BLUES BEFORE SUNRISE FOR 2/2/25      

SPOTLIGHT ON REV J.M. GATES

This week on BBS we turn the spotlight on the Rev J.M. Gates. During an interview with Johnny Parth, who through his Document Label, made 98% of the records found in the Prewar Blues Discography available on CD, was heard to say  There were some CDs which didn’t sell at all – but I knew this when I produced them. I knew nobody would buy nine volumes of Rev J.M. Gates just talking and preaching, you see – but I had to do that because it’s a part of the entire project…”  Well, you know who owns all nine volumes of the Rev Gates CDs? Yeah, me. Back in the Twentieth Century, every other Friday was payday (read: record shopping day) for me. I’d pick up and cash my paycheck and hit the trail to many select record stores – Jazz Record Mart, Rose’s Records, Sounds Good, Wax Trax, etc. One of my stops on the near northside was Jim O’Neal’s house, where you never knew what records might be for sale. One Friday afternoon I was browsing in his basement record shop when I stumbled across 10 beat-up 78s on the Okeh Label. “What’re these?” “Oh, somebody brought those by and I gave them a buck a piece. If you’re interested, I’ll let you have all of ‘em for $10. They’re Rev Gates – sermons of record. I bought the lot and that was my introduction to the Rev J.M. Gates. So, of course, I had to buy all nine CDs by Gates. Often, I see illustrated adverts for his records on the Okeh Label, so, we let the adverts be our guide. I’m only going to play about four or five but let’s play the sides we find promoted by the Okeh Label. It’s Rev Gates & his congregation – Deacon Leon Davis, with Sisters Norma and Jordan – all on Hour #3! Only on BBS!

HOUR #1

JUICEHEAD BABY

EDDIE CLEANHEAD VINSON

OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN

JIMMY RUSHING/BASIE

RUSTY DUSTY BLUES

JIMMY RUSHING/BASIE

LOSE THE BLACKOUT BLUES

JIMMY RUSHING/BASIE

FOR THE GOOD OF YOUR COUNTRY

JIMMY RUSHING/BASIE

MY WANDERING MAN

HELEN HUMES/BASIE

IT’S SQUARE BUT IT ROCKS

HELEN HUMES/BASIE

DEEP IN THE BLUES

HELEN HUMES/BASIE

BAY U BAH

COLEMAN HAWKINS

THERE’S A SMALL HOTEL

COLEMAN HAWKINS

ANGEL FACE

COLEMAN HAWKINS

I’LL TAKE THE SOUTH

CLEO BROWN

YOU’RE A HEAVENLY THING

CLEO BROWN

THE STUFF IS HERE

CLEO BROWN

THE PLEASURE’S ALL MINE

FOUR VAGABONDS

SWANEE RIVER

ALBERT AMMONS

HIGH HEELS

BILL DOGGETT

HOUR #2

IT SHOULD’VE BEEN ME

RAY CHARLES

WHEN YOU LEFT ME BABY

CECIL GANT

PEACE & LOVE

CECIL GANT

CONVERTIBLE CADILLAC

TRENIERS

HEY JACOBIA

TRENIERS

JUNGLE HOP

DON & DEWEY

THE SATCHEL

PIGMEAT MARKHAM

GET TOUGH

JIMMY McCRACKLIN

IN THE MOOD FOR YOU

ANNIE LAURIE

LOVE IS A MISTAKE

GREAT GATES

HOMETOWN BOY

GREAT GATES

JAZZIN’ BABY BLUES

ETHEL WATERS

KIND LOVIN’ BLUES

ETHEL WATERS

GEORGIA BLUES

ETHEL WATERS

THAT DA-DA STRAIN

ETHEL WATERS

JUST HOLD ON

EDNA GALLMON COOKE

YOUR TIME IS OUT

REV A.W. NIX

WILL THE LORD BE WITH ME

DIXIE HUMMINGBIRDS

HOUR #3

STATESBORO BLUES

BLIND WILLIE McTELL

MAMA TAIN’T LONG BEFORE DAY

BLIND WILLIE McTELL

RAZOR BALL

BLIND WILLIE McTELL

BROKE DOWN ENGINE

BLIND WILLIE McTELL

ELEVEN LIGHT CITY

BIG BOY KNOX

FANNIE MAE BLUES

PINETOP BURKES

SUNRISE BLUES

SON BECKY

DEAD CAT ON THE LINE

REV J.M. GATES

GOD’S WRATH IN THE ST LOUIS CYCLONE

REV J.M. GATES

SATURDAY NIGHT BLACK MARIAH RIDERS

REV J.M. GATES

MANNISH WOMEN

REV J.M. GATES

YOU MOTHER’S HEARTBREAKERS

REV J.M. GATES

I’M GONNA LOSE MYSELF DOWN IN LOUISVILLE

ALBERTA HUNTER

BIG FOUR BLUES

LEROY CARR

MEAN OLD WORLD TO LIVE IN

BILL GAITHER

GREAT CAMP MEETING IN THE etc

HALL JOHNSON CHOIR

HOUR #4

THE MOON IS RISING

ROBERT NIGHTHAWK

LOVE ME DARLING

HOWLING WOLF

I WALKED FROM DALLAS

HOWLING WOLF

DO THE DO

HOWLING WOLF

I AIN’T SUPERSTITIOUS

HOWLING WOLF

HOWLING BLUES

HOWLING WOLF

BABY TELL ME YOUR NAME

SAMMY LEWIS/WILLIE JOHNSON

GONNA LEAVE YOU BABY

SAMMY LEWIS/WILLIE JOHNSON

SO LONG BABY GOOD-BYE

SAMMY LEWIS/WILLIE JOHNSON

FEEL SO WORRIED

SAMMY LEWIS/WILLIE JOHNSON

IF YOU DON’T WANT ME

WOODROW ADAMS

THE LAST TIME

WOODROW ADAMS

THE HUCKLEBUCK

EARL HOOKER

MEXICALLY HIP-SHAKE

EARL HOOKER

THE DRIVE

EARL HOOKER

RAZOR BACK

EARL HOOKER

BLUE GUITAR

EARL HOOKER

MOVE ON DOWN THE LINE

EARL HOOKER

GUITAR RAG

EARL HOOKER

RED RIVER VARIATIONS

EARL HOOKER

HOUR #5

DON’T ASK ME WHY

DELTA RHYTHM BOYS

BLUES AT TWILIGHT

MILT JACKSON

I’M TRAVELING LIGHT

AL HIBBLER

MY HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER

TONI HARPER

MISTY

LOU DONALDSON

ALABAMY BOUND

RAY CHARLES

MOONLIGHT IN VERMONT

RAY CHARLES

DRIVING SIDEWAYS

FREDDY KING

BOSSA NOVA WATUSI TWIST

FREDDY KING

YOU NEVER MISS THE WATER

BILLY THE KID EMERSON

DON’T BE CARELESS

BILLY THE KID EMERSON

COOL KIND WOMAN

BIG THREE TRIO

LIFE COULD BE SO MISERABLE

WILLIE MABON

LATE LATE IN THE EVENING

LAZY LESTER

ALBATROSS

FLEETWOOD MAC

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