http://www.jcchorus.com/Biography.htm
I came into contact with James Cleveland's Southern California's Community Choir through my old friend and writing partner, Douglas Gibbs. Douglas was enormously talented and we were labelmates on a small indie called Oak Records. We were recording a Gospel Rock opera called "Truth of Truths" back in the early seventies; Douglas was Moses, and I played Eve and the Virgin Mary. Jim Backus played God.
The opportunity to sing with the choir came through Douglas, and it will never be matched in my memory. It was just a rehearsal, but I was in heaven...so many voices...such unusual voicings. Billy Preston was a guest soloist that night. Douglas toured with Billy Preston, and had much of same charisma that both Billy and Reverend James possesed...Chills...
If I am not mistaken, Aretha recorded her "return to Gospel" album "Amazing Grace" with Reverend James and the Southern California Community Choir. This was the same time Ray Charles stopped managing Billy Peston, and a local band, the Master's Children became Earth Find, and Fire.
Many times,I think, performers get "caught up in the moment, and busy with the "business" ...wish there were some pictures of that evening.
Reverend James Cleveland was a former member of "The Caravans"....
I came into contact with James Cleveland's Southern California's Community Choir through my old friend and writing partner, Douglas Gibbs. Douglas was enormously talented and we were labelmates on a small indie called Oak Records. We were recording a Gospel Rock opera called "Truth of Truths" back in the early seventies; Douglas was Moses, and I played Eve and the Virgin Mary. Jim Backus played God.
The opportunity to sing with the choir came through Douglas, and it will never be matched in my memory. It was just a rehearsal, but I was in heaven...so many voices...such unusual voicings. Billy Preston was a guest soloist that night. Douglas toured with Billy Preston, and had much of same charisma that both Billy and Reverend James possesed...Chills...
If I am not mistaken, Aretha recorded her "return to Gospel" album "Amazing Grace" with Reverend James and the Southern California Community Choir. This was the same time Ray Charles stopped managing Billy Peston, and a local band, the Master's Children became Earth Find, and Fire.
Many times,I think, performers get "caught up in the moment, and busy with the "business" ...wish there were some pictures of that evening.
Reverend James Cleveland was a former member of "The Caravans"....
