I've been feeling like posting some gospel for awhile, so here are four of the six known sides Bessie Johnson recorded out of Memphis in the early 30's. Bessie Johnsons was a gospel singer from one of the Sanctified sects, from Columbus, Mississippi, and much like several rural blues artists, sunk back into the depths of obscurity never to be heard from again. Last information on her tracks her to Arkansas in 1964. Remembered by Lonnie McIntorsh as “the singingest woman I’ve ever known”, Johnson possessed a huge contralto voice, with a rasping vibrato as wide as a church door.
She was at her best when accompanied by McIntorsh’s metronomic guitar, or that of Will Shade; her own Sanctified Singers were endearingly ragged, and she had to order them to “Come on” or “Get the beat”. The fact that recordings including such ad libs were released speaks for their raw authenticity. One of the sides on this records on this post is the original version of the Laurie Johnson hit, "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands"
She was at her best when accompanied by McIntorsh’s metronomic guitar, or that of Will Shade; her own Sanctified Singers were endearingly ragged, and she had to order them to “Come on” or “Get the beat”. The fact that recordings including such ad libs were released speaks for their raw authenticity. One of the sides on this records on this post is the original version of the Laurie Johnson hit, "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands"
Every other day I will be posting a requested download, so if you'd like anything uploaded, send me a comment.
Can you repost these since megaupload is fucked?
ReplyDeleteI was not aware of "The Whole World" having actual verses. Were these always there or did Bessie and the gang devise these lyrics?
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