I'll Fly Away" is out. of. sight.
posted by Madamina at 8:59 AM on January 3, 2013


The Staple Singers' Uncloudy Day is a good thing to own forever and to pass on to the kiddos. This compilation represents some of their earliest and rawest work, including some songs I've found difficult to locate elsewhere - "Somebody Saved Me" among them.

You probably already know Oh Happy Day by the Edwin Hawkins Singers but I'll link it anyway for those who don't.

I'd recommend Charly's compilation Oh Happy Day (named for the Edwin Hawkins tune) but it may be too heavy on the vocal quartet style for you. For me, the Swan Silvertones and the Caravans have great raw power along with unbelievable vocal chops, and the production is pretty old-school, meaning it's about letting the music shine through rather than about a polished, professional "sound."
posted by Currer Belfry at 9:29 AM on January 3, 2013


I came in to recommend Yolanda Adams. Oh my, what a voice on that woman. Also, Oleta Adams (Of "Get Here" fame) has a beautiful gospel CD with both traditional and modern gospel. Donnie McClurkin always has a beautiful choir behind him and the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir consistently puts out amazing, amazing gospel music.
posted by nubianinthedesert at 9:41 AM on January 3, 2013


Blind Boys of Alabama (music starts 3.00 )
posted by adamvasco at 11:53 AM on January 3, 2013


Also any Clarence Fountain (Five Blind Boys of Alabama)
posted by adamvasco at 11:59 AM on January 3, 2013


Soul Gospel vols. 1 and 2 on Soul Jazz.

Shakin' the Rafters by the Abyssinian Baptist Choir.

Rev. Bernard Avant Jr. and the St. James Gospel Choir

The Marion Gaines Sisters: Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
posted by mykescipark at 2:23 PM on January 3, 2013


Also, check out the Sunday Mawnin' Church playlist at RIDICULOUS RAW.
posted by mykescipark at 2:26 PM on January 3, 2013


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