Selah Jubilee Singers

The Selah Jubilee Singers were an American gospel vocal quartet, who appeared in public as a gospel group but who also had a successful recording career as a secular group in the 1930s & 1940s.

History

Around 1927,

By the late 1940s, the members were Ruth, Alden ("Allen") Bunn, Junius Parker, Melvin Coldten, and Jimmy Gorham. In 1949, Ruth and Bunn decided to form a secular vocal group, which became The Larks.^[3] The Larks recorded most successfully for Apollo Records, a New York City area record company, but split up in 1952.^[4]

The Selah Jubilee Singers became the first gospel group to play in the famed Apollo Theater, known for its vaudeville acts, after Therman Ruth convinced the owner, Frank Shiffman, to allow a gospel act. On December 15, 1955, the Selah Jubilee Singers debuted at the Apollo, the first gospel group to play at any commercial theater. Ruth ensured that a variety of music including gospel, jubilee, and spirituals was featured in order to broaden the appeal, though the emphasis was on rhythm as well as the emotional components of gospel.^[5]

Selective discography

References