Artist: Various
Title: Gospel Legends
Reviewer: Garfield White

Malaco Records does it again. Not just one, not just two but three discs filled with the word of God through song are given in this collection. This is an album stuffed with several legendary gospel acts that have been around for several years. Recorded live in Ridgeland, MS, the album has a traditional down home gospel sound from beginning to end of the last track. The Live recording is filled with emotion, and a spiritual power causing your normal 3-4 minute average track length only proving that the Holy Spirit was clearly in attendance during the recordings.

Joe Ligon rejoices on ‘Heavy Load’. The two words speak a message of relief knowing that the Lord can take away any burden we bare. Singer and Executive producer on the album Rev. Milton Bingham spreads his vocals all over this album. Bingham blesses us with lead vocals on six of gospels greatest hits. Songs like ‘We’ve Come This Far by Faith’, The Lord Is Blessing Me’, Everything Will Be Alright’ and ‘I Reallly Love The Lord’. On ‘Touch Me Lord Jesus’, Margaret Allison testifies of an unforgettable 1972. Sickness and pain was upon her but she knew all she had to is call on His name for peace of mind and strength to move on.

Classics like ‘Rough Side of the Mountain’, ‘Oh Happy Day’ will bring memories back and move something within the spirit of the listeners who grew up listening to these gospel songs. Gospel television host Bobby Jones does a good job on ‘God Has Smiled on Me’. He also gets together with Al Hobbs on ‘Said I wasn’t Gonna Tell Nobody’ and gets the crowd rocking in the name of Jesus. Donald McCoy covers ‘Lord Do It for Me’ and Rev. Lawrence, Paul Porter and Carolyn Taylor do a chilling version of ‘Peace Be Still’ by the great James Cleveland. Gospel Great Shirley Caesar gets the crowd involved as she sings ‘I Feel Like Praising Him’ while Evelyn Turrentine put her all into forcing you to do a one-two step o her rendition of ‘God did It’

Female artist Inez Andrews takes her time throwing in the high pitched praise to The Caravans classic ‘Mary Don’t You Weep’. ‘Fix It Jesus’ is just what Harvey Watkins Jr. is asking throughout the memorable version of the song. Dorothy Norwood drops a blessing with ‘Victory Is Mine and then let’s the younger artists know that they can’t when things get hard on New Street they can always find God back down on ‘Old School Blvd’. As rap & R&B is evident in the sound of gospel today. The Blues sound is clearly heard on a lot of these tracks. On ‘Don’t Let the Devil Ride’, Neal Roberson delivers the simple message, gets the crowd involved and then accompanies the band with a small harmonica solo.

On one of the tracks Rev. Bingham says “look at your neighbor and say I know I’ve been blessed.” I’m alone in the room but I’ll write and tell you all that I know I have been blessed from being able to experience this great album. The roots of this music being played on gospel radio today can be found right here on these discs. You can listen and hear Sunday morning worship, revival, Wednesday night service all rolled into one with these artists and songs. Take a listen and enjoy!