Customer Reviews

Best of Dorothy Love Coates

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These are songs that can uplift you and give you the spirit to carry on through the day! With Dorothy's powerful lead vocals, Mildred Miller's growling contralto and Willie Mae Newberry's piercing suprano, each and every song on this cd is a winner. From the rocking "Get Away Jordan", to the joyful "You Better Run" to the bluesy "That's Enough" and the soulful "Lord, Don't Forget About Me", these tracks are winning songs sung by triumphant sisters filled with the Holy Spirit! The Gospel Harmonettes were truly one of the stand-out groups of Gospels' Golden Age and with songs written and sung by a talent like Coates, how could they go wrong!? Only the immortal Caravans can match them when it comes to sheer talent and intensity!!!

HAVE YOU EVER WANTED TO PURCHASE A GOSPEL CD,WHERE EVERY SONG WILL LIFT YOU UP SHOUTING H A L L EL U J A H...WELL LOOK NO FURTHER, AND IMMEDIATELY PUT THIS CD," THE BEST OF DOROTHY LOVE COATES " IN YOUR SHOPPING CART!! PUT YOUR SHOUTING SHOES ON AND GET READY TO BE LIFTED UP. THE MUSIC YOU ARE ABOUT TO HEAR IS FOOT STOMPING,HAND CLAPPING ,DELIVERANCE MUSIC. DOROTHY LOVE COATES, WITHOUT A DOUBT IS THE BEST GOSPEL SONG WRITER TO EVER LIVE. ALL CHURCH GOSPEL CHOIRS OR BETTER YET ANY GOSPEL SINGER, HAS MANY DOROTHY LOVE COATES COMPOSITIONS IN THEIR REPOIRTRE .AS YOU READ THE TITLES OF THE 24 TUNES IN THIS PACKAGE ,THE NAMES YOU MAY NOT RECOGINIZE,BUT LISTENING TO THEM YOU WILL SAY," OH I LOVE THIS SONG," AND YOU WILL START PATTING YOUR FEET AND SINGING ALONG.. 2 RECENT HOLLYWOOD MOVIES HAVE NOTICED mS. cOATES. THE SOUNDTRACK FROM THE PICTURE "GHOST, " FEATURES " YOU CAN'T HURRY GOD," FROM OPRAH'S MOVIE, BELOVED , WHERE DOROTHY PLAYED LUCILLE WILLIAMS AND WROTE THE GOSPEL SOUNDTRACK,YOU HAVE NO HIDING PLACE..GOSPEL CLASSICS ON THIS CD INCLUDE HE'S CALLING ME, GET AWAY JORDAN, YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN,BYE AND BYE,AND THE EVER POPULAR HEAVEN...I'VE RECORDED GOSPEL, PROFESSIONALLY WITH MANY OUTSTANDING TALENTS,AND HAVE EVEN BEEN ON THE SAME TOUR WITH MS COATES,BUT IN MY ESTIMATION,WHEN YOU WANT TO HEAR GOSPEL AT ITS BEST,START OUT WITH DOROTHY LOVE COATES AND HER ORIGINAL HARMONETTES AND YOU WILL TRULY BE BLESSED!!!!WITH HER AND G O D ON YOUR SIDE YOU CAN'T GO WRONG, AND AS DOROTHY LOVE COATES SINGS ON THIS CD THAT'S ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!

I join with those who herald this as the greatest gospel singer of all time. That is not a designation that today's artists who listen for impeccable clarity and technical excellence would be likely to make, but strip away all the veneer, and what you are left with in vocal music is either an artist who can pull you into their experience, or not. There is no way to give this singer a serious listen and not hear her greatness. In fact, DLC takes you way beyond hearing and into the realm of the sacred. I was first introduced to her music as a child, some forty years ago, and it continues to impact me today. My mother spent the last three years of her life with Alzheimer Disease. She was a lover of music, but the music of DLC would move her past her disease into the presence of God. I applaud the artists of our day, and bid them God's speed in lifting the spirits of today's listeners. But there are times when I lay all of that aside and let DLC take me into the presence of God. She is beyond talented, gifted and the general terms we use to speak of artist. She is transciendent - in a class by herself. By no means divine, but without a doubt - divinely enabled. She is my unsung hero.
Shep

I haven't seen the inside of a church in five years. Christian music is usually not my thing. I am a sinner, and, admittedly, could be a far better Christian than I am; but when I hear the incomparable, soul-stirring gospel music of Dorothy Love Coates, I feel the hand of the Holy Spirit reach out, grab me, and assure me that everything's going to be alright. This wonderful, uplifting selection of unadulterated "old school" gospel music is salve for a troubled mind, a fire lit under an unresolved soul, and a net for falling spirits that simply never fails.

Though it is Christian music, I would recommend this CD to almost anybody, no matter what upbringing, belief system, or religion you adhere to. There is quite literally something here for everybody. The powerful, expressive, and boundlessly cathartic singing of Dorothy Love Coates can be appreciated by anyone who has ever felt doubtful, downtrodden, triumphant, or joyful.

I cannot give any disc of modern American music a more ringing endorsement than I can this glorious assortment of unforgettable, inspirational songs.

The Original Gospel Harmonettes are overlooked treasures in music history. The "original" was added to their names to distinguish them from other gospel groups with the same name. Since then, it has been dropped. Although Dorothy Love Coates was the main lead singer, all of the members led songs. Coates, Mildred Miller Howard, Odessa Edwards, Willie Mae Newberry Garth, Vera Kolb, and Evelyn Starks(pianist) provide some classic gospel gems with original songs by Coates as well as cover of some of the most popular songs in gospel history. Coates has written and/or arranged over 300 songs. Two volumes are on this disc. Volume one was released as "He's Calling Me" in 1955, then reissued as "The Best of..." in 1970. The second volume was originally released in 1971. Highlights include their acclaimed "Get Away Jordan." Also, note Miller Howard's shared leads on "He's Calling Me" and "Where Shall I Be." Starks is magnificent on the piano. Fans might also want to see the documentary on the group, produced by the University of Alabama. This was presumably the last interview that Coates gave before she died. The sad part is that when she died, she was still fighting to get royalties due to her from others recording her compositions over the years. As one other reviewer noted, musicologists considered Coates' voice to be "ragged" among other things. However, most agree that her passion and sincerety were what really made her unique. Many other groups began to imitate her movements, while performing. If you had a chance to see her perform live, then you'd understand what they mean. The group's arrangments were complex, but they were always on point. They took call and response patterns to another level, and the jazz/blues/gospel arrangements of Coates made them different from most other gospel groups of the period.

The great performances on this CD define the best in gospel music. Ms. Coates' voice was intense, raw yet amazingly controlled. She seemed to have tapped straight into the current: anguished, yet certain of God's grace. The music is propulsive, driving, relentless, yet always swinging: you can feel the sway of Ms. Coates' body as she sings (and the swaying of the other singers, too). One of the great things is to listen to the backup singers, who are singing their hearts out! The lyrics are brilliant. It's hard to choose among them, but the lovely "That's Enough" has long held a special place in my heart. But all of the songs repay frequent listening.

Around Christmas 1999 or 2000, I found Ms. Coates' phone number on-line. (She was living in Birmingham.) I called her and told her that I was a fan. She was lovely and modest, amazed that someone would call all the way from Seattle! Sadly, she died in about 2002--a loss to this world, but I'm sure that she died secure in her love for God. It is an amazing world that it could have had such a person in it as the great Dorothy Love Coates.

This is the top of gospel music. Coates is an example of the lead singer with a rather poor voice, but the enthusiasm of her performance and the energy of the arrangements make her music absolutely unique. The songs are not feel good religiousity either; each one is doctrinally and scripturally sound, and usually with a bite. "I Wouldn't Mind Dying" rocks like crazy, but the thought is I wouldn't mind if dying was all, but after death is the judgment. Heavy. Did I say it rocks like crazy? Yes.

No disrespect to the Stooges, (whom I also love) but this is unmatched in its intensity, soul, and sheer emotional force. To give you an idea: I personally am a non-theist who does not believe in God, the Bible, or anything remotely religion related.
BUT...the power of this cannot be ignored, by ANYONE!! Pay no attention to the person who said Dorothy Love has a "poor" voice. It is more a case of his poor auditory perception, because make no mistake: her voice surpasses every singer to ever live
(yes, this inclues Aretha!) Her phrasing (where the notes and syllables are placed rhythmically) is impeccable, soulful, and carries you on a journey of the senses. Her tone and timbre (the actual sound of her voice) is so unique, which is why I believe some will say its "poor" or "bad". But this is really subjective to the listener. "Bad" singers are people who cannot stay on pitch, and cannot "phrase" properly (see above). Dorothy Love has an amazing sense of pitch, deftly navigating her way through each composition with a mastery possessed by very few.
"I Shall Know Him" is a veritable tour-de-force of vocal prowess that will chill you to your very core! The backing vocals here
are instruments unto themselves, and the arrangements are classic! The imagery used literally brings you right into the song, with candid descriptions, such as "My body has been chilled by the hand of Death" and decapited heads on platters, etc.!! I
don't remember my grannies church singing those kinds of songs!! Maybe if all churches played this kind of music, instead of that wimpy, vanilla-white Adult Contemporary, soft rock crap, they might actually get people wanting to go to church!! Nobody has, nor every will be able to sing with this kind of fire, passion and conviction!!

If you like to hear the original gospel sound this is for you. The disc has a number of songs that are still heard today. You can hear Dorothy Love Coates influence on other artists both secular and gospel alike. If you like music you will like this disc.

this product came quickly and as listed
well done i'd use again
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