Episode 131: "Hard Times"

Let's switch gears away from the blues for a minute, and to a little good old timey gospel music. Lord knows that black folks have been singing gospel music for as long as we've been singing...so I present in this episode Elder Curry and his Congregation singing the song "Hard Times". This particular recording took place on December 16, 1930 with Elder Curry playing guitar, and Elder Charles Beck playing piano. Elder Curry and his Congregation belonged to the Church of God in Christ and recorded in (and I believe hailed from) Jackson, Mississippi. The Congregation were well known performers throughout the old tent revivals that traveled throughout the South. Another well known tune recorded by Elder Curry and his Congregation is "Memphis Flu" (you can click here to listen to it online). I have heard a lot about the old traveling church revival meetings that used to be commonplace in the South in the early 1900s. But it was seldom that any of these events were recorded or attempted to be preserved in any way. It is recordings like this one (and dramatic reenactments like episode 91) that allow us to get a sense of what these revival meeting must have been like. Maybe this episode will revive someone out there. Peace.

P.S. Aaaaw...yeah! I got two new iTunes reviews, and have to give a shout out to "smiley e" and "Curtis141" for leaving their comments and kind words. Your attention to this podcast is appreciated. I love it when I log on to iTunes and see that someone has showed this podcast some love with a 5-star comment! You can't beat that. Peace y'all.