Gospel Favorites (1980)

Jumping way back to 1980, we have a gospel album produced by Willie and his sister Bobbie. Bobbie and Willie grew up playing in church, so it is interesting to hear them playing together by themselves, as they must have done as kids. This is the only album I know of where they do this, but it would be neat for him to record another acoustic album with just the two of them. Maybe for his 78th birthday when he is 78 and I’m guessing she would be 80?

I’m looking forward to comparing some of these tunes to versions on Yesterday’s Wine and other early albums. I still have a hard time believing Willie when he sings gospel. I think Johnny Cash really means it when he sings gospel, but I think Willie just lights up a J after the session (and I don’t mean Jesus). And yet, he is as comfortable with this genre as he is with Jazz, folk, pop, rock, reggae, soul, R & B, blues, and country. I haven’t heard a Willie bluegrass album yet, but he needs to do one.

I guess it’s Buddhist gospel music, if that’s possible, which it isn’t, but no one told Willie, so he did it anyway.