SHOUT! Black Gospel Music Moments - Rev. Willie A. Treadwell

Published January 21, 2024 at 8:38 AM CST

The Rev. Willie A. Treadwell’s Treadwell Community Singers were much loved in their native Chicago for their rendition of old favorites like “Sit Down, Servant.”

There is a church on every street corner in Chicago and each of them, I’m beginning to think, has great gospel music. In another city, the Rev. Willie A. Treadwell and the Treadwell Community Singers would have ruled the gospel music scene. In Chicago, they were just another great group.

Treadwell founded the United Faith Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church in 1971 and led it until his death at age 86 in 2017. Treadwell and his group were regulars at all Chicago music programs – they were always beautifully rehearsed and everybody loved Treadwell’s soaring tenor. The Community Singers, alas, only released a handful of self-produced LPs – and all of them are as good as this a cappella rendition of the old spiritual, “Sit Down, Servant.”

MUSIC: (2403) Rev. Willie A. Treadwell, “Sit Down, Servant,” 45 (January 21, 2024)

2403 Rev Willie A Treadwell - Sit Down Servant 44100 1.mp3

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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