RECREATED FROM RECORD EXCHANGER MAGAZINE, ISSUE 19 (1975)....


ATLANTIC'S GOSPEL SERIES
By PETER A. GRENDYSA
(Used with permission of the author)

It looks as though, in a small way, the die-hard "vocal groups-1950's" collectors are starting to discover spiritual records. I doubt very much that this is due to a spiritual reawakening on the part of the collecting fraternity (not that some of them couldn't use a transfusion of morals), but rather I think it comes from a new appreciation of the excellent vocal harmonies that can be heard on spirituals, disregarding the absence of "I lost my baby" lyrics. The appearance of spiritual records on sale and auction lists is hopefully an indication of a growing interest in this music among collectors.

The spiritual record market is a small but consistently strong portion of the black music industry. Recordings of this type of music were among the first examples of black music to be widely disseminated on early phonograph records, and the musical vocal style of the gospel harmony groups was borrowed wholesale by R&B vocal groups of the fifties.

So fiercely loyal to both music and artists are the spiritual record buyers, it became no easy thing for a record company to build a following in this highly specialized genre, and this "closed" situation was especially acute in the early 1950's when the rapidly growing market was dominated by a few giants in the field - Specialty, Apollo, Score, Savoy, Peacock, and newcomer Nashboro. Proof that a good R&B label does not automatically make a successful spiritual label is Atlantic's attempt at entering this market in 1952.

Atlantic was no stranger to spirituals, of course. The Gospeleers cut twelve sides for the as-yet unborn label in November, 1947. Those were, however, never used. Slightly more than a year later, four masters by the Selah Jubilee Singers were purchased from Thurman Ruth, but, -again not released. Finally, in August, 1949, Atlantic recorded four songs by the Silver Leaf Quartet and both discs from this session were released simultaneously a month later. The response to these records was by no means overwhelming, but Atlantic's goal of becoming an all-around powerhouse in the black music market made it almost imperative to keep trying with gospel.

Subsequent records, by Mary Johnson Davis (reputed to be Lonnie Johnson's ex-wife), Etta Johnson Strand (issued on short-lived subsidiary Plaza), the Parker Brothers Quartet, Sister Essie Mae Thomas, and the Jackson Quartet, kept Atlantic involved in the spiritual arena from 1949-1951, without making much impression on the record-buying public.

In late 1951, a decision was made to go after this market with a concerted effort. To increase the probability of success a separate Gospel Series using the 3000's was designated. The first group to be recorded for the new series was the Gospel Harmonaires, led by Billy Bunn. A few months later, the Rosettes, formerly back-up vocalists for the famous Sister Rosetta Sharpe and now led by Barbara Johnson, recorded and the Gospel Series, armed with two modern groups, was ready for introduction.

The kick-off of the series in April, 1952, was accompanied by the defection of the Gospel Harmonaires to the R&B camp. Now recording as "Billy Bunn And His Buddies" (RCA Victor 4483 I Need A Shoulder To Cry On - a lovely and now much coveted collector's item), their R&B disc was released only a few weeks before Atlantic came out with the group's first gospel offering. Strange as it may seem, this undoubtedly hurt sales of the gospel record to hard-core spiritual record buyers who are known to brook no "crossing-over" of their artists into sinful music. Further evidence of the harm this did is the large number of Gospel Harmonaires cuts that were left in the can by Atlantic and never issued.

Like the hillbilly series, Atlantic's Gospel Series was not successful. Unlike the hillbilly series however, the company was in a position to give the 3000-series extensive promotion, and did so. The quality of the records, musically and lyrically is superb, and it is mystifying to ponder why the series never made it.

The total of nine records included in this series were issued over a span of three years. Four records followed closely the introduction in April, 1952. After a gap of about a year, a fifth record appeared with virtually no promotion. Several months later, the series was re-introduced as a "new" gospel series although the numerical series was uninterrupted. Four more records were released following this. In much more recent years, a 7000 series of gospel records has appeared.

ATLANTIC'S 3000 GOSPEL SERIES
3001 The Rosettes, April 1952, Moving Up (796)/He Lives In Me
3002 The Gospel Harmonaires, April 1952, Thank You Lord Jesus (677)/ The Little Wooden Church (680)
3003 The Rosettes, October 1952, Walk Out In Jesus' Name (797)/My Life Will Be Sweeter (800)
3004 The Rosettes, early 1953, When It's Time For Me To Go (954)/Somewhere (955)
3005 Jackson Gospel Singers, early 1954, I Can't Walk This Highway (1190)/The Last Mile Of The Way (1191)
3006 Booker Gospel Singers, November 1954, Jesus The Light (1322)/Get Away Sinner (1323)
3007 Fountain Of Life Singers, November 1954, Jesus My Saviour, My Friend/Peace, Be Still
3008 Jackson Gospel Singers, November 1954, Heavenbound Train (1318)/Someday I'm Gonna Walk With Jesus (1319)
3009 Rev. H.B. Crum & The Golden Keys, June 1955, So Glad I'm Here (In Jesus' Name) (1593)/He'll Fix It For You (1588)

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