SG History 101

Dec

2007

SG History 101 - Christmas Recordings

As we head toward the Christmas season, we naturally think of music that celebrates and commemorates the season. And it’s no surprise that the gospel genre over the years has given us some of the finest Christmas music recorded.

Recordings of Christmas material began in the 1940s for the most part…for decades, Bing Crosby’s 1942 recording of “White Christmas” was the biggest selling record of all time, and its success paved the way for other recordings with a Christmas theme.

Gospel artists entered the Christmas recording field relatively slowly, and as they would in other areas of the genre, the Blackwood Brothers and the Statesmen Quartets were pacesetters in the recording of Christmas music by gospel artists.

In the late 1940s, the Blackwood Brothers cut several sides of Christmas music, and released them in a 78 RPM album package on the White Church label. The quartet consisting of Alden Toney, James Blackwood, RW Blackwood, Bill Lyles, and Hilton Griswold did wonderful renderings of some of the most well known Christmas carols in that package, worth the effort to obtain if you’re a collector of classic gospel quartet sounds.

It is of the Statesmen ca. 1950 and the group consists of (L-R) Bobby Strickland, Jake Hess, Hovie Lister, Jim (Big Chief) Wetherington, and Bervin Kendrick.

The Statesmen also made a pair of early gospel quartet Christmas recordings, the classic 78 of “The Santa Claus Song” (written by Lee Roy Abernathy) backed with “White Christmas” for Capitol Records, and later a version of “Silent Night” (featuring Hovie Lister) also backed with “White Christmas” on their private label. Those above recordings were among the first notable Christmas recordings by gospel quartets.

In the 1950s, other gospel groups began to sing an occasional Christmas song or two, and as recordings of Christmas songs proved to be commercially viable, it was inevitable that more fine recordings of Christmas songs would be coming from gospel artists.

the jacket for the 1962 RCA album "The Blackwood Brothers and The Statesmen Quartet Wish You A Musical Merry Christmas"

Come the early 1960s, more classic gospel quartet Christmas music would appear. Possibly the best known (and arguably the best of them all) gospel quartet Christmas record appeared on RCA Records, featuring their top two gospel quartet artists, the Blackwood Brothers and the Statesmen, joining forces on an album with a rather cumbersome title, “The Blackwood Brothers and Statesmen Quartet Wish You A Musical Merry Christmas” (RCA 2606), which had five songs by each group individually and two songs with both quartets singing together.

This record combined secular Christmas material such as “Silver Bells” and the aforementioned “White Christmas” with traditional carols such as “O Holy Night” (the highlight of the album for this writer) and “Silent Night”, along with original songs written by members of each group, such as “Praises To Our King”, “Christmas Means Christ To Me”, and “Christmas Time Is Here”. Certainly the fact of these two great quartets joining forces along with their fine renditions of the material make this album an unqualified Christmas classic, and showed the contributions a gospel artist could make toward the Christmas music tradition. It was reissued in 1969 on the RCA Camden label as “O Come All Ye Faithful”.

Couriers Quartet, ca. 1964. (L-R)Duane Nicholson, Neil Enloe, Don Baldwin, Dave Kyllonen, and L. David Young (at the piano)

Another gospel group that made a noteworthy contribution to that tradition is the Couriers, who in 1963 recorded a collection of Christmas songs on their album “Joy To The World (and other Christmas favorites)”. This fine album was made with the assistance of some of Nashville’s finest musicians who were incognito for the project, and despite the group’s fatigue from recording the album after a long road trip, they did wonderful renderings of songs such as “The First Noel”, “O Holy Night”, the a cappella “The Lord Bless And Keep You”, and pianist L.David Young’s fine lead vocal on “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear”. This album is a worthy addition as well to anyone’s Christmas collection.

During this period, other leading gospel artists recorded Christmas material as well. The Chuck Wagon Gang made “Going Home For Christmas” for Columbia, and the Bill Gaither Trio made two Christmas albums, “Christmas…Back Home In Indiana” for HeartWarming Records, and “He Started The Whole World Singing” for Word. And the Blue Ridge Quartet made two Christmas albums in the 1970s.

One noteworthy Christmas album was done by the Klaudt Indian Family on their private label, “Peace On Earth”, featuring the “Indian Christmas Carol”, which dates back to 1640, and features a part tom-tom, part Gregorian chant type arrangement. Like other recordings by this very talented group, it is strikingly unique and distinctive.

As we head into the 1980s, more notable Christmas albums by gospel groups appeared. The Imperials recorded “Christmas With The Imperials” in 1980, which combined their then new-found contemporary musical approach with a traditional one successfully. And the Couriers came back with another Christmas classic with their 1980 release, “Peace On Earth”, which featured fine orchestral arrangements by longtime group colleague Jerry Nelson, and it is also noteworthy for being the final Couriers release with the combination of Dave Kyllonen, Duane Nicholson, and Neil Enloe.

Not long afterward, the Statesmen released another Christmas collection, “Silent Night”, which was noteworthy for its own fine orchestration and the final recording of the group with longtime baritone Doy Ott. This recording is also hard to find, but well worth it if you like Christmas songs sung by a gospel group.

Also in the 1980s, the most popular gospel groups of the day made noteworthy Christmas recordings as well. 1985 saw the Cathedral Quartet record “A Cathedral Christmas A Cappella”, featuring that great quartet at its vocal best, and Gold City’s 1988 release, “Voices Of Christmas”. Those two albums were reissued jointly just a few years ago.

And not surprisingly, gospel artists have continued to issue Christmas albums now and again. Gold City recorded another Christmas album in 1997, and “Home For The Holidays” features some fine arrangements of traditional Christmas material, and a pair of excellent medleys as well. And not too awfully long ago, the popular trio Greater Vision released a Christmas LP on red vinyl, ”A Greater Vision Christmas” on Daywind. And even more recently, the Booth Brothers released “Treasure These Moments”, which does an excellent job of continuing the tradition of gospel groups doing reverent and enjoyable Christmas music.

Inspirations, ca. 1992

But perhaps the most striking Christmas recording by a modern gospel group is the Inspirations’ 1987 Canaan recording “Going Home For Christmas”. What makes it striking is that it is the one Inspirations recording of all that the group has made in the 40 or so years they have made recordings in that it deviates from the regular accompaniment the group performs with.

The songs themselves are done in the familiar mountain flavored sound the Inspirations are known for, but there is a more contemporary approach in the musical backup. Listeners who wonder how the Inspirations would sound with a slightly more contemporary sound need to check out this album, it may be a pleasant surprise for them.

These are just a few of the several fine Christmas recordings done over the years by gospel artists, showing that they can compete on an equal footing (if not surpass in some cases) with those of their secular counterparts.

If you have a chance to obtain any of these albums, I would encourage you to do so. They will provide a pleasant backdrop to your Christmas celebration…and possibly bless and encourage you as well.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Reader Comments

John: A very informative article on the history of Christmas music by gospel groups. We reissued our two Christmas Albums on a single CD and at the Christmas season we cannot keep them in stock. The reason being that Christmas songs are timeless and irreplacable in my estimation

There is a drama entitled The Miracle of Christmas and our 1980 Peace On Earth is certainly my Christmas Miracle. In 1978 I had throat surgery. When we went to the recording studio to do that album I was a nervous wreck because I was still struggling mightly with my voice. Neil and Dave, knowing my plight were flabergasted as I was when my voice seems crystal clear on the album. It had to be a miracle of God because in the natural it should not have happened. What a God we serve!

Duane Nicholson Original Couriers

Commented by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 12/02/2007

Dear John:

History many times is a long way from exciting. Thank you for making such an effort to combine your observations and historical knowledge to make such an interesting article.

One thing is for sure...Christmas is a special time of year and can be remembered best through the songs and sounds of the times past.

For Scrooge it may have at first seemed like a "bit of potato", but learning and living through each decade with an appreciation for the Christmas spirit, made real through the Godly gift of music, is a rich treasure indeed! Thanks for keeping such a precious and rich history alive for us today.

Anne-Angel

Commented by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 12/02/2007

Great article, John - as usual.

We have many of the fine albums in our home that you have listed - and enjoy them all each Christmas season.

I have another one that is very rare, but a real treasure. It was recorded by the Hymntone Records artists around 1967 and was produced by Don Baldwin, and features the voices of The Couriers, The Vicounts, The Keystone Quartet, The Jacobs Brothers and Eddie Reece's Hymntime Singers - a then-popular mixed ensemble/chorale that was made up of young men and women. The album was called, "A Christmas Chorale". The arrangements were done by arranger-extraordinaire Bob Walters, and Nick Bruno played the piano.

The groups all formed a giant choir, and you can only recognize an individual voice here and there. It is Christmas music at its best.

I have burned this old album, and the 2 afore-mentioned Courier Christmas albums, all on 1 CD (they just barely fit) and it goes with us on the road wherever we go all through the Christmas season.

Merry Christmas to all from The Cerces!

Cliff Cerce
The Cerces, PO Box 8525, Springfield, MO 65801
417-863-8440
http://www.thecerces.com
(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Commented by CliffCerce On 12/03/2007

Hmmmm....

I didn't type in all of that contact information at the bottom. I imagine this new website grabs that info from the Message Boards from another area.

Just wanted you all to know I am not being that self-promoting.

Cliff Cerce
The Cerces, PO Box 8525, Springfield, MO 65801
417-863-8440
http://www.thecerces.com
(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Commented by CliffCerce On 12/03/2007

HAHAHA!

And yet, there you are showing the info twice!

Commented by bludline On 12/04/2007

John, another very informative article. I have several of these recordings and don't listen to much else at through the Holidays.

Commented by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 12/05/2007

Nice article, John. I have the 1962 album that you mention above......by the Blackwood Brothers and Statesmen Quartet, and it is, of course, one of my valued recordings.

Thanks for continuing your unique monthly articles. I am always anxious to see what you will come up with next, and I am seldom disappointed.

Merry Christmas!!!

Commented by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 12/05/2007

I think the original Talley's Christmas CD, A Family Christmas (1988) is by far the best Christmas album to come from Southern Gospel music, ever.

Commented by buzzie On 12/18/2007

The Chuck Wagon Gang recorded their frist Christmas album in 1954, and this was their first all-recorded-together album. Previous albums were Columbia compilations. This album was on Columbia and was a 10-inch album, "Joy To The World" as well as 45-EP set, and single records. The lp had four songs per side. This was the first recording after the original foursome, and Roy Carter and Howard Gordon were on the recordings with Rose, Anna, and Dad. In later years, when 12-inch albums came around, this was re-released on Columbia/Harmony label. Two additional non-Christmas songs were added to make it a 10-song collection, which was standard for budget albums on Columbia. This album has enjoyed many re-re-reisues during the years, and even finally down to cassette and CD.

Also, in 1988 the CWG recorded two recordings, "Old Fashioned Christmas Volumes One and Two" which were TV albums, not sold in stores. These have become recently available on CD.

HT

Commented by Harold Timmons On 12/18/2007

Thank you, Harold, for that information. If anyone knows the CWG, it's you.

This information adds to this article. If only I'd put it there in the first place!:-)

Morning glory and evening grace,

Giving the world a smile each day,

john.sogospelnews.com

Commented by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 12/18/2007

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