Contemporary gospel's preeminent group, the Mighty Clouds Of Joy carried the torch for the traditional quartet vocal style throughout an era dominated by solo acts and choirs; pioneering a distinctively funky sound that over time gained grudging acceptance even among purists, they pushed spiritual music in new and unexpected directions, even scoring a major disco hit entitled, "Mighty High". More importantly, they were the first group to add bass, drums, and keyboards to the standard quartet accompaniment of solo guitar, resulting in a sound that horrified traditionalists but appealed to younger listeners -- so much so, in fact, that the Mighty Clouds became the first gospel act ever to appear on television's Soul Train.
Joe Ligon formed the group in 1955 during his high school days in Los Angeles, CA. He spent his childhood in Alabama, then moved west to live with his uncle. He found several other young men from the South in his Watts neighborhood, including, Elmo and Ermant Franklin, Leon Polk and Richard Wallace.They were all familiar with the gospel singing of the southern church. The sixth member of the group, Johnny Martin, was a native Californian, and his cooler urban style blended well with Ligon’s dramatic flair, derived from the Southern Baptist shout.
Their first recording “Steal Away to Jesus”, was in 1960. Their debut album Family Circle came in 1961. The group started with the traditional gospel sound but began experimenting with contemporary R&B elements; utilizing guitars, organ and drums, and later a full orchestra. These amplifications provided rich accompaniment for Joe Ligon’s explorations into the stratosphere of emotion.
The Mighty Clouds of Joy put other innovations into their dramatic stage shows. They wore bright color-coordinated suits and sported pompadour haircuts. Their singing was extremely energetic, and their voices wide-ranging. The Clouds would whip the audience into a frenzy with moral tales, exhorting the people to faith. This drama secured for them a reputation as the country’s premier male gospel ensemble, although they were only in their twenties. They were one of the first gospel groups to choreograph their songs, and became known as the “Temptations of Gospel”.
The group managed an unusual crossover hit, the number one dance single “Ride the Mighty High.” Controversy among their gospel followers exploded when The Mighty Clouds of Joy appeared on television’s Soul Train to promote the record. According to Intersound Records, Joe Ligon found the response from both old and new fans bewildering: “We were the first gospel group to do that show. All the kids were dancing like mad, and, boy, the mail started pouring in. The diehard Gospel fans gave us flak like you wouldn’t believe. It wasn’t churchy enough for them. They said we’d sold out and gone funky.
However, the Clouds never really abandoned gospel. They recorded a very spiritual album, 1978's Live and Direct, which won Best Soul Gospel Performance in Grammy's traditional category, and repeated the triumph the next year, winning Best Traditional Soul Gospel Performance for Changing Times, in 1979.Joe Ligon formed the group in 1955 during his high school days in Los Angeles, CA. He spent his childhood in Alabama, then moved west to live with his uncle. He found several other young men from the South in his Watts neighborhood, including, Elmo and Ermant Franklin, Leon Polk and Richard Wallace.They were all familiar with the gospel singing of the southern church. The sixth member of the group, Johnny Martin, was a native Californian, and his cooler urban style blended well with Ligon’s dramatic flair, derived from the Southern Baptist shout.
Their first recording “Steal Away to Jesus”, was in 1960. Their debut album Family Circle came in 1961. The group started with the traditional gospel sound but began experimenting with contemporary R&B elements; utilizing guitars, organ and drums, and later a full orchestra. These amplifications provided rich accompaniment for Joe Ligon’s explorations into the stratosphere of emotion.
The Mighty Clouds of Joy put other innovations into their dramatic stage shows. They wore bright color-coordinated suits and sported pompadour haircuts. Their singing was extremely energetic, and their voices wide-ranging. The Clouds would whip the audience into a frenzy with moral tales, exhorting the people to faith. This drama secured for them a reputation as the country’s premier male gospel ensemble, although they were only in their twenties. They were one of the first gospel groups to choreograph their songs, and became known as the “Temptations of Gospel”.
The group managed an unusual crossover hit, the number one dance single “Ride the Mighty High.” Controversy among their gospel followers exploded when The Mighty Clouds of Joy appeared on television’s Soul Train to promote the record. According to Intersound Records, Joe Ligon found the response from both old and new fans bewildering: “We were the first gospel group to do that show. All the kids were dancing like mad, and, boy, the mail started pouring in. The diehard Gospel fans gave us flak like you wouldn’t believe. It wasn’t churchy enough for them. They said we’d sold out and gone funky.
While lineup changes plagued the Mighty Clouds throughout their career, they remained active into the new millennium; in addition to co-founders Ligon and Wallace, their latter-day incarnation also included Paul Beasley, Michael McCowin, Wilbert Williams, Johnny Valentine, Ron Staples, and guitarist Dwight Gordon. As the years advanced, Ligon took a more supportive singing role, with lead vocals performed by ex-Gospel Keynotes vocalist Beasley. Clouds Of Joy founder, Joe Ligon died in December 2016 at the age of 80.
HERE ARE A FEW SONGS FROM THIS ICONIC GOSPEL GROUP:https://www.youtube.com/watch?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
HERE ARE A FEW IMAGES OF THIS STILL ACTIVE GROUP:
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