Reviewed by Tony May

Must admit that my first encounter with these veteran Nashville warblers was their recent come back album, which showed that the veterans still possess plenty of power and control. When I saw that Ace had come up trumps by issuing the group's early stuff I started saving pennies, only to find that the legendary Cummings' kindness meant I could possess it before the turn of the century. These recordings date from three sessions 1950-53, by which time the group had 20 years' experience. Their strength lay in the tight harmonies, while their novelty power and to an extent their drawing power was down (literally) to George McCurn's booming bass voice. Mind you, can't fault Sam McCray's floating lead vocal style either. By the way, were these old gospel singers of Scottish descent? Many of the 26 songs on the CD are trad gospel standards of the "Does Jesus Care?" and "His Eye Is On The Sparrow" ilk. Great performances though, from a superior outfit who as I said, though now all in their 60s and 70s are going strong for Warner Bros and in concert tours. The Fairfield Four aren't a group with a particularly unique style, but they're one of the best exponents of rich gospel harmony.

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.

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