John's Gospel Quartet, recorded for Starday in 1966, gathers the Stanley Brothers and the Clinch Mountain Boys for a set of a cappella and near-a cappella sacred pieces that draw from the deep well of shape-note and camp-meeting singing. The album's approach is austerely beautiful: voices moving in close, archaic harmonies with minimal instrumental adornment, connecting directly to the pre-commercial religious singing of the Appalachian mountains. "Uncloudy Day" and "Hold to God's Unchanging Hand" are handled with a reverence that is neither performative nor sentimental. Released as Carter Stanley's health was declining, the album has the gravity of a document made under pressure of mortality.
Tracklist
- 1 The Old Crossroads alt version 3:25
- 2 Drifting Too Far From the Shore alt version 3:11
- 3 Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand Source Recording 2:05
- 4 Just a Little Talk With Jesus alt version
- 5 Precious Memories alt version 2:49
- 6 I'll fly away / In the sweet bye & bye 1:50
- 7 Uncloudy Day Source Recording 1:59
- 8 Over in the Glory Land alt version 2:21
- 9 Lonely tombs 1:43
- 10 Amazing Grace alt version 2:57
- 11 I Am a Pilgrim alt version 2:17
- 12 Beautiful Life alt version 2:43
- 13 Someone's last day 2:35
- 14 I Saw the Light alt version
- 15 Lord I’m Coming Home alt version
- 16 Paul and Silas alt version