LP Review: “Keep on Singing” (Cathedral Quartet)
Rating: ***** (Excellent)
Many of you know that the Cathedrals are my all-time favorite group. I just purchased several more albums in my quest to obtain a complete set of their projects. (I have all but seven: With Strings, I Saw the Light, Seniors in Season, Smooth as Silk, Land of the Living, Camp Meeting, and Worship His Glory–and their two trio projects. If any of you have copies you’re willing to part with at a reasonable price, or even an unreasonable price, post in the comments and I’ll send you an email.)
One of the albums I just purchased, Keep on Singing (1979), arrived in yesterday’s mail.
Compared to most retrospective reviews of classic albums, this is unique since I’m writing it as I listen to the album for the first time. I thought it would be interesting to try to capture my interaction with the music as I hear a classic album for the first time.
The album starts with a rendition of the Rambos’ classic “I’ve Never Been this Homesick Before.” Though I had never perceived this song as a bass solo, George Younce redefined my perception of the song in thirty seconds, putting in one of his career finest solos with his rendition.
Kirk Talley takes the lead on the second song, “Consider the Lilies.” On the chorus, Talley solos on the first and third lines; the harmony is inverted on the even lines, with Younce carrying the melody. This is the smoothest bass / tenor handoff on alternating lines I’ve heard in quite a while, and it’s simply a joy to hear.
Glen Payne leads the third song, “Won’t it Be Worth it My Child.” This uptempo song showcases an energetic Payne at his peak, at his best. Younce has some fairly high echo lines at the end before sliding down into a low ending.
The fourth song, “I Never Shall Forget the Day,” is an uptempo piano instrumental. It’s not immediately clear who is playing the piano, since the group’s lineup was unsettled when this album was produced. It could be any of the group’s 1979 pianists–Lorne Matthews, Steve Lee, or Roger Bennett–or even a studio musician. In some ways it just seems like an early Bennett song, but I don’t want to hazard a guess since I’m not familiar with Lee’s piano style.
Glen Payne sings the first verse on the fifth song, “He Will Row You Over the Tide”; George Younce sings the second. The group sings the second chorus gently before building to a big finish. Unlike many big orchestral finishes in vogue today, this finish is sustained more on their raw vocal power than on the song’s barebones piano/guitar/drums instrumentation.
The second half of the album starts out with an uptempo version of “I Want to Be Like My Lord.” This is so good that I am tempted to say that the Cathedrals were never better than at this moment in history, but then I think of the majesty of their final years, and I forbear. Nonetheless, Younce turns in a splendid performance that should go down as one of his all-time best bass leads. The pianist also turns in a memorably excellent performance.
The seventh song, “I’ve Come Too Far,” features George Younce in one of his lower leads. I’m writing this review as I listen to the album for the first time, so I don’t have a keyboard at hand, but I’d have to guess it’s keyed somewhere around D, with some low As thrown in for good measure.
Glen Payne has the lead on the eighth song on the project, “I’ve Come to Calvary.”
The group’s mystery baritone makes his first appearance on the ninth song, “Thank You Lord for Your Blessing.” It’s certainly not Mark Trammell, who didn’t join until the next year. I don’t think it sounds like George Amon Webster, so that means it was probably Steve Lee. The identity of the group’s baritone is actually one of the mysteries surrounding this particular project; it’s been a topic of discussion on various message boards.
Kirk Talley has the solo on the final song, “Holy is Thy Name.” This rendition was closely followed by Legacy Five on their 2003 London project, so anyone who has heard that project can go in reverse and get a good feel for the vocal arrangement on this song. The accompaniment is a solo piano without any other instrumentation, but it works so well that that–to reverse the analogy once again–the orchestra on Legacy Five’s rendition doesn’t match what the Cathedrals could do with just a piano and four voices.
This album was interesting since it captures the Cathedral’s sound at the roughest point in their history. Just when they thought they had a winning formula, a solid lineup consisting of George Younce, Glen Payne, Lorne Matthews, Roy Tremble, and George Amon Webster, a concert promoter convinced the three younger members to leave and form a trio of their own, “The Brothers.” Glen and George were so devastated by the sudden loss of 3/5 of their group that they considered retiring; Todd Payne once said that his father, Glen, was moved to tears by the blow.
Payne was in the office, working on an upcoming record, when he heard the news of the split. It’s not known for sure which of the group’s 1979 releases he was working on, but it has been mentioned that this particular album may have been the one. This is partly because of the album’s song selection and vocal arrangements. Unlike nearly every other Cathedrals album, where Payne shared lead duties with the baritone and sang baritone harmony parts on several songs, Payne carries the lead almost exclusively on this project. The baritone is given only one solo; Younce and Payne both sing parts that under other circumstances could well have been soloed by the baritone.
Expert ears have listened to the project and said that it sounds as though George Amon Webster may have laid down some of the baritone vocals for the project, while Steve Lee apparently did others. (In fact, as I was listening to a few songs, most notably “I’ve Been to Calvary,” I couldn’t help but wonder if Glen Payne had doubled parts in a few places as well.)
Kirk Talley laid down all the tenor vocals for the project, thus suggesting that he was the first firm replacement the Cathedrals settled on. But on the other hand, since a tenor’s harmony parts are more prominent, all the tenor parts would have to be replaced, while some of the baritone parts could be permitted to slip by.
This is one of only a handful of Cathedrals albums without a group picture on the front cover. Most of the others also came during times of lineup uncertainty. The uncertainty is also reflected in the album title, “Keep on Singing”–which is an affirmation of optimism through the uncertainty.
I say all of this to illustrate a larger point. Except perhaps for a few bargain-basement albums in the early 70s, the Cathedrals probably never produced an album under more difficult circumstances. Yet this album proves that the Cathedrals’ greatness wasn’t limited to win things were going well for them. Even when the polishing process wasn’t complete, the Cathedrals were unmistakably a jewel.
One final thought. This album features some of George Younce’s career best bass solos, ranking with his solos on A Little Bit of Everything (1970), Everything’s Alright (1971), Plain Ole Gospel (1975), I’ve Just Started Living (1989), and a few special appearances toward the end of his life. As I listened to this 1979 album, it occurred to me that a common thread ties each of these performances together. They each came at the toughest points in his career.
In 1970 and 1971, the group was going through personnel as fast as the Dixie Melody Boys and Mercy’s Mark are right now. They had gone from performing to an appreciative TV audience with Rex Humbard to scraping to make ends meet. Then in 1974 and 1975, though they’d assembled a more steady lineup, Canaan threatened to drop them unless they started selling more records. This 1979 project came after a group split that nearly led them to disband the group and cancel this project. His 1988 and 1989 performances came after a heart attack that nearly killed him and took him off the road for months. His final performances in 2002 and 2003 were after his health had declined so far he could barely walk.
Something about this level of stress and pressure caused Younce to turn in his career best performances. This album shows that the same goes for the rest of the group.
It would not be a stretch to say that this album–along with several produced under similarly trying circumstances–holds the secret to the Cathedrals’ greatness. Even when they were faced with challenges that made many lesser quartets throw in the towel, this humble table project proves that Glen Payne and George Younce still gave their audience everything they had.
Comment by Inquirer (July 22, 2007, 12:34 am)
I like it, Daniel….LP reviews…what a concept, huh?
I might start doing them again on my own blog!
Comment by Daniel J. Mount (July 22, 2007, 6:28 am)
Thanks…and go ahead, I for one would love to see them!
Comment by David J. Stuart (July 23, 2007, 4:16 am)
This is one of the Cat’s projects that i don’t have. Thanks for the information on it. It sounds like a good one.
Comment by QN (July 23, 2007, 8:07 pm)
I MUST FIND THIS ONE!
To say that George’s best solo’s are on this LP is quite a big statement to live up to.
My favorites from my Cathedral vaule are “Turn Your Back” and “We Shall Be Caught Up”, on the LP “Something Special”
“Yesterday” ,and “Go Jonah” on “Oh, Happy Day”
“Salvation Has Been Brought Down”, and
“Go Right Out” from “The Cathedral Quartet Sings Albert E. Brumley Calsscs”
I can’t imagine much better than “Jesus Pilots My Ship” from “Live In Concert”, or “I Know Who Holds Tomorrow” on “Live With The Cathedral Quartet”
BUT, in my collection, the best from George is the project “Day By Day”.
Again, to be better than these I listed the songs you mentioned must be out of this world features for George.
Is “I’ve Come Too Far” the song that The Hoppers had on radio? And is ” I Want To Be Like My Lord” the song that goes
“I want to walk, I want to talk, I want to be like my lord. I want to help my fellow man, I want to spread his holy word…..”
One last thing: how in the world can anyone sing “Holy Is The Name” better than Tony Jarman did on “London”? I just can’t imagine it happening.
Comment by Daniel J. Mount (July 23, 2007, 9:02 pm)
QN, Tony Jarman fans would prefer the London rendition; Cathedrals fans, who like the Talley/Bennett years would prefer this version.
I’ve Come Too Far is a different song.
I Want to Be Like My Lord is the same song, and that’s one of George’s best solos on the project. Notice I didn’t say that the solos were his career best, but they are indeed on a par with them. Of the songs you named, his solos are stylistically most like the ones on the Albert E. Brumley Classics album.
Comment by Derek Parker (July 23, 2007, 9:51 pm)
You could check Ebay for Camp Meeting….it’s amazing what you can find on there. Checked out your Cats website…where did you find the VHS of The Cats in the 80’s Aladdin Temple Columbus, Ohio?
Comment by Alan Kendall (July 23, 2007, 11:15 pm)
I believe I have 6 of the 7 albums you want. With Strings, I Saw the Light, Seniors in Season, Land of the Living, Camp Meeting, and Worship His Glory.
Comment by Alan Kendall (July 23, 2007, 11:28 pm)
I have one Cathedral Trio album too.
Comment by Daniel J. Mount (July 24, 2007, 6:10 am)
Derek,
Actually, I don’t have Aladdin temple; another reader told me about it. It’s exceedingly rare. I’ve probably purchased 2/3 of the Cathedrals albums I have from either eBay or Amazon, and didn’t notice Camp Meeting there last time I checked.
Thanks for the information!
Daniel
Comment by Daniel J. Mount (July 24, 2007, 6:14 am)
QN - a correction. Reader JC reminds me that “I’ve Come Too Far” is indeed the same song. My mind must have skipped a beat there. My apologies!
Comment by Kenny (July 25, 2007, 6:22 pm)
Daniel.
I truly enjoyed this review..keep it up! and keep on singing!
KennyD
Comment by Daniel J. Mount (July 25, 2007, 6:40 pm)
Thanks, KennyD!
I think I’m at my best on this blog when I’m simply caught up in the joy of a new gem. Let others be critics; I’m just a fan.
Comment by Rob (July 26, 2007, 12:52 pm)
Hey Daniel, great job !! Keep up those Lp reviews..And agree 100% with the “caught up in the joy of a new gem ” comment ….God Bless
Comment by Daniel J. Mount (July 26, 2007, 12:52 pm)
Thanks, Rob!
Comment by Jeff B (July 26, 2007, 11:54 pm)
Daniel -
“Keep on Singing” has long been a favorite of mine as well in spite of the grammar on “Consider the Lillies”. Everytime I hear “consider the sparrow, he DON’T plant nor sow…it’s like fingnails on a chalkboard. “Holy is Thy Name” is my favorite song on this project- just a piano and 4 voices. The Gaither Christmas release in 2001 “A Time for Joy” has a live recording of L5 doing this song with Joshua Cobb on tenor (he does a fine job). This is my favorite version - the live setting and “no tracks” stirs the soul. When I heard the later L5 version on the London project it was disappointing they did not capture the purity of the two earlier versions. It’s late - hope my grammar is proper.
Really enjoy your site.
Comment by Nathan McClay (April 3, 2008, 1:37 pm)
I’ve listened to this recording several times. I bought it when the Cathedrals were selling old tapes in the Singing News for $5 a piece. I’m convinced, though, that Roy Tremble is singing the tenor on “I Want to Be Just Like My Lord”, and it sounds like him on “I’ve Come to Far to Look Back” and “I’ve Been to Calvary” and “Thank You, Lord…”, which would make the lineup Younce/Lee/Payne/Tremble! I would think that intro to “I Want to Be Just Like My Lord” sounds like Lorne Matthews and I don’t think Roger Bennett was on the radar screen yet when this album was produced. (Is this another table project?)
I’ll go out on a limb here, but the “Holy Is Thy Name” lineup sounds like Younce/Webster/Payne/Talley. Is that possible? If I’m right about these things, this mix and match album would probably indicate that this is the album Glen was working on when he heard about the Matthews/Tremble/Webster departure. I’d like to thank Daniel for bringing up these Cathedral albums. Isn’t Cathedral Quartet history interesting?
Comment by Quaid (April 3, 2008, 4:31 pm)
Yes, Cathedral history is facinating. (that is: to a Cathedral QT fan)
So if Kirk says “He don’t plant nor so”, and that is improper grammer, then Candy Hemphill recorded it wrong also.
L5 did “Holy Is Thy Name” on a Gaither video with Josh Cobb? I’ve got to find a copy of that. Is it still in print?
Comment by Daniel J. Mount (April 3, 2008, 4:39 pm)
If it’s a Gaither video, it’s still in print.
Nathan, there were different pressings of the album with different combinations of voices. I can’t remember which song, but I do know I heard a friend’s version of a song from the project that featured Roy Tremble, while the version on my copy most certainly features Kirk Talley.
Comment by Grigs (April 3, 2008, 6:18 pm)
There used to be a series of “Keep On Singing” songbooks with a logo that was either the same or similar to the one on this album cover. I always assumed this was a promtional tie-in of some sort.
I also could have sworn that I heard the Cathedrals singing “He Will Roll You Over The Tide” either on the radio or “Gospel Singing Jubilee” with George doing verse one and Kirk doing verse two. Maybe I dreamed it.
The Nelons also did a nice version of “Holy Is Thy Name”. This was also the first song L5 ever did on the NQC main stage in 2000. It was quite nice. Most of the previous groups had been using a lot of tracks, barnburners, and power ballads and the “four guys and a piano” was a sweet change of pace. Best singing I ever heard Josh Cobb do….in fact, it might have been the best I’ve ever heard L5.
Comment by Daniel J. Mount (April 3, 2008, 6:47 pm)
Grigs–on my rendition, it’s clearly Kirk on the chorus.
Comment by Nathan McClay (April 4, 2008, 1:53 pm)
Daniel,
Thanks for the info about the different pressings of the album. I’m sure whatever they sold to the public at that time, they’d want to feature their new line-up. When they did sold the cheap tapes from the magazine, they had a version (it seems to me) that had Kirk on side one and Roy on the first part of side 2 and ended up with Kirk again for “Holy Is Thy Name.” Though this version seems strange, I thinks it’s very interesting.
Comment by Nathan McClay (April 4, 2008, 1:55 pm)
actually I think it’s very interesting, not I thinks:)
Comment by Grigs (April 4, 2008, 5:47 pm)
I thinks I agrees with you….
Comment by Mike Garner (June 2, 2008, 7:48 pm)
I just found a copy of the Aladdins Temple video. The quality is not great due to the age and time frame of the video, believe it or not, they actually use tracks through about half of the video, which was interesting to hear. Overall its a great video, very unique, but good. You can tell they were experimenting with the whole live video thing during the recording. At one point, George almost falls from the stage not paying attention, and it is obviously not planned as you can well tell as he catches his balance. Its a classic….