Gospel music CDs available from Document Records

Document Records have an extensive back catalogue of Gospel music CDs. The list of our Gospel music CDs follows after a short article on the history of Gospel music. Click here for the Gospel music CDs.



A brief History of Gospel music



gospel noun1. the life and teachings of Christ • preach the gospel.2. (Gospel) each of the New Testament books ascribed to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.3. a passage from one of these read at a religious service.4. (also gospel truth) colloq the absolute truth.5. a set of closely followed principles or rules.6. (also gospel music) lively religious music of Black American origin. ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon godspel, from god good + spel story.



In cities around 1850, the Protestant City-Revival Movement created a new song genre, which was popular; for revival meetings organized by this movement, temporary tents were erected in stadiums, where the attendants could sing. Back in church, hymns and psalms were sung during services. Some of them were transformed into songs of a typical African American form: they are "Dr Watts”. The lyrics of negro spiritual music was closely linked with the lives of their authors, slaves. While work songs or hollers dealt only with the harsh realities of daily life, spirituals were inspired by the message of Jesus Christ and the Bible, which can be summed up by the phrase “You can be saved”. In the words of a pastor of a black pentecostal church: "The watch word is relevance. The congregation want to hear things relating to real-life situations. They want worship which is vibrant and exciting. If a church can get its message, its music, its good methods right, people will respond." The music is thus an expression of community, a celebration of life in the context of a theology with a strong social and political dimention brought on by the harsh conditions of slavery.



In 1865 slavery was abolished and in 1871 black students from Nashville's Fisk University, one of the first universities for the African American, in Nashville in Tennessee, were asked to form a choir for a tour to raise funds for their institution. They toured the USA and Europe, playing sanitised pre-abolition plantation songs that captured the imagination of their largely white audiences. In 1874 the first publication appearing in print were Gospel Songs of by Philip Bliss. These were probably the first attempts to take worship music out of the church and into the marketplace.



At first churches were scathing of this new gospel musical form considering this blending of the sacred (spiritual hymns) and the secular (blues and jazz) as "the devil's music" and shunned it. But such was the popularity of the music that the church eventually excepted it and absorbed absorbed this 'new' music next ot the sermons. Ever the innovator, Dorsey created and inspired a new generation of music for various vocal combinations. Soloists, duets, trios and quartets were established - Sallie Martin, Clara Ward, Marion Williams, the Gay Sisters, the Soul Stirrers and the original Gospel Harmonettes representing the burgeoning talent of the 30's and 40's. At the same time gospel radio stations started to broadcast in the US, taking the music to the masses. The balancing of a lead singer against other voices mimicked the relationship of preacher and congregation.



Another crossover came with the advent of soul music, the main adherents being the likes of Aretha Franklin, Sam Cooke (once of the Soul Stirrers), Ray Charles, James Brown and Marvin Gaye. All epitomized Gospel but with secular, erotic lyrics. Most of the black artists who recorded for Talma Motown in the sixties had a gospel background. Every now and again the religious community would still be horrified at the secular 'exploitation' of gospel, with the outrageous antics of artists such as Little Richard and Screamin' Jay Hawkins, who with his classic Hi Di Hi Ho can be seen to be using the preacher/audience call method of delivery. But gospel seems to be able to get over its initial conservative reactions and quickly absorbs the current trends in musical styles, such as with hip-hop today.



Postscript:



"For over three and a half centuries Black and white Americans have been living, working and making music together, or at any rate within hollering distance of each other. It would be a miracle if there were not profound musical influence and such influence there undoubtedly was."





http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/NCFR/roots.html

Black music from Scotland? It could be the gospel truth by Ben McConville Sun 31 Aug 2003



Gospel CDs available from Document Records



Gospel Classics























Mighty Day 25 Gospel Greats

DOCD-32-20-11

Document Records latest Gospel CD, Mighty Day 25 Gospel Greats, is a compilation and features such artists as Thomas A. Dorsey, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Sister Ernestine Washington, Golden Gate Quartet, Rev. Utah Smith and many more.





















Storefront & Street-corner Gospel 1927 - 1929

DOCD-5054





The titles below, if available on CD, are on promotion until 17th March 2006.





Memphis Gospel 1927 - 1929

DOCD-5072



Georgia Blues & Gospel 1927 - 1931

DOCD-5160



Gospel Classics 1927 - 1931

DOCD-5190



Country Gospel 1946 - 1953

DOCD-5221



Swinging Gospel Sounds 1935 - 1942

DOCD-5377



East Coast Blues & Gospel 1933 - 1934

DOCD-5387



Heavenly Gospel Singers Vol 1 1935 - 1936

DOCD-5452



Heavenly Gospel Singers Vol 2 1936 - 1937

DOCD-5453



Heavenly Gospel Singers Vol 3 1938 - 1939

DOCD-5454



Heavenly Gospel Singers Vol 4 1939 - 1941

DOCD-5455



Gospel Classics Vol 2 1927 - 1935

DOCD-5313



Mississippi Blues & Gospel 1934 - 1942

DOCD-5320



Singing The Gospel 1933 - 1936

DOCD-5326



Gospel Classics Vol 3 1924 - 1942

DOCD-5350



Carolina Gospel Quartets Vol 1 1938 - 1939

DOCD-5455



Great Gospel Performers 1937 - 1950

DOCD-5463



1950s Gospel Classics 1950 - 1958

DOCD-5464



Atlanta GA Gospel 1923 - 1931

DOCD-5485



Charlotte NC Gospel 1920 - 1938

DOCD-5486



Columbia SC Gospel 1938

DOCD-5487



Carolina Gospel Vol 2 1936 - 1939

DOCD-5562



C & M A Gospel Singers / Quintet 1923 - 1926

DOCD-5569



Gospel Singers & Preachers 1926 - 1948

DOCD-5585



Carolina Blues & Gospel 1945 - 1951

DOCD-5588



Church Choirs Gospel Singers & Preachers Vol 2 1925 - 1955

DOCD-5589



Blues & Gospel From The Eastern States 1925 - 1944

DOCD-5644



Kentucky Gospel 1927 - 1928

DOCD-8013





Christian Singers





















Mitchell's Christian Singers Vol 1 1934 - 1936

DOCD-5493



Mitchell's Christian Singers Vol 2 1936 - 1938

DOCD-5494



Mitchell's Christian Singers Vol 3 1938 - 1940

DOCD-5495



Mitchell's Christian Singers Vol 4 1940 & Wright Brothers Gospel Singers 1940 - 1948

DOCD-5496





Church Choirs





















Negro Choirs 1926 - 1931

DOCD-5566



Church Choirs, Vocal Groups & Preachers Vol 3 1923 - 1931

DOCD-5605



Church Choirs, Vocal Groups & Preachers Vol 4 1927 - 1943

DOCD-5616





Jubilee Singers





















Elkins-Payne Jubilee Singers 1923 - 1929

DOCD-5356



Belmont Silvertone Jubilee Singers / Southern Wonder Quartet 1939 - 1940

DOCD-5371



Norfolk Jazz & Jubilee Quartets Vol 1 1921 - 1923

DOCD-5381



Norfolk Jazz & Jubilee Quartets Vol 2 1923 - 1925

DOCD-5382



Norfolk Jazz & Jubilee Quartets Vol 3 1925 - 1927

DOCD-5383



Norfolk Jazz & Jubilee Quartets Vol 4 1927 - 1929

DOCD-5384



Norfolk Jazz & Jubilee Quartets Vol 5 1929 - 1937

DOCD-5385



Norfolk Jazz & Jubilee Quartets Vol 6 1937 - 1940

DOCD-5386



Bryant's Jubilee Quartette Vol 1 1928 - 1931

DOCD-5437



Dixie Jubilee Singers + Bryant's Jubilee Quartet / Quintette Vol 2 1924 - 1931

DOCD-5438



Selah Jubilee Singers Vol 1 1939 - 1941

DOCD-5499



Selah Jubilee Singers Vol 2 1941 - 1944/45

DOCD-5500



Jubilee Gospel Team 1928 - 1931

DOCD-5519



Fisk Jubilee Singers Vol 1 1909 - 1911

DOCD-5533



Fisk Jubilee Singers Vol 2 1915 - 1920

DOCD-5534



Fisk Jubilee Singers Vol 3 1924 - 1940

DOCD-5535



Harrod's Jubilee Singers 1922 & Utica Institute Jubilee Singers 1927 - 1929

DOCD-5603



Pace Jubilee Singers Vol 1 1926 - 1927

DOCD-5617



Pace Jubilee Singers Vol 2 1928 - 1929

DOCD-5618



Hampton Institute Quartet & Sextet c.1937 - c.1942

DOCD-5628



Birmingham Jubilee Singers Vol 1 1926 - 1927

DOCD-5345



Birmingham Jubilee Singers Vol 2 1927 - 1930

DOCD-5346



Dunham Jazz & Jubilee Singers 1927 - 1931

DOCD-5498





Reverand singers





















Rev D C Rice 1928 - 1930

DOCD-5071



Rev Edward W Claybron 1926 - 1928

DOCD-5155



Rev A W Nix Vol 1 1927 - 1928

DOCD-5328



Rev Blakey & Rev ML Gipson 1927 - 1929

DOCD-5363



Rev E D Campbell / Rev Isaiah Shelton / Rev C F Thornton 1927

DOCD-5389



Rev H R Tomlin & Rev S J Worell 1926 - 1927

DOCD-5406



Rev J M Gates Vol 1 1926

DOCD-5414



Rev J M Gates Vol 2 1926

DOCD-5432



Rev J M Gates Vol 3 1926

DOCD-5433



Rev J M Gates Vol 4 1926

DOCD-5442



Rev J M Gates Vol 5 1927

DOCD-5449



Rev J M Gates Vol 6 1928 - 1929

DOCD-5457



Rev J M Gates Vol 7 1929 - 1930

DOCD-5469



Rev J M Gates Vol 8 1930 - 1934

DOCD-5483



Rev J M Gates Vol 9 1934 - 1941

DOCD-5484



Rev Emmett Dickinson 1929 - 1930

DOCD-5441



Rev Kelsey 1947 - 1951

DOCD-5478



Rev W M Mosley 1926 - 1931

DOCD-5480



Rev A W Nix & Rev Emmett Dickinson Vol 2 1928 - 1931

DOCD-5490



Rev J C Burnett Vol 1 1926 - 1927

DOCD-5557



Rev J C Burnett Vol 2 1927 - 1945

DOCD-5558



Rev F W McGee Vol 1 1927 - 1929

BDCD-6031



Rev F W McGee Vol 2 1929 - 1930

BDCD-6032





Preachers And Congregations



Preachers & Congregations Vol 1 1927 - 1938

DOCD-5529



Preachers & Congregations Vol 2 1926 - 1941

DOCD-5530



Preachers & Congregations Vol 3 1925 - 1929

DOCD-5547



Preachers & Congregations Vol 4 1924 - 1931

DOCD-5548



Preachers & Congregations Vol 5 1926 - 1931

DOCD-5559



Preachers & Congregations Vol 6 1924 - 1936

DOCD-5560



Preachers & Congregations Vol 7 1925 - 1928

DOCD-5567





Elders























Elder J E Burch & Rev Beaumont 1927 - 1929

DOCD-5329



Elder Charles Beck Vol 2 1946 - 1956

DOCD-5524



Elder Curry & Elder Beck 1930 - 1939

BDCD-6035





Sister Rosetta Tharpe



Sister Rosetta Tharpe Vol 1 1938 - 1941

DOCD-5334



Sister Rosetta Tharpe Vol 2 1942 - 1944

DOCD-5335



Sister Rosetta Tharpe Vol 3 1946 - 1947

DOCD-5607





Sister Ernestine Washington



Sister Ernestine Washington 1943 - 1948

DOCD-5462



Sister Ernestine Washington Vol 2 1954 - 1958

DOCD-5620





Quartet Groups





















The Earliest Negro Vocal Quartets 1894 - 1928

DOCD-5061



Earliest Negro Vocal Quartets Vol 2 1893 - 1922

DOCD-5288



Hall Negro Quartette 1936

DOCD-5415



Cotton Belt Quartet 1925 - 1927

DOCD-5439



Golden Gate Quartet Radio Transcriptions 1941 - 1944

DOCD-5502



Vocal Quartets Vol 1 A/B/C 1928 - 1940

DOCD-5537



Vocal Quartets Vol 2 D/E/F/G 1929 - 1932

DOCD-5538



Vocal Quartets Vol 3 G 1927 - 1936

DOCD-5539



Vocal Quartets Vol 4 K/L/M 1927 - 1943

DOCD-5540



Vocal Quartets Vol 5 M/N/O/R 1924 - 1928

DOCD-5541



Vocal Quartets Vol 6 S 1926 - 1944

DOCD-5542



Vocal Quartets Vol 7 S/T/V/W 1925 - 1943

DOCD-5543



Tuskagee Institute Singers / Quartet 1914 - 1927

DOCD-5549



Golden Gate Quartet Vol 1 1937 - 1938

DOCD-5472



Golden Gate Quartet Vol 2 1938 - 1939

DOCD-5473



Golden Gate Quartet Vol 3 1939

DOCD-5474



Golden Gate Quartet Vol 4 1939 - 1943

DOCD-5475



Golden Gate Quartet Vol 5 1945 - 1949

DOCD-5638



Golden Gate Quartet Vol 6 1949 - 1952

DOCD-5658



Silver Leaf Quartette Of Norfolk 1928 - 1931

DOCD-5352



Bessemer Sunset Four 1928 - 1930

DOCD-5379





Quintette Groups



Biddeville Quintette Vol 1 1926 - 1929

DOCD-5361



Biddeville Quintette Vol 2 1929

DOCD-5362





Sextette Groups



Wiseman Sextette / Quartet 1923

DOCD-5520





Guitar Evangelists



Guitar Evangelists 1928 - 1951

DOCD-5101



Blind Joe Taggart Vol 1 1926 - 1928

DOCD-5153



Blind Joe Taggart Vol 2 1929 - 1934

DOCD-5154



Rev Edward Clayborn The Guitar Evangelist 1926 - 1928

DOCD-5155



Slide Guitar Gospel Rev Utah Smith and Rev Lonnie Farris 1944 - 1964

DOCD-5222





Secular Vocal Groups





















Alabama Black Secular & Religious Music 1927 - 1934

DOCD-5165



Black Secular Vocal Groups Vol 1 1923 - 1929

DOCD-5546



Black Secular Vocal Groups Vol 2 The Thirties

DOCD-5550



Black Vocal Secular Groups Vol 3 1923 - 1940

DOCD-5604



Black Vocal Secular Groups Vol 4 1926 - 1947

DOCD-5615





Sanctified Jug Bands



Sanctified Jug Bands 1928 - 1930

DOCD-5300





Religious Field Recordings





















Negro Religious Field Recordings 1934 - 1942

DOCD-5312



Religious Field Recordings From South Carolina Mississippi Texas c 1924 - 1941 Vol 2

DOCD-5629





Black Religous Music



Black Religious Music 1930 - 1956

DOCD-5639



Religious Music Vol 2 1923 - 1935

DOCD-5653





Black Vocal Groups





















Black Vocal Groups Vol 1 1924 - 1930

DOCD-5340



1940s Vocal Groups 1941 - 1944

DOCD-5492



1940s Vocal Groups Vol 2 1940 - 1945

DOCD-5608



Earliest Negro Vocal Groups Vol 4 1921 - 1924

DOCD-5531



Earliest Negro Vocal Groups Vol 5 1911 - 1926

DOCD-5613



1940s Vocal Groups Vol 2 1940 - 1945

DOCD-5608



Black Vocal Groups Vol 2 1923 - 1928

DOCD-5347



Black Vocal Groups Vol 3 1925 - 1943

DOCD-5551



Black Vocal Groups Vol 4 1927 - 1939

DOCD-5552



Black Vocal Groups Vol 5 1923 - 1941

DOCD-5553



Black Vocal Groups Vol 6 1926 - 1943

DOCD-5554



Black Vocal Groups Vol 7 1927 - 1941

DOCD-5555



Black Vocal Groups Vol 8 1926 - 1935

DOCD-5556



Black Vocal Groups Vol 9 1929 - 1942

DOCD-5606



Black Vocal Groups Vol 10 Alternate Takes & Remaining Titles 1919 -1929

DOCD-5632



Earliest Negro Vocal Groups Vol 3 1921 - 1924

DOCD-5355





Sinners And Saints



Sinners And Saints 1926 - 1931

DOCD-5106





Religious Groups



Norridge Mayhams & The Blue Chips 1936

DOCD-5488



Dixie Hummingbirds 1939 - 1947

DOCD-5491



Spiritual Singing By The Bronzemen Radio Transcriptions 1939

DOCD-5501



Stovepipe No. 1 & David Crockett 1924 - 1930

DOCD-5269



Arizona Dranes Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order 1926 - 1929

DOCD-5186



Document Records offers a comprehensive music licensing service, digital re mastering service and film soundtrack/archive service. Enquiries to: music.licensing@document-records.com.”