Sacred Steel: Traditional Sacred African-American Steel Guitar Music In Florida
The idea that recordings exist of bluesy, intense gospel fueled by and starring the electric steel guitar might strike one as strange. But that very thing has transpired for decades in the Jewel and Keith Dominions of the Church of the Living God, and, as this mid-'90s recording demonstrates, the results are brilliant. Sonny Treadway displays the agile virtuosity ofChet Atkinson "At the Cross" and Glenn Lee's mournful, nimble, dulcet licks on "Call Him by His Name" recallB.B. Kingat his fiercest. However, such facile comparisons really do a disservice to this vital sound; none of this music really resembles anything else. Particular highlights of this satisfying set's 20 tracks are the 3 sublime contributions by Willie Eason. The elderly Eason may not display the liquid bravado of others here, but his songs possess unbounded soul. His original composition "Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Poor Man's Friend" is a wonderful example of both topical material and eulogy in gospel music. His songs are sung in a baritone, preach-singing style and the playing juxtaposes strummed chords with eerie, long, looping notes that seem to hang in the air forever. The section of live religious services by Treadway, Henry Nelson, and Aubrey Ghent are stomping fun at its most sanctified. Treadway's "This Is a Holy Church" even approaches the unbridled Holy Ghost stomp of street musicianRev. Louis Overstreet.--Mike McGonigal