The Commanders - Walk With Me (1972/2020) [Official Digital Download 24/192]

A sharp departure from the black traditional gospel and soul-infused message music of Gospel Truth’s catalog, the Commanders’ 1972 release “Walk With Me” promises a very different type of “Old-Time Religion.” This quintet of white voices raised their joyful noise from the rolling hills of Birmingham, Alabama, a state mired by the imagery of fire hoses, police attack dogs and race-related unrest, as the wounds of the Civil Rights Era only recently began the process of healing.

However, it would be in Neal Hemphill’s Sounds of Birmingham recording studio where soul man Frederick Knight would record 1972’s “I’ve Been Lonely for So Long,” scoring a hit record for Stax. And the optimism for collaboration between the two companies would continue with the Commanders, a group which included Neal’s brother, Bob Hemphill, on bass guitar and baritone vocals.

That wasn’t the only familiar link in the studio, either. The album’s sound largely revolves around Marvin Logan’s vocal solos and his wife Flay Logan’s consistency on piano. Beginning with the solemn devotion of songwriter Al Langdon’s “Walk With Me,” the album is an early testament to the ambitious scope of Gospel Truth, a label unafraid to cross cultural barriers to deliver quality product.

Tracklist:
1. Walk With Me (03:23)
2. I Got It (02:11)
3. The Lighthouse (03:51)
4. The Walls Came Tumbling Down (Joshua) (02:11)
5. Song For The Man (01:48)
6. I Stand Amazed (03:38)
7. He Will Never Let Me Down (01:39)
8. Those Beautiful Hands (03:15)
9. Your First Day In Heaven (01:21)
10. You're Home To Stay (02:45)
11. I Find No Fault In Him (03:32)


Thanks to the Original customer!