SHOUT! Black Gospel Music Moments - The Rev. James Cleveland and the Salem Inspirational Choir

Towards the last decades of his career, the Rev. James Cleveland would release a dozen albums in a year... sometimes he’d only sing one song, but his name was enough to sell a lot of records! One of such venture was with the Salem Inspirational Choir of Salem Baptist Church in 1978.

Cleveland had just had one of his biggest hits – “I Don’t Feel Noways Tired” – and re-recorded it multiple times.

By this point in his career, his voice is a raspy husk. The Salem Inspirational Choir, under the direction of Dorethea Wade, more than makes up for it with their precision and power.

To give this live two-LP set an additional boost, Cleveland has brought along his latest discovery, keyboardist Keith Pringle – and together with the Salems, they deliver an emotional 11-minute version of “I Don’t Feel Noways Tired.”

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

PREVIOUS EPISODES OF SHOUT! BLACK GOSPEL MUSIC MOMENTS

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The rare 45 “Oh, Mother Tonight” by the otherwise unknown Gospel Twins is a uniquely primitive addition to Baylor’s Black Gospel Archives.

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SHOUT! Black Gospel Music Moments - “No Segregation in Heaven” by Jordan Jubilee

The Jordan Jubilee’s slow and brooding “No Segregation in Heaven” was a pretty grave statement to make in the early 1970s!

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SHOUT! Black Gospel Music Moments - "Pray on My Child" by Rev. Milton Brunson and the Thompson Community Singers

That’s the powerful voice of Maggie Bell on the Rev. Milton Brunson and the Thompson Community Choir’s version of “Pray on My Child.”

SHOUT! Black Gospel Music Moments - "No Hiding Place" by The Doves

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SHOUT! Black Gospel Music Moments - "No Cross, No Crown" by Brooklyn All Stars

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SHOUT! Black Gospel Music Moments - "Jericho March" by Grace Emmanuel Singers

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