Reviewed by Lins Honeyman

This two disc release from specialist label Fantastic Voyage mostly features formative gospel music and sanctified blues from between 1949 to 1959 and the sheer diversity and quality contained within its 52 tracks makes it a musical treasure trove of the highest order. As its title boasts, a plethora of celebrities of their time - both gospel and secular - are featured here with legends such as the Staple Singers, the Golden Gate Quartet, Mahalia Jackson, Sister Rosetta Tharpe and the Five Blind Boys Of Alabama making appearances alongside the likes of Little Richard who appears here in accomplished blues singer mode. Elsewhere, a fascinating insight into the gospel roots of eventual mainstream big-timers such as Lou Rawls and Sam Cooke is given - the latter checks in with a delightful, previously unissued take of "Jesus, Wash Away My Troubles" - whilst pre-teen cuts from future stars Bobby Womack and Candi Staton in "The Bible Tells Me So" and "Too Late" add further historical value. As with many retrospective compilations, what makes this release stand out is the number of unexpected nuggets that grab the listener's attention. For example, the privilege of hearing previously unreleased live performances of "Jesus Brought Me" and "I Found Joy" by Dewey Young and the Swan Silvertones for the first time cannot be underestimated whilst the simply exquisite doo wop exposé "Ladder Of Prayer" at the hands of the vastly underrated Joe Hinton is the icing on the cake of this superlative and essential release.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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