BUSINESS CARDS

It's not all about the music and getting the message across. Gospel artists and record stores specializing in gospel records all had and have to promote their business. Regular contributor to Just Moving On, Howard Robinson, send me a (scans) of a bunch of gospel related business cards some time ago. Not exactly knowing what to do with them we decided to group eighteen of  them together and make a podcast so you can listen to some great gospel music while looking at souvenirs from a bygone era. Most of the songs in the podcast come actually from albums or 45s bought by Howard in the shops whose business cards we have on display.

You can download and/or subscribe to the podcasts: here

1. Warrenton Echoes - Sweet By And By (Pinewood)

The Warrenton Echoes released two 45s in the late sixties/early seventies on Pinewood and one 45 on Mozel. The Warrenton Echoes are still in business. The R&N Record Shop is as far as we know out of business like so many 'pop & mom' record shops where they didn't only sell records, but also all kinds of beauty products. Let's not forget that legendary gospel label owner Hoyt Sullivan started his career as a producer and seller of beauty products.

2. Gospel Jubilee Singers - Heaven (Tribute LP 6008)

At their 25th anniversary the Gospel Jubilee Singers recorded their only album "Ph.D. In Love" in 1979. Proceedings of the album went to United Negro College Fund. Members of the Gospel Jubilee Singers being graduates at one of the UNCF schools in North Carolina.

3. Brooklyn Allstars - Time Waits For No One (Jewel LP 0067)

From the late 1970s onwards for professional gospel quartets it were hard and difficult times due to changes in the musical taste of the general public. Interestingly enough gospel quartets remained highly popular in southern states like Virginia, Georgia, Mississippi and both of the Carolinas. For the Brooklyn Allstars who had a career going back to the 1950s with recordings on Nashboro, Jewel and Gospel Roots amongst others it became time to move to the Carolinas as time waits for no one.

4. The Gospel Keynotes - Keep On Walking And Don't Look Back (Nashboro LP7063)

In 1953 they started as the Ways of Joy before changing their name into the Chosen Gospel Singers. They became popular when they finally changed their name into The Gospel Keynotes. They recorded for Nashboro and Malaco.  For more than 40 years Willie Neal Johnson has been the leader of this 'hard' singing gospel quartet. Although from Texas, in the 1980s and 1990s they were very popular as a live act in the Carolinas.

5. McDonald Sisters - He'll Fix It (True Joy LP 113)

The McDonald Sisters made only album. "No Turning Back" was released on Hoyt Sullivan's True Joy label in 1985. "He'll Fix It" is taken from that album.

6. Doc McKenzie & Gospel Hi-Lites - Where Could I Go (You Know LP128)

The Gospel Hi-Lites with lead singer Doc McKenzie are still are still recording and performing at concerts all over the USA. With a recording career that brought them releases on Checker, Glori, Savoy, Melendo, You Know and a few other labels they are amongst the most prolific recording artists in this podcast.

7. Stars of Virginia - Changing Hands (MRC LP 1175)

The Stars of Virginia have recording career dating back to the early 1960's. With recordings on labels as Gospel, Savoy, Atlantic, King and M.R.C. they are amongst the most often recorded artists in this podcast. A good starting place for anyone who wants to collect the Stars of Virginia would have been Pop's Record Round Up in their hometown Richmond, Virginia.

8. Sensational Nightingales - He'll Make A Way (Peacock LP59209)

From the late seventies onwards, quartet gospel's popularity was diminishing in favor of the big choirs. A lot of quartets had to adjust to the new situation. The Sensational Nightingales did this by moving to the Carolinas where quartet gospel was still the dominant force in gospel music. With a recording career dating back to the late 1940s the Sensational Nightingales made a lot of recordings, most of them on the Peacock label from the 1950s to 1970s. Later on they moved to Malaco.

9. Favoritaires of Atlanta - God Is Using Me (Church Door 114)

The Favorite Aires of Atlanta released 2 45s in the early 1970s on the Church Door label out of Atlanta, Georgia. The 45s together with 5 other songs were put on their only album "Working In The Vineyard" which was released on Mainstream. Mainstream was a record label from New York. Did this make the album an 'import' or a 'domestic' release at Red Beans & Rice Records? I really wonder how many albums they had in store that weren't released in the USA.

10. Troy Ramey & the Soul Searchers - Prayer Is Part Of Man (Nashboro LP7253

The Soul Searchers led by Troy Ramey made their recording debut in the early seventies on the Musicor label. After two albums on Musicor they moved to Nashboro where they recorded 7 albums. After the closure of Nashboro they moved to Atlanta based A.I.R for two more albums.

11. The Sensational Brown Brothers - Time Is Winding Up (HSE LP1538)

There were several groups of Brown Brothers on the gospel highway through the years. The Sensational Brown Brothers (originally) from Florence, South Carolina recorded for HSE, Gospel Time, MRC, Southern Style and Malaco.

12. Curtis Carrington - Do You Love The Savior (Ken-Yatta 11868)

Curtis Carrington wasn't only a singer he also owned the Ken-Yetta record label. With Ken-Yatta being based in Greensboro,NC a local record shop as the local was essential in getting his music distributed. For most local artists and local labels, shops like Greensboro Gospel Music were the only place where their records could be bought, besides their own concerts. 

13. Exciting Gospel Incredibles - I Will Be Welcome (ASL LP1031)

When Harrison Smith really had the widest selection of Gospel in Atlanta he must have had releases on local labels as ASL, Church Door and AIR in stock. All a label like ASL did was recording and pressing. Promotion and distribution had to be done by the artists themselves. A local record shop having your records in stock could be the difference between an easy sell out of all what you had pressed making enough money for another session, or having to carry boxes of vinyl with you for years to every place you performed. 

14. Sacred Four - I'll Make It (J&B LP 0025)

The Sacred Four had releases on Sensational Sound, Champ, J&B and T-Jaye. Their lead singer was Junior Townsend. "I'll Make It" is taken from their J&B album "The Lord Will Make A Way". The song is a recording of their Champ 45 "Lord I'll Make It Somehow".

15. Brown Brothers - Must Be Born Again (Prayer LP 72083)

As I've written above (song 11) the Sensational Brown Brothers were originally form Florence,SC. Would McCants Records stock the 'other' Brown Brothers in the racks? The 'other' Brown Brothers being the group who are originally from Maywood, Illinois.

16. Gospel Imperials - Coming Home (True Joy LP 107)

The Gospel Imperials of Greenwood, S.C. should not be confused with the Gospel Imperials of Huntsville, AL or the Mighty Imperials. The Gospel Imperials of Greenwood, S.C. recorded one album for True Joy. True Joy was Hoyt Sullivan's last record company and based in McCormick, S.C.

17. Soulful Gospel Messengers of Jackson, MS. - I'll Be Alright (J&B LP0073)

In the 1980s the Soulful Gospel Messengers recorded five albums for J&B records out of their hometown Jackson, Mississippi. Throughout their stint at J&B there where several changes in the line-up of the group. The only constant member was lead singer Rev. Curtis Watson who had a solo recording career with releases on Jewel and Malaco.

18. Brooklyn Skyways - My Testimony (Savoy LP 14406)

The Brooklyn Skyways recorded for Rae-Cox,  Peacock, Savoy and Miracle Music. They were one of many gospel groups from New York. The Gospel Den must have had an great selection of all those now hard to find New York gospel groups and gospel labels like Rae-Cox,

(Cies: October 2009)

Contributors:

- Howard Robinson

- John Glassburner