Category Archive

 By Max Conroy

This past week has been one of the most eventful/busy of my entire life.  In seven days I saw Jandek, wrote about it, interviewed Donita Sparks, saw Blind Mellon in Flint, crashing that night in East Lansing, saw Solomon Burke in Detroit and motored immediately after to Grand Rapids to hang out with Uncle Fucker.  I got back to Ann Arbor last night around midnight.  I had a real good time, but I’m glad to be convalescing here on this beautiful Memorial Day.  In my travels to East Lansing and Grand Rapids, I picked up some great records at some great shops.  If you’re anywhere even close to Grand Rapids and like records at all, you have to go to the Corner Record Shop, just outside of GR.  It rivals Encore and is about to become an entirely analog recording studio and venue as well!  Another surprise is that Uncle Fucker dusted off the Telecaster this weekend in a moment of clarity, and I recorded some of it for you.  I have also edited some of what I recorded at the Solomon Burke show.  Featured here are Lay My Burdon Down, performed by the choir before he went on, and Diamond in Your Mind, the song that Tom Waites wrote for him on his first comeback album.  The choir provides an accurate representation of the enthusiasm of the crowd, along with a healthy dose of ecstatic joy in loving Jesus.  Diamonds is just a great song and was recorded by Burke recently, so it captures his sound now.  The third track is Uncle Fucker shredding All Down the Line, the Stones song.

Lay My Burdon Down:

Diamond in Your Mind:

All Down the Line:

Stay tuned for the Donita Sparks and the Stellar Moments review and interview.

By Max Conroy

The deacon Solomon Burke played a free show in Detroit last night (refer to the previous post).  It was a fantastic show and one that I’ll remember forever.  He’s still got it to be sure.  A gospel choir performed Lay My Burden Down before he went on.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to stay for the entire show, but I saw a little over an hour of his set and caught a lot of classics: Cry to Me, If You Need Me, Down In The Valley, the Tom Waites penned Keep a Diamond in Your Mind, Sittin’ On the Dock of the Bay, and many others.  I recorded some audio of the show and will work on getting that posted.

Another LP found on Ypsilanti’s Pathway label.

PLP 184, The Pleasant Valley Boys Sing The Fields Have Turned Brown.  Featuring: Roy Derringer, Rhythm Guitar (Wayne); Donald Clay, Lead Singer (Ypsilanti); Tom Rains, Mandolin (South Lyon); Eddie Carrol, Lead Guitar (Brighton).  With special guest Sonny Nelson, Five String Banjo (Detroit).

Wow.  Totally blown away by this one.  Judging by the rawness of the other Pathways I have, I didn’t know what to expect, but this record is unbelievable.  A very, very, solid traditional bluegrass record, all done in the sacred style that is Pathway.  I was so excited that I actually called the numbers on the back of this late 60s record, hoping to get ahold of Donald or Roy.  It DID say “If you would like to have the Pleasant Valley Boys in your neighborhood, phone…”  I was hoping I’d get an 80 year old former member and would just make his day by asking questions about the Pleasant Valley Boys, and then I’d invite them to play in my backyard in Ypsi in front of a campfire and record it or something.  But, sadly, both numbers were disconnected. 

This record is no joke; it’s very similar to a Stanley Brothers record, and all songs are excellent and the singing and musicianship are also very good.  It’s by far the best Pathway I’ve heard, and it’s different in that it’s more traditional and professional and not as wacky/weird sounding as the others.  Whether that’s a good thing I have no idea.

It’s funny that this turned up, but this is often the case.  We’ll get to thinking about something or getting into something and then it’ll turn up on cue. 

Listen to “Will The Circle Be Unbroken”:

by Cousin Geoff, featuring guest writer Ameritape John:

508 Maus Street in Ypsilanti, former home of Pathway label

I got an email the other day from a guy named John who said that he had read one of my previous posts about the Ypsilanti gospelgrass label Pathway.  I’ve written about The Smith Family Sings Your Gospel Favorites LP, and Carl and Evert’s I Have Found The Way 45.  John may be one of a handful of Pathway followers out there, excited as I was when I stumbled onto one of their records and became strangely obsessed with the 1960s lo-fi off-tune religious music from Ypsilanti, Michigan.  John may be one of the few people in the world who is actually more into Pathway than I am.  He gave me permission to publish this piece he wrote for a UK record collecting mag, where he attempts to explain the sacred/weird localistic significance and also provides additional info on other Pathway LPs. 

Another concept to consider here is the idea of collecting and searching for “deep” gospelgrass, as opposed to the much more popular digging for rare funk, soul, garage, hip-hop, ect.  This “Xian” genre that John refers to is something I’ve also taken an interest in, like my post on The Pathway Quartet out of Sandusky, Ohio.  There’s something about this primitive religious music that takes on some sort of an intriguing local, cultural, and almost psychedelic aspect.  The thing is, I’m not sure if I even want to publish this.  I like being able to find an seemingly endless supply of these records at garage sales and local salvation armys, passed over and passed over, as few people are actually into it like me and John.  Like he says, most people don’t even want to talk about it, much less search for it (although I can see some UK folks, some of our best customers and really the heavyweights of record collecting, start getting into it).  Nevertheless, it’s a great concept to explore.  As Max pointed out in a conversation today and John alludes to, Pathway seems to be very much the essence of what punk rock is, but instead of drugs or booze or fuck the man it’s about Jesus and getting into heaven.  And all this coming from the homemade basement recording studio of 508 Maus Street in Ypsilanti. 

Read the rest of this entry »

I first discovered my hometown of Ypsilanti’s Pathway label with the previously posted The Smith Family LP, Sing Your Gospel Favorites.  Another find, The Pathway Quartet, with one of the Cousins’ favorite all-time songs, Jesus is a Soul Man, may or may not be related to this label, as the musical style is very similar, and the label on the LP appears to be from a private pressing.

The latest record we came across on the Pathway label is actually really good.  It’s Carl and Evert with a 45 featuring the song, “I Have Found The Way.”  Not a whole lot of info is out there about this label, other than it was founded around 1964 by Red Ellis, a Starday recording artist who also sang in a group called Red Ellis and the Crossmen, of whch one of the members was Evert Sanders.  The Smith Family also gives a shout-out to The Crossmen, so I am guessing that they were sort of the Pathway house band.  I’m not sure who Carl is or what his last name even is.  The same site that I found the info about Evert Sanders also listed this bio from the cover of their album they recorded on Pathway called “That Beautiful Land”:

 EVERT SANDERS was one of 8 children. He was born in Ranger, West Virginia May 9, 1934. His Father was a coal miner and Evert distinctly remembers the coal camps. When only 16 Months old, the family moved to Kentucky. When he was 16 years old, the family decided to move back to West Virginia. In 1952 Evert came to Michigan. He presently lives in Ypsilanti, Michigan with wife Dorothy and 3 children Mark, Billy and Lorinda. Evert was converted in 1956 and has been serving the Lord ever since. He sings tenor & some lead also plays bass in this album.

The Pathway label’s address is listed at 508 Maus Street in Ypsilanti, Michigan.  I have been meaing to drive by that address and take a picture of the house or building - when I do I will post it again here.  I have a few other records of The Smith Family, and there are at least two other addresses of Pathway - one is 9901 Stoneycreek Road in Milan, Michigan, which is just south of Ypsilanti. 

I think the Pathway label is as important to Ypsilanti’s history as is the well documented song on this site, Back To Ypsilanti by Lee Osler on the Mustache record label.  ”I Have Found The Way” represents the effect the migration of southern factory workers to Ypsilanti had on the musical landscape.  The Ford Plant and the Bomber Plant were nearby, drawing many bluegrass picking musicians to the area, many of whom are still around today.  I’ve met many bluegrass and gospel enthusiasts while chatting with neighbors or out at the local yard sales, and I think this kind of music is an important part of our history.  I live on East Cross Street in a neighborhood that was built in the late 50s and early 60s in a time where small ranch houses were built to accomodate all the new workers and their families.  There are old tiny churches EVERYWHERE around the area I live - at least 10 within a mile of my house.

Carl and Evert mix the sacred with the rockin’, and this goes well with their message of finding the way.  This may be the crown jewel on The Pathway label. 

listen:

My wife doesn’t like this record because she thinks it’s too weird, so I’m taking that as a good sign that this family gospel album recorded in Ypsilanti, MI at 508 Maus Street on the Pathway label is quite a find.

Rather than review it, I’ll just have you listen to the songs I selected and read what’s on the back cover:

I, Crit Smith, was born September 8, 1933, in Whitley County, Kentucky, near Williansburg, and there I met and married Beulah Brown, the daughter of Reverend Andy and Sarah Brown, in 1950.

I worked in a mill until 1952, then came to Detroit, Michigan, and worked in a factory until 1955.  I then went into carpenter work, which I do at the present time.  We are very proud of our family, all of which are saved and working for Jesus.  We have three daughters: Loretta, sixteen; Barbara, fifteen; Linda, thirteen; and two sons: Eugene, eight; and Mark, two months.  Mark is too young to do any singing yet, but we are trusting in the Lord that he will take part when he is older.

We want to thank everyone that has taken a part and helped us in any way in making this album, especially our pastor, Reverend Luther Gibson, of the Church of God, in Woodhaven, Michigan.  We have had so many requests for records, that we felt God was inspiring us to make this album.

We enjoyed working with “THE CROSSMEN”: Roy, Evert, and Blaine; and praise God for them and their ministry.

          THE SMITH FAMILY

listen, I Want To Be Robed And Ready:

listen, How Are You Raising Your Children:

Jesus is a Soul Man was first written by Lawrence Reynolds as a country and bluegrass gospel song.  I first discovered the song through an LP I bought at an Ypsilanti church yard sale by the Pathway Quartet, titled Soul Man. 

I thought it was going to be a version of Sam and Dave’s song, but I enjoyed it even more as it was.  I wrote about it before, you can listen again .

I liked the honesty of the song.  I liked that Jesus was a soul man, it seemed real, I felt it, that yes, Jesus was a soul man.  And if Jesus lives in our hearts, than we’re all soul men (and women).  Ya mon.  We are all one.  One love, one soul heart.  Who feels it knows it Lord!

So Justin and I were thrilled to find another version, a southern black gospel version on Stop, by Otis Williams.  Mmmm, mmm…Otis puts the soul into Jesus Is A Soul Man.  It’s a great contrast between the other version, as both are great.

If you don’t go to church, or want an excuse to skip church this Sunday, listen to this song, get up and dance, and feel Jesus in your soul.  He was just like you and I, just another soul man (or woman).  I don’t go to chucrch, so I make up for it by listening to sweet gospel music.  That’s good enough for me.

That’s a good song, huh?

After doing that last post, I felt like posting some truly great gospel music.  Here Detroit’s Rance Allen Group, from their second, self titled album on the Stax subsidiary Gospel Truth. 

Sometime I will do a post on the Rev. CL Franklin family.

I’m watching the tournament and playing records too.  These are some I’ve been listening to:

I took a picture of the B side of Back To Ypsilanti playing on my record player because I wanted to hype it’s arrive coming soon to hear.  Van kept bugging me to make him a copy.  I made him a copy of Back To Ypsilanti and he kept asking for that B side.  Everyday, he’d say, “You got that other joint yet?”  I’d say no man, you gotta trade me.  He had this studio recording of the Temptations and Marvin Gaye and a few others all singing together, practicing.  One of the Temptations sons, who he knows on the Detroit soul and R&B karaoke circuit, gave it to him.  Van’s a big soul karaoke guy - he goes over to Detroit from Ypsi about 3-4 times a week to sing or host events.  And he sings to his middle school students everyday (he’s a gym teacher).  The nights he’s not singing he goes to watch high school basketball games.  But anyway, he wouldn’t give it to me.  He liked having that recording that nobody else had (or I had).  So I never made him a copy of that B side, Tarnished Love Affair.  But I will trade him though. 

But look Van, don’t you wish you just finished listening like I did?  It was good too - I can still hear it - (AND HERE’S A TEASER) so long, so long, so looooooooong…..

This next one is good for relaxing.  Like that end of the week relax when you first get home.  Jimmy Smith, with Grant Green.  A Blue Note classic.  And one of the best covers ever made.

Just a walkin’ the dog, if you don’t know how to do it, I’ll show you how to walk the dog.  1963 Stax.  Rufus Thomas.  I wonder if my wife will let us name our son Rufus?  I’m guessing no.  As you can see from the cover, ol’ Rufus sure did know how to make white people dance!  It must have been easy.

I love bluegrass.  And I love local music.  That’s why this is one of my favorite records in my collection.  The RFD Boys first record on Jessup.  I’d compare them to The Seldom Scene.  Which is another of my favorites.  They do a great version of Country Road.  And some good originals.  Overall just so good…I’m going to go see them on the 25th - maybe you should too?

After seeing the Holmes Brothers at the Ark a few weeks ago, I dug back into my gospel section.  Detroiters The Rance Allen Group is similar to The Holmes Brothers in their ability to blend gospel with uptempo soul and rhythm and blues.  This is their second album, on Gospel Truth, a Stax label.  They do a song called Just My Salvation that’s set to the music of the Temptations Just My Imagination.   

So that’s what I’m on so far tonight.  I’m thinking about making a mix CD from my vinyl collection, but I can’t decide if I want to pick a genre or do a multi genre.  My genre options I’m considering are: all Michigan bands, bluesgrass, funk, 50s to early 60s R&B, Blues, Funk, Reggae, or even something crazy like Gospel, Bluegrass Gospel, Zydeco/New Orleans, or old school Rap.  Of course, my laziness always takes over and I end up just playing them and thinking about making a mix some other day.

In other news, Max Conroy is visiting Cousin Justin this weekend.  Max is part of the 586 Gunson Street band from East Lansing that I’ve heard so much about.  Apparently there’s a long lost recording still floating around somewhere.  I’ll see the both of ‘em tomorrow so I’ll see what I can dig up. 

When I’m out looking for records, I often buy it if it has a cool cover, which is the case with The Pathway Quartet’s religious bluegrass LP, Soul Man.  I was at an Ypsilanti church yard sale, thumbing through a box under the table when I found it.  At first glance, I thought the bluegrass band from Sandusky, Ohio was going to do a cover of Sam and Dave’s famous Memphis Stax song.  When I got home, I discovered the soul man they were singing about wasn’t themselves, but Jesus! 

But I say: Sam, Dave, Jesus and The Pathway Quartet were all soul men (and women).

 and see if you agree!

My wife Jessica took a pregnancy test on Friday on found out she is pregnant with our first child!  The due date is October 26th.  We are excited beyond words!  I am actually still in a state of shock - it just doesn’t seem real.  I wonder when it will actually sink in?

We took our little one (who is the size of a grain of rice right now) to his/her first concert last night - we saw the Holmes Brothers play at the Ark in Ann Arbor.  It was an incredible performance.  Their style is a mixture of sanctified gospel, soul, funk, and country blues.  They ended the show with a song that repeated the phrase “God be with you” over and over, and at the end, inspired by the music, our little grain of rice, and the four Stella Artois I had in me, I yelled out “And with you Holmes Brothers!” the instant before the audience erupted in applause.  It was awesome.

Any suggestions on the name?

It’s Sunday morning, so I thought I’d get into the spirit and throw on some of my gospel LPs.  I’m not a church go-er myself, but I really do enjoy some good spiritual gospel music.  There’s something very uplifting about listening to gospel.  I think everyone, regardless of religious background, can appreciate the elements of gospel music.  And music is one of the biggest draws to today’s churches, particularly the mega-ones.  I’m not here to promote Christianity or slam it, as many people like to do.  I believe in all religions and everyone’s right to practice and believe what they want.  I just like to live by this philosophy: judge not.

I’ve put together a pretty solid collection of gospel music, mostly soul gospel and bluegrass gospel.  One of me and Justin’s favorite records of all time is The Pathway Quartet, titled Jesus Is A Soul Man.  I bought it at a church yard sale in Ypsilanti.  The title track is the best song.  It’s both sincere and sing-a-long-able.  The Pathway Quartet is from Sandusky, Ohio, a raw bluegrass band.  Probably will never come across it again.

For modern gospel, check out the Blind Boys Of Alabama’s album they did with Ben Harper and Robert Randolf and the Family Band.  Oh, so good.

Here’s a sample of what’s in my gospel crate:

This morning I’ve started out with The Rance Allen Group, a gospel trio from Detroit.  You can hear the Motown influence in the song Just My Salvation, in the tune of the Temptation’s Just My Imagination.  It’s swingin’, shouting, soulful gospel from 1978.  Highly recommended. 

Now that I’m in to this I decided to start at the beginning with some delta gospel.  Playing now is Fred McDowell, Amazing Grace: Mississippi Delta Spirituals by the Hunter’s Chapel Singers of Como, Miss.  Features McDowell’s raw slide guitar and vocals with a small female choir.  This is on Testament Records, a reissue label.  How they found these amazing recordings, God knows. 

Next up is one of the best known and greatest gospel groups of all time, the Staple Singers.  I’m playing one of my favorite gospel songs, Get Right Church, off their Vee Jay Best Of album.  An awesome example of their early works, I much prefer this period of their recordings than their 70s stuff.  This would be the perfect album to play in front of a campfire at night.  Has haunting guitars and the Reverend Staples’s lead vocals with his three daughters backing him.  Too much…you’re going to have to listen to this for yourself. 

Let me add here that Josh has one of the coolest gospel albums we ever found.  Ask him about it.  It’s a high school choir from L.A.  Handclapping gospel goodness.  He was going to do a review on it but liked it so much he had to keep it.  Hopefully we can get him to still review it, but unfortunatly it won’t be for sale.

Well, I can go on and on here so let me finish with probably my favorite gospel track in my collection: Get Right Church by Aretha Franklin’s father the Rev. James Cleveland.  This is one where I crank up full volume and get up and dance around.  People clappin hands and the choir hysterically chanting Halleluia and answering back the Rev’s call and response.  Even my dogs get excited when I play this!  Fantastic!  Ah, yes indeed, Lord!

But I can’t stop the gospel train so now on is the Rev Al Green’s Precious Lord: Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on, let me stand, I was tired, I’m weak, I am worn, through the storm, through the night, lead me on, in the light, take my hand, precious lord, lead me home.  Now I feel it!

I finish this blog full of energy and the holy spirit and ready to do laundry, drink beer, and watch the Lions.  Thank Jesus for Sundays!

-Cousin Geoff