Various Artists - The Gospel Truth - The Complete Singles Collection(2020)Craft/Stax - Rare Soul/Funk/Gospel(FLAC)

 This collection includes all 17... 45,s A & B sides issued by the STAX sub-label GOSPEL TRUTH which ran from 1972 to 1974.Established in 1972, The Gospel Truth Records was conceived of by Al Bell(CEO Of STAX), who enlisted the help of leading blues and gospel promoter Dave Clark and Stax’s Mary Peak Patterson to oversee the formation of the Label. With a focus on moving the good word out of the pulpit and into the hands of the masses, Gospel Truth was intended to “carry the message of today’s gospel to the people on the street,” as promotional material for the label’s launch touted. But what separated Gospel Truth from other labels in the genre was that it made its music accessible to everyone. With his sharp eye for talent, Clark paired down-home, traditional gospel musicians with raw, revolutionary artists that adopted the conventions of rock, funk, and soul, creating a sound that resonated with a hip, ‘70s audience. Clark and Patterson also gave Gospel Truth’s artists the same high-level promotional considerations that were given to any of the secular stars at Stax, from outfits and photoshoots to bookings. This also included special attention from Stax’s creative director Larry Shaw, who conceived of a cohesive design language for Gospel Truth making each record have a conversation with the intended audience. That visual dialogue was a signal that the music could be enjoyed in all settings sacred or secular. Operating until Stax closed its doors in 1975, Gospel Truth signed a diverse collection of acts. As Jared Boyd recounts “there were the various uplifting arrangements of Chicago’s Reverend Maceo Woods and his Christian Tabernacle Concert Choir. There were the evangelical harmonies of Bob Hemphill’s Birmingham-based, all-white quintet, The Commanders. The label even made way for Blue Aquarius, a psychedelic orchestra donning an earnest agenda in support of a 15-year-old Indian guru. (Perhaps, the label’s titular ‘Gospel’ was not intended to be implied as exclusively that of the Christian church.)” Gospel Truth’s roster also included the likes of Rev. Jesse Jackson’s People’s Choir of Operation Push, who chronicled the Civil Rights struggle; Chicago vocal group 21st Century (who later scored a disco hit, “Tailgate”, under the name of 21st Creation); soprano Louise McCord, whose cutting-edge message music was a highlight on the Wattstax Stage; and Operation Push soloist, and future Grammy nominee, Jacqui Verdell. Another signing was Joshie Joe Armstead a backing singer for the likes of Ike and Tina Turner, James Brown, and B.B. King, and an acclaimed songwriter who not only wrote alongside Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson but also penned hits for Aretha Franklin, Ruby Andrews, and Carl Carlton,a Heroine of the UK Northern Soul Scene for her many Dancers. However, it all began with Gospel Truth’s very first signing: Detroit’s Rance Allen, who, along with his brothers, stood out with a unique sound that blended the messages of the gospel with the popular soul, R&B and rock stylings of the day. While this trend would be hugely popular in the following decades, it was nearly unheard of in the early ‘70s. The Rance Allen Group remained Gospel Truth’s marquee act and quickly became breakout stars in the wider Stax orbit,aelling to both the Gospel & Soul market. Interestingly, many of the acts that released music under Gospel Truth had a lucky second chance, thanks to the ingenuity of Clark. As Boyd explains “routinely, Clark leveraged his diverse list of contacts in the gospel industry to seek out soloists, groups, choirs, and pastors whose product had been shelved by other labels…Much of Gospel Truth’s unique tapestry of talent is attributed to this tactic, as very few recordings released on the label were proprietary to Stax and its studio.” Once acquired, these recordings would then get a sonic boost, thanks to Stax’s in-house remix engineers like Tom Nixon, Dave Purple, Josephine Bridges, and William C. Brown, who refreshed the previously unreleased songs. The collection of tracks presented on this Double CD  not only offers a complete compendium of the Labels diverse output of singles but also exemplifies Gospel Truth’s progressive take on the sacred genre in a quickly evolving era of pop music. Today, the Label stands as an essential part of Stax’s enduring legacy and marks a landmark moment in gospel music history. Writing the label’s original promotional materials, Peak Patterson perhaps summed it up best: “We feel that gospel music is an integral part of our heritage, and The Stax Organization is conscious of its responsibility to bring the new gospel to a larger stage. Our goal is to keep the message strong and pure while adding to its potency, by presenting it within the framework of present-day rock. It then becomes identifiable and important. After all, it really doesn’t matter if you listen to gospel quietly, snap your fingers, sing along, or dance to it, as long as you get the message.” Crossing over to other fans of Black Music still surprised the Stax Hierarchy!

AMM

                                                                   A Taster Below!

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