Do you remember the guitar/bass playing Brothers Johnson from the late ‘70s and early 81s? With George on guitar and Louise on bass, they played on everybody’s albums – and released a couple of fine and funky LPs of their own. In 1981, Louis and his wife Valerie – who also sang backup with the Brothers – joined with friend Richard Heath to form the trio Passage at controversial pastor Frederick K. Price’s mega-church.
The Johnsons wrote most of the songs, while Louis played his trademark funky bass and produced the album, including this wonderful bit of gospel funk, “Have You Heard the Word?” That’s Valerie on the vocals and it’ll make you wonder why this delightful project didn’t spin off further gospel LPs in the years that followed.
MUSIC: (2421) Passage, Passage LP, “Have You Heard the Word?” Side 1, Track 1, May 26, 2024
I’m Robert Darden … “Shout! Black Gospel Music Moments” is produced by KWBU and the Black Gospel Music Preservation Program at Baylor University Libraries.