Congratulations to the Salvation and Deliverance Church Choir of Tarboro, NC, runners-up at Verizon’s How Sweet the Sound Baltimore tour! The choir’s second place finish comes with an $8,000 prize. Check out the performance below.
Gentle Giant Music Ministries of Hyattsville, MD placed first in last night’s competition and will compete for the grand prize in the Los Angeles finale. Congratulations to Gentle Giant Music Ministries!
The Yancey Family Singers
History: Complete Early Recordings
Yancey Family Ministries (2013)
www.yanceyfamilyministries.org
By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever
The Yancey family is to the North Carolina city of Oxford what the Winans are to Detroit. Full of singing, writing, and musical talent, the 11-sibling family has shared their brand of traditional gospel throughout the region for decades; it’s a legacy passed on to them by their parents, Melcina and the late Willie G. Yancey. Their longtime supporters probably own the first vinyl records released under the name The Yancey Family Singers. For younger ones like me—who own the more recent CDs and mp3s by those who’ve become solo artists in their own right—it’s a real treat to be able to step back in time via History: Complete Early Recordings, a 30-track double-disc compilation of the family’s early LPs and 45s. The Yanceys are grateful to collector John Glassburner who supplied them with several of the hard-to-find original recordings that they were not able to easily access.
The CD set features music from two of their 1970’s albums, God Brought Us From A Mighty Long Way and Mind Your Own Business as well as several singles. The set also includes two early 70’s tracks from The Yancey Glorietts, younger siblings of The Yancey Family Singers. The presentation of the early performances is as initially recorded, and there doesn’t appear to have been any remixing or remastering (which may explain the volume adjustments you’ll need to make and the clipping you’ll hear on just a few of the tracks). Among the standouts is “God Brought Us From A Mighty Long Way,” a retrospective musical narrative through which Willie N. Yancey recalls the family’s humble beginnings—when there were only four siblings and their father worked for a meager wage (60¢/hour), while Mother Yancey handmade their clothes to help make ends meet. Yet, “we were thankful…He brought us from a mighty long way.”
The compilation boasts its share of homespun quartet selections, including the punchy “Jesus Never Let Me Down” and sauntering “He Loves Me”—both of which hint at stylings of the Williams Brothers and Jackson Southernaires. One might even think the Keynotes’ Paul Beasley showed up for a vocal workout, but it’s actually the keen falsetto of Willard Yancey on “Jesus Don’t Leave Me.” Another tune, “Poor Man Cry,” ambles into country music territory and still another, “Pray for the Nation,” wallows in bluegrass as it tugs on our social consciousness.
The folksy “God’s and Satan’s War” puts sister Susie out front, while “I Had A Dream” and “You And God” are respectively plaintive and cautionary, capturing the piping vocals of a preteen Larry Yancey on the former and a barely teen Gloretta McNeil née Yancey on the latter. Along with a pair of “mother” songs, the remaining numbers are quintessential Yancey gems that bespeak Dorothy Norwood’s endorsement of the singing family as the “best kept secret of Granville County.” Of course, in the minds of all the Yanceys’ longtime friends, fans, and followers far and near, the secret has long been out.
Favorites
“God Brought Us From A Mighty Long Way” – “He Loves Me”- “I Had A Dream”
Fever Meter
SMOKIN’ (4 of 5 Stars)
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| Salvation & Deliverance Church Choir won the finals in 2011. |
Salvation and Deliverance Church Choir of Tarboro is one of six choirs participating in Verizon’s How Sweet the Sound Baltimore tour in hopes of landing a spot in the gospel music competition’s grand finale.
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| Photo | Libra Boyd |
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| Butler plays with members of the school’s first youth band, Freeborn. |
(Eersterust, Pretoria) Surrounded by children who danced with joy, Jonathan Butler, recently visited the Tshwane School of Music, of which he is Patron.
Butler visited the South Africa school to pay homage to the children who had inspired him to launch the Jonathan Butler Foundation, the reason why he is in the country this heritage week. The Jonathan Butler Foundation is established to help young people who are at risk by providing them with the means to create and develop a new heritage for themselves. Butler will be an active contributor to the foundation and its work, returning to South Africa as often as his hectic touring and recording schedule will allow. The foundation will roll out several music related programs and art therapy interventions across the country. Some of these have already been implemented in communities such as Eersterust.
While the Jonathan Butler Foundation has been a dream of the international music icon for many years, it was the meeting with Freddy Arendse, founder and CEO of the Tshwane School of Music, that could make a reality.
“I didn’t want to die and then have someone suggest ‘why don’t we do something to remember Jonathan Butler?’ I want to create a living legacy while I am still around to contribute to the initiative,” said Butler who was visibly emotional while surrounded by all the excited children. “It has taken time to implement this project as it of the utmost importance to work with the right people. Through the Tshwane School of Music, I now have the right team to assist me in making this dream come true.”
Aiming to replicate the success of the Tshwane School of Music around South Africa, the foundation is already in discussion with several partners and sponsors.
About the Jonathan Butler Foundation
The main aim of the Jonathan Butler Foundation (JBF) is to be a self-funded organization providing positive intervention to promote access to music and arts education for children. Underlying this, the JBF focuses on helping to prevent kids falling into a life of substance abuse. For more information about the foundation, visit www.jonathanbutlerfoundation.org.za.
“Rejoice”
SoJo Ministries (2012)
Eternity Productions
www.sojojo2.com
Joe Yancey, Jr. and his wife Sophia have been on their musical journey together for more than a decade. Under the name SoJo Ministries, they have since released their first single “Rejoice!” in digital format.
Reminded of God’s grace, Sophia’s light, breathy soprano rings out in the simple chorus, “Rejoice! It’s a brand new day / I just want to give You praise!” Sophia handles the lead and background vocals on the urban inspirational feel-good track, while Joe takes care of all the instruments.
SoJo is originally from Wilmington, DE, and presently based in Atlanta.
“Gud 2 Me”
Em Bailey (2013)
T8 Flight Entertainment
Available on iTunes
Twenty-two year old Em Bailey is described as a “fierce praiser”—wild and heartfelt. Her debut single “Gud 2 Me” is all abuzz on the inspirational music circuit, combining gospel, R&B, rock, soul, and pop elements. The uptempo track leans more heavily toward R&B/pop, and—coincidence or not—the vocal stylings of Em and musical elements of “Gud 2 Me” bring to mind another “fierce” R&B/pop female sensation.
The Haines City, FL native is the first artist signed to T8 Flight Entertainment, an urban inspirational company formed by George “GL The GR8” Lott and Pastor Jarvis L. Marshall.
A grammar teacher may grimace upon repeatedly hearing, “He be He be gud / He be gud 2 me,” but the students wouldn’t. They’d be too busy pencil-tapping the tune’s rhythmic sequences on their desks.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the integration of Duke University, gospel singer Luther Barnes will be performing in concert this Sunday, September 22, at Duke Chapel. The musical is one of four events commemorating the occasion.
The performance starts at 4 PM and will feature Barnes with a local choir. Tickets are free and open to the public. For more information, call 919-684-8353.
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