Voice of the Spirit, Gospel of the South

by Voice Of The Spirit Gospel Of T

Overview

This project began as an exploration of traditional Appalachian gospel songs, the kind of territory that A.P. Carter and the Carter Family made their own when they started their recording career in the '20s, but as the sessions went on, the focus expanded until Voice of the Spirit, Gospel of the South ended up a more general survey of a variety of Southern gospel approaches as seen through the eyes of contemporary country, gospel, and bluegrass artists. The Carter Family starting point was no accident, though, since the producer here is John Carter Cash, who just happens to be the son of June Carter and Johnny Cash, placing him well in the line of legacy. John Carter Cash coaxed Johnny into the studio in June of 2003 to track a song for the project, "Uncloudy Day," which ended up being not only the one song Johnny Cash recorded after June died, but was the last song he was to record at all. As such, "Uncloudy Day" is a particularly simple, direct, and unadorned capstone to a remarkable career. Cash's vocal, sounding fragile in spots, is made even more poignant for being his last, but there is a certainty in its timbre that makes the song sound ultimately (if heartbreakingly) hopeful. Another clear highlight is Mavis Staples' (with help on guitar from Marty Stuart) stark and bluesy version of "Twelve Gates to the City," but arguably the two most striking tracks are a pair of songs written by George Washington Phillips, "Denomination Blues" and "What Are They Doing in Heaven Today?" Phillips, a zither-playing blues preacher who recorded in the late '20s, possessed an uncanny ability to write songs that unwound with almost conversational melody lines, and his sung sermons were as much or more meditations on his personal philosophy as they were exercises in accepted religious dogma. Rodney Crowell's version here of "Denomination Blues" and Vince Gill's take on "What Are They Doing in Heaven Today?" both retain the flow and feel of the original recordings, while managing as well to make the songs speak in a contemporary context. And that, in the end, is the strength of Voice of the Spirit, Gospel of the South, for these are old songs that continue to have a spiritual and political utility. They can only fail us if we forget them. ~ Steve Leggett

Product Details

Release Date:	04/04/2006
Label:	Dualtone Music
UPC:	0803020122826
Rank:	134156

Tracks

1. By the Side of the Road  - Mac Wiseman
2. Unclouded Day  - Johnny Cash
3. Twelve Gates to the City  - Mavis Staples  - Marty Stuart  -  Traditional
4. Over the Next Hill We'll Be Home  - Connie Smith
5. If I Be Lifted Up  - Earl Scruggs  - Randy Scruggs  -  Traditional
6. My Lord Keeps a Record  - Del McCoury  - Ronnie McCoury  - Carl Story  - William York
7. We Will Overcome  -  Mighty Clouds of Joy  -  Traditional
8. Denomination Blues  - Rodney Crowell  -  Traditional
9. Leave It There  - John Cowan  - Tony Rice
10. Diamonds in the Rough  - A.P. Carter  - Laura Cash  - Larry Gatlin
11. Where the Soul of a Man Never Dies  - Jessi Alexander  - Jon Randall  -  Traditional
12. Ain't No Grave Gonna Hold My Body Down  -  Fisk University Jubilee Singers  -  Traditional
13. What Are They Doing in Heaven Today?  - Vince Gill  -  Traditional

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Mighty Clouds of Joy   Primary Artist
Tony Rice   Primary Artist,Guitar (Acoustic)
John Cowan   Primary Artist,Bass,Vocals
Vince Gill   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic)
Mac Wiseman   Primary Artist,Vocals
Del McCoury   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic)
Johnny Cash   Primary Artist,Vocals
Earl Scruggs   Primary Artist,Guitar (Acoustic)
Jon Randall   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic)
Jessi Alexander   Primary Artist,Vocals
Rodney Crowell   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic)
Ronnie McCoury   Primary Artist,Vocals,Mandolin
Marty Stuart   Primary Artist,Mandolin,Guitar (Acoustic)
Laura Cash   Primary Artist,Fiddle,Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic),Vocals (Background)
Randy Scruggs   Primary Artist,Guitar (Acoustic)
Mavis Staples   Primary Artist,Vocals
Connie Smith   Primary Artist,Vocals
Larry Gatlin   Primary Artist,Vocals
Fisk University Jubilee Singers   Primary Artist
Jamie Hartford   Mandolin
Mark Howard   Guitar (Acoustic)
John Carter Cash   Guitar (Acoustic),Autoharp
Chalmers Alford   Guitar (Acoustic)
Paul T. Kwami   Piano,Musical Direction
Jesse McReynolds   Mandolin
Tom Britt   Guitar (Acoustic)
Brian Sutton   Guitar (Acoustic)
Tony Harrell   Piano
Mark Fain   Bass (Upright),Bass (Acoustic)
Steve Cox   Piano
Larry Perkins   Bass (Acoustic),Guitar (Acoustic)

Technical Credits

The Mighty Clouds of Joy   Arranger
William York   Composer
Chuck Turner   Mixing,Engineer
Willie Joe Ligon   Musician
Jimmy Abegg   Photography
David McClister   Photography
Ervin Morrice Williams   Musician
Ron Staples   Musician
Wesley Ronald Trigg   Musician
Brandon Colvin   Musician
Kawana Nicole Williams   Musician
Yvonne Stockdale   Musician
Dante Pope   Musician
Wayne Brezinka   Art Direction,Illustrations
Vince Gill   Arranger
Michael Cook   Musician
John Carter Cash   Photography,Art Direction,Producer,Liner Notes
Jihan Murray Smith   Musician
Terrance Nathaniel Pogue   Musician
Kyle G. Twaites   Musician
Earl Scruggs   Arranger
Carl Story   Composer
Jon Randall   Arranger
Jessi Alexander   Arranger
Rodney Crowell   Arranger
Laura Cash   Photography
Randy Scruggs   Arranger
Mavis Staples   Arranger
A.P. Carter   Composer
Richard Wallace   Musician
Mark Petaccia   Engineer,Photography,Production Assistant
Traditional   Composer
Larry Perkins   Production Assistant