Search - Dorothy Love Coates & Gospel Harmonettes :: Best of

An adequate overview of their Nashboro material

T. A. Shepherd | Palmdale, Ca. 93550 | 10/30/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It is such a shame that more of Dorothy Love's material isn't made available. The waning desire for true Gospel music is not only disheartening, but has become seriously detrimental to the genre overall. Ms. Love put out at least six albums for Nashboro during the late 60's to mid 70's, and while this "best of" is an adequate overview of that material, it lacks some of the more soul stirring and social conciousness writings of her better songs. Traditional songs such as Jesus Is All The World To Me is not found here and neither is the politically charged They Won't Believe. Also, their bluesy treatment of Rev. Gary Davis' If I Had My Way is well worth seeking. Staples such as I Won't Let Go, You Don't Know How Good God's Been To Me and Every Day Will Be Sunday ARE found on this edition, and are some the best material in Gospel anywhere. Although two great bonus tracks were added, there is just enought material here to make the listener scream for more. Alas, aside from the Specialty recordings, the seeker must search the old collectors' LP bins and just hope someone who didn't appreciate the treasures stored within was unwise enough to dump it all. Many soul singers of this golden era were not only inspired by Dorothy's strong gritty vocals, but also emmulated her phrasing almost to a tee. Listen to LaVern Baker's store front Gospel song from 1961, "Saved" and Kim Weston's "Love Me All The Way". She was also a favorite (as was Ruth Davis) of Mavis Staples and her songs have been covered by artists ranging from Gospel (Mahalia Jackson) to Country (Johnny Cash) and Rock (Jerry Garcia). What more evidence do we need to get record execs off their duff and search the tape vaults for more music from Dorothy Love-Coates & the Gospel Harmonettes? Aside from Nashboro and Specialty they have recorded for Vee Jay, and Savoy."

Classic Dorothy Love-Coates!!

Milton C. Flowers Jr. | 04/24/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

""I Wont' Let Go" is worth the CD itself! By this time of recording she was on Nashboro Records and Cleopatra Kennedy (Cleo, later a Cleveland Singer/Rev. James Cleveland)is at her whooping Soprano best!! This is a hard to find CD and I recommend it highly to any die-hard Dorothy Love fan, a MUST have!! She was a true pioneer of gospel music. See her in the movie, "Beloved" with the praying women.

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