SHOUT! Black Gospel Music Moments - Blind Willy Harris

In recent years, music lovers have re-discovered producer Juan D. Shipp’s fabulous D-Vine Spirituals label out of Memphis. Fat Possum Records’ re-releases of classic D-Vine 45s have even been featured on NPR and Free Record Day.

Shipp and engineer Clyde Leoppard started D-Vine in 1970 and over the next 15 years released an astonishing array of gospel artists, including the Gospel Wymics, the Pure Heart Travelers, the Exciting Legion Airs and Blind Willie Harris and the Sensational Six.

Harris’s rendition of the beloved gospel song “Jesus Loves Me” is a perfect example of what D-Vine did best – fueled by a Stax Records-styled horn section, it’s slow and gritty and bluesy and absolutely drips with soul.

MUSIC: Blind Willie Harris and the Sensational Six, “Jesus Loves Me,” 45.

PREVIOUS EPISODES OF SHOUT! BLACK GOSPEL MUSIC MOMENTS

SHOUT! Black Gospel Music Moments - The Rev. Morgan Babb

The Rev. Morgan Babb’s passionate version of “Lord, You’ve Been Good to Me” spontaneously emerges from the altar call during one of his legendary sermons.

SHOUT! Black Gospel Music Moments - Singing Corinthians

The otherwise unknown Singing Corinthians deliver an impassioned version of the old spiritual, “The Lord Will Provide.”

SHOUT! Black Gospel Music Moments - The Blend Wright Trio

The Blend Wright Trio were a poppy, upbeat gospel group led by the multi-talented Eleanor Wright, who recorded for Savoy in the 1960s.

SHOUT! Black Gospel Music Moments - The Bible Way Church of God

The Bible Way Church of God Choir’s “What Do You Say About Jesus?” features the church’s longtime pastor, Little Abraham Swanson.

SHOUT! Black Gospel Music Moments - The Melody Kings

The LP Believe in Me by the Melody Kings features a rousing version of Lee Wallace’s gospel rave up, “I Pray.”

SHOUT! Black Gospel Music Moments - The Kindly Sheperds

The Kindly Shepherds’ “Lend Me Your Hand,” produced by Monk Higgins, is much coveted by Northern Soul vinyl collectors.

SHOUT! Black Gospel Music Moments - Willie Banks

Willie Banks’ titanic sermon song “Things I Can’t Change” features one of the most powerful vocal performances in gospel music.

SHOUT! Black Gospel Music Moments - Heavenly Stars of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

“Leaning on the Lord” is an incredibly infectious gospel rave up by the otherwise unknown Heavenly Stars of Milwaukee.

SHOUT! Black Gospel Music Moments - Bishop John D. Bright Sr and the Choirs of the St. James A.M.E.

The St. James A.M.E. Youth Choir dedicates “I Don’t Know Why He Loves Me” to their beloved pastor, Bishop John D. Bright Sr.

SHOUT! Black Gospel Music Moments - Gwen Carter

Prepare to be moved by Gwen Curtis’ impassioned vocals on this titanic version of John Stallings’ “Learning to Lean.”

“Shout! Black Gospel Music Moments” is produced by KWBU and the Black Gospel Music Preservation Program at Baylor University Libraries.