Sunday Spirituals: Swan's Silvertone Singers

Knoxville's Silvertone Singers featuring Claude Jeter would evolve into the hugely influential gospel crew, The Swan Silvertones.

From the Antique 78rpm Record Shop...

Founded in 1938 as the Four Harmony Kings in Coalwood, West Virginia, by coal miner Claude Jeter, the group later moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, took on a daily radio sponsorship from Swan Bakery, and rebranded as Swan’s Silvertone Singers. By 1948, during their early tenure with Cincinnati-based King Records (signed in 1946), the ensemble was crafting a smooth, influential sound that merged traditional barbershop harmonies with the soaring, virtuosic gospel lead of Jeter—releasing foundational 78-rpm singles like "I Want to Dig a Little Deeper", "In That Upper Room", and "I've Tried". These early King recordings laid the blueprint for traditional jubilee gospel and directly inspired a generation of R&B, soul, and rock pioneers, including Paul Simon (who borrowed Jeter's lyrical imagery for "Bridge Over Troubled Water") and Sam Cooke.

Listen to "I Want To Dig A Little Deeper" (composed by Kenneth Morris) on King from 1948 right here. 

Read more about Rev. Claude Jeter and the Swan Silvertones right here. 

Remembering Paul Foster of the Soul Stirrers on his birthday

Thinking of Soul Stirrers' powerhouse Paul Foster on his birthday with a few television appearances you may have missed.

One For The Weekend: The Valentinos feat. Bobby Womack

Any similarity between The Valentinos' "I've Got Love For You" and "Looking For A Love" was entirely intentional.  

Remembering Sam Cooke on his birthday

Here are a few of Sam Cooke's TV appearances along with his sensational Soul Stirrers performance from 1955. 

R.I.P. Grady Gaines, 1934-2021

Sadly, Texas-born saxophone great Grady Gaines, who played with Little Richard and Sam Cooke, has passed away. 

Happy 90th Birthday Sam Cooke!

Remembering the great Sam Cooke with his appearance on the Jerry Lewis Show which aired December 7, 1963. 

Listen to "Golden Oldies" by R.A. The Rugged Man w/ Eamon & Atmosphere

Fat-laced hip hop fans will enjoy R.A. The Rugged Man's new joint and then his pal Eamon shows he can handle a Sam Cooke tune.  

New Bobby Womack album due June 12

Some 14 years since Bobby Womack's previous studio album – and decades since his last great one – Sam Cooke's sideman and Jim Ford's runaround pal is poised for another comeback with the June 12 release of The Bravest Man In The Universe on XL Recordings via Beggars Group Canada.

Recorded with his Gorillaz mate Damon Albarn and XL's hands-on label boss Richard Russell (Gil-Scott Heron, Major Lazer, Roots Manuva) between October and December 2011 at Albarn's Studio 13 in West London and New York's Manhattan Center, the 10-track set boasting all-new material (!) promises a refreshing forward-looking approach for Womack who has wasted far too much time dwelling on past glories.

While longtime fans probably wouldn't be disappointed with Womack making yet another attempt at revisiting his creative peak period of the late 60s and 70s, it's welcome news that Bobby's moving on as can be heard from the lead off track Please Forgive My Heart (download it for free right here). The beats are contemporary but the soul is strictly old school.

The Bravest Man In The Universe (XL Recordings)

1. The Bravest Man In The Universe
2. Please Forgive My Heart
3. Deep River
4. Dayglo Reflection
5. Sweet Baby Mine
6. Stupid
7. If There Wasn't Something There
8. Love Is Gonna Lift You Up
9. Nothin' Can Save Ya
10. Jubilee