One more trip to the “watershed”
OK. One last thought on "watershed" albums, and then I'll finally move on to another topic(or two).
It has occurred to me, upon reflection, that I easily could have added at least two more albums to my existing list(see previous posts)of albums that had a substantial impact on the southern gospel genre, much like the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and the Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds" had on rock music.
And I'm sure if I kept reflecting, I might even discover more...but if I list too many, the albums already there may find their significance a bit diluted...and I WON'T do that. Just because an album is really good doesn't qualify it for this list, as I attempted to explain earlier on.
But to save time and space, here are two albums I SHOULD have listed initially, but inexplicably didn't.
THE STATESMEN QUARTET WITH HOVIE LISTER(1957, RCA 1411)-Inasmuch as the Statesmen will always be among the most influential groups to ever sing gospel music, an album of theirs ought to be on this list. And like before, I'll justify my selection by weighing it with my criteria I established earlier.
1. Was it popular? I can't say that it was a gold record, but the fact that it remained in the RCA catalog for many years certainly suggests that it was a steady seller. And its' influence would suggest that a lot of singers heard it.
2. Did it change gospel music? Arguably, the Statesmen did as much as any quartet to shape gospel music...and this album defined their style perfectly. Lots of would-be singers were motivated to make gospel singing a career because of this album.
3. Did it draw a line in the group's career? A little tougher here...their earlier recordings showed a definite journey stylistically to this point, and their subsequent albums continued in that direction. I suppose this album proved that the Statesmen could sustain their excellence over the then-relatively new 12" LP format.
Additionally, the album solidified the place of many songs in the group's permanent repertoire..such as "Led Out Of Bondage", "One Of These Mornings", and "Glory, Glory, Clear The Road". The Statesmen's first LP definitely belongs on any list of key gospel music albums.
As does...
SOMETHING SPECIAL(1982, Canaan 9890)-As has been observed elsewhere, this LP solidified the Cathedrals as THE quartet of the 1980s, and also laid the groundwork for the big production albums by them and many other groups that are still being issued today. It was a turning point in the quartet's career, because it cemented a relationship with Bill Gaither and Lari Goss that marked the group's sound over the rest of its' career. And the popularity of songs like "Then Came The Morning", "Let Freedom Ring", and "Turn Your Back" didn't hurt their commercial appeal any. Without further explanation, it seems apparent that this album meets all my criteria for being a so-called "watershed" album.
If I think of more, I'll post them, too. What do you think?
Posted on Jun 06, 2008 - 02:06 AM | [0]
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