Search - Bessie Griffin & Gospel Pearls :: Live at the Bear in Chicago

Bessie at one of her best available

Roger L. Vandermeer | Garden Grove, CA United States | 02/16/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have followed Bessie for many years until her death. I have seen her in clubs, churches and coffee houses of the '50's. She is at her best in churches, but if you want to hear her power, it is here in this album. She has appeared at the Montreux Blues Festival as well as singing at the Los Angeles Museum of Art. From the jacket of her album 'Bessie Griffin at the Montreux Blues Festival' are the lines, 'That Bessie Griffin is one of the greatest gospel singers America has produced has long been known by the singers who call her 'unbeatable' by the disc jockeys who named her 'Queen of the South' and especially by the church members who have been touched and blessed by her performances for over twenty years. Bessie, a native of New Orleans has suffered enough to make her the greatest blues singer of our time, but she never sold out'. Her backup group 'The Gospel Pearls' included a then unknown Dolore Addison, who changed her name to Dolores Hall. Dolores has appeared on TV and in the motion picture 'Leap of Faith' with Steve Martin. Bessie also appeared with Mel Carter in the production 'Swing Down Sweet Chariot' in Los Angeles.Her independent realeses only available at her appearances remain. With the death of Clara Ward and Bessie Griffin, the gospel of the '50's has died. Only John Edmonds from Bowling Green Kentucky promotes the this style of gospel music."

A singer that deserves more attention

Tholly Rosmundsdottir | Reykjavik, Iceland | 10/06/2002

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I first came across Bessie Griffin's awesome voice on an LP compilation many years ago and have been searching for more from this singer ever since. Hearing her rendition of the song "Too close" is something one will never forget! On this cd, however, most of the songs are uptempo, fast style and the background provided by the musicians is too much alike from one song to another. Still this is a very lively cd and well worth having since there's not too much to be found by this unique singer."