We spent the last two shows taking a deep dive into two specific ‘gospel quartet’ groups (The Dixie Hummingbirds and The Golden Gate Quartet), and I still have one more up my sleeve before we move on to other aspects of American Gospel’s development.

Without doubt, The Soul Stirrers were one of the most influential Gospel acts of all time, in many ways because they spawned a superstar vocalist who led the way to ‘crossing over’ from gospel to pop. W.H. Harris was the first star of the band, but when he left a young kid named Sam Cooke replaced him. The similarities between the two singer’s styles are uncanny, but they made music was so undeniably popular that superstardom was more or less inevitable.

Featured tracks include:

The Lord Will Make a Way

His Eye Is on the Sparrow

Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

Jesus Be a Fence around Me

Jesus Gave Me Water

I’m Going to Build Right on that Shore

Jesus, I’ll Never Forget

Were You There

Any Day Now

Farther Along

Oh Mary, Don’t You Weep

The Last Mile of the Way

Touch the Hem of His Garment