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The style is called Southland gospel and is distinguished by blended four part harmonies over foot-stomping, hand slapping and sometimes a guitar "rapping" in the background. The chord progressions tend to be simple, but the vocals, which are the cornerstone of Southland style, flow in an intricate diversity that ranges in intensity from hallowed tones to majestic power. Another rich element of this style are the lyrics of the songs, usually derived from traditional spirituals dating back to the 1700 and 1800's. In many cases the traditional lyrics are kept intact, while additional lyrics are usually in the form of a Bible story.
In 1944, Charles Graves, who hailed from Waco,Texas, and Elbert Green, from Menifee, Arkansas, met while in the service at Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City, Louisiana. They joined with other servicemen from Missouri and Oklahoma to form a singing group called The Barksdale Melody Singers. After they were discharged, Graves and Green remained in Shreveport, where they decided to form another singing group which tapped into the talents of area vocalists. A neighbor of Greens, by the name of Willie Caston, expressed interest in teaming up with the pair. Caston later became responsible for much of the promotion of gospel music in Shreveport.And so it was, that in 1946, on Mandel Street in Shreveport, Louisiana, Charles Graves, Elbert Green, Roy Simms and Willie "Uncle Bill" Caston joined forces to become The Ever Ready Gospel Singers, a name which was coined by Caston.Their first public performance was at a church in DeBerry, Texas. Shortly after that they became the first black group to appear on KWKH radio, a superstation of sorts in that day, which also started the careers of other talents such as Hank Williams and Elvis Presley. Following their initial performances on radio, an unimaginable following developed. This also led to hectic touring schedules for the group, at first in the tri-state area and later across the country.Fortune Stephenson, a native of Caspiana, Louisiana, joined the group in 1948, after he met the others two years earlier while working with The Heaven Bound Four on KWKH. Frank Edwards, of Mansfield, Louisiana, came to the group at the age of 14 in 1951. Edwards recalls: "I was in high school when Willie Caston came to my mother and said to her, 'If you let him go with me and sing tenor, I will treat him like mine.' and he did."In 1954 Caston quit touring with the group, to become a DJ on KANV, the first black radio station in the Shreveport market. This proved advantageous for the remaining members because Caston was now able to cultivate contacts in the record business. This led to the signing of their first recording contract in 1954, with Abbott Records out of Hollywood, California. Their first recorded songs were, "I Claim Jesus (First)" and "When the Moon Goes Down (In The Valley Of Time)".
By 1956, touring had slowed down from cross-country junkets - "Sunday to Sunday" - to only the four state area: Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi. In 1957, they made their second recording on the Shaw label out of Houston, Texas. The sides included "Jesus, I Love To Call Your Name" and "One Of These Mornings".Despite the recordings and their continued performances on KWKH radio, by 1957, the group began to settle down and get day jobs. This did not stop them from recording. In 1959, Caston contacted Don Roby, owner of the blues label, Duke Records which featured an up and coming Bobby "Blue" Bland, and the gospel label, Peacock Records. Roby sent for the group with the express instructions to be ready to record. Much to his astonishment, "All Of My Sins", written by Charles Graves and "Hell Bring Peace," were completed in record time.In 1959, The Ever Ready Gospel Singers recorded for Sitting In Records out of New York City. The sides were actually recorded in a storefront on Milam Street in Shreveport, Louisiana. This label also featured Mahalia Jackson and The Dixieaires.Around 1961, Rev. Amos Terrell secured the group a slot on KSLA television, making their appearance there one of the first by a black group in that television market. In 1977, Willie Caston passed away after a lengthy illness. Later, in the mid-eighties, the television program which helped to reinforce the popularity of The Ever Ready Gospel Singers, Hallelujah Train, was canceled. Their frenetic touring eventually slowed down and now consists primarily of performances for retirement homes, churches throughout Louisiana, Arkansas and Texas and the occasional festival.The Ever Ready Gospel Singers have featured many performers throughout the years including Eddie Jackson, Robert Broussard, Curtis Kimble, Rev. Fred Smith, Nathaniel Bills, Robert Hardin, Rev. George Coleman, James Jones and Booker Miles, just to name a few. But, the core of the group has always remained the same. They are Charles Graves - 2nd tenor, Elbert Green - bass, Fortune Stephenson - baritone and Frank Edwards - 1st tenor. Though there is much collaboration on the music from each member of the group, Charles Graves is the music arranger and has written many of the songs. Even traditional songs such as "Jericho", "Go Down Moses", "Swing Low , Sweet Chariot" and "Old Time Religion" have been transformed by the imagery of his powerful lyrics.
Right before the project of their new CD, Union Of The World began, The Ever Ready Gospel Singers had the good fortune to begin working with Rev. Eddie Giles and included him on this recording. Giles was a recording artist in the late sixties and early seventies, and many of his recordings as Eddie Giles and The Jive Five were recently licensed in Great Britain, through Ace Records.Another bit of grace was being able to include Stax Records veteran engineer, Ron Capone, in this project. Capone engineered Wilson Picketts "Midnight Hour", Sam & Daves "Hold On, I'm Coming", and Otis Reddings "Dock of the Bay." Capone won a Grammy for his work on Isaac Hayes "Shaft".
Though the recording of Union Of The World is meant to be archival, it is certainly not an all inclusive study of these grand gentleman of gospel music. The original plan was to include bits of their history, in their own words, interspersed throughout the music. This idea was quickly scrapped (Thanks, Ron) for the present format which is - music first, history last. I have attempted, despite my limited abilities, to accurately portray the path which led The Ever Ready Gospel Singers to their present circumstances. If I have somehow left out or diminished certain pertinent facts or people in their history, I welcome future revisions.Though The Ever Ready Gospel Singers' performance schedule may have diminished, the power of their vocals and music has not. The tunes in Union Of The World were recorded in February of 1997, at Louisiana Light Studios in Shreveport. The incredible energy of these songs will leap out at you and become a part of you before you know it and you will begin tapping your foot and singing along. Whether you are a fan of gospel music or not, this is high art.Dan Garner, August, 1997
