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/ News

Ride Out the Storm: Craft Recordings Collects "Complete Singles" From Stax's Eclectic Gospel Truth Imprint

September 24, 2020 By Joe Marchese 2 Comments

The Gospel Truth Complete Singles

BUY NOW FROM AMAZON.COM

Earlier this year, Craft Recordings kicked off its celebration of Stax Records' Gospel Truth imprint with a weekly digital album campaign.  That series wrapped up on August 28, opening the door for the November 13 release on CD and LP of The Gospel Truth: The Complete Singles Collection.

Stax chief Al Bell launched Gospel Truth in 1972, working in close coordination with radio promotions guru/producer/songwriter Dave Clark and Stax staffer Mary Peak Paterson. Early press materials for the imprint indicated that it sought to "carry the message of today's gospel to the people on the street." Clark, working as de facto A&R director, emphasized accessibility by pairing traditional gospel talents with young artists well-versed in rock, funk, blues, and soul. Stax creative director Larry Shaw afforded the imprint's releases the same hallmark of quality as front-line Stax products. Over the course of over two dozen albums and singles, Gospel Truth cast its net further than the classic black American gospel tradition, taking in Indian meditative teachings (Blue Aquarius), white roots music (The Commanders), contemporary choral music (Rev. Jesse Jackson's People's Choir of Operation PUSH), and more - a true melting pot of spiritual sounds.  Gospel Truth releases often differed from the music on the parent label as many tracks were sourced from various production houses rather than produced at Stax, and then given the gritty yet radio-friendly Stax treatment in the mix stage by the label's engineers.  Stax didn't intend these recordings to be "underground;" they promoted and marketed them as if they would a so-called mainstream soul/R&B release.

The Complete Singles Collection features all 17 singles issued by Gospel Truth between 1972 and 1974 - 34 songs on 2 CDs or 3 LPs - including both non-LP singles and samplings of the imprint's album catalogue.  Among the highlights are numerous tracks from Gospel Truth's first signing, Michigan's The Rance Allen Group. The trio of brothers took their influences from Motown, Philly soul, and contemporary pop and R&B, reworking hit tunes in the process. The Temptations' "Just My Imagination" became "Just My Salvation." Archie Bell and The Drells' "There's Gonna Be a Showdown" acquired a spiritual theme.  The St. James Gospel Choir took a similar approach, turning Wilson Pickett's "Don't Let the Green Grass Fool You" into "Don't Let the Devil Fool You."  Fans of Broadway musicals will be happy to see a belated CD debut for Joshie Jo Armstead's "Ride Out the Storm."  The funky anthem was penned by Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields for their musical Seesaw.  Armstead departed the cast on the show's tumultuous road to Broadway but preserved her performance on Gospel Truth in a version arranged by Motown vet Paul Riser.  A powerhouse singer as well as an accomplished songwriter, Armstead appears on four sides in all including both sides of her second, completely self-penned single.  The Rev. Marvin Yancy (whose production and songwriting credits include Ronnie Dyson, The Dells, and his wife Natalie Cole) leads The People's Choir of Operation PUSH on two tracks.

New liner notes have been penned for the collection by Memphis-based journalist and NPR host Jared Boyd, incorporating fresh interviews with Al Bell, Rance Allen, and Mary Peak Paterson.  While both editions will be handsomely packaged, the LP is housed in a triple gatefold, with the vinyl pressed at Memphis Record Pressing.  Look for The Gospel Truth: The Complete Singles Collection from Craft Recordings on November 13.  You'll find Amazon links below.  An exclusive bundle with a Gospel Truth t-shirt plus a special gift with purchase (while supplies last) is also available at the Stax online store.

Various Artists, The Gospel Truth: The Complete Singles Collection (Craft Recordings/Stax, 2020)
Vinyl (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
LP1
Side A
  1. The Rance Allen Group - Just My Imagination (Just My Salvation)
  2. The Rance Allen Group - Up Above My Head
  3. Terry Lynn Community Choir - His Love Will Always Be
  4. Terry Lynn Community Choir - Consider Me
  5. Reverend W. Bernard Avant Jr. and The St. James Gospel Choir - Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You (Don't Let The Devil Fool You)
  6. Reverend W. Bernard Avant Jr. and The St. James Gospel Choir - God Is What You Let Him Be
Side B
  1. The Rance Allen Group - There's Gonna Be A Showdown
  2. The Rance Allen Group - That Will Be Good Enough For Me
  3. Reverend Maceo Woods and The Christian Tabernacle Concert Choir - The Magnificent Sanctuary Band (Marching For The Man)
  4. Reverend Maceo Woods and The Christian Tabernacle Concert Choir - Jesus Is Waiting
  5. Charles May & Annette May Thomas - Keep My Baby Warm
  6. Charles May & Annette May Thomas - Satisfied
LP2
Side A
  1. Joshie Jo Armstead - Ride Out The Storm
  2. Joshie Jo Armstead - I Got The Vibes
  3. The Rance Allen Group - I Got To Be Myself
  4. The Rance Allen Group - Gonna Make It Alright
  5. The 21st Century - Who's Supposed To Be Raising Who
  6. The 21st Century - If The Shoe Fits, Wear It
Side B
  1. The People's Choir Of Operation Push, Reverend Marvin Yancy - I'm A Child Of The King
  2. The People's Choir Of Operation Push, Reverend Marvin Yancy - He Included Me
  3. Jacqui Verdell - He's Mine
  4. Jacqui Verdell - We're Gonna Have A Good Time
  5. The Rance Allen Group - I Know A Man Who
  6. The Rance Allen Group - Hot Line To Jesus
LP3
Side A
  1. Blue Aquarius - At The Feet Of The Master
  2. Blue Aquarius - Know Him While You Can
  3. Joshie Jo Armstead - Stumblin' Blocks, Steppin' Stones (What Took Me So Long)
  4. Joshie Jo Armstead - Give A Little Loving
Side B
  1. Jimmy Jones - Do It Yourself
  2. Jimmy Jones - If I Had A Hammer
  3. The Rance Allen Group - Be True
  4. The Rance Allen Group - We're The Salt Of The Earth
  5. Louise McCord - Reflections
  6. Louise McCord - There's No Need To Cry
CD (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
CD 1
  1. The Rance Allen Group - Just My Imagination (Just My Salvation)
  2. The Rance Allen Group - Up Above My Head
  3. Terry Lynn Community Choir - His Love Will Always Be
  4. Terry Lynn Community Choir - Consider Me
  5. Reverend W. Bernard Avant Jr. and The St. James Gospel Choir - Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You (Don't Let The Devil Fool You)
  6. Reverend W. Bernard Avant Jr. and The St. James Gospel Choir - God Is What You Let Him Be
  7. The Rance Allen Group - There's Gonna Be A Showdown
  8. The Rance Allen Group - That Will Be Good Enough For Me
  9. Reverend Maceo Woods and The Christian Tabernacle Concert Choir - The Magnificent Sanctuary Band (Marching For The Man)
  10. Reverend Maceo Woods and The Christian Tabernacle Concert Choir - Jesus Is Waiting
  11. Charles May & Annette May Thomas - Keep My Baby Warm
  12. Charles May & Annette May Thomas - Satisfied
  13. Joshie Jo Armstead - Ride Out The Storm
  14. Joshie Jo Armstead - I Got The Vibes
  15. The Rance Allen Group - I Got To Be Myself
  16. The Rance Allen Group - Gonna Make It Alright
  17. The 21st Century - Who's Supposed To Be Raising Who
  18. The 21st Century - If The Shoe Fits, Wear It
CD 2
  1. The People's Choir Of Operation Push, Reverend Marvin Yancy - I'm A Child Of The King
  2. The People's Choir Of Operation Push, Reverend Marvin Yancy - He Included Me
  3. Jacqui Verdell - He's Mine
  4. Jacqui Verdell - We're Gonna Have A Good Time
  5. The Rance Allen Group - I Know A Man Who
  6. The Rance Allen Group - Hot Line To Jesus
  7. Blue Aquarius - At The Feet Of The Master
  8. Blue Aquarius - Know Him While You Can
  9. Joshie Jo Armstead - Stumblin' Blocks, Steppin' Stones (What Took Me So Long)
  10. Joshie Jo Armstead - Give A Little Loving
  11. Jimmy Jones - Do It Yourself
  12. Jimmy Jones - If I Had A Hammer
  13. The Rance Allen Group - Be True
  14. The Rance Allen Group - We're The Salt Of The Earth
  15. Louise McCord - Reflections
  16. Louise McCord - There's No Need To Cry

Categories: News Formats: CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl Genre: Gospel, R&B/Soul Tags: Cy Coleman, Jimmy Jones, Joshie Jo Armstead, Louise McCord, The Rance Allen Group, Various Artists

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Joe Marchese

JOE MARCHESE (Editor) joined The Second Disc shortly after its launch in early 2010, and has since penned daily news and reviews about classic music of all genres. In 2015, Joe formed the Second Disc Records label. Celebrating the great songwriters, producers and artists who created the sound of American popular song, Second Disc Records, in conjunction with Real Gone Music, has released newly-curated collections produced by Joe from iconic artists such as Johnny Mathis, Bobby Darin, Laura Nyro, Melissa Manchester, Chet Atkins, and many others. He has contributed liner notes to reissues from a diverse array of artists, among them Nat "King" Cole, Paul Williams, Lesley Gore, Dusty Springfield, B.J. Thomas, The 5th Dimension, Burt Bacharach, The Mamas and the Papas, Carpenters, Perry Como, Rod McKuen, Doris Day, Jackie DeShannon, and Andy Williams, and has compiled releases for talents including Robert Goulet and Keith Allison of Paul Revere and the Raiders. Over the past two decades, Joe has also worked in a variety of capacities on and off Broadway as well as at some of the premier theatres in the U.S., including Lincoln Center Theater, George Street Playhouse, Paper Mill Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, and the York Theatre Company. He has felt privileged to work on productions alongside artists such as the late Jack Klugman, Eli Wallach, Arthur Laurents, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. In 2009, Joe began contributing theatre and music reviews to the print publication The Sondheim Review, and in 2012, he joined the staff of The Digital Bits as a regular contributor writing about film and television on DVD and Blu-ray. Joe currently resides in the suburbs of New York City.

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Comments

  1. Robert Lett says

    September 24, 2020 at 12:31 pm

    This looks great. I think Craft should do a Vee-Jay gospel set too, and the bigger the better. I think they (Craft) own that stuff too now. Vee- Jay had some amazing gospel records, all those old ones with “Harvey” (cover artist) art were all pretty consistently great.

    Reply
  2. Robert Lett says

    October 22, 2020 at 12:45 pm

    Speaking of the devil a Savoy Gospel set is coming out too. “A Stranger I May Be Savoy Gospel 1954-1986”. I get confused I thought Craft owned this stuff too but who knows. In any case very excited I love the old Savoy gospel records.

    https://soundsoftheuniverse.com/product/a-stranger-i-may-be-savoy-gospel-19541986

    Reply

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