Despite a slight variance in spelling, I’m guessing that the Abbysinnia Baptist Church Young People’s Choir is affiliated with the legendary Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem – one of America’s great churches. Founded in 1809, Abyssinian was home of Adam Clayton Powell Senior and Junior – the legendary Dietrich Bonhoeffer even taught Sunday School there!
In 1960, Prof. Alex Bradford directed the Abyssinian Baptist Church Gospel Choir in one of the first – and still best – live gospel albums ever recorded. If that’s the case, this 45 from 1959, featuring the Abbysinnia Baptist Church Young People’s Choir singing a cheerfully up-tempo version of the old spiritual “You’ve Got to Move,” is a worthy precursor!
I’m Robert Darden … “Shout! Black Gospel Music Moments” is produced by KWBU and the Black Gospel Music Preservation Program at Baylor University Libraries.
