Gospel All Stars, Keith Pringle, and Maurice Long

Sharing some musical gems from voices that are connected to the story of Bishop William Morris O'Neil and his congregations in Harlem and Los Angeles.

Hello friends,

The muse is speaking and it’s been an incredibly productive week! I was able to finish the fifth chapter of the New York Community Choir book last week and I started the final chapter of what will be the book’s first draft yesterday. My aim is to be finished with this phase by the end of the month/year. I’ve added a stretch goal to the GoFundMe of $2000 to help meet the next phase of expenses for the project. If you’d like to contribute, just click here.

After nine years of research and intensive interviews/conversations with dozens of people about both the New York Community Choir and Bishop William Morris O’Neil universes (which were parallel and intertwined), I am still making discoveries even as I write. I wanted to share a few of the artists who I’ve been thrilled to learn are connected to this story.

I promise that the longer features are coming back at the top of the year….I’ve just got to finish this chapter! In the meantime, I hope you enjoy these gems!

1. The Gospel All-Stars—What Could I Do? (1958)

   
   Organized in 1952 by Ella Mitchell (don’t miss my friend Eric Maurice Clark’s wonderful interview with Ella here), the All-Stars recorded with Professor Charles Taylor and Rev. James Cleveland in the fifties. One of the group’s members was Rose Hines, who was also a member of Bishop William Morris O’Neil’s Christian Tabernacle in Harlem and sang in the church’s choir. Ella, of course, played Evillene in the 1984 revival of The Wiz, and played Big Momma in Martin Lawrence’s Big Momma’s House.

   

   New York Amsterdam News, 1960

2. Keith Pringle—I’m Gonna Go Through (with James Cleveland & the Salem Inspirational Choir) (1978)
   
   Many remember Keith Pringle for his string of eighties gospel hits like “Call Him Up” and “Perfect Peace,” but his career began as a musician in Detroit. When he relocated to Los Angeles, he played organ for a variety of churches including Bishop O’Neil’s Universal Tabernacle of Deliverance. You can hear him below on James Cleveland and the Salem Inspirational Choir’s cover of Danniebelle Hall’s “I’m Gonna Go Through” from their Grammy-nominated album “I Don’t Feel Noways Tired” (Keith also steps out on the album’s infamous title track).

   

   Los Angeles Sentinel, 1980

3. Maurice Long—Count Your Blessings (1973)
   
   Maurice may not be a name you immediately recognize. As a young man, he was featured on the Original Church of God In Christ Choir’s 1965 album, My Soul Is Anchored In The Lord and then relocated to Los Angeles where he cut a series of stunning solo sides for Cyclone Records and, ultimately, a full album for Paramount, appropriately titled Sanctified. In his early years in Los Angeles, he was also a featured soloist with the choir at Bishop O’Neil’s Universal Tabernacle.
   
   Long’s distinctive soprano somehow went completely unnoticed as a solo artist, but in 1981, he joined forces with Sylvester and Jeanie Tracy (they dubbed themselves The COGICs) to provide the backgrounds on Sylvester’s last album for Fantasy Records. His last known recording is on the 1986 Gospel Music Workshop of America’s live recording at Madison Square Garden where he duetted with Daryl Coley on the Steven Roberts composition “Waymaker.”