Enlightened Free Thinking Nubian Kings And Queens

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, ...

       John T. ("Fess") Whatley was a young child living in Tuscaloosa, Alabama when he heard a passing circus street band. From that day on, he wanted to play the cornet. As a teenager, he entered Birmingham's Toggle Institute and joined the band.        Long before Toggle days, Whatley had been exploring a new style of music called Jazz and developing his own soft sound that became known as the "Fess Whatley" tone.        In 1917, at age 20, Whatley became an instructor at Industrial (now Baker) High School in the Smithfield neighborhood. Here he organized the city's first black brass band. At this time, his students nicknamed him "Fess," short for "professor."        Whatley was a strict disciplinarian. With exceptional skill, he inspired and trained his students. During the 1930s and 1940s, big band leaders in Northern cities such as Lionel Hampton and Duke Ellington needed a musician. They ...