5 Old Gospel Music Artists You Need to Know
Gospel music is a genre with a rich history, and there are a number of old artists who have shaped the sound and style of the music over the years. Here are five old gospel music artists you need to know.
James Cleveland
James Cleveland was an American gospel singer, songwriter, and musician who was a leading figure in the development of the postwar gospel sound. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, on December 5, 1931. Cleveland began his musical career singing with the legendary Gospel singer Mahalia Jackson. He went on to form his own group, the Gospelaires, and released his first album, Jesus Is All the World to Me, in 1956. Cleveland continued to record and perform throughout his career, and he was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1992.
Born in Chicago in 1931
James Cleveland was born in Chicago in 1931. A gospel prodigy, he formed the first ever gospel choir made up entirely of children, the Young Apostles, when he was just 11 years old. After touring with the famous gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, Cleveland went on to form his own group, the James Cleveland Singers. He recorded more than 50 albums during his career and won five Grammy Awards.
Considered the “King of Gospel”
James Cleveland was an American gospel singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer. Cleveland was born in Chicago, Illinois. He was a five-time Grammy Award winner and a two-time GMA Dove Award winner. He was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1991.
Cleveland is considered the “King of Gospel” for his role in bringing the music to mainstream audiences. His performance style was raw and emotive, and he is credited with helping to popularize gospel music. His work has influenced numerous artists, including Andrae Crouch, Mahalia Jackson, Edwin Hawkins, Shirley Caesar, Naomi Newton-John, Della Reese, Aretha Franklin, Albertina Walker, Marvin Sapp, Walter Hawkins, James Moorer Jr., Kurt Carr, Ricky Dillard and many others.
Mahalia Jackson
Mahalia Jackson was a renowned gospel singer who has been credited with helping to shape the sound and style of gospel music. Her powerful voice and moving performances helped to make gospel music more popular and accessible to a wider audience. Jackson was a prolific recording artist and her recordings remain some of the best-selling gospel albums of all time.
Born in New Orleans in 1911
Born in New Orleans in 1911, Mahalia Jackson grew up singing in the choir of the local Baptist church. She rose to prominence in the 1930s as a gospel singer with a powerful voice that was able to convey both the joy and the pain of the African American experience. Jackson celebrated her faith with such passion that she became known as “The Queen of Gospel.”
During the 1950s and 1960s, Jackson was at the forefront of the civil rights movement, using her music to inspire hope and possibility in the face of segregation and racism. She performed at some of the most significant moments in the history of the movement, including the March on Washington in 1963, where she sang “I’ve Been Buked and I’ve Been Scorned.”
Jackson continued to use her voice to fight for social justice until her passing in 1972. In 2010, she was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.
Considered the “Queen of Gospel”
Born in New Orleans in 1911, Mahalia Jackson grew up singing in the church choir. A naturally gifted vocalist, Jackson began touring with a gospel group in the early 1930s. It was during this time that she caught the attention of record producer John Hammond, who helped her get signed to Columbia Records.
Jackson’s first album, Shout Sister Shout (1942), was a collection of traditional spirituals and gospel standards. She would go on to release nearly two dozen more albums over the course of her career, including the hugely successful Gospel Singer (1956) and Amazing Grace (1972). Jackson passed away in 1972 at the age of 60.
The Fairfield Four
The Fairfield Four is an a cappella gospel quartet who got their start in the early 1920s. The group has had many personnel changes over the years, but they are still going strong and have even won a Grammy Award. If you’re a fan of gospel music, then you need to check out The Fairfield Four.
Founded in 1921 in Nashville
The Fairfield Four is an African-American a cappella gospel group founded in 1921 in Nashville, Tennessee. The group’s name comes from the Fairfield Baptist Church, where they first performed. The Fairfield Four achieved national prominence in the 1940s and 1950s, appearing on radio and television and recording for major labels. In the 1990s, they were featured in the documentary film Say Amen, Somebody and won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Gospel Album for their album Standing in the Safety Zone.
One of the most influential gospel groups of all time
The Fairfield Four is an a cappella gospel quartet founded in 1921 in Fairfield, Tennessee. The group recorded for RCA Victor, Columbia, and Decca Records. They were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Nashville Music City Walk of Fame in 2000. The Fairfield Four has been credited with being one of the most influential gospel groups of all time.
The Fairfield Four was founded by Rev. Samuel D. Haynes and Frank Guilford. The group’s first recording was “Lift Every Voice and Sing” (1921), which became their signature song. The Fairfield Four’s last recording was “Old Time Religion” (1943), which was released posthumously after Guilford’s death.
The group disbanded in 1944, but reformed in 1980 with two original members, Willie Mae Cameron and James Walker Jr.. The current lineup includes Cameron, Walker Jr., Hullin Roberts, Calvin Newton, and Jerry Blumberg.
The Soul Stirrers
The Soul Stirrers were an American gospel music group, active for over 50 years in the twentieth century. The group’s style of Gospel music was influential in the development of Rhythm and Blues and Doo-wop. They were one of the first Gospel groups to promote racial equality and were a major force in the Civil Rights Movement.
Founded in 1926 in Houston
The Soul Stirrers were an American gospel group founded in Houston, Texas in 1926 by Roy C. Hunter and R. H. Harris. In the 1930s, the group’s lead singer was Sam Cooke, who later became a successful secular pop and R&B singer-songwriter. The Soul Stirrers were one of the most influential gospel groups of their era, helping to pioneer the genre of gospel music and influencing artists such as Mahalia Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, and The Rolling Stones.
The group’s repertoire included both traditional spirituals and more modern gospel songs written by Harris and other songwriters. They were also one of the first gospel groups to use electric instruments on stage, which helped them to appeal to a wider audience beyond the church. The Soul Stirrers were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2005.
One of the most popular gospel groups of all time
The Soul Stirrers were one of the most popular gospel groups of all time, and their influence can still be felt today. The group was formed in Houston, Texas in the early 1930s, and they recorded for several different labels over the years. They were best known for their work with Sam Cooke, who was a member of the group from 1951 to 1957. Cooke wrote and recorded several hits with the Soul Stirrers before he left to pursue a solo career.
The group continued to record and perform without Cooke, and they had many other successful members over the years. They were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1993, and they continue to influence gospel music today.
The Swan Silvertones
If you’re a fan of old gospel music, then you need to check out The Swan Silvertones. This group was formed in the 1930s and they’re known for their unique sound. The Swan Silvertones were a leading force in the gospel music industry and they influenced many other artists. If you’re looking for some old-timey gospel music, then you need to check out The Swan Silvertones.
Founded in 1932 in Louisville
The Swan Silvertones were an American gospel quartet who achieved their greatest popularity in the 1940s and 1950s. The group was founded in 1932 by Claude Jeter in Louisville, Kentucky. Originally known as The Four Harmony Kings, the group consisted of Jeter, his brother Milton, James Burks, and Henry Nelson.
One of the most influential gospel groups of all time
The Swan Silvertones were one of the most influential gospel groups of all time. Formed in 1938, the group was originally known as The Associated Gospel Singers and consisted of Claude Jeter, David McNeil, Willmer Broadnax, and James Sheppard. Sterling Johnson joined the group in 1940, and it was under his leadership that they became known as The Swan Silvertones.
The group enjoyed a long and successful career, recording more than 60 albums and touring extensively throughout the United States and Canada. They were especially popular in the 1950s and 1960s, when they were one of the few black gospel groups to achieve mainstream success. Their music was characterized by Jeter’s high-pitched lead vocals and their innovative use of harmony and counterpoint.
The Swan Silvertones were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1999.
