WDIA in Memphis was one of the greatest of the gospel radio stations – sending great gospel music over half the country with an array of memorable DJs, most notably Theo “Bless My Bones” Wade. WDIA proclaimed itself the “first and only 50,000 watt station programmed exclusively” for African Americans and the station was intimately involved in the Black community.
Naturally, DJs like Wade had a lot of prestige – and power. And when he dubbed a promising young gospel quartet as the Jubilee Hummingbirds, naturally, the name stuck. From their founding in 1950, the Hummingbirds recorded for several small Memphis-area labels, never quite breaking out nationally, despite the powerhouse vocals of the Rev. Al Banks.
One of their best 45s is “I’ve Got Shoes” for the short-lived Messenger label. The Hummingbirds and the Memphis studio musicians give it their all and Banks shouts like a man possessed. As Wade often said when something made him this happy, Bless my Bones!
MUSIC: “I’ve Got Shoes,” The Jubilee Hummingbirds, 45
I’m Robert Darden … “Shout! Black Gospel Music Moments” is produced by KWBU, the Black Gospel Music Preservation Program at Baylor University Libraries and is funded by generous support from the Prichard Foundation.