One of the earliest Tamla/Motown LPs, The Rev. Columbus Mann’s “They Shall Be Mine” was the first and (I believe) only solo Gospel artist to be recorded on a full length album for the historic label. This copy of the record came up in a huge gospel collection I bought a few weeks ago from a lady who lived across the street from a Baptist church in the south side of Ypsi. Another collection I probably overpaid for to make sure I got it, as it was one of the best gospel collections I’ve seen, and had a bunch of stuff I had never come across before, including this one.

“They Shall Be Mine” is a pretty sought-after and rare LP today, and features an uptempo hand-clapping call and response style of gospel that must have got plenty of people in the seats Sunday mornings at the True Love Church in Detroit. Apparently, one of those people in the pews to hear the Rev. Columbus Mann was Mr. George Fowler, Religious Music Director at Tamla records. Fowler quickly called his boss, Berry Gordy Jr., and Gordy joined him for church the following Sunday. They both agreed that the Rev. Mann should be heard by more people and signed him to record this album. Fantastic cover.

Listen to “They Shall Be Mine”: