Mitchell's Christian Singers
Also known asNew Four Quartet
Mitchell's New Four Singers
OriginKinston, North Carolina, United States
GenresGospel
Years active1934–1940
Past membersLewis Herring
William Brown
Julius Davis
Louis David
Sam Bryant

Mitchell's Christian Singers were an American gospel music group who recorded prolifically between 1934 and 1940.

Musical career

Formed in the early 1930s in Kinston, North Carolina, the group initially featured William Brown (lead tenor), Julius Davis (tenor), Louis "Panella" David (baritone) and Lewis Herring (bass), all former farmers. Later, two of them drove trucks, one was a carpenter and one a tobacco-factory hand. Good friends, they gradually drifted into the habit of singing together in the evenings after work.

They were discovered by J. B. Long, a talent scout for the American Record Company who was also responsible for discovering Blind Boy Fuller. Originally known as the "New Four Quartet," they were managed by former singer Willie Mitchell and first recorded in August 1934 as "Mitchell's New Four Singers" under the supervision of producer William Calloway.[1] In 1935, Herring left and was replaced by Sam Bryant. When they recorded again in 1936, they did so under the name of "Mitchell's Christian Singers".[1] They recorded over 80 songs over six years, released on seven different labels owned by the American Record Company. They became more widely known after performing at the From Spirituals to Swing concert presented by John Hammond in Carnegie Hall on 23 December 1938. Their last recordings were in 1940, after which they occasionally performed at community functions in Kinston.[1]

They pioneered a 'primitive' idiosyncratic style of a cappella gospel singing: curiously wailing, syncopated spirituals, with a "down home" quality, featuring with an interplay of voices that anticipated the sound of post-war gospel quartets. Their material was mostly standard quartet fare like "What Are They Are Doing in Heaven?", "Traveling Shoes", "Swing Low Sweet Chariot", etc.

Discography

Label / Catalog # Date Title Matrix # Ref
Banner 334348/21/1934Here Am I15678ME13401
Perfect 3278/21/1934Here Am I15678=2OR8469
Melotone 134018/21/1934Here I Am15678BA33434
Banner 333908/21/1934I'm on My Way15680ME13357
Melotone 133578/21/1934I'm on My Way15680BA33390
Banner 331958/21/1934Mother Where Was You15681ME13162
Melotone 131628/21/1934Mother Where Was You15681CQ8457
Conqueror 84578/21/1934Mother, Where Was You?15681RO5381
Perfect 2978/21/1934Mother, Where Was You?15681=1OR8381
Conqueror 84978/21/1934On My Way15680-
Perfect 3198/21/1934On My Way15680=2OR8451
Melotone 5-12-678/21/1934Them Bones15676-
Banner 331968/21/1934Traveling Shoes15679ME13163
Melotone 131638/21/1934Traveling Shoes15679BA33196
Perfect 2988/21/1934Traveling Shoes15679=2OR8382
Perfect 3268/21/1934What Are They Doing in Heaven15677=1OR8468
Banner 334338/21/1934What Are They Doing in Heaven?15677=1ME13400
Conqueror 84318/21/1934What Are They Doing in Heaven?15677=1ME13400
Melotone 134008/21/1934What Are They Doing in Heaven?15677=1BA33433
Banner 332838/21/1934When a Man Feels Discouraged15675=2ME13250
Conqueror 84148/21/1934When a Man Feels Discouraged15675=2ME13250
Melotone 132508/21/1934When a Man Feels Discouraged15675=2BA33283
Perfect 3058/21/1934When a Man Feels Discouraged15675=2OR8409
Banner 333908/22/1934Angels Will Roll the Stone Away15686ME13357
Conqueror 84978/22/1934Angels Will Roll the Stone Away15686ME13357
Perfect 3198/22/1934Angels Will Roll the Stone Away15686=1OR8451
Melotone 133578/22/1934Angels Will Roll the Stones Away15686CQ8497
Conqueror 88738/22/1934Are You Working on the Building15688-
Perfect 2988/22/1934Are You Working on the Building15688=1OR8382
Banner 331968/22/1934Are You Working on the Building?15688ME13163
Melotone 131638/22/1934Are You Working on the Building?15688BA33196
Melotone 6-04-648/22/1934Gonna Shout All Over God's Heaven15684-
Banner 334348/22/1934Homey Homey15687ME13401
Perfect 3278/22/1934Homey Homey15687=2OR8469
Melotone 134018/22/1934Homey, Homey15687BA33434
Banner 334338/22/1934How About You15689=2ME13400
Perfect 3268/22/1934How About You15689=2OR8468
Vocalion 043948/22/1934How About You15689=2OR8468
Conqueror 84318/22/1934How About You?15689=2ME13400
Melotone 134008/22/1934How About You?15689=2CQ8431
Banner 332838/22/1934Lean Your Head Out the Window15683=1ME13250
Conqueror 84148/22/1934Lean Your Head Out the Window15683=1ME13250
Melotone 132508/22/1934Lean Your Head Out the Window15683CQ8414
Perfect 3058/22/1934Lean Your Head Out the Window15683=1OR8409
Conqueror 88738/22/1934Somewhere in Heaven15690ME51267
Melotone 5-12-678/22/1934Somewhere in Heaven15690CQ8873
Melotone 6-04-648/22/1934Swing Low Sweet Chariot15682-
Banner 331958/22/1934They Scandalized My Name15685ME13162
Conqueror 84578/22/1934They Scandalized My Name15685ME13162
Melotone 131628/22/1934They Scandalized My Name15685BA33195
Perfect 2978/22/1934They Scandalized My Name15685=1OR8381
Conqueror 88724/28/1936Count Out the Angels19154=1ME70572
Columbia 300734/28/1936Got My Ticket19132=1CO37696
Columbia 376964/28/1936Got My Ticket19132=130073
Melotone 7-03-624/28/1936Got My Ticket19132=1VO3099z
Conqueror 89274/28/1936Lord, I Can't Turn Back19151=1ME60962
Melotone 6-09-624/28/1936Lord, I Can't Turn Back19151CQ8927
Conqueror 89274/28/1936New Dry Bones19133=1ME60962
Melotone 6-09-624/28/1936New Dry Bones19133CQ8927
Melotone 7-01-714/28/1936Repair Me19148-
Columbia 300724/28/1936Standing by the Bedside19129=1CO37695
Melotone 6-12-534/28/1936Standing by the Bedside19129=1CQ8769
Conqueror 87694/28/1936Standing by the Riverside19129=1ME61253
Columbia 300724/28/1936What Kind of Shoes Do the Angels Wear19146=1CO37695
Columbia 376954/28/1936What Kind of Shoes Do the Angels Wear19146=130072
Conqueror 87694/28/1936What Kind of Shoes Do the Angels Wear19146=1ME61253
Melotone 6-12-534/28/1936What Kind of Shoes Do the Angels Wear19146=1CQ8769
Columbia 376944/28/1936What More Can Jesus Do19147=130071
Conqueror 94164/28/1936What More Can Jesus Do19147=1ME60758
Melotone 6-07-584/28/1936What More Can Jesus Do19147=1CQ9416
Conqueror 94164/28/1936Who Was John?19152ME60758
Melotone 6-12-544/28/1936You Rise Up19149=2-
Melotone 7-01-714/28/1936You See the Sign of Judgement19150-
Conqueror 88724/29/1936Come on Ezekial Let's Go 'Round the Wall19153=1ME70572
Melotone 7-05-724/29/1936Come on Ezekiel, Let's Go 'Round the Hall19153=1CQ8872
Melotone 7-05-724/29/1936Count Out the Angels19154=2CQ8872
Vocalion 030164/29/1936Count Out the Angels19154=2CQ8872
Melotone 6-12-544/29/1936Go Ye Prodigal Son19155-
Vocalion 030244/29/1936Lord, I Can't Turn Back19151ME60962
Columbia 300734/29/1936Out on the Ocean Sailing19156=1CO37696
Columbia 376964/29/1936Out on the Ocean Sailing19156=130073
Melotone 7-03-624/29/1936Out on the Ocean Sailing19156=1VO3099z
Vocalion 030744/29/1936What Kinda Shoes Do the Angels Wear?19146=1-
Columbia 300714/29/1936What More Can Jesus Do19147=1CO37694
Columbia 300714/29/1936Who Was John19152=1CO37694
Columbia 376944/29/1936Who Was John19152=130071
Melotone 6-07-584/29/1936Who Was John19152=1CQ9416
Vocalion 030154/29/1936Who Was John19152=1ME60758
Melotone 8-01-678/10/1937Hide Me Oh Lord21483VO3279z
Conqueror 89298/10/1937I Swore to the Lord21486=1-
Melotone 8-01-678/10/1937I Swore to the Lord21486VO3279z
Vocalion 032798/10/1937I Swore to the Lord21486ME80167
Vocalion 040558/10/1937I Want Somebody to Tell Me21482-
Columbia 300918/10/1937I'm Praying Humble21485=2CO37789
Columbia 377898/10/1937I'm Praying Humble21485=230091
Conqueror 89288/10/1937I'm Praying Humble21485=2ME71159
Melotone 7-11-598/10/1937I'm Praying Humble21485=2CQ8928
Columbia 300928/10/1937Jesus Christ of Nazareth21489=1CO37790
Columbia 377908/10/1937Jesus Christ of Nazareth21489=130092
Conqueror 89298/10/1937Jesus Christ of Nazareth21489=1ME71259
Conqueror 89458/10/1937Jesus Christ of Nazareth21489=1VO3235z
Melotone 7-12-598/10/1937Jesus Christ of Nazareth21489CQ8929
Columbia 300748/10/1937Walkin' With My Savior21488=2CO37697
Conqueror 90018/10/1937Walkin' With My Savior21488=2ME80355
Columbia 376978/10/1937Walkin' With My Saviour21488=2CO30074
Melotone 8-03-558/10/1937Walking With My Savior21488=2CQ9001
Vocalion 033188/10/1937Walking With My Savior21488=2-
Columbia 376978/10/1937We Want to Have a Talk With Jesus21487=230074
Conqueror 90018/10/1937We Want to Have a Talk With Jesus21487=2ME80355
Melotone 8-03-558/10/1937We Want to Have a Talk With Jesus21487=2CQ9001
Vocalion 040558/10/1937Yes My Lord I Done Done21490-
Vocalion 041768/10/1937You Got to Make a Change21484-
Columbia 300928/11/1937Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit21499=1CO37790
Columbia 377908/11/1937Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit21499=130092
Conqueror 89458/11/1937Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit21499=1VO3235z
Melotone 7-12-598/11/1937Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit21499-
Vocalion 032358/11/1937Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit21499CQ8945
Columbia 300918/11/1937I Don't Care Where You Bury My Body21501=2CO37789
Columbia 377898/11/1937I Don't Care Where You Bury My Body21501=230091
Conqueror 89288/11/1937I Don't Care Where You Bury My Body21501=2-
Melotone 7-11-598/11/1937I Don't Care Where You Bury My Body21501=2-
Vocalion 031808/11/1937I Don't Care Where You Bury My Body21502=2-
Conqueror 90298/11/1937I Got to Go to Judgement21502=1-
Melotone 8-04-578/11/1937I Got to Go to Judgement21502=1-
Conqueror 90808/11/1937My Lord I'm Trampin'21503-
Vocalion 041228/11/1937My Lord I'm Tramping21503=2-
Columbia 300758/11/1937My Lord, I'm Trampin'21503=2CO37698
Columbia 376988/11/1937My Lord, I'm Trampin'21503=230075
Conqueror 90298/11/1937My Mother Had to Kneel Down21498=1-
Melotone 8-04-578/11/1937My Mother Had to Kneel Down21498-
Vocalion 034098/11/1937My Mother Had to Kneel Down21498-
Columbia 300758/11/1937My Time Ain't Long21500=1CO37698
Columbia 376988/11/1937My Time Ain't Long21500=130075
Conqueror 90808/11/1937My Time Ain't Long21500-
Vocalion 041228/11/1937My Time Ain't Long21500=1-
Columbia 300748/11/1937We Want to Have a Talk With Jesus21487=2CO37697
Vocalion 049137/6/1938Jesus Hear Me Praying23193-
Columbia 300767/6/1938My Mother's Gone to Glory23192=1CO37699
Columbia 376997/6/1938My Mother's Gone to Glory23192=130076
Conqueror 90817/6/1938My Mother's Gone to Glory23192=1-
Vocalion 042737/6/1938My Mother's Gone to Glory23192-
Conqueror 91597/6/1938While He's Passing By23194-
Vocalion 044727/6/1938While He's Passing By23194-
Conqueror 91597/7/1938Brother Come on In23205=1-
Vocalion 044727/7/1938Brother Come on In23205=1-
Vocalion 048447/7/1938Drinkin' of the Holy Wine23200-
Columbia 300947/7/1938I Got a Letter From Jesus23197=1CO37792
Columbia 377927/7/1938I Got a Letter From Jesus23197=130094
Conqueror 94177/7/1938I Heard the Preachin' of the Elders23202=1-
Conqueror 93597/7/1938I Need to Be More Like Jesus23206-
Vocalion 050977/7/1938I Need to Be More Like Jesus23206CQ9359
Columbia 300937/7/1938Jesus Goin' to Make Up My Dying Bed23203=1CO37791
Vocalion 043577/7/1938Jesus Goin' to Make Up My Dying Bed23203-
Columbia 377917/7/1938Jesus Gonna' Make Up My Mind23203=130093
Columbia 376997/7/1938Judgement Is Comin'23204=130076
Columbia 300767/7/1938Judgement Is Coming23204=1CO37699
Conqueror 90817/7/1938Judgement Is Coming23204=1-
Columbia 300947/7/1938Lord Have Mercy23195=1CO37792
Vocalion 044187/7/1938Lord Have Mercy23195-
Columbia 377917/7/1938Saints Are Marching23196=130093
Columbia 300937/7/1938The Saints Are Marching23196=1CO37791
Conqueror 94177/7/1938Up on the Mountain23198=1-
Vocalion 045937/7/1938Up on the Mountain23198=1CQ9417
Conqueror 927412/27/1938Ain't Gonna Lay My Receiver Down23876=1-
Vocalion 0484412/27/1938Are You Living Humble23880-
Conqueror 936012/27/1938Are You Living Humble?23880-
Vocalion 0478312/27/1938I Ain't Gonna Lay My Receiver Down23876=1-
Conqueror 936012/27/1938I'm Gonna Do What My Lord Said23875-
Vocalion 0496412/27/1938I'm Gonna Do What My Lord Says23875-
Vocalion 0472012/27/1938My Poor Mother Died A-Shouting23879-
Conqueror 928512/27/1938My Poor Mother Dies A-Shouting23879=1-
Conqueror 928512/27/1938Rock My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham23878=1-
Conqueror 935912/27/1938Way Down in Egypt Land23881-
Vocalion 0509712/27/1938Way Down in Egyptland23881CQ9359
Conqueror 927412/27/1938Won't I Be Glad When I Get to Heaven23877=1-
Columbia 374838/6/1940Bridegroom's ComingWC321630050
Columbia 300468/6/1940Don't You Want That Stone?WC3232=ACO37479
Columbia 374798/6/1940Don't You Want That Stone?WC323230046
Okeh 060818/6/1940Don't You Want That Stone?WC3232Co37479
Columbia 300458/6/1940Famine in the LandWC3229=ACO37478
Columbia 300458/6/1940Go Where I Send TheeWC3231=ACO37478
Columbia 300488/6/1940I Want Jesus to Be AroundWC3215=ACO37481
Columbia 374818/6/1940I Want Jesus to Be AroundWC321530048
Okeh 059488/6/1940I Want Jesus to Be AroundWC3215-
Columbia 300478/6/1940Lead Me OnWC3218=ACO37480
Conqueror 97708/6/1940Lead Me OnC3218-
Okeh 059958/6/1940Lead Me OnWC3218CQ9770
Columbia 300488/6/1940Lead Me to That RockWC3214=ACO37481
Columbia 374818/6/1940Lead Me to That RockWC321430048
Okeh 059488/6/1940Lead Me to That RockWC3214-
Columbia 374808/6/1940Lead OnWC321830047
Columbia 300468/6/1940Take My HandWC3217=ACO37479
Columbia 374798/6/1940Take My HandWC321730046
Conqueror 97708/6/1940Take My HandC3217-
Okeh 060818/6/1940Take My HandWC3217-
Columbia 300508/6/1940The Bridegroom's ComingWC3216=ACO37483
Okeh 057868/6/1940The Bridegroom's ComingWC3216-
Columbia 300508/6/1940Walk With MeWC3230=ACO37483
Columbia 300498/7/1940Don't Drive Them AwayWC3227=ACO37482
Columbia 374828/7/1940Don't Drive Them AwayWC322730049
Okeh 058358/7/1940Don't Drive Them AwayWC3227-
Columbia 374788/7/1940Famine in the LandWC322930045
Conqueror 97698/7/1940Famine in the LandC3229-
Okeh 061178/7/1940Famine in the LandWC3229Co30045
Columbia 374788/7/1940Go Where I Send TheeWC323130045
Conqueror 97698/7/1940Go Where I Send TheeC3231-
Okeh 061178/7/1940Go Where I Send TheeWC3231Co37478
Columbia 300478/7/1940Jesus Is Everything to MeWC3228=ACO37480
Columbia 374808/7/1940Jesus Is Everything to MeWC322830047
Okeh 059958/7/1940Jesus Is Everything to MeWC3228-
Columbia 300498/7/1940Kneel Down and PrayWC3237=ACO37482
Columbia 374828/7/1940Kneel Down and PrayWC323730049
Okeh 058358/7/1940Kneel Down and PrayWC3237-
Columbia 374838/7/1940Walk With MeWC323030050

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Mitchell's Christian Singers Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic. Retrieved November 12, 2023.

Other sources

  • Time, January 2, 1939
  • Sleeve notes
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