In 1970, while the United States was recovering from the tumultuous unrest of the sixties and Southern segregationist George Wallace was between bids for the presidency, a young black preacher and an aging hillbilly bandleader struck up a friendship in a coffee shop in downtown Memphis. For the next decade and a half, record producer Juan D. Shipp and studio engineer Clyde Leoppard embarked on a musical journey that produced some of the most stirring sacred soul music ever laid to tape. Behold the story of Shipp's D-Vine Spirituals record label, told here for the very first time since it's 45 RPM glory days, and see if you don't agree with the original company motto: "D-Vine Is Gospel."
Volume 1 Tracklist
I Heard the Voice - Elizabeth King & The Gospel Souls
I'm a Soldier in God's Army - The Southern Sons
One River to Cross - The Seven Brothers
I'm Going Home - The Gospelaires
Take Me by the Hand - The Heavenly Stars
Look at Your Life - Evelyn Taylor
You Got to Live the Life - The Supreme Travelers
God's Going to Blow out the Sun - Elder Ward & The Gospel Four
Memories - The Spiritual Stars of Kansas City, Missouri
I Feel Like Flying Away - The Joy of Memphis
The Reason I Love Him - The Kingdom Airs
Where You Gonna Run? - The D-Vine Spiritualettes
The Devil Don't Like It - The Gospel Four
When I Looked - The Traveling Stars
Volume 1 Tracklist
I Heard the Voice - Elizabeth King & The Gospel Souls
I'm a Soldier in God's Army - The Southern Sons
One River to Cross - The Seven Brothers
I'm Going Home - The Gospelaires
Take Me by the Hand - The Heavenly Stars
Look at Your Life - Evelyn Taylor
You Got to Live the Life - The Supreme Travelers
God's Going to Blow out the Sun - Elder Ward & The Gospel Four
Memories - The Spiritual Stars of Kansas City, Missouri
I Feel Like Flying Away - The Joy of Memphis
The Reason I Love Him - The Kingdom Airs
Where You Gonna Run? - The D-Vine Spiritualettes
The Devil Don't Like It - The Gospel Four
When I Looked - The Traveling Stars