SHOUT! Black Gospel Music Moments - (I Was Way Down Yonder) I Couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray by The Kelly Brothers

 The concept of secular artists using pseudonyms to record religious music goes back to the most famous blues artists. Blind Lemon Jefferson, for instance, recorded spirituals as Deacon L.J. The most prominent gospel group with a secret identity were Chicago’s Kelly Brothers, who also recorded R&B songs as the King Pins in the 1960s. As the King Pins, “He’s All Right” was a minor R&B hit in 1960. The same song, but with the words “Jesus is all right” inserted in the chorus, was a gospel hit at the same time for the Kelly Brothers!

Curtis, Robert and Andrew Kelly, along with a couple of friends, bounced around Chicago for several years, always releasing soulful, churchy, guitar-driven music – whether it was gospel or R&B – and always brought down the house with “(I Was Way Down Yonder) I Couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray.”

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

SHOUT! Black Gospel Music Moments - Blackberry Records

The Williams Family and the legendary Canton Spirituals combine for one of the funkiest Christmas songs of all time, “Down Home in Mississippi".

Shout! Black Gospel Music Moments - "I Can Feel Him" by The Rev. H.B. Crum and His Mighty Golden Keys

The Rev. H.B. Crum and His Mighty Golden Keys, “I Can Feel Him” is an exciting example of gospel’s transition from traditional doo-wop harmonies to a more soulful sound.

SHOUT! Black Gospel Music Moments - I Came to Preach a Sermon by Rev. Johnny "The Hurricane" Jones

The Rev. Johnny “The Hurricane” Jones preached and sang at Second Mount Olive Baptist Church in Atlanta for nearly 60 years!

Shout! Black Gospel Music Moments - 'I Call Jesus My Rock' by Willie Webb Singers

The Willie Webb Singers showcased Willie’s amazing keyboards, vocals and songwriting.

Shout! Black Gospel Music Moments - 'A City Called Heaven' by Mahalia Jackson

Mahalia Jackson’s majestic, magnificent version of “City Called Heaven” is one of the great powerhouse vocals in gospel music history.

Shout! Black Gospel Music Moments - Eddie Williams and the Crusaders

The powerhouse vocals of Christine Clark dominate Evangelist Eddie Williams and the Crusader’s arrangement of “Abraham, Martin & John.”

Shout! Black Gospel Music Moments - Sister Jessie Mae Renfro

Sister Jessie Mae Renfro excelled at the kind of slow, bluesy gospel surge song, like this one – “He’s So Wonderful.”

Shout! Black Gospel Music Moments - The Famous Blue Jay Singers

The Famous Blue Jay Singers novelty release “Clanka Lanka” celebrates one of the most famous phrases in gospel quartet singing history.

Shout! Black Gospel Music Moments - The Hampton Institute Quartet

The Hampton Institute Quartet’s rendition of the beloved cam meeting singalong, “Old Time Religion,” dates back to 1939.

SHOUT! Black Gospel Music Moments - “I Want to be Ready” by The Congregational Church Choir

The Congregational Church Choir’s scratchy “I Want to be Ready” is a rare and wonderful example of a jubilee song from 1927.