Early Gospel Singers – R

Following the examples of Rev. J. M. Gates and Rev. F. W. McGee, in March 1928 Rice made his first recordings for the Vocalion label in Chicago, and over the period until July 1930 he recorded a total of 28 sides although two are lost. These are described in terms such as “Rev D. C. Rice, sermons with singing, assisted by His Congregation”. Many of the performances begin with Rice intoning a verse from the Bible and then giving a short sermon, his voice rising and falling with blues inflections, while members of the congregation respond with “amen”. Then Rice leads the ensemble into a hymn, generally of an evangelical type. Rice’s singing dominates the recordings, the other singers providing harmonized support. The instrumental accompaniment is by piano plus one or more of mandolin, string or brass bass, triangle or other small percussion, trumpet, and trombone.

Rice continued to be active in black churches, as a preacher and ultimately a bishop. Music continued to feature in his religious career but no further recordings are known after 1930. His 1928-30 recordings have been issued on LP (Herwin Records) and on CD (Document Records), finding favour with enthusiasts for early gospel music, blues, and jazz.

Source: Wikipedia

Rev Rose’s personal story was the most heartening of all. He lived in Springfield, Illinois, and I located his 90-plus-year-old daughter Dorothy, who described her father as a man on a mission to end racism and institutionalized segregation.

As a child, Rose had witnessed the aftermath of the infamous 1908 Springfield Race Riots, an event that precipitated the formation of the NAACP. In the late 1920s Rose moved from Chicago to Springfield, in order to minister the city’s black community.

In an oral history recording, Rev Rose described Springfield as “just really a type of Southern town” with an “overpowering resentment of the Negro…distrust and the fear that the Negro might someday become stronger.” When he returned to Springfield, he observed that the time that had elapsed since the race riots was “a very short span of time to erase all the scars and the prejudices and the hate that was engendered…in that very unfortunate affair.”

It was a hate, he continued, that “Kind of hung like a cloud from an atomic bomb over the whole neighborhood” causing the black citizens of Springfield to go “into themselves quite a bit.”

After his short recording career with Paramount in the late 1920s, Rev Rose went on to become a regional bishop in the Church of God in Christ. He recorded because he thought songs could both uplift and spread messages of hope and perseverance in the struggle for Civil Rights. When he sang “If I Had My Way,” it’s clear that the building he wanted to tear down was no less than the edifice of racism.

Source: “The forgotten voices of race records”

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The Jubalaires were an American gospel group active during the 1940s and 1950s. The group initially went by the name, The Royal Harmony Singers, as far back as 1936 and under that name reached #10 on the R&B charts on November 14, 1942, with “Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition”, a song adapted from the speech of a naval chaplain in response to the attack on Pearl Harbor the previous year.

In 1946, the Jubalaires secured a spot on Arthur Godfrey’s CBS radio show. Willie Johnson left the Golden Gate Quartet to take the lead of the group in 1948, and in 1950 the band appeared in the musical comedy film, Duchess of Idaho.

Much of the Jubalaires’ music was initially issued by Queen Records, a subsidiary of King Records specializing in African-American music; later reissues appeared on King Records proper. The band recorded with Andy Kirk on November 27, 1945, a session which produced the Decca Records 78rpm release, “I Know/Get Together With The Lord”, and credited to Andy Kirk & His Orchestra With The Jubalaires. A third track recorded during the session, “Soothe Me”, went unreleased.

Other Jubalaires’ releases included “Before This Time Another Year/Ezekiel (Saw The Wheel A Rollin’)” (Decca), “God Almighty’s Gonna Cut You Down/Go Down Moses” (King), and “My God Called Me This Morning/Ring That Golden Bell” (King).

The Jubalaires’ record, “Dreaming Of The Ladies In The Moon” (Crown Records) attracted the praise of Billboard magazine which gave the record a mark of 78/100 in the 17 April 1954 issue, commenting that “The boys here come thru with a strong reading on a bright ballad with an evocative flavor.” The reviewer compared the Jubalaires’ treatment of the song with the style of the Mills Brothers and predicted it could become a break-out hit. Billboard also praised the group’s performance on the release, “David And Goliath/I’ve Done My Work” (Capitol Records), in the 15 December 1951 issue as well as their performance, but in more muted terms, on “Rain Is The Teardrops Of Angels/Keep On Doin’ What You’re Doin'”, in the 4 August 1951 issue.

Source: Wikipedia

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Born from the Royal Harmony Singers, the Jubalaires group was spawned by the rich tradition of southern Jubilee styled vocal quartets.

Acquiring their own show on KYW Radio, the Royal Harmony Singers arrived in Philadelphia from Florida in 1941. Personnel included forming member and leader, Caleb Ginyard, Jr., Theodore Brooks (baritone), Elijah Wright (bass) and Willie Wright (tenor). Shortly after coming to Philadelphia, George “Biggie” McFadden replaced Elijah Wright. Charles Newsome managed the group.

The popular CBS radio group, the Golden Gate Quartet, would often travel to Phila. to catch the Royal Harmony Singers’ performances. The young group in Phila. respected the “Gates”. Golden Gate Quartet lead, Willie Johnson taught the Royal Harmony Singers his famous narrative style.

Thurmon Ruth first brought the Royal Harmony Singers to New York City to appear on one of his Selah Jubilee Singers’ programs. At New York’s Cafe Society the Royal Harmony Singers were invited to substitute for the Golden Gate Quartet. They performed tunes that were standardized by the “Gates” and were well received.

Following Keynote and Decca label recordings, the Royal Harmony Singers were renamed the Jubalaires by general manager Paul Kapp. With the Jubalaires’ relocation to New York City, John Jennings replaced Willie Wright. Just prior to their hit recording of “I Know”, the group decided to add one more part, tenor Orville Brooks. “I Know” was recorded with the backing of Andy Kirk’s full orchestra.

By the mid 1940’s, the Jubalaires had taken over for the Golden Gate Quartet on CBS Radio. The groups’ fifteen minute Sunday morning show was supplemented by regular daily appearances on Arthur Godfreys’radio program.

The Jubalaires sound was innovative, featuring rotating vocal parts with jazzy, upbeat overtones that offered a versatile blend and repertoire. The Jubalaires had a succession of guitar players including Abe Green, Everett Barksdale and Roosevelt Howerton. In 1946, The Jubalaires acquired the talent of Bill Lee Johnson. Johnson’s eloquent guitar maneuvers complimented the Jubalaires’ harmony.

Bill Johnson recalled the time the Jubalaires played CBS radio and the Apollo Theater on the same days, racing between the two. The management hired an ambulance loaded with flashing lights and screeching sirens to satisfy the group’s itinerary.

Early in 1947, the Jubalaires left the Arthur Godfrey Show to go on tour. Bill Johnson remembered that Mr. Godfrey begged the guys to stay.

“He almost got on his knees.’ Boys don’t leave me now.’ Godfrey pleaded. ‘We’ve got a couple of irons in the fire. We’re going to go commercial. Stay with us.’ But the guys didn’t listen.”

Shortly thereafter, Godfrey took his show to television, replacing the Jubalaires with the Mariners. The Jubalaires tour began in the South and progressed to the western states. When the Jubalaires reached Jacksonville, Florida, they were joined by Willie Johnson who had left the Golden Gate Quartet. Willie served as a mentor and sixth voice throughout the remainder of the tour. While in California, the Jubalaires were signed to replace the Delta Rhythm Boys on the Amos & Andy radio show.

The Jubalaires returned briefly to New York before deciding to make California their new home. Guitarist Bill Johnson decided to remain in New Jersey. Willie Johnson became the Jubalaires’ new lead. Orville Brooks left the Jubalaires to become the new lead of the Golden Gate Quartet.  Within a year, Caleb Ginyard left the Jubalaires to form the Dixieaires.

Extract from: The Jubalaires By Karen Caplan

Rust College – Wikipedia