This is the archive page for Gloryland Gospel's Quartet Video Reviews.  Below you will find a listing of videos that have been reviewed. Each video is judged on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest. The videos reviewed represent a portion of the nation's great quartet recordings. Feel free to e-mail if you have any questions about any of the releases listed below. Click on the RED title below to read the review.

The idea of reviewing gospel quartet videos seemed to be a great one at the time it was conceived.  However, developing the criteria for review and selecting the first video to review was very difficult.  There are so many great gospel quartet videos.  When the Williams Brothers did the concept video for “I'm Just A Nobody,” many thought that was the first gospel quartet video.  In fact there had been many live recordings well before 1986.  However, those recordings were not called “videos.”  The tapings were sometime crude and other times were at best just good enough to see the artist and hear the songs.  No matter what condition, using the senses of seeing and hearing makes for a much more enjoyable and meaningful experience than just hearing the music. 

The early tapings (or ‘motion pictures’ as they were called back then) of Mahalia Jackson, the Violinaires, The Mighty Clouds of Joy and many others are items to be treasured.  It is great to experience history in motion.  At some point in time the videos of today will be considered history in motion. 

With today’s technology many gospel quartet artists are now “putting out” videos.  In recent years, there have been some really good gospel quartet videos that have made it to the marketplace.  Just to name a few – Cooling Waters, Nobody But You, Still Here, Hold On, The Country Boy Goes Home I and II, The Concert, The Fantastic Violinaires, Wherever I Go, Good Time, Standing On The Rock, Live In Charleston, Right on Time, Memphis I and II.  So, it was not an easy task to decide which video would be the first to be reviewed.  After much discussion and having reviewed many videos over and over, Gloryland Gospel’s editorial committee finally decided on The Canton Spirituals – “New Life:  Live In Harvey, Illinois” for the first review. 

In addition to a video review each month, we shall also list the top 5 gospel quartet videos for the month based on sales and the frequency in which they (or portions of them) are shown on television – primarily the cable networks that air gospel videos.   

Beginning in 2006, a small clip from each video can be viewed of some of the videos by clicking on the picture provided within the review.  The quality of the clip IS NOT indicative of the quality of the video.  Often, resolution in the picture quality is lost during placement of the clip on a website.  In addition, the type of computer you are using to access the internet will drastically impact the quality of the clip. 

2009

2008 VIDEOS YEAR END OVERVIEW

1. Willie Neal Johnson & The Gospel Keynotes "He Brought Me Joy" (January 2009)

2. Living Legends of Gospel  "The Quartets Volume 1" (February 2009)

3. The Canton Spirituals "Live In Memphis" (March 2009)

4. Tommy Ellison & The Singing Stars "Live" (April 2009)

5.  Gospel Parade of Stars "Volume 1" (May 2009)

6.  Gospel Parade of Stars "Volume 2" (June 2009)

7.  Rev. Andrew Cheairs & The Songbirds "I've Been There" (July 2009)

8.  Lee Williams & The Spiritual QC's "Fall On Me" (August 2009)

9.  The Lighthouse Singers "Trusting In Jesus. . . Live" (September 2009)

10. Melvin Williams "The Best of Melvin Williams" (October 2009)

11. Apostle J. L. Cash & Praise "I Got A Feelin'" (November 2009)

12. The Blind Boys Of Alabama "Go Tell It On The Mountain: Live In New York" (December 2009)