The Harmonizing Four
One of the top gospel quartets of the postwar era, the Harmonizing Four were also a relative anomaly of the period; as their contemporaries raced to modernize their sound, rejecting the traditional jubilee style in favor of the intensity of the burgeoning "hard gospel" movement, the Four remained true to their roots, focusing instead on the spirituals and hymns of a time gone by. For all of their renown, little is known about the group's formative years -- their leader and manager, Joseph "Gospel Joe" Williams, forbade any of the members to agree to interviews unless they were paid in advance, and as a result, the anecdotal information that does exist is sketchy and incomplete. Records have indicated that the Four made their formal debut at a grammar school in their native Richmond, VA on October 27, 1927; founding members included Thomas "Goat" Johnson and Levi Handly, with Williams signing on in 1933 and Lonnie Smith -- the father of jazz pianist Lonnie Liston Smith -- joining four years later.
The Harmonizing Four made their recorded debut on Decca in 1943; in all likelihood they came to the label at the behest of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, whom they frequently backed both on record and in concert. After World War II, they landed on the tiny Coleman label; included in the roster during much of this period was Tommy Ellison, later of the Chosen Gospel Singers. A brief tenure on Gotham followed, and after 1952, the Harmonizing Four cut only one record, a single for the Religious Recordings label, prior to arriving at Vee-Jay in 1957. There, the group -- Williams, Smith, Thomas Johnson, and Jimmy Jones -- finally began earning the fame long due them, honing their close harmony style to mellow perfection; Jones, in particular, earned renown as perhaps the greatest basso in gospel history, his canyon-deep voice distinguishing hits like "Motherless Child." After leaving Vee-Jay during the early '60s, the Harmonizing Four recorded for Nashboro, slowly easing into retirement in the years that followed.
© Jason Ankeny /TiVo
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The Harmonizing Four & God Will Take Care Of You
Gospel - Pubblicato da Vee-Jay Records il 1 gen 1993
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I'll Trust in the Lord
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All Things Are Possible / I Shall Not Be Moved (Mono Version)
Pop - Pubblicato da BNF Collection il 1 gen 1960
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How Great Thou Art
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All Things Are Possible
Gospel - Pubblicato da HHO il 3 giu 2020
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The Harmonizing Four - Motherless Child
Pop - Pubblicato da Albany il 26 ago 2016
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I Shall Not Be Moved
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Keep Me All The Way
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Jesus Is a Friend to Us All
Soul - Pubblicato da 45 RPM Records il 2 giu 2017
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Jesus Is a Friend To Everyone (Recordings Of 1950 - 1952)
Gospel - Pubblicato da Gospel Train il 30 nov 2020
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Working For The Lord
Pop - Pubblicato da Jewel Records il 17 nov 2006
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Vintage Vocal Jazz / Swing No. 152 - EP: Negro Spirituals
Gospel - Pubblicato da Vintage Music il 4 lug 1960
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Amazing Grace
Gospel - Pubblicato da Serenity Records il 3 gen 2014
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Negro Spirituals
Gospel - Pubblicato da Vintage Music il 10 set 2011
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Watch Over Me (Recordings Of 1950 - 1954)
Gospel - Pubblicato da Gospel Train il 30 nov 2020
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Stars In My Crown
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I Shall Not Be Moved
Pop - Pubblicato da Charly Records il 14 apr 2006
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I Shall Not Be Moved (Recordings of 1952 -1954)
Pop - Pubblicato da Gospel Train il 30 nov 2020
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