This entry will conclude our look at the favorite live albums of Danny's Diary readers. As you'll recall, I've been asking for your submissions and now that the deadline has passed, I've gotten out the ole calculator and started number crunching. Before I share the names of the winning albums, I'm going to share with you, in no certain order, the listing of the all the album titles that I received.
Big & Live - Kingsmen
Chattanooga Live - Kingsmen
Live Naturally - Kingsmen
Better In Person - Kingsmen
Georgia Live - Kingsmen
Live In Dayton - Kingsmen
Live At The University Of Alabama - Kingsmen
Stand Up-Live At Opryland - Kingsmen
Singing In The Sun - Kingsmen
Travelin' Live - Cathedrals
Live In Atlanta - Cathedrals
Alive Deep In The Heart Of Texas - Cathedrals
Live In New York City - Brian Free & Assurance
20th Annivesary Live - Gold City
Live - Gold City (their very first live album)
Louisiana Live - Hemphills
Absolutely Positively Live - Perrys
Lift The Roof Off - Hinsons
From Out The West They Came - Hinsons
A Night To Remember - Talleys
Chapter X - Bishops
Come Fly With The McGruders - McGruders
Double Take - Gold City
A Night Of Inspiration - Inspirations
Very Best Of The Happy Goodmans-Live - Happy Goodmans
Carolina Live - Greenes
12th Anniversary - Inspirations
10th Anniversary - Gold City
10th Anniversary Live - Greenes
On Stage - Statesmen
In Concert - Blackwood Brothers
KingsGold 2 - Kingsmen/Gold City
Greatest Hits - Tony Gore
Live At Murray State - J.D. Sumner & The Stamps
Alive And Pickin' - Lewis Family
Campmeeting Live - Cathedrals
Live In Fayetteville - Down East Boys
Live At Brooklyn Tabernacle - Crabb Family
Thanks-Live - Nelons
Live At Fayetteville Community Church - Bishops
Live - Heaven Bound
Live From Carnegie Hall - Florida Boys
Here Come The Rattlesnakes - Wendy Bagwell & the Sunliters
Through The States - Statesmen
On Tour - Blackwood Brothers
On The Road - Hinsons
This Is How It Is-Live - Downings
Performance - Oak Ridge Boys
Live And Alive - Singing Americans
Live At The Forum - Perfect Heart
Back Home In Indiana - Gaither Vocal Band
Reuinon - Cathedrals
Live At First Baptist Atlanta - Greater Vision
Live In Tortola - Spencers'
Gone To Meeting - McKameys
Alabama Lightning - Wilburns
Live In Hominy Valley - Primitive Quartet
And now, the winners, starting with No. 5...
5. Travelin' Live - Cathedrals
This album was recorded at an Earl Carney concert at Reynolds Auditorium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In the quartet with Glen and George were Danny Funderburk, Mark Trammell and Roger Bennett. Notable songs include "Boundless Love" and "Blood Washed Band." Remember the old green car on the cover?
4. Singing In The Sun - Kingsmen
This was the Kingsmen's first or second recording (I think it was the first) for the newly-formed Horizon Records. Released around 1991, Jim Hammill was still the master stage general, directing Garry Shepherd, Parker Jonathan, Ray Dean Reese, Anthony Burger, Greg Fox and Tim Surrett. Eldridge Fox was there that night, too, and delivered a crowd-pleasing rendition of the classic, "I've Been Waiting." You'll probably also remember "The Cross Has Won Again" and "He's All I Need" from this recording - as well the debut of the Anthony Burger medley that featured his tributes to Ray Charles, Jerry Lee Lewis, Floyd Cramer and classical music.
3. Double Take - Gold City
Tim Riley, Mike LeFevre, Ivan Parker, Brian Free, Garry Jones (and others) were at their best for this LP recorded in Charleston, South Carolina. "When I Get Carried Away" was a huge hit from this album ... but do you also recall "Cool Drink Of Water" and "After I Bow"? The late Ron Williams (the publisher of the now-defunct "Christian Music News") wrote the opening song, "Come On In."
The cover photograph was taken in a recording studio and seated in the audience were various employees of the Benson Company (the quartet recorded for one of Benson's labels at the time).
2. Live In Atlanta - Cathedrals
Based on the notes that accompanied many readers' submissions, this was the album that seemed to truly endear the Cathedrals to the Southern Gospel audience. With that said, it might be possible to surmise that "Live In Atlanta" might have been when the tremendous dynasty of the Cathedrals truly began picking up steam.
But of course, who could deny that when it included Glen Payne's signature song, "We Shall See Jesus" - a song, by the way, that was never released as a radio single - and the line-up that many readers said was their favorite version of the Cathedrals: Talley, Trammell, Payne, Younce and Bennett?
Recorded at the Cobb County Civic Center in Marietta, Ga. (a surburb of Atlanta), this album was actually released twice. The first version did not include "Movin' Up To Gloryland" as there was a squabble between CBS/RiverSong Records and LeeRoy Abernathy, the song's writer. Fortunately, that matter was settled and a new pressing - with the song - was ordered and shipped.
(If you have both versions, don't let them out of your sight: Only a handful of the original pressing remain today.)
And finally...
1. Live Naturally - Kingsmen
Mt. Vernon, Ill., was the location for this live 2-album set released on the Heartwarming Records label. Ernie Phillips, Jim Hammill, Wayne Maynard, Ray Reese (and Foxy) handled the vocals while Anthony Burger, Sam Crowe, Greg Fox, Gary Dillard and - if I remember correctly - Jim McCauley made up the Kingsmen band.
It was vintage, hard-driving Kingsmen all the way as they performed "God's In The Business," "Beautiful Home," "Excuses," "I've Made A Covenant" and many more. There was also a live version of "Shake Hands With A Poor Boy" that had just been released on the group's previous recording.
When you opened the album's cover jacket, there were several photos taken from the concert and the one that I'll probably always remember the most was the one where Anthony Burger is looking up from behind the record racks during intermission. To his right, all you could see were fans clamoring for Kingsmen records.
Just so you'll note, albums No. 10 - No. 6 were:
10. From Out Of The West They Came - Hinsons
9. The Very Best Of The Happy Goodmans-Live! - Happy Goodmans
8. Live In Dayton - Kingsmen
7. Alive Deep In The Heart Of Texas - Cathedrals
6. Chattanooga Live - Kingsmen (this missed a tie with #5 by ONE vote)
Now, going back to the very beginning, our friends at enLighten (Channel 34 on XM Radio) are making plans to air your favorite live recordings. Dates and times will be announced in future, so be looking for that news.
