Blues  •  Country Blues

Blues Gospel

There has always been a point, both stylistically and philosophically, where the sacred (gospel music) and the profane (blues, the devil's music) strike an uneasy alliance. Consisting almost entirely of performers who are lay preachers or street-corner evangelists, Blues Gospel features use of blues guitar patterns that are tightly interwoven to the most heartfelt statements of religious conviction. Embracing everything from ragtime fingerpicking and knife-edged slide techniques to crudely strummed rhythm patterns, the style owes less allegiance to a particular kind of guitar than to using the instrument's possibilities to propel its lyrical message. Though its proponents are few, there are few sounds in the blues that are as alternately spiritual or as bone-chilling as blues gospel music.

Blues Gospel Album Highlights

Slide Guitar Gospel (1944-1964)
Various Artists Slide Guitar Gospel (1944-1964)
15 Down Home Gospel Classics
Various Artists 15 Down Home Gospel Classics
Dark Was the Night
Blind Willie Johnson Dark Was the Night
The Complete Blind Willie Johnson
Blind Willie Johnson The Complete Blind Willie Johnson
Vintage Recordings (1935-1949)
Rev. Gary Davis Vintage Recordings (1935-1949)
Country Gospel (1946-1953)
Various Artists Country Gospel (1946-1953)
Complete Early Recordings
Rev. Gary Davis Complete Early Recordings
Gospel Warriors: 50 Years of Female Gospel Classics
Various Artists Gospel Warriors: 50 Years of Female Gospel Classics
Sweeter as the Years Go By
Blind Willie Johnson Sweeter as the Years Go By
Nobody's Fault But Mine: Original Recordings 1927-30
Blind Willie Johnson Nobody's Fault But Mine: Original Recordings 1927-30
Universal United House of Prayer
Buddy Miller Universal United House of Prayer
The Gospel of the Blues
Sister Rosetta Tharpe The Gospel of the Blues
Live at Newport
Rev. Gary Davis Live at Newport
Complete Recorded Works (1923-1926)
C. & M.A. Gospel Singers & Quintette Complete Recorded Works (1923-1926)
Little More Faith
Rev. Gary Davis Little More Faith
Praise God I'm Satisfied
Blind Willie Johnson Praise God I'm Satisfied
The Best of the Hightone Years
Buddy Miller The Best of the Hightone Years
Gospel, Blues and Street Songs
Pink Anderson / Rev. Gary Davis Gospel, Blues and Street Songs
Say No to the Devil
Rev. Gary Davis Say No to the Devil
Reverend Gary Davis Live
Rev. Gary Davis Reverend Gary Davis Live
The Blues: A Smithsonian Collection of Classic Blues Singers
Various Artists The Blues: A Smithsonian Collection of Classic Blues Singers
Blues & Ragtime
Rev. Gary Davis Blues & Ragtime
Blues & Gospel: Eastern States
Various Artists Blues & Gospel: Eastern States
Rev. Louis Overstreet
Rev. Louis Overstreet Rev. Louis Overstreet
I Am a True Vine
Rev. Gary Davis I Am a True Vine
Harlem Street Singer
Blind Gary Davis / Rev. Gary Davis Harlem Street Singer
Preachers and Congregations, Vol. 2: 1926-1941
Various Artists Preachers and Congregations, Vol. 2: 1926-1941
Negro Religious Field Recordings, Vol. 1: 1934-1942
Various Artists Negro Religious Field Recordings, Vol. 1: 1934-1942
The Majestic Silver Strings
Buddy Miller's the Majestic Silver Strings / Buddy Miller The Majestic Silver Strings
Preachers and Congregations, Vol. 6: 1924-1936
Various Artists Preachers and Congregations, Vol. 6: 1924-1936
I Am the True Vine
Rev. Gary Davis I Am the True Vine
Black Vocal Groups, Vol. 5
Various Artists Black Vocal Groups, Vol. 5
From Blues to Gospel
Rev. Gary Davis From Blues to Gospel
Manchester Free Trade Hall 1964
Rev. Gary Davis Manchester Free Trade Hall 1964
Demons and Angels: The Ultimate Collection
Rev. Gary Davis Demons and Angels: The Ultimate Collection
Black Vocal Groups, Vol. 7
Various Artists Black Vocal Groups, Vol. 7
American Primitive, Vol. 1
Various Artists American Primitive, Vol. 1
Pure Religion & Bad Company
Rev. Gary Davis Pure Religion & Bad Company
Heavenly Gospel Singers, Vol. 3 (1938-1939)
The Heavenly Gospel Singers Heavenly Gospel Singers, Vol. 3 (1938-1939)
Heavenly Gospel Singers, Vol. 1 (1935-1936)
The Heavenly Gospel Singers Heavenly Gospel Singers, Vol. 1 (1935-1936)
Preachers and Congregations, Vol. 5: 1926-1931
Various Artists Preachers and Congregations, Vol. 5: 1926-1931
Black Vocal Groups, Vol. 3
Various Artists Black Vocal Groups, Vol. 3
Blind Willie Johnson and the Guitar Evangelists
Blind Willie Johnson Blind Willie Johnson and the Guitar Evangelists
Black Vocal Groups, Vol. 8
Various Artists Black Vocal Groups, Vol. 8
Black Vocal Groups, Vol. 4
Various Artists Black Vocal Groups, Vol. 4
Complete Recorded Works
Silver Leaf Quartette of Norfolk Complete Recorded Works
Heavenly Gospel Singers, Vol. 4
The Heavenly Gospel Singers Heavenly Gospel Singers, Vol. 4
New Blues & Gospel
Rev. Gary Davis New Blues & Gospel
Your Love and Other Lies/Poison Love
Buddy Miller Your Love and Other Lies/Poison Love
Heavenly Gospel Singers, Vol. 2
The Heavenly Gospel Singers Heavenly Gospel Singers, Vol. 2
If I Had My Way: Early Home Recordings
Rev. Gary Davis If I Had My Way: Early Home Recordings
Preachers and Congregations, Vol. 1: 1927-1938
Various Artists Preachers and Congregations, Vol. 1: 1927-1938
Black Vocal Groups, Vol. 6
Various Artists Black Vocal Groups, Vol. 6
In the Spirit: The Gospel and Jubilee Recordings of Trumpet Records
Various Artists In the Spirit: The Gospel and Jubilee Recordings of Trumpet Records
Complete Recorded Works: 1926-1927
Reverend H.R. Tomlin Complete Recorded Works: 1926-1927
There Will Be a Light
Ben Harper / The Blind Boys of Alabama There Will Be a Light
The Original Soul Sister
Sister Rosetta Tharpe The Original Soul Sister
Black Cowboy Blues And Church Songs
Alfred "Snuff" Johnson Black Cowboy Blues And Church Songs
The History of Rhythm & Blues
Various Artists The History of Rhythm & Blues
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 (1938-1941)
Sister Rosetta Tharpe Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 (1938-1941)
The Rough Guide to Blind Willie Johnson
Blind Willie Johnson The Rough Guide to Blind Willie Johnson
Ripley
Steve Ripley Ripley
Amazing Gospel
Various Artists Amazing Gospel
Rev. Gary Davis and the Guitar Evangelists, Vol. 2
Rev. Gary Davis Rev. Gary Davis and the Guitar Evangelists, Vol. 2
Complete Recorded Titles, Vol. 1
Blind Willie Johnson Complete Recorded Titles, Vol. 1
Sing Sister Sing
Sister Rosetta Tharpe Sing Sister Sing
The History of Rhythm and Blues 1942-1952
Various Artists The History of Rhythm and Blues 1942-1952
Sounds of the South [4 CDs]
Various Artists Sounds of the South [4 CDs]
The Word
The Word The Word
Storefront & Streetcorner Gospel (1927-1929)
Various Artists Storefront & Streetcorner Gospel (1927-1929)
The Soul of a Man [Universe]
Blind Willie Johnson The Soul of a Man [Universe]
Kentucky Gospel
Various Artists Kentucky Gospel
The World of Gospel, Vol. 2
Various Artists The World of Gospel, Vol. 2
The Stax Blues Brothers
Various Artists The Stax Blues Brothers
Just a Closer Walk with Thee
Brownie McGhee / Sonny Terry / Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee Just a Closer Walk with Thee
Preachin' the Gospel: Holy Blues
Various Artists Preachin' the Gospel: Holy Blues
Brother Sinner & the Whale
Kelly Joe Phelps Brother Sinner & the Whale
Swinging Gospel Sounds
Golden Eagle Gospel Singers / The Robinson Children / Uncle Joe Dobson Swinging Gospel Sounds
The Slide Guitar: Bottles, Knives, & Steel, Vol. 1
Various Artists The Slide Guitar: Bottles, Knives, & Steel, Vol. 1
The Guitar & Banjo of Reverend Gary Davis
Rev. Gary Davis The Guitar & Banjo of Reverend Gary Davis
Spirit Willie
Willie Williams Spirit Willie
Peace to the Neighborhood/Father Father
Roebuck "Pops" Staples Peace to the Neighborhood/Father Father
The Greatest in Country Blues, Vol. 1 (1927-1930)
Various Artists The Greatest in Country Blues, Vol. 1 (1927-1930)
Great Gospel Women, Vol. 2
Various Artists Great Gospel Women, Vol. 2
From Blues to Gospel
Sister Rosetta Tharpe From Blues to Gospel
Grandfather Child
Grandfather Child Grandfather Child
Gospel Sound of Spirit Feel
Various Artists Gospel Sound of Spirit Feel
Say Yes!
The Lee Boys Say Yes!
The Gospel Sound
Various Artists The Gospel Sound
Gospel at Newport 1959/63-66
Various Artists Gospel at Newport 1959/63-66
Raw Unpolluted Soul
Willie Williams Raw Unpolluted Soul
Guitar Evangelists (1928-1951)
Various Artists Guitar Evangelists (1928-1951)
Worried Life Blues
Various Artists Worried Life Blues
Gospel Classics, Vol. 2 [Document]
Various Artists Gospel Classics, Vol. 2 [Document]
Masters of the Country Blues [Video/DVD]
Rev. Gary Davis Masters of the Country Blues [Video/DVD]
Hymns for the Hopeless
William Elliott Whitmore Hymns for the Hopeless