Welcome to Shout! Black Gospel Music Moments. I’m Robert Darden.
In the 1970s and early1980s, popular music saw an explosion of R&B groups – the Delfonics, the Isley Brothers, the O’Jays and so many more. They dressed sharp – bright colors, big collars – had intricate choreography, and their songs were always dance-able. A few gospel groups followed in that tradition, and one of the best was Archie Dale and the Tones of Joy out of Louisville, Kentucky.
Dale’s group recorded more than a dozen albums from the early 1970s through the 1990s for labels like Jewel and Nashboro and their concerts usually featured a full band and horn section. My favorite LP of theirs is Bad, Bad World, including their slow remake of the O’Jays’ “Love Train.” But the best track is doubtless the bouncy hit single, “We Need Love.”
I’m Robert Darden … “Shout! Black Gospel Music Moments” is produced by KWBU and the Black Gospel Music Preservation Program at Baylor University Libraries.