Sunday, January 15, 2023

Sunday morning gospel: Garden of Prayer--King's Heralds Quartet (Chapel LP 1211; 1953)

 


Superb, and superbly professional, gospel quartet singing from 1953.  At the time, the King's Heralds Quartet (credited as "The Kings Heralds" on the front jacket--no "Quartet" or apostrophe) consisted of Robert Edwards, first tenor; Robert Seamount, second tenor; Wayne Hopper, baritone; and Jerry Dill, bass.  This ten-inch Chapel Records LP, pressed on clear red vinyl, is another Diane thrift-gift (Thanks, Diane!), and I somehow guessed that the singing would be of the top-caliber radio quartet type, a la The Old Fashioned Revival Hour Quartet.  And I was correct!

The quartet started in 1927 in Keene TX, and proceeded to become (you guessed it) a radio quartet for the Voice of Prophecy.  You can read more about them at Wikipedia, whose entry I was initially unable to find, because I was Googling "King's Heralds Quartet," whereas the Wikipedia entry is "King's Heralds."  Sometimes, using quotation marks is an advantage, because it brings up exact matches, though in this case I should have simply typed the three words, minus quotes.  Oh, well...

The selections can't be beat--Ira Sankey's terrific There'll Be No Dark Valley is always a joy to hear, and I'm always pleased whenever Whispering Hope shows up on a sacred album.  Written in 1868 by Septimus (Listen to the Mockingbird) Winner (aka, Alice Hawthorne), Whispering Hope is an early instance of an ordinary popular song becoming a sacred favorite--a near-hymn, you might call it.  It seems destined to never become a "standard" hymn--hence, it doesn't show up all that often in gospel songbooks and hymnals (at least in my experience), but it is nevertheless one of the classic "old songs."  Or, at least, was.  Come 2023, who knows?

To the King's Heralds...


DOWNLOAD: Garden of Prayer--The King's Heralds (Chapel Records LP 1211; 1953)


The Beautiful Garden of Prayer

The Old Rugged Cross/When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (Medley)

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

The Lord's Prayer

Still, Still With Thee

I Need the Prayers

There'll Be No Dark Valley

Whispering Hope

Praise to the Lord



Lee


4 comments:

Buster said...

Thanks, Lee - a nice early LP!

Lee Hartsfeld said...

Yes, it's wonderful. It has me wondering what the current edition of the group sounds like. Yet, I'm afraid to find out, in case the group has gone the "praise" route.

Ernie said...

I found a very similar LP in a small record store recently, only it was Christmas. Guy wanted $15 for it, and wouldn't take a dime less. So if you ever want to sell this one, I can give you his address. He thinks anything old and on red vinyl is very valuable. The Christmas one was organ & chime music, imagine what this vocal record must be worth!

Diane said...

Wow, Lee -- so glad this one worked for you! I almost kept it, since it was red vinyl. I wouldn't pay the $15 Ernie's guy wanted, but when I find color-vinyl where the music isn't so great, I use 'em for decor in my listening room. Guess I'd better always check with you first!