Born in Chicago, Illinois on December 5, 1931 during the height of the greatest depression. James’ grandmother attended Pilgrim Baptist Church, where she was a member of the choir. James had no choice but to attend these rehearsals with his grandmother and found himself sitting through these choir rehearsals – bored stiff!! Eventually James decided he would conquer the boredom through attempting to sing along with the choir. It was in one of these rehearsal that James’ singing was noticed and he was made choir mascot. The choir director, Thomas A. Dorsey wrote a song for him which launched the career of what was the be a long line of performances. Through Dorsey’s teaching and directing young James was influenced in a great way.
As a musician, performer and producer, James maintained a level of excellence over an incredibly long period of time. Reverend Cleveland stated once, “I want to stay in the music business through promoting gospel music and upgrading the quality and performance of gospel music. I am pleased that Gospel Music Workshop of America has grown to the largest gospel music organization in the world, with over 20,000 members”

Through his lifetime James Cleveland has won numerous awards and accolades that are too numerous to list. However it is noteworthy to remember James Cleveland won five (5) Grammy Awards. The last was February 21, 1991, awarded posthumous with The Southern California Community Choir on the Savoy Records LP entitled, “Having Church”. It should also be mentioned that Rev. Cleveland was awarded an honorary Doctrine degree from the Trinity Bible College and was the first gospel artist to be awarded a “STAR” on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Reverend Cleveland will never be forgotten as one of the world’s foremost leaders and pioneers of gospel music and his gospel music ministry will live on. Literally every black gospel artist today has been influenced by James Cleveland.

Bio Credits: www.jcchorus.com
Photo credit: www.jcchorus.com

Since 1939, The Blind Boys of Alabama have sung a fervent blend of traditional and contemporary Gospel music. Much has changed during these seven prolific decades. Stylistic phases have waxed and waned; personnel has come and gone. 78 r.p.m. records have given way to LPs, followed by eight-track tapes, cassettes, and CDs. The Blind Boys’ audience – once rigidly segregated and confined to traditional Gospel venues – now reflects the group’s eclectic, global following, while their repertoire has expanded to embrace secular songs with a strongly spiritual message. Such wide acceptance is also evidenced by four Grammy Awards, an honor that didn’t exist when the Blind Boys started out. Even so, the Blind Boys’ lengthy saga remains a steadfast testament to constancy. Singer Jimmy Carter, who was there when the group was first formed, leads the band today with the firm conviction, joyous commitment, and gravitas that befit an elder statesman.

As of 2010, they continue to tour nationally and internationally, led by the soulful Jimmy Lee Carter singing lead vocals. In 2006, Clarence Fountain, the group’s former long-time lead vocalist and founding member limited his touring for health reasons. Another founding member, George Scott, died on March 9, 2005 at the age of 75.
The Blind Boys of Alabama were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2007 and the long list of accomplishments include their rendition of Tom Waits’ “Way Down in the Hole” was used as the theme song of the HBO series The Wire in its first season. Their cover of Ben Harper’s “I Shall Not Walk Alone” was featured in the first season of ABC’s Lost, in the episode “Confidence Man”.

Bio Credits
www.blindboys.com & wikipedia.org

photo:Hippie09

Founded as the Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet in Norfolk, Virginia in 1934 by Robert Ford, A.C. Griffin, Willie Johnson, William Langford, Henry Owens and Orlandus Wilson. They began as a traditional jubilee quartet, combining the clever arrangements associated with barbershop quartets with rhythms borrowed from the blues and jazz like scat singing.

The makeup of the group changed over the years, as some members were drafted during the war and new members were brought in to replace those who had retired or left to join other groups (one notable member was bass singer Cliff Givens, who was to leave The Gates in 1944 to join The Ink Spots upon the death of original bass Orville “Hoppy” Jones, and later joined Billy Ward and His Dominoes). William Langford joined the group when Griffin left in 1935 and Orlandus Wilson replaced Ford the same year. Clyde Riddick replaced Langford in 1938, Johnson left in 1948 to join “The Jubilaires” and Owens left the group later to become a preacher and solo artist. Riddick remained with the group until his retirement in 1995 and Wilson until his death in 1998.

The Gates had a broad repertoire of styles—from Owens’ mournful, understated approach in songs such as Anyhow or Hush, Somebody’s Calling My Name, to the group’s highly syncopated arrangements in Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Like The Mills Brothers of popular music, they would often include vocal special effects in their songs, imitating train sounds in songs such as Golden Gate Gospel Train. Langford often sang lead, using his ability to range from baritone to falsetto, while Johnson narrated in a hip syncopated style that became the hallmark for the group. Wilson’s bass served as the anchor for the group and Owens harmonized with Langford and Johnson. The Golden Gate Quartet was inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998.

source:wikipedia.org