Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet

Original Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet

Source: Early Gospel

Black gospel didn't arise to notable distinction in recording as a genre in and of itself until the thirties, due largely to the organizational skills of Thomas A. Dorsey. Unlike Dorsey whose background had been blues, the Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet (GGJQ) was more a barbershop quartet. Unassociated w Dorsey's black gospel movement among Protestant churches, at the avant-garde of which was Mahalia Jackson, the GGJQ later dropped Jubilee from its name to be called the Golden Gate Quartet (GGQ).

Put together in 1934 by a group of students at Booker T. Washington College in Norfolk, Virginia, at the time of its first recordings the GGJQ consisted of Willie Johnson (baritone), William Langford (1st tenor), Henry Owens (2nd tenor) and Orlandus Wilson (vocal bass and main arranger). Yet in operation eighty years later, the GGQ has been through a revolving door of personnel over the decades. First to leave had been Langford in 1939, he to form the Southern Sons. His replacement was Clyde Riddick who stuck with the ensemble into the nineties. Johnson was drafted and joined the Navy for a brief period in 1943. Returning to the group, he was the next to make his permanent exit in 1948 to form the Jubilaires and emigrate to France in 1959. He was replaced by Orville Brooks for about six years. Owens left in 1950 to become a preacher and solo musician. With the exception of the draft in 1944 to do a couple years in the Navy, Wilson was the glue of the group to his death in 1998.

The GGQ initially recorded numerous titles in August, 1937, toward the release of such as 'Bedside of a Neighbor' and 'Found a Wonderful Saviour' in December that year (Bluebird B-7278). They had also recorded such as 'Gabriel Blows His Horn'.

'Bedside of a Neighbor'   Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet

Recorded 4 August 1937 in Charlotte NC   Matrix BS-011933

Bluebird B-7278   Victor 20-3308   Montgomery Ward M-7441

Composition: Traditional

'Born Ten Thousand Years Ago'   Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet

Recorded 4 August 1937 in Charlotte NC   Matrix BS-011936

Bluebird B-7205   Montgomery Ward M-8548

Composition: Traditional

'Noah'   Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet

Recorded 15 Nov 1938 in NYC

Bluebird B-7962   Montgomery Ward M-7865

Composition: Traditional

In June of 1940 the GGQ joined Lead Belly (Huddie Ledbetter) on nine titles, six getting issued in 1941 on the 78 rpm album, ''The Midnight Special' and Other Southern Prison Songs' (Victor 27266-A).

'Pick a Bale of Cotton'   Golden Gate Quartet w Lead Belly

Recorded 15 June 1940 in NYC

GGQ: Willis Johnson / William Langford / Henry Owens / Arlandus Wilson

Composition: Traditional arranged by Lead Belly

See also the Leadbelly compilation 'Midnight Special' on Orbis BLU NC 030

'God Told Nicodemus'   Golden Gate Quartet

Recorded 18 April 1941 in NYC

Composition: Willie Johnson

'Stalin Wasn't Stallin''   Golden Gate Quartet   Okeh 6712   1943

Composition: Willie Johnson

The GGQ issued the 10" vinyl album, 'Golden Gate Spirituals', in 1947 (Columbia ‎C-145). They visited Europe for the first time in 1955, to relocate to Paris in 1959.

'Shadrack'   Golden Gate Quartet   From debut European  session in Paris   1955

Composition: Robert MacGimsey

See also the compilation 'Spirituals To Swing' on EMI 7915692

'Sixteen Tonnes'   Golden Gate Quartet   Telecast France   1964

Composition: Merle Travis

'Ave Maria'   Golden Gate Quartet   Telecast Yugoslavia   1967

GGQ: Caleb Ginyard Jr. / Clyde Wright / Clyde Riddick / Arlandus Wilson

'Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho'   Golden Gate Quartet   Telecast Yugoslavia   1967

GGQ: Caleb Ginyard Jr. / Clyde Wright / Clyde Riddick / Arlandus Wilson

Composition: Traditional

'You Better Run'   Golden Gate Quartet   Telecast Yugoslavia   1967

GGQ: Caleb Ginyard Jr. / Clyde Wright / Clyde Riddick / Arlandus Wilson

Composition: Traditional   First recording by the Heavenly Gospel Singers 1937

'God Save Music'   Golden Gate Quartet   Telecast   1975

Composition: Loulou Gaste

'Lord Pray for Me'   Golden Gate Quartet   Telecast   1975

As of this writing RYM tracks the GGQ through 27 albums to as late as '80 Years' in 2014, that coming with secular titles as well, such as Michael Jackson's 'Billie Jean'.

'Billie Jean'   Golden Gate Quartet

Composition: Michael Jackson   From the album '80 Years' 2014

The GGQ has been in operation for eighty years. No longer with original members, the current group as of this writing consists of Paul Brembly (baritone since 1971), Frank Davis (1st tenor since 1995), Timothy Riley (2nd tenor) and Thierry Francis (vocal bass).