1979 Daviticus Awards

A journey back in time to explore this gospel music awards ceremony in Detroit that brought the traditional and contemporary forms together on the same playing field.

I’ve always been fascinated by the concept of time traveling. I saw Back to the Future when I was ten and it helped me understand why I had always been drawn to older books, music, and yes, people.

Writing the New York Community Choir book has been a challenge that I’ve loved, because the story begins in 1951 and assembling the whos, whats, wheres and whys has been a mountain climbing exercise. But I’ve loved every second of it. And it’s not over yet!

This past week, I discovered this article from the Michigan Chronicle that alerted me to the Daviticus Awards, founded by the Gospel Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (GARAS). GARAS was founded by Rev. Jim Holley and this ceremony was held at Detroit’s Masonic Auditorium on June 18, 1979. Rev. Holley told the Detroit Free Press in 1980, “Name groups in gospel music that used to get $150 a night are now earning $7,000 to $12,000 a performance. That’s an indication of where it’s really going.”

This article, of course, caught my attention because the first nominee for Choir of the Year is, of course, the New York Community Choir (This is a great moment to point you to the two articles I’ve written here about the choir and the book…and also alert you to the GoFundMe that helps fund the work that I’m doing to complete the book.) The choir was also nominated for Album of the Year for their self-titled RCA release, listed among the nominees as “Express Yourself,” which was their controversial disco hit from that album.

Alongside the NYCC in the Choir of the Year nominees is Benny Cummings’ King’s Temple Choir—-the choir from which this Substack derives its name. Cummings will be also be featured prominently in my book as another New York choir that was a vital part of the 1970s choir scene. Their 1977 album Now is a masterpiece that is unbelievably not available digitally, but—as music tends to do—is continuing to finds places to become known. This album’s “You Reap” is being released on a limited edition 45 in February via Greg Belson’s Divine Discs.

What is most striking is the diversity among the nominations. To see NYCC, Andraé Crouch’s Live In London, and Walter Hawkins’ Love Alive II (all considered to be contemporary at the time) in the Album of the Year category along with James Cleveland’s Everything Will Be Alright (the album from which “I Don’t Feel No Ways Tired” came from), Sara Jordan Powell’s When Jesus Comes and Donald Vails Choraleers’ self-titled album that brought us “He Decided To Die” is quite refreshing—especially in light of the segmentation in music awards presented today. It also gives us an idea as to the diversity that existed in some (certainly not all) of gospel’s radio markets.

There are many other things to discover among these nominees (like the 21st Century Singers among the nominees for Contemporary Group of the Year), but I wanted to share a few of my observations here. Take a look for yourself and see what names you recognize and spend some time with these artists from the past. The article below from Record World magazine details the winners.

The liner notes assignment I mentioned in last week’s newsletter have been turned in and I’ve been focused on the book…but the features I mentioned are in development and coming soon!

I’m leaving you with a favorite from the Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year category (who also won!), the great Danniebelle Hall.