SHOUT! Black Gospel Music Moments - The Back Home Choir

The Back Home Choir was one of the last of the big choral groups dedicated to singing the spirituals, following the likes of Wings Over Jordan and the Hall Johnson Singers. The group was founded in the gospel hotbed of Newark, New Jersey, by the Rev. Charles Banks and ranged in size from 60 to 100 voices ... and all carefully auditioned by Banks himself... though many of the vocalists came from the famed Abyssinian Baptist Church choir in Harlem.

The Back Choir’s first album for the RCA Victor label, I Do Believe, was released in 1958. It’s a strong album of spirituals, with Carrie Smith carrying many of the lead vocals – including “I’ll Fly Away,” “Roll Jordan, Roll,” the title track, and, my favorite, an uplifting ... and upbeat ... version of “King Jesus is All.”

I’m Robert Darden … “Shout! Black Gospel Music Moments” is produced by KWBU and the Black Gospel Music Preservation Program at Baylor University Libraries.

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