A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
To help with further browsing click on the large ‘Initial’ to return to the Early Gospel Singers Introduction, or click another initial to take you to details of more early gospel singers.
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| Name: | St. Mark’s Chanters |
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| Most popular song(s): | So High / ‘Buked And Scorned |
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| References / links: | Discography of American Historical Recordings |
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| Name: | Sally Jenkins Singers |
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| Name: | Seventh Day Adventists’ Choir |
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| Name: | Sheffield Quartet |
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| Name: | Rev. Isaiah Shelton |
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| Name: | The Shields Brothers |
| Aka: | See also ‘The Jubilee Four’ |
| Location: | Cleveland, Ohio |
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| Biography Synopsis: | The Shields Brothers started to sing together as a group in Cleveland, Ohio in 1928. The group comprised: Lee Crosby, Arthur Beasley, James Henderson, Arthur Turner, and Claude Shields, Jr. |
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| Most popular song(s): | “When the Roll is Called In Heaven I’ll Be There” |
| Musical Influences: | Paved the way for Black Gospel quartet music in Cleveland, Ohio. |
| References / links: | ‘Cleveland’s Gospel Music’, Frederick Burton, Arcadia Publishing 2003 |
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| Name: | Silver Leaf Quartet(te) of Norfolk |
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| Name: | Carl Smith |
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| Name: | Clara Smith |
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| Name: | William & Versey Smith |
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| Name: | Rev. Utah Smith |
| Aka: | Elder Utah Smith – COGIC (Church of God in Christ) evangelist |
| Location: | Shreveport |
| Born: | 1906 |
| Died: | 1965 |
| Biography Synopsis: | HoundBlog – Rev. Utah Smith bio |
| Recording career: | 1944-53 |
| Most popular song(s): | Complete recorded works (Document DOCD-5222 – 6 tracks):
I Want Two Wings God’s Mighty Hand Two Wings Take a Trip I Got Two Wings Glory to Jesus, I’m Free |
| References / links: | Elder Utah Smith – The Travelling Evangelist |
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| Name: | Stanley Brothers |
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| Name: | The Staple Singers |
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| Name: | Stovepipe No. 1 |
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| Name: | Jimmie Strothers |
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| Name: | Bozie Sturdivant |
| Location: | Clarksdale, MS |
| Born: | ? |
| Died: | ? |
| Biography Synopsis: | A member of the Silent Grove Baptist Church, Clarksdale, MS
“Second-tenor quartet singer Bozie Sturdivant, who held down a job as a yard boy in Clarksdale, Mississippi, among other domestic chores. In July 1942, during a service at Clarksdale’s Silent Grove Baptist Church, Bozie made nine recordings with his group, including a spiritual called “Ain’t No Grave Can Hold My Body Down.” Bozie’s approach to the song reflected a traditional style of religious singing and an emerging sound in quartet performance. Like the jukeboxes that Lewis Jones cataloged, Bozie’s impassioned performance brought together the local with the national and the personal with the manufactured. Life in the Delta, as elsewhere in rural America, was changing. Bozie Sturdivant’s song captured the complexity of that change. It also preserved what he held most dear”. |
| Recording career: | 1942 |
| Most popular song(s): | “Ain’t No Grave Can Hold My Body Down” written in 1934 by “Brother” Claude Ely. Bozie was the first to record the song in 1942 with the help of the US Library of Congress’ field recordings. Recorded at Silent Grove Baptist Church, Clarksdale, MS., on Saturday 25th July 1942 by Alan Lomax. |
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| Name: | The Sunset Four |
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| Location: | Cleveland, Ohio |
| Biography Synopsis: | All female group comprising Mary Marcus, Madie Latimore, Lonnie Callahan, plus one other. |
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| References / links: | ‘Cleveland’s Gospel Music’, Frederick Burton, Arcadia Publishing 2003 |
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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
To help with further browsing click on the large ‘Initial’ to return to the Early Gospel Singers Introduction, or click another initial to take you to details of more early gospel singers.
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Please Note:
As this is a continuously developing website, several entries only give the names with no biographical details. Please be patient as these entries are included for completeness, indicating the details are ‘coming soon’ and will be added when time allows.
If there are any early (pre war) gospel singers missing from the lists that you think should be included, please email the details to alan.white@earlygospel.com. Thank you in advance for your assistance.