SHOUT! Black Gospel Music Moments - "Winding Chain” by Sons of Faith

The June 1, 2008, Universal Studios fire was an extraordinary cultural disaster. In addition to priceless masters of legendary movies and TV shows, between 120,000 and 170,000 master music recordings were lost as well – including originals by Chuck Berry, Louis Armstrong, Aretha Franklin, and thousands more. Also lost were most of the master tapes for the recordings of the small Nashboro label.

Nashboro, which was active during the 1950s and ‘60s, thrived by signing gospel artists when their original labels went bankrupt – including the likes of the Barrett Sisters, Prof. Alex Bradford, the Fairfield Four, Slim & the Supreme Angels and many, many more. Also forever lost were the masters for more obscure artists, including the Songs of Faith, whose deeply soulful “Winding Chain” 45 was their only known recording.

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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