Reviewed by Tony Cummings

I have been longing for a volume like this for years. With recorded gospel music having been available for over 100 years it's pretty amazing that it's taken until now for someone to assemble basic biographic information on the major figures of gospel. On the whole, black journalist Bil Carpenter has done a reasonable job and all the major figures of the genre are here from Blind Willie Johnson and Mahalia Jackson through to Kirk Franklin and Yolanda Adams. There are plenty of omissions, though - there is very little on pre-war gospel artists and relatively little on the new wave of gospel hip-hop acts. Also there are one or two strange inclusions. For instance, a piece on the multinational Vinesong, whose middle of the road worship music is a long way from most people's idea of gospel. But in the same way that one forgives author Mark Allan Powell his omissions and mistakes in Encyclopedia Of Contemporary Christian Music one can forgive Bil Carpenter's occasional slip-ups. One or two of the entries - unfortunately highlighted on the back cover blurb - are a little lurid: "How a sex scandal almost silenced the Boys Choir of Harlem; and how Gloria Spencer - billed as the world's largest gospel singer at 615 lbs - suffered a circus-like exploitation." But at least Mr Carpenter is prepared to present a warts-and-all picture of African American gospel. Overall then, I think all serious devotees of the genre will be drawn to this handsomely produced 500+ page tome.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

Interested in reviewing music? Find out more here.