Artists – S

LP from Tennessee gospel quartet The Sacred Way Quartet.

This was the first, and maybe only, LP by The Sacred Quartet. Credits on the LP include Sheila Thacker on organ and Jerry Judd on lead guitar. I do not know the names of the Sacred Quartet members.

1973 LP by Florida Christian band The Sammy Hall Singers, released on Christian Folk Records.

The Sammy Hall Singers were formed by singer/songwriter Sammy Hall (1945-2013) in the early 1970s. He was a member of a few rock bands in Florida prior to forming the Sammy Hall Singers, including The MorLoks and The Birdwatchers. In addition to recording at least ten LPs with The Sammy Hall singers, Hall also recorded many LPs as a solo artist and a few CDs under the name Horizon with his songs Monte and Brannon Hall.

This LP was produced by Joel E. Gentry and was recorded at DBM Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. The recording engineer for the session was Ben Hall.

Christian Folk was a private label that primarily released records by Sammy Hall, but has a few other releases by Jim Reesor and The Kincaid Singers.

Sammy Hall passed away in 2013 from cancer.

1972 LP by Florida Christian band The Sammy Hall Singers, released on Christian Folk Records.

The Sammy Hall Singers were formed by singer/songwriter Sammy Hall (1945-2013) in the early 1970s. He was a member of a few rock bands in Florida prior to forming the Sammy Hall Singers, including The Morloks and The Birdwatchers. In addition to recording at least ten LPs with The Sammy Hall singers, Hall also recorded many LPs as a solo artist and a few CDs under the name Horizon with his songs Monte and Brannon Hall.

This LP was produced by Joel E. Gentry and was recorded at DBM Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. The recording engineer for the session was Ben Hall.

Christian Folk was a private label that primarily released records by Sammy Hall, but has a few other releases by Jim Reesor and The Kincaid Singers.

Sammy Hall passed away in 2013 from cancer.

Flemish country music singer Bobbejann Schoepen's 1968 self-titled LP released on Dureco Records.

From Wikipedia:

"Bobbejaan Schoepen (a pseudonym of Modest Schoepen; 16 May 1925 – 17 May 2010) was a Flemish pioneer in Belgian pop music, vaudeville, and European country music. Schoepen was a versatile entertainer, entrepreneur, singer-songwriter, guitarist, comedian, actor, and professional whistler, as well as the founder and former director of the amusement park Bobbejaanland. His musical career flourished from 1948 until the first half of the 1970s. He sold more than five million copies from his repertoire of 482 songs, which extended from Twang, cabaret, instrumental film music, chansons, country, to folk and vocal music. Born in Boom, Antwerp, Flanders, Belgium, he worked his way up from a working-class environment to become one of the 200 richest people in Belgium."

1976 LP by progressive bluegrass band II Generation, released on Rebel Records.

II Generation was a bluegrass band active in the 1970s and led up by banjo player Eddie Adcock and his wife Martha Hearon Adcock. Other members of the band include Jeff Wisor on fiddle, Tommy Lee Brooks on guitar/piano, and Johnny Castle on bass/drums.

Eddie Adcock is a member of The Bluegrass Hall of Fame and has been active since the early 1960s, recording with Bill Monroe, Peter Rowan, The Country Gentlemen, Joe Maphis, and Don Reno. He has also recorded many albums over the years with his wife Martha.

Most of the songs on the LP were written and arranged by Martha and Eddie. The LP was recorded in early 1976 at Track Studios.

1960s LP featuring Mildred Seeley and her daughter Carolyn, released on Ohio-based Melody Records.

Mildred (1926-2010) was born in 1926 in East Bernstadt, Kentucky. The liner notes mention that Mildred's son, Gary, was killed in a car accident in 1964. I was able to dig up a newspaper article recounting the incident - the article mentions that Mildred was living in Hamilton, Ohio at the time and that Carolyn, also in the car, was 16 at the time of the incident. Reflecting on the accident, Mildred wrote "I thought surely this was the end for me and really wanted to die and go on to be with the ones I loved and the Lord". The liner notes imply that all of Mildred's songs were given to her by God, including the title track, "When All God's Children Get Home", "Battle For Freedom", and "I'm Going There".

As far as I can tell Mildred and Carolyn never released any other music. Carolyn (Kara'lynne) now lives in St. Petersburg and runs Positive Impact Ministries.

The LP was pressed by Rite Records in Cincinnati. Melody Records was a bluegrass and gospel label in the 1960s and 1970s based out of Hamilton, Ohio. According to Discogs the label was founded in 1964 and continued until at least 1979. Melody had a few sister labels - Sunrise was dedicated to country music and Pine Tree Records released many bluegrass LPs by artists such as Larry Sparks, Charlie Monroe, and The Kentucky Gentlemen.

Judging from the catalog number of this release (MLP-12) I would estimate that it's from 1967.

Description coming soon!

Tracklist
A Section 1 (Vocal)
B Section 2 (Instrumental)

Description coming soon!

Tracklist
A1 Labor Will Be O'er
A2 Remember The Blood
A3 I Enjoy The Trip
A4 He Can Say Peace (Be Still)
A5 God Will Provide
A6 Jordan
B1 Touch Me Again Lord
B2 Let's Restore The Family Altar
B3 I Call Him Lord
B4 God That Cannot Fail

1975 LP by Texas bluegrass band Silver Moon Bluegrass Band, recorded live at Steak and Ale Restaurant in Dallas, Texas, and released by Omega Audio.

Silver Moon Bluegrass Band consisted of Martin Massinger on bass/harmonica/vocals, John McDonald on guitar/vocals, Bobby Porter on banjo/guitar/vocals, and Ernie Taft on fiddle/vocals.

Based off of Discogs, Martin appeared to be a session musician in the Dallas area, playing bass on some country-gospel LPs. John McDonald played in another group called Young Country in the mid 1970s. Ernie Taft ended up playing in folk/Celtic band Tinker's Dam.

The recording was engineered by Paul A. Christensen and Darrel Henke.

Folk singer-songwriter Deborah Silverstein's 1987 LP Around The Next Bend, released on Flying Fish Records.

From Deborah Silverstein's website (www.debobiz.com):

"Deborah has been a fixture on the Boston area acoustic music scene since the mid-70’s when she was a founding member of the New Harmony Sisterhood Band. She went on to perform with the bluegrass band, Fire On The Mountain, before breaking onto the national scene with her solo album, “Around the Next Bend,” on the Flying Fish/Rounder Label. Following that, Deborah had an initial 9 year stint with the 4-woman a capella quartet, Taproot. In addition to her solo album, Deborah recorded two albums with Taproot, “If You Build It” and “Grand Design.” Both contain many of her original compositions. One of these, “Draglines,” about strip mining in hometown Western PA, has become an environmental anthem recorded by numerous other artists.

Deborah currently performs with her Band of Erics: Eric Wells contributing guitar and harmony vocals, Eric Levenson on acoustic bass, Art Schatz on fiddle, and (occasionaly) Eric Kilburn on mandolin and dobro.

In the spring of 2016, Deborah released Precious Time, a new album of all original compositions. Backed up by the Band of Erics along with numerous local Boston stand out studio musicians. Precious Time is available through CD Baby."

You can find more information about Deborah on her website, including song lyrics, photos, and any shows she may be performing. It looks like she was playing regularly up until the beginning of 2020.

1980 live LP from country-gospel band The Singing Cookes, released on Trail Records.

The Cooke Family is from Wise, Virginia. Hubert and Jeanette Cooke started recording in the 1960s, later joined by their sons as The Singing Cookes and The Cooke family. You can learn more about the family at their website, www.singingcookes.com

This LP was recorded in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The LP was engineered by Joe Neil, Larry Goode, Ray Dilfield, and Lou Perez. The LP was produced by Tilford Salyer.

Description coming soon!

1978 live album from country-gospel group The Duggers, released on Trail Records.

The Duggers were a family band from Johnson City, Tennessee that formed around 1973. I can find a handful of records that they released on various labels including Mayland Records, lasting Sound, and ECP.

Members of the large band include Queenie Dugger, Ruth Duggers, B.C. Dugger, David Dugger, Mark Dugger, Alfred Dugger, Denver Dugger, Larry Dugger, and Guy Hoilman.

This LP was recorded live on March 24, 1978 at Rich Acres Freewill Baptist Church in Johnson City, Tennessee. The LP was produved by Denver Dugger and was engineered by Rick Salyer.

1979 LP from country gospel group The Singing Hills, released on Skylite Records.

The Singing Hills were Charles Hill, Sue Hill, Paul Hill, and Evangeline Hill. The LP was produced by Joel Gentry and engineered by Tommy Strong. The LP was recorded at Young'un Sound in Nashville, Tennessee.

Skylite was a gospel label based in Tennessee, active between the 1960s and 1980s.

LP from country-gospel group The Singing Prouses, released by Superior Sound Studios Inc.

The Singing Prouses were Jim, Margaret, Jay, Gary, and Irvin. They released at least eight LPs, stretching back to at least 1971 and continuing into the early 1980s.

The LP was produced by Duane Allen and engineered by Bud Billings.

The Singing Rories were a family band out of Osceloa, Indiana. They were active in the 1970s and 1980s and primarily consisted of parents Dolton and Frances Rorie, their son Steve, and his wife Debra Grace Rorie.

They recorded at least seven albums during their career, with many songs on their LPs being written by Debra Rorie.

On this LP, Debra Rorie is credited with writing the tracks "Camp Meeting Days" and "He Changed My Filthy Rags (To Golden Robes Of White)". Steve Rorie
played rhythm/lead guitar and banjo on the LP. Additional musicians on the LP include Chuck Rich on dobro and steel guitar, Tim Short on drums, and Dennis Herrell on bass guitar.

The LP was record and pressed by Rite Record Productions our of Cincinnati, Ohio. Phil Burkhardt was the engineer, Dan Burton was the producer and remix engineer, and Wilbur Pennington was the co-producer.

The last activity I can find from the Singing Rories was a church performance on October 4th 1992. Frances Rorie passed away in 2011, but I believe all other members of the band are still alive.

1976 LP from Indiana country-gospel group The Singing Rories.

The Singing Rories were a family band out of Osceloa, Indiana. They were active in the 1970s and 1980s and primarily consisted of parents Dolton and Frances Rorie, their son Steve, and his wife Debra Grace Rorie.

They recorded at least seven albums during their career, with many songs on their LPs being written by Debra Rorie.

The LP was record and pressed by Rite Record Productions our of Cincinnati, Ohio. Phil Burkhardt was the engineer, Dan Burton was the remix engineer, and Wilbur Pennington was the co-producer. Chuck Rich played pedal steell, Time Short played drums, and Steve and Dalton Rorie handled the other instrumentation.

The last activity I can find from the Singing Rories was a church performance on October 4th 1992. Frances Rorie passed away in 2011, but I believe all other members of the band are still alive.

Betty Skates (1942-2023) was an Evangelist preacher and country-gospel musician from Springfield, Ohio. She recorded at least eight LPs during her music career, many of which are uploaded on my channel. In addition to her solo efforts, she recorded at least thee LPs with fellow evangelist Mary Myers (Braun).

Betty Skates (1942-2023) was an Evangelist preacher and country-gospel musician from Springfield, Ohio. She recorded at least eight LPs during her music career, many of which are uploaded on my channel. In addition to her solo efforts, she recorded at least three LPs with fellow evangelist Mary Myers (Braun).

Betty Skates (1942-2023) was an Evangelist preacher and country-gospel musician from Springfield, Ohio. She recorded at least eight LPs during her music career, many of which are uploaded on my channel. In addition to her solo efforts, she recorded at least thee LPs with fellow evangelist Mary Myers (Braun).

Betty Skates (1942-2023) was an Evangelist preacher and country-gospel musician from Springfield, Ohio. She recorded at least eight LPs during her music career, many of which are part of The Vinyl Archive. In addition to her solo efforts, she recorded at least thee LPs with fellow evangelist Mary Myers (Braun).

Betty Skates (1942-2023) was an Evangelist preacher and country-gospel musician from Springfield, Ohio. She recorded at least eight LPs during her music career, many of which are uploaded on my channel. In addition to her solo efforts, she recorded at least thee LPs with fellow evangelist Mary Myers (Braun).

Betty Skates (1942-2023) was an Evangelist preacher and country-gospel musician from Springfield, Ohio. She recorded at least eight LPs during her music career, many of which are uploaded on my channel. In addition to her solo efforts, she recorded at least thee LPs with fellow evangelist Mary Myers (Braun).

LP by singer J.P. Sloane, released on Tower Of London Records.

The LP was produced by Sir Geoffrey Snowden. Recording engineers were Tommy Blake in Sessex, England and Bob Wurster in Los Angeles. Vocal and orchestral arrangements were done by Robert Gale.

LP from Dallas, Texas rock band The Smile from their self-released, self-titled LP from 1983.

I can't track down much information about The Smile. The members of the band were Dirk Price, Jason Price, David Baker, Kyle Creel, and Danny Deckard. The LP was produced by Grammy-winning producer Phil York. According to Discogs Dirk Price may have played guitar on Marcie Free's 1993 album Long Way From Love, but beyond that I can't find out if any other members had music careers beyond this LP.

1966 LP by folk/blues street performer Oliver Smith released on Elektra Records.

Oliver Smith was a blind street singer who traveled the country performing starting in the 1920s. He was born in Atlanta, Georgia. Folkorist and record producer Peter Siegel found Smith performing in New York City and convinced him to record this LP that night. Apparently the entire LP was recorded in a two-hour session with Oliver performing seventeen songs, one take each. No editing or overdubs were performed by Siegel. Fourteen of those seventeen songs are included on this LP.

There was another album released of Oliver's recordings called Street Singer on Triagle Far Records in 2004. Apparently this album was recorded in Jacksonville, Florida by Ken Davidson in April and May of 1971.

Late 1970s LP from Tennessee bluegrass band The Smoky Mountain Travelers, released on Thunderhead Records.

From Discogs.com:

"The Smoky Mountain Travelers were a five-piece bluegrass band based in Gatlinburg, Tenn., where they played at the Riverside Motor Lodge from 1976 to 1998. Led by Jack Grooms (vocals and guitar, 1930–1998), the band released a number of studio and live albums. Longtime members included Fred McMahan (vocals and bass, 1933–2013), Carl Stump (vocals and mandolin, 1935–2021), and Randy Watson (banjo and guitar, b. 1963).

Although the Smoky Mountain Travelers’ roots date back to 1948, the band’s discography can be traced back to 1971’s Blue Grass Grows in the Smokies, which featured the lineup of Grooms, McMahan, Stump, Bill Chambers (banjo, 1935–1990), and Coy Finger (fiddle, 1925–2012). In 1975, fiddler Byron Doss replaced Finger, and the quintet would go on to release Live On Stage in Gatlinburg the following year.

In 1976, the four backing members split from Grooms and formed the New Bluegrass Season. Grooms reassembled the Smoky Mountain Travelers with Mynabelle Keller, banjo; Mike Grove, fiddle; Malcolm Link, bass; and Enos Johnson, mandolin. The group appeared on the album The New Bluegrass Sound before Barry McCarter and Tom Caldwell took the places of Keller and Johnson respectively.

It was this reshuffled Smoky Mountain Travelers lineup that saw the band’s biggest album success. The group released Smoky Mountain Smoke, Travelin’ Home, and Dreaming of a Little Cabin over the next three years, from which fourteen tracks were culled for the compilation album The Best of the Smoky Mountain Travelers, the band’s bestseller. Link, a former radio jingles singer for the copywriters who opened Thunderhead Sound Studios in Knoxville (where the Travelers recorded in the late 1970s), supplied commanding lead vocals that gave the band a new sound on such tracks as “Foggy Mountain Top” and “Fox On The Run.”

Lineup changes abounded over the next decade. Rob Curtis followed Link on bass. Caldwell, who had sung the title track on Dreaming of a Little Cabin, left in 1980 and Stump returned to play the mandolin. Watson replaced McCarter on the banjo beginning in 1982. When Grove left to perform in nearby Pigeon Forge, fiddling prodigy Dorothy Ferris joined the band out of high school.

This lineup recorded a handful of albums in the early 1980s, including You Are My Sunshine, Vacation in the Smokies, and Smoky Mt. Memories. By the release of Live in ’85, McMahan had returned to the band following stints with the New Bluegrass Season and the Gatlinburg Grass. He reoccupied his position on bass and Curtis moved to mandolin. The group released the cassette album Wildwood Flower before Bill Lynch replaced Curtis on 1992’s Smoky Mountain Pickin’.

Amanda Mathis would join Jimmy Sims for twin fiddle work on a later Smoky Mountain Travelers cassette. The band’s last five-piece lineup included Grooms, McMahan, Watson, Earl Ownby on mandolin, and Sims and a returning Grove sharing fiddling duties."

1984 LP from Tennessee country gospel group The Songmasters Quartet, released on Lasting Sound Studio.

The Songmasters Quartet formed in 1956, disbanded after some amount of time, and reunited in 1980 with original members Bob Lewis Sr. and Jim Lacy. The reformed group also includes Lena Hicks, Ivan Hal, J.C. Milhorn, Paul Kindle, and Jim Thomas.

Paul Kindle plays lead guitar, J.C. Milhorn plays piano, Eddie Trent plays steel guitar, and Jim Thomas plays bass guitar.

1983 LP by Georgia gospel group The Songsters, released on Granite City Records.

This LP was recorded at Granite City Studios in Mount Airy, North Carolina. Vocalists on the LP include group founder O.l. Osley, Frances Osley, Roger Bowen, Mark Phillips, Randy Osley, and Aubrey Sims. Musicians include Mark Ray on piano, Roger Fortner on rhythm guitar, Randy Osley on lead guitar, Steve Easter on steel guitar/banjo/dobro, Barry Fortson on drums, Aubrey Sims on bass guitar, Jimmy Edmonds on fiddle, and Jeff Easter on harmonica. The engineer on the LP was Steve "Rabbit" Easter.

As far as I can tell this is the only LP released by The Songsters, but I found evidence of the group dating back as early as 1972.

This LP consists of big country hits (Elvira, I Fall To Pieces, Last Date) as well as some gospel numbers and even a Christmas track. From the back cover of the LP jacket:

"This album has been produced by Ben McCloud at Varsity Studios for the purpose of expressing the different types of sound originating here in Music City, and in a small way try to define the answer to the often asked question, 'What Is The Nashville Sound?'

Governors from four different states have requested and received this album which has not been, nor will be, places on the regular commercial market and will be sold only by request. It was designed to fulfill the story of the sounds of Nashville that stars no one individual but to display the unity of all aspects of music...musicians, voices, vocal and engineer and each 'a star' in their own rights"

The players on the LP consist of Nashville session musicians Jim Baker, on steel, Joe Edwards on lead guitar, Jack Logan on rhythm guitar, Willie Rainsford on piano, Jimmy Stewart on drums, and Tommy Floyd on bass. Backing vocals are credited to The Harlan County Three.

Lead vocals on the non-instrumental tracks are provided by vocalists Lois Johnson, Sudie Callaway, Willie Rainsford, and Kirk Hansard.

I can't find any additional information about the Varsity Recording Company

LP from Michigan country rock band South Bound Express' 1979 LP Storms Never Last, released on Keith Records.

South Bound Express is a country rock band from Traverse City, Michigan. They were comprised of guitarist Ira Matthews, drummer David Drake, bassist Bruce Trelstad, and multi-instrumentalist Bob Wright. According to some newspaper listing I found from the early 1980s they were sometimes billed as Ira Matthews and The Southbound Express. As far as I can tell they only put out on LP and one single on the Keith Records label. The LP contains cover versions of popular country songs by stars such as Gary Stewart, Waylon Jennings, and Willie Nelson.

The LP was recorded in Traverse City and the sessions included engineers Danny DeVincent and Mike McCafferty.

Dominic Spera (1932-2021) was an American trumpeter.

Description coming soon!

Tracklist
A1 Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
A2 Are You Washed In The Blood?
A3 The Wayfaring Stranger
A4 Overshadowed
A5 Amazing Grace
A6 How Great Thou Art
B1 A Musical Tour Around The World
B2 What A Friends
B3 Oh, How I Love Jesus
B4 Love Lifted Me
B5 When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder
B6 When You Need Him He Is Always There

1965 LP by Tennessee gospel singing trio The Sunshine Girls, released on Songs of Faith records.

The Sunshine Girls were Margie Francis, Louise Clark, and Sue Rock and they were from the Bristol Virginia/Tennessee area.. As far as I can tell this is their only LP, with one other four-track release being released in 1962. At least, it appears to be the same group with the distinct accordion sound on the interesting track "There'll Be No Bomb Shelters In Heaven". Nine of the twelve tracks on this LP were written by Louise Clark.

This LP was recorded at Sam Phillips' studio in Memphis, and Phillips even engineered the session himself. The Sunshine Girls provided their own instrumental accompaniment on this LP, with Sue Rock on lead guitar, Louise Clark on rhythm guitar, and Margie Francis on accordion.

Louise Clark also performed in a few other gospel groups including The Bellwood Trio, The Chuck Wagon Gang, and The Gospel Lights. Sue Rock seems to have played on some other gospel LPs in the 1960s, including Lois Jane Neal's first solo LP in 1966.

Louise Clark passed away in 2020. I can't find any additional information about Margie Francis.

1968 LP from Georgia gospel group The Swanee River Boys, released on Skylite Records.

The Swanee River Boys have recordings dating back to the early 1950s on MGM. In 1968 the group consisted of Buford Abner, Merle Abner, Bill Nelson, and Bill Carver.

Description coming soon!

1971 LP from Ohio Christian-folk musician Erich Sylvester, released by North American Liturgy Resources.

As far as I can tell, this is the first of three LPs released by Erich Sylvester. This LP is a collection of original songs by Sylvester. According to the liner notes, the track sequencing is meant to represent a complete 'sung mass'.

Other players on the LP include David Dube on the Hammond B-3 organ and Erich Sylvester on vocal/guitar/bass. Recording and mixing was done by Gene Lawson at Shad O'Shea's Counterpart Creative Studio in Cincinnati, Ohio. Mikel Scheurer created the cover art for the LP, and the album was produced by Ray Bruno and Dan Onley.

The LP is dedicated to Sir John Fehring "who showed me Jacob's Ladder..."