Church of the Good Groove--The April Edition

A look at some of the groups highlighted in this month's curated playlist for SoulandJazz.com!

The April edition of Church of the Good Groove, a playlist I curate for SoulandJazz.com, went live last week. I’ve been taking a deeper look at some of the independent groups and soloists of the 1970s and early 1980s who explored just how contemporary they could be.

You can listen to the entire playlist by clicking here.

A few highlights

The Helen Hollins Singers

The Hollins Singers were a family group from Boston, Massachusetts. Their 1973 debut album, Following Jesus, was picked up by John Daniels’ Glori Records, a label that specialized in presenting groups with a contemporary edge from the East Coast. Below is a feature about the Hollins Singers in The Boston Globe from April 15, 1974.

The Inspirations of Joy

This recording has a bit of a personal connection for me as it features my godmother, the great Patricia Morgan. When I first met Mother Morgan singing in New Covenant Holiness Church as a teenager, I was completely blown away by her gift. She didn’t just have an incredible voice; she also had presence. She had the tonality of Clara Ward and Cassietta George, but the fervor of Shirley Caesar.

She gave me a copy of a 7” single she’d recorded nearly twenty years before I met her and I was shocked at how contemporary it was. She and her family’s group, The Inspirations of Joy, took the spiritual “Elijah Rock” and gave it a funktified touch. I’m thrilled to present it on the playlist for the first time with thanks to DJ Greg Belson whose copy of the single had far less wear and tear than mine did! Thank you, Greg!

The Truthettes

The Truthettes were a teen group that churned out dozens of hits in the 1980s. While today, people tend to remember them for the often-viral “Peanut Butter and Jelly,” others remember them for being prodigious talents. This month, I pulled “You’ve Been My Everything” from their debut album Willie Neal Johnson and the Gospel Keynotes Presents The Gospel Truthettes: Don’t Let the Devil Fool You. To hear the then-twelve-year-old Tu-Tu singing with the intensity of an seasoned adult is a revelation. Below is a short article on the group circa 1980 (a year after their debut album was released) in the Times Record News.

The Playlist

The Masters of Music—Trouble Don’t Last Always (7″ Single)—1981
Inspirations of Joy—Elijah Rock (feat. Pat Morgan) (7″ Single)—1974
Helen Hollins Singers—Following Jesus—Following Jesus—1973
Academy Cathedral Choir—Do My Thing—Something Is Moving—1976
Lenora Young and the Philadelphia Community Choir—Someone To Lean On Wait Patiently—1975
The Ramada Singers—I’ll Meet You Over There—Stand By Me—1974
The Gerald Sisters—Let Me Ride Jesus—Gone My Last Mile—1973
Tammie, Tina & The Edwards Singers—I Found Jesus—7″ Single—1984
Sterling Glass and The Metropolitan Singers, Waterbury, Conn.—Mary, Don’t You Weep— Jesus Never Fail—1973
Evangelist Betty Blanton featuring The Paul Burroughs Gospel Choir—Forgive Me Once Again—Evangelist Betty Blanton—1979
Heaven Sent—Love Lifted Me—Not Alone—1978
The Gospel Truth—He Can Do It (7″ Single)—1981
The Sensational Travelers of Richmond, Calif, featuring Charles Champion—I Love the Lord (7″ Single)—1975
Clinton Logan Company—Signs of the Judgement Day (featuring Izora Rhodes)—Signs of the Judgement Day—1977
The Gospel Truthettes—You’ve Been My Everything—Don’t Let the Devil Fool You—1980
The Famous Johnsonettes of Montgomery, Alabama—He Coming Back (7″ Single)—1979
Donell Hickman—Send It—Let’s Just Praise the Lord—1986

You can listen to the entire playlist by clicking here.

Also…

I’m currently writing a series on Madonna’s relationship with/to Black Music with Milik Kashad. The first installment dropped last weekend. There is more to come!