The slow and bluesy "Little Too Close to be Afraid" features the Angelic Choir of the First Baptist Church of Nutley, NJ at their most compelling.
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Welcome to Shout! Black Gospel Music Moments.
One of the greatest songs of gospel music is "Peace Be Still" from 1963. Recorded by the Angelic Choir of the First Baptist Church of Nutley, NJ, but arranged and directed by the Rev. James Cleveland, "Peace Be Still" would stay on the charts for years, and give an entire community peace following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. It's so influential, it's even the subject of an entire book by gospel historian Bob Marovich - Peace Be Still: How James Cleveland and the Angelic Choir Created a Gospel Classic.
But the Angelic Choir were a force to be reckoned with even before Cleveland came along. They were essentially one of the house gourps for the mighty Savoy Record label. Savoy's ace producer and frequent songwriter the Rev. Lawrence C. Roberts recorded with them regularly - and the group's power is undimmed 60 years later.
The Angelics had a host of superb soloists, some of whom went on to solo careers. But Roberts was a pretty good singer himself, though he didn't take many lead vocals. One he does sing on is "Little Too Close to be Afraid" from 1961. It's a master class in gospel choir dynamics; a slow and compelling hymn to faith, propelled by Roberts' raspy but righteous voice.
MUSIC: Angelic Choir - "Little Too Close to be Afraid"
I'm Robert Darden. SHOUT! Black Gospel Music Moments is produced by KWBU, the Black Gospel Music Restoration Project at Baylor University Libraries and is funded by generous support from the Prichard Foundation.