The Followers – Gospel Meeting

Normally I am not a big fan or hunter of gospel records.  The gospel field is so incredibly huge & filled with so many records that are so awful that it is pretty tough to know where to start. So I guess I am a dabbler at best when it comes to gospel records. I do know what I like though & that is the R&B-tinged gospel from the 50s/60s.  This LP initially just looks like another testify to a cheesy organ sounding choir LP but in reality it is the realness which is right up my alley.

Released on the Forum Circle label out of New Jersey in the early 60s, it also received a later issue on Roulette with a different cover & was just titled ‘Meeting’.  It features a young Ashford & Simpson before their secular successes, Nicholas Ashford in fact writes or co-writes 8 of the tracks on here.  The instrumentation is a small vocal group with rhythm section (drums, bass, piano & guitar).  It is filled with great earthy sounding gospel punctuated with some very tasty, bluesy guitar playing.  Absolutely recommended for fans of this style of gospel with a nice mix of uptempo tracks & not an abundance of ballads (always a good thing).

The Followers – Save Me Master.mp3