Search - Various Artists :: Close Harmony: History of Southern Gospel 1

Good introduction to a little-known musical style

Joe Sixpack -- Slipcue.com | ...in Middle America | 01/21/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The key to appreciating this album is the "history of" part in the title... Southern Gospel is a very particular subgenre of American music, with many fans who would take offense at it being considered a "country" style... In the years since its mid-20th Century heyday, Southern Gospel has become more of a mom'n'pop, DIY musical style, with hundreds of artists recording for self-owned or small independent labels, supported by a network of religiously-motivated fans. Modern Southern Gospel has a much mellower sound than the old stuff, incorporating the soft pop style of groups like the Carpenters, with electronic keyboards and modern production laid on top of the vocal harmony tradition the style was originally known for. This volume concentrates on the old stuff, with tracks by foundational artists such as the Blackwood Brothers, the Chuck Wagon Gang, the LeFevers and the Stamps Quartet, as well as some rarer, archival recordings by less well-known artists. (The legendary African-American gospel group the Golden Gate Quartet are included as well, showing their stylistic influence on their white counterparts, and hey, who am I to complain? They always sound good.) Still, this older version of the Southern style may seem a bit foreign to modern SG fans, especially since the genre's country roots are fairly plain... Southern Gospel is still a genre that honors tradition, however, and an archival collection like this should be much welcome among the faithful... it's also a fine introduction for anyone making the move from, say, bluegrass gospel into the more overtly devotional SG style.



(PS - the liner notes draw heavily on the authoritative book on the style, "Close Harmony," by Appalachian State University history professor James R. Goff... I imagine anyone who's really into the style will want to pick that book up as well...)"

Fine introduction to Southern Gospel

hyperbolium | Earth, USA | 12/02/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Dualtone's reissue of this Crossroads Music compilation features fourteen Southern Gospel selections from 1920 through 1955. This project is an outgrowth of the academic studies of history professor James Goff at Appalachian State University, and his book of the same title. The recordings include well-known names like The LeFevre Trio, Stamps Quartet and Blackwood Brothers, as well as numerous lesser-known, but no less worthy artists.



For the most part these are vocal tracks with musical accompaniment. Unsurprising, given that the Southern Gospel music industry grew out of the need for songbook publishers and singing schools to advertise their wares via touring quartets. As radio and records began to dominate live performance as a means for hearing music, these gospel acts became stars apart from their initial sponsors.



This is an excellent introduction to the genre, with extensive introductory and song-by-song notes by Dr. Goff. The remastering, from a wide variety of source material, brings it all together into a pleasurable, cohesive disc."