Truth & Devotion [2024] - Heaven At Last [Holy Grail Records #HGR-002] (Full Album)

Truth & Devotion were a gospel/soul group from Anderson, IN, who released a solitary album, "Heaven At Last", on Tyscott Records in 1981 and one single from it on Champ Records. The single included a non-album track "To Know Him" along with "I'm So Happy" and sells consistently for around £100 with the original album fetching up to £200 plus.

The album has been reissued digitally and on vinyl in Jan this year by Holy Grail Records prompted by hop-hop producers sampling the title track, which is worth the price of the album on it's own. 

It's the Worcester, Massachusetts, based label's second release after reissuing Tomorrow's Wish "On My Mind" album on vinyl last year. 

The group was led by Dewayne Johnson (keys / vocals) and included Bobby Simonds (guitar & vocals), James L. Dixon (drums), Edgar M. "Mickey" Woodall, Bill Miller (vocals), John L. Hester (bass and narration on "Heaven At Last"), Garland L. Simmons (percussion) and Horace Brooks (guitar).

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Details

Rating:	8.3
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Gospel Soul
Format:	Album / Reissue
Media:	Digital / Vinyl
Label:	Holy Grail Records
Cat No:	HGR-002
Date:	15/01/2024
Price:	$15 / $25

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Soul Liberation [2023] - Who Are You (Remastered) [BBE] (Full Album)

Another album we posted over three weeks ago was a digital reissue of "Who Are You?" by Soul Liberation. It has been remastered and reissued again digitally today which coincides with the double vinyl, gatefold and CD release.

Soul Liberation was a Gospel group from Dallas, TX, led by Jimmy Miller and Teresa Miller. They were the brainchild of minister Tom Skinner, a former gang-leader turned evangelical preacher from NYC, who toured the states doing revival-style crusades. He began using local choirs and bands as his backup and then decided to recruit a dedicated band.

They released their first, self-titled, album  in 1974 and another "Who Are You" in 1982. The latter is hard to find on original vinyl and a decent copy will set you back between £200-£300 or more. It was reissued digitally in 2015 by BBE and licensed to Japanese label BBQ for CD reissue in Japan only. It was also unofficially reissued on vinyl in France by Rainbow in 2015.

Back in the day London's two step scene latched onto "Touch Me Again" which is reminiscent of The Controllers "My Secret Fantasy" (which didn't come until after long after this release) with shades of Keni Burke's "Rising' To The Top" so not surprising that it caught on. 

Other tracks of interest include "It Won't Go Away" and "Send Me". Only two of the songs received a single release, the title track "Who Are You" (which is also rather good) coupled with "Blessed" on gospel label Rainbow (which is probably why the Rainbow name was used for the French bootleg).

Only one single was released from their first album but Luv N' Haight reissued an album track "Who Is Your Friend" from it in 2010 which sounds quite advanced for a 1974 recording as it has an early 80s boogie funk sound.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Details

Rating:	8.5
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Gospel Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital / CD/ Vinyl
Label:	BBE
Cat No:	None
Date:	25/08/2023
Price:	£7.99 / £16.99 / £30.23

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Soul Liberation [2023] - Who Are You [BBE] (Full Album)

Soul Liberation was a Gospel group from Dallas, TX, led by Jimmy Miller and Teresa Miller. They were the brainchild of minister Tom Skinner, a former gang-leader turned evangelical preacher from NYC, who toured the states doing revival-style crusades. He began using local choirs and bands as his backup and then decided to recruit a dedicated band.

They released their first, self-titled, album  in 1974 and another "Who Are You" in 1982. The latter is hard to find on original vinyl and a decent copy will set you back between £200-£300 or more. It was reissued digitally in 2015 by BBE and licensed to Japanese label BBQ for CD reissue in Japan only. It was also unofficially reissued on vinyl in France by Rainbow in 2015.

Therefore, the first official vinyl reissue is due by BBE on 25 Aug '23 which will be presented as a double vinyl, gatefold album.

Back in the day London's two step scene latched onto "Touch Me Again" which is reminiscent of The Controllers "My Secret Fantasy" (which didn't come until after long after this release) with shades of Keni Burke's "Rising' To The Top" so not surprising that it caught on. 

Other tracks of interest include "It Won't Go Away" and "Send Me". Only two of the songs received a single release, the title track "Who Are You" (which is also rather good) coupled with "Blessed" on gospel label Rainbow (which is probably why the Rainbow name was used for the French bootleg).

Only one single was released from their first album but Luv N' Haight reissued an album track "Who Is Your Friend" from it in 2010 which sounds quite advanced for a 1974 recording as it has an early 80s boogie funk sound.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Details

Rating:	8.5
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Gospel Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital / CD/ Vinyl
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	08/06/2015 / 25/08/2023
Price:	£7.99 / £16.99 / £36.58

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Koryn Hawthorn [2023] - Cry [RCA Inspiration]

Christian/gospel singer Koryn Hawthorn from Abbeville, LA, was a finalist in the eighth season of The Voice in 2015 aged only 17. She finished in fourth place which resulted in her being signed by RCA Inspiration.

A debut album "Unstoppable" arrived in July 2018 for which she received Grammy nominations. She followed it with a second album "I Am" in 2020.

Her latest single "Cry", her first since Jan 2022, was released on 2 Jul '23.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

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Details

Rating:	8.2
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Gospel Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	RCA Inspiration
Cat No:	None
Date:	02/06/2023
Key/BPM:	2B/70
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Rudy Currence [2023] - Stained Glass Windows [MNRK Records] (Full Album)

Grammy and Dove winning gospel artist Rudy Currence released  his fourth album, "Stained Glass Windows" on Friday. 

It contains his two gospel chart #1 hits, "I Belong Here" (2020) and "No Greater Love" with Chrisette Michelle (2022). However, from a soul perspective, our chosen tracks are "Compliment", the title track "Stained Glass Window"  and "The Raven And The Crow" has a jazz feel.

Currence won his Grammy for his contribution to Lecrae's "Gravity" album in 2012.

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Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Gospel Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	MNRK Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	28/04/2023
Price:	£7.99

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Antione Hutchins / Nero Foster [2023 ] - Be Alright / He Reigns [Izipho Soul #ZP087]

Izipho Soul announce another pair of 7" vinyl releases. The first consists of two recent gospel songs released by IR Music Group. 

The A side being a 2021 single by Antione Hutchins (the nephew on Bishop Norman Hutchins who's single was released by the label in. Feb) "Be Alright" which also later featured on his 2022 album "Thirsty For You". It's a mellow gospel stepper with a tremendous gospel choir in the background.

The flip is a 2022 single "He Reigns" from Nero Foster and is more uptempo with the gospel choir again in evidence.

Available to pre-order now from Izipho Soul to be released on 11 May '23.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Gospel Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Izipho Soul
Cat No:	ZP087
Date:	11/05/2023
Key/BPM:	3B/70 / 12A/110
Price:	£13

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Gene Moore [2023] - Alright [Motown Gospel EGS]

Motown gospel artist Gene Moore released one of the singles of the year, "Beautiful" feat. Indie.Arie in Jan and it is now paired with a new funky gospel single "Alright", today. Both are from a forthcoming EP/album "Introspection" due on 14 Apr '23.

A son of a pastor, Moore was born just outside Houston, TX, but didn't start singing until he was 15. He graduated from Sam Houston State University with a degree in Radio and Television minoring in Advertising with the intention of pursuing a career in journalism. However, he landed a spot as a gospel announcer on KWWJ Gospel 1360 AM transitioning to Contemporary Christian Music at 89.3 KSBJ-FM and realised that music is what he really wanted to do.

He signed to Motown Gospel in 2013 but it took several years whilst Motown figured out what to do with him before his debut album "The Future" was released.

Moore is a highly respected background singer for artists such as Kirk Franklin and India.Arie. His critically acclaimed 2017 Motown Gospel debut album "The Future" earned him a Stellar Award nomination for New Artist Of The Year. The follow up "Tunnel Vision" arrived in 2019.

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Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Gospel Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Motown Gospel EGS
Cat No:	None
Date:	24/03/2023
Key/BPM:	3A/104
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Whitney Houston [2023] - He Can Use Me [Arista]

It is no secret that Whitney Houston was not entirely happy with the way she was managed and being directed to the mass pop market. Her first love was gospel and a posthumous gospel album  "I Go To The Rock" is slotted for release on 24 Mar '23. 

The album will include six previously unreleased tracks along with five songs taken from "The Preacher's Wife" OST (1996), one each from "The Bodyguard" OST (1992) and "Sparkle"  OST (2012) plus the title track from "I Look to You" (2009).

The first two singles are both previously unreleased. "Testimony" (which she recorded aged 17 in 1981) dropped on 9 Feb and is a traditional gospel 'stomp' and "He Can Use Me" was released on 24 Feb which has more 'soul appeal'.

The other four unreleased songs are "Bridge Over Troubled Water" (with CeCe Winans at VH1 Awards), "This Day" (VH1 Honors), "I Found a Wonderful Way", and "He/I Believe".

A documentary about Houston's love of gospel is also planned alongside the album which spans her first performance at a local church through to the release of the soundtrack for The Preacher's Wife album in 1996 that went on to become the best-selling collection of gospel music in history.

Houston released just seven solo studio albums between 1985 and 2009 (along with another seven OSTs) before her untimely and tragic death aged 48 in 2012.

Only last year Houston's life was depicted in the biopic "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" with a soundtrack to go with it.

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Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Gospel Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Arista
Cat No:	None
Date:	24/02/2023
Key/BPM:	8A/52
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

PJ Morton Feat. Susan Carol [2023] - Good Morning [Morton Records] NEW VIDEO

Released and posted on Friday but yesterday a new video for the new single from PJ Morton was posted. It features Susan Carol from L.A. who appeared on these pages in August last year with a single "Run Me My Money".

The single, "Good Morning", released on Friday (10 Feb '23), is his first for almost a year with his last being "Be Like Water (feat. Stevie Wonder & Nas)" in Mar 2022.

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Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist. 

Details

Rating:	8.2
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Gospel Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Morton Records / Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	10/02/2023
Key/BPM:	6A/83
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved