Classic Southern Gospel

by CLASSIC SOUTHERN GOSPEL: FROM S

Overview

After combing through their large vaults, the compilers at Smithsonian Folkways collected 22 performances -- largely from the late '50s and early '60s -- by a raft of Southern gospel artists to produce an excellent disc, Classic Southern Gospel. Southern gospel, in most contexts, means country or bluegrass-gospel as performed by whites, and these performances are no different. Opening with a live 1956 performance by Bill Monroe, the collection includes tracks by familiar names (Dock Boggs, Doc Watson, the Country Gentlemen) and many that are less familiar. It is the obscure performances, many released on CD for the first time, that shine here, including "Away Over in the Promised Land" by A.L. Phipps and the Phipps Family, "No Tears in Heaven" by Kilby Snow, and "Old Country Church" by Tom Morgan. Appearing in the liner notes is an essay, "Modern Southern Gospel Music," that may be educational for listeners, although it can't escape the dry academicism of a museum. Even the comments on the songs are rather pedantic too, adding four parenthetical commas to an earlier Bill Monroe quote. ~ John Bush

Product Details

Release Date:	05/24/2005
Label:	SMITHSONIAN FOLKWAYS
UPC:	0093074013724

Tracks

1. I'm Working on a Building  - A.P. Carter  - Bill Monroe  -  Monroe
2. No Disappointments in Heaven  - Dock Boggs
3. Wondrous Love  -  Old Harp Singers of Eastern Tennessee
4. Are You Washed in the Blood?  - Red Allen
5. What Are They Doing in Heaven Today?  -  West
6. The Lost Soul  -  Watson Family
7. Hallelujah Side  - Ernest V. Stoneman
8. Walking in Jerusalem (Just Like John)  -  Country Gentlemen
9. Sinner, You'd Better Get Ready  -  Lilly Brothers
10. When He Reached Down His Hand for Me  - Bill Monroe  -  Monroe
11. Away Over in the Promised Land  -  Phipps Family  - A.L. Phipps
12. No Tears in Heaven  - Fanny Crosby  - Kilby Snow
13. Old Country Church  - Tom Morgan
14. Glory to the Lamb  -  DeBusk-Weaver Family
15. Amazing Grace  - Clarence Ashley  - Clint Howard  - John Newton  - Fred Price  - Jean Ritchie  - Doc Watson
16. River of Jordan  -  Poplin Family
17. Shake Hands With Mother Again  -  Allen Brothers
18. Gabriel's Call  - Hazel Dickens  -  Dickens
19. What Would You Give in Exchange for Your Soul?  - Bill Monroe  - Doc Watson
20. He Said, If You Love Me, Feed My Sheep  -  Stancer Quartet
21. I Am a Pilgrim  -  Country Gentlemen  -  Traditional
22. I'm Going to a City  -  Indian Bottom Association of Old Regular Baptists

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Bill Monroe & His Bluegrass Boys   Primary Artist
DeBusk-Weaver Family   Primary Artist
Allen Brothers   Primary Artist
The Watson Family   Primary Artist
The Poplin Family   Primary Artist
Harry & Jeanie West   Primary Artist
Dock Boggs   Primary Artist,Banjo,Vocals
Bill Monroe   Primary Artist,Vocals,Mandolin,Tenor (Vocal)
Indian Bottom Association of Old Regular Baptists   Primary Artist
Kilby Snow   Primary Artist,Autoharp
The Lilly Brothers   Primary Artist
The Stancer Quartet   Primary Artist
Old Harp Singers of Eastern Tennessee   Primary Artist
Hazel Dickens & Alice Gerrard   Primary Artist
Clarence Ashley   Primary Artist,Vocals
The Country Gentlemen   Primary Artist
Fred Price   Primary Artist,Vocals
Doc Watson   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Ernest V. Stoneman   Primary Artist,Vocals,Autoharp
Jean Ritchie   Primary Artist,Vocals
Clint Howard   Primary Artist,Vocals
Red Allen   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
The Phipps Family   Primary Artist
Tom Morgan   Primary Artist,Bass
Yates Green   Guitar,Vocals
Linda Weaver   Vocals,Autoharp
Rudy Lyle   Banjo
Mike Halcomb   Lead
Chick Stripling   Bass
Lamar Grier   Banjo
Everett Lilly   Vocals,Mandolin
Kathleen Phipps   Guitar,Vocals
Burton DeBusk   Guitar,Vocals
China Poplin   Banjo,Vocals
Elizabeth DeBusk   Vocals,Autoharp
Greg Allen   Vocals
Trueleen Helen Phipps   Vocals,Autoharp
Alice Gerrard   Guitar,Vocals
Bobby Hicks   Fiddle
A.L. Phipps   Vocals,Guitar
Tom Gray   Bass (Vocal),Tenor (Vocal)
Harley Allen   Guitar,Vocals
Hazel Dickens   Bass,Vocals
Charlie Waller   Guitar,Vocals
Leeman Phipps   Bass,Vocals
David Grisman   Fiddle,Mandolin
Bea Lilly   Guitar,Vocals
Eddie Adcock   Baritone (Vocal)
Pete Kuykendall   Banjo
Don Reno   Baritone
Frank Wakefield   Vocals,Mandolin
John Duffey   Bass (Vocal),Tenor (Vocal)
Gaither Carlton   Vocals
Joe Stuart   Fiddle
Mac Wiseman   Guitar,Vocals
Rosa Lee Watson   Vocals
Ronnie Allen   Vocals,Mandolin
Benny Martin   Bass
Edna Poplin   Guitar,Vocals

Technical Credits

Kip Lornell   Liner Notes,Compilation Producer,Producer,Annotation
Fanny Crosby   Composer
Jacob Love   Editorial Assistant
Mary Monseur   Production Coordination
Carla Borden   Editing
Marion Post Wolcott   Photography
Dorothea Lange   Cover Photo
Norman van der Sluys   Assistant Engineer
Ben Shahn   Photography
Amy Schriefer   Program Assistant
Jack Delano   Photography
Stephanie Smith   Archivist
Traditional   Composer
John Newton   Composer
A.L. Phipps   Composer
Dan Sheehy   Production Supervisor
Hazel Dickens   Composer
Jeff Place   Archivist
Pete Reiniger   Mastering,Sound Supervision
A.P. Carter   Composer
D.A. Sonneborn   Production Supervisor
John Vachon   Photography