Joe Agee Featuring GGOB (God's Good 'Ole Boys)

Joe Agee

Featuring GGOB

(God's Good 'Ole Boys)

Glory, Glory Hallelujah!

When you first listen to this month’s featured CD you will probably pause and say, “I know that voice,” “the voice of the lead singer sounds so familiar.” Then a look at the name on the CD will immediately cause you to shout “Oh yeah, that’s Joe, Joe Agee.” That’s right, this month we spotlight Joe Agee Featuring GGOB (God’s Good ‘Ole Boys) of Detroit, Michigan. The title of the project is “Glory, Glory Hallelujah!”

Most will know Joe from his touring with his Stellar Awards winning wife’s group, Evelyn Turrentine-Agee and The Warriors. What you may not know is that Joe is an exceptional singer, songwriter and arranger. You may also not be aware that this is not Joe’s first project. For many years Joe and the members of GGOB were know as The Gospel Interns. The Gospel Interns was a well know group in Detroit and around the state of Michigan. They in fact recorded at least one album.

The members of the group are Joe Agee, Willie Joe Anthony, Charles Cargor, and James (Boo) Charleston. They have been singing God’s Word together for more than 20 years. Along with continuity in the group’s membership, the project is produced by Evelyn Turrentine-Agee. Therefore, it is no surprise that the featured CD is one of the best traditional gospel quartet projects to be recorded in 2004.

This project begins with a unique arrangement to “Down Through The Years.” Joe’s sons, Curt, Leo and Harold join the GGOB on this track. Slight touches of “God Did It “ can be heard throughout the song. We Need You and Just A Little Talk With Jesus are the next two tracks. Then you are treated to It Is No Secret. Many groups have recorded this song, but none has recorded it the way it is done by GGOB. This song is sure to be in heavy radio rotation. The background singers will remind you of the Violinaires or the Gospel Keynotes during the sixties and early seventies. This is a great traditional gospel quartet song.

The title track is next. Glory, Glory Hallelujah is another one of those traditional songs that have been given new life by the GGOB. Put your shouting shoes on before you listen to this track. You will find yourself tapping your feet and clapping your hands to this one. Joe even gives a little ‘ole time gospel rap in this song. The musicians provide just enough instrumentation to not take away from the strong message of the song.

I Can’t Stop Loving God and Search Me Lord are the next two tracks. I Can’t Stop Loving God is a slow ballad with another powerful message. Search Me Lord is upbeat with an arrangement that definitely highlights the vocals of not only the lead singer, Joe Agee, but the versatility of the other members of the GGOB as they sing background.

Home is a song that the GGOB decided did not need any music. And they were right. Except for a little drum ‘on the down beat,’ you are left to appreciate the this great good ‘ole foot stomping (remember that old wooden church floor?) song. Many male choruses around the country will be singing this song. This is one of those songs that may not make the radio play list, but does, by itself, justify your purchasing the CD.

If there were a weakness to the project it would be in the song I Thank You Lord. The weakness is not in the words to the song. Afterall, it has a great message. The weakness is not in the vocals. The weakness is in the arrangement; in that, it has basically the same arrangement as Just A Little Talk With Jesus.

Jesus Is Enough is done with an arrangement similar to Home. However, it is certainly an original arrangement. Like Search Me Lord, the versatility of the voices of all of the members of the GGOB is highlighted in this song.

The project closes with Precious Lord. This song will also take you back to the sixties and seventies. This song could easily be considered a tribute to all of the legendary groups of the past. You will hear a little Soul Stirrers, some Swan Silvertones, a touch of the Swanee Quintet, a dab of The Jackson Southernaires, and even a reminder of the Harmonizing Four. This is the best overall song on the project. It is a very slow song. It is one that you will play over and over. For the connoisseur of “old school” gospel quartet music, there will be an immediate attachment to this song.

If there is one phrase to sum up this project it would be "good ‘ole fashion gospel quartet singing." The project contains very few songs that you would consider 'new.' Most of the songs are with the public domain. However, each of the arrangements to these traditional songs is new.

On the whole this new CD by GGOB is a must for your collection. We give Joe Agee Featuring GGOB (God’s Good ‘Ole Boys) “Glory, Glory Hallelujah!” a very solid 8 out of 10. This project can be ordered directly from Unity Enterprise or SOR Records at (313) 838-6489. You can also purchase the project online by clicking “Glory, Glory Hallelujah!” Click on the title to hear “It Is No Secret.”

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