The Nashboro label was founded by Ernest L Young in June 1951. Having made his name in the Jukebox trade, Young set up a record store, Ernie’s Record Mart, in Nashville, with a small studio in the back of the store to record early tracks for the label. As well as selling the records, the storefront also served as a studio for local radio Station WLAC, where Dr. Morgan Babb of The Radio Four broadcast Gospel records, often, conveniently enough, from the Nashboro label.

With support from several other high-profile presenters the label became the go-too label for gospel releases. Thanks to Young’s mail-order service the label was able to spread the word far beyond it’s Tennessee origins, attracting both audience and artists from throughout the States. In the hands of first Young and then Shannon Williams, who took over after Young sold the label in 1966, Nashboro became one of the most respected and successful independent Gospel labels in the US. I Heard The Angels Singing – Electifying Black Gospel from the Nashboro Label (1951 – 1983) has been compiled for Tompkins Square, and shines a light onto the labels better known acts as well as some deeper cuts from the archives. Over four discs and 80 tracks, the compilation takes in the minimal early work, featuring close harmony quartet and quintet recordings, through hard singing, ecstatic testifying, sweet organ driven soul-sides all the way to the more modernised recordings of the late Seventies and early Eighties.

The set opens with the Silvertone Jubilee Singers, the first release in 1951. As the name suggests, the band specialised in the Jubilee style of Gospel, with close, tightly restrained harmonies. Meanwhile Skylarks had a much smoother, jazzy, almost barbershop, syncopated style, making the most of the ensembles deep bass vocal to drive the tracks forward. The compilation’s first disc covers the period between 1951-1957, and the stylistic diversity it contains is a testament to the breadth of talent Nashboro was able to capture. It also reveals the development of the “hard gospel” style that became increasingly prevalent in the post-war era: a more flamboyant approach to delivery coupled the inclusion of increased instrumentation driving tracks forward. The Fireside Singers’ “Get Your Soul Right” (1953), exemplifies this change: beginning with a gentle harmony line and gentle guitar shuffle, it slowly increases in pace, volume and energy, with roars, growls and whoops of a kind that would later become an integral part of secular R+B and Rock n’ Roll through the likes of Little Richard. The influence Gospel would have on secular music grows more apparent as the compilation progresses, through the magnificent soulful blues moan of Reverend Morgan Babb’s “Wonder How Long” (1957), and The Consolers rolling, jangling take on Gospel standard “This May Be The Last Time” (1957), which had already been a hit for The Staple Singers in 1955, and would later be adapted by The Rolling Stones. The rise of Rock n’ Roll is directly addressed on The Jewel Gospel Singers’ “Too Late” (1958) on disc 2, with a stark warning for those who have turned away from God to gambling and the dancehalls that the day of judgement is on the way, and that “When Jesus comes he’s going to destroy Rock n’ Roll”.

Despite this warning, as the years passed the Gospel sound of Nashboro became fuller and more complex, both feeding into secular culture and taking back from it, moving away from the basic a cappella groups that it started out with and incorporating funky R+B guitar riffs, rolling organs and new vocal techniques into its praise. One thing that remained constant thoughout however was the raw energy of the praise- The Sons of Faith’s organ-drenched “Since I’ve Been Born” (1962) crackles with an electricity, the soulful humming and raw gospel shouting simply magnificent, while the two offerings from the teenage Hightower Brothers, fronted by Robert “Little Sugar” Hightower are a highlight of the whole set: “Seat In The Kingdom” (1962), features breathless, Wilson Picket-esque shouting while the later driving run through “It’s Glory Glory” (1963) is also a triumph.

It is the ladies of Nashboro who provide the highlights of the third disc, which covers the period from 1964-1967, a period when the label took a turn towards a more soulful sound. Bonita Cantrell’s “Wait On The Lord” (1964), moves from a solo vocal into a number driven around an organ riff reminiscent of Ray Charles’ “What I’d Say”. Likewise, Edna Gallmon Cooke’s “At The Gate” (1966) rolls along on organ swells and harmonies, while Maggie Ingram and the Ingramettes’ “Time Is Winding Up” (1964) adds a touch of Soul to an R+B boogie. All these different sounds comes together on Sister Emma Tucker’s “You Should Have Been There” (1966), which builds around a sturdy R+B riff and flaring blues runs from the guitar and piano, accompanying Tucker’s soulful testifying.

The compilation’s final set covers the later years of Nashboro, from 1968 – 1983, the years after Ernest Young had sold his interest in the label. Tellingly this disc is considerably shorter than the others on the compilation at just 16 tracks. That isn’t to say there aren’t some fantastic cuts here however, Bevins Specials rampaging “Everybody Ought To Pray” (1969) is packed with pulsating bass lines, whoops and even throws in a knowing nod to Sam and Dave’s “Soul Man”, whilst Rev. Cleophus Robinson’s hand-clapping boogie “Wrapped Up, Tied Up, Tangled Up” (1970) is another highlight of the compilation. It is significant that just 8 tracks cover the final ten years of the label, with just The Morning Stars of Savannah’s “Jesus is My Keeper” (1973), a non too subtle rip on The Impressions’ “People Get Ready” representing an entire 6 year period for the label. As it moved into the Eighties, the label, and Gospel itself, continued to adopt to the changes in the music industry and popular culture, with both Salem Travelers’ “Moving On” (1981) and Willie Neal Johnson and The Gospel Keynotes (1983) offering a slick, polished pop product far removed from the labels origins.

Diverse, passionate, and powerful I Heard The Angels Singing- Electrifying Black Gospel from the Nashboro Label (1951-1983) provides a fascinating journey through the development of Gospel over three decades, providing a wealth of material in which to become immersed.