Mitchell's Christian Singers

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Mitchell's Christian Singers

Background information
Origin Kinston, North Carolina
United States
Genre(s) Gospel

Mitchell's Christian Singers were an American Gospel music group

Contents

[edit] Musical career

[edit] Origins

Formed in the 1930's in Kinston, North Carolina, the group featured William Brown (lead tenor), Julius Davis (tenor), Louis "Panella" Davis (baritone) and Sam Bryant (bass), all former farmers. Later, two of them drove trucks, one was a carpenter and one a tobacco-factory hand. As good friends, they gradually drifted into the habit of singing together in the evenings after work.

They were discovered by J. B. Long who was also responsible for discovering Blind Boy Fuller. Originally known as the New Four Quartet they acquired their new name from their manager Willie Mitchell.

They became more widely known after performing at the concerts From Spirituals to Swing presented by John Hammond in Carnegie Hall on 23 December 1938 and 24 December 1939.

[edit] Musical influence

They pioneered a 'primitive' idiosyncratic style of acapella gospel singing: curiously wailing, syncopated spirituals, with a down-home quality, featuring with an interplay of voices that anticipated the sound of post war gospel quartets. Their material was mostly standard quartet fare like What Are They Are Doing In Heaven?, Traveling Shoes, Swing Low Sweet Chariot, etc.

[edit] References