Bessie Griffin
Encyclopedia
Bessie Griffin was an African American
gospel
singer.
Born Arlette B. Broil in New Orleans, Louisiana
, she was steeped in church music as a child. She sang for a while with the Southern Harps, had her own radio
show in New Orleans, and later appeared in night clubs, on Broadway
and in 1962 on the Ed Sullivan Show.
Griffin performed briefly with "Queen of Gospel" Albertina Walker
and The Caravans
in 1953-1954 but spent most of her career as a solo artist
. While often compared to Mahalia Jackson
, Griffin had a lighter contralto that allowed her to achieve more vocal pyrotechnics — holding a note for long periods of time, continuing a song for as long as twenty minutes and ranging through three octave
s.
After moving to Chicago in 1951, she worked briefly with The Caravans, a gospel group led by Albertina Walker, making a session with them for States
in 1954. She left the group later that year, recording as a soloist for Al Benson's Parrot
label. After moving to Los Angeles she was signed in 1956 by Art Rupe
of Specialty Records
. After collaboration with Robert "Bumps" Blackwell, she recorded an album on the Decca
label with an orchestra: "It Takes a Lot of Love"; she made "Portraits in Bronze" on Liberty
; and joined the lucrative night club circuit singing and recording gospel albums in night clubs in the 1960s. She recorded a solo album for Savoy
which was unremarkable except as a great example of her voice, and an album with the Gospel Pearls entitled "Gospel Soul" on Sunset
, a subsidiary of Liberty. The Nashboro label released an album recorded live in concert in stereo and Griffin continued to tour and record as her health allowed, up to her death. There is an album on the Spirit Feel label which samples her four-decade long recording career.
In 1974 she appeared in the 20th Century Fox thriller, Together Brothers, which was filmed in Galveston, Texas. She played a female preacher, "Reverend Brown", who conducts a funeral service for a murdered policeman. The only witness to the crime is a little boy who is stalked and his "brothers" pull together and help apprehend the killer. The soundtrack for the movie was scored by Barry White
.
On her passing in 1989, Bessie Griffin was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California
.
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
singer.
Born Arlette B. Broil in New Orleans, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, she was steeped in church music as a child. She sang for a while with the Southern Harps, had her own radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
show in New Orleans, and later appeared in night clubs, on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
and in 1962 on the Ed Sullivan Show.
Griffin performed briefly with "Queen of Gospel" Albertina Walker
Albertina Walker
-Early years:Walker was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Ruben and Camille Coleman Walker. Her mother was born in Houston County, Georgia, and her father in Bibb County, Georgia. They moved to Chicago between 1917-1920 where they lived out their lives. Albertina had four siblings born in Bibb County...
and The Caravans
The Caravans
The Caravans is a Jubilee Gospel group that was started by Albertina Walker . The group reached its peak popularity during the 1950s and 1960s, launching the careers of a number of artists, including: Delores Washington, Albertina Walker, Bessie Griffin, Cassietta George, Dorothy Norwood, Inez...
in 1953-1954 but spent most of her career as a solo artist
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
. While often compared to Mahalia Jackson
Mahalia Jackson
Mahalia Jackson – January 27, 1972) was an African-American gospel singer. Possessing a powerful contralto voice, she was referred to as "The Queen of Gospel"...
, Griffin had a lighter contralto that allowed her to achieve more vocal pyrotechnics — holding a note for long periods of time, continuing a song for as long as twenty minutes and ranging through three octave
Octave
In music, an octave is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referred to as the "basic miracle of music", the use of which is "common in most musical systems"...
s.
Recording career
Griffin began her known recording career with the Gospel Consolators, an a cappella group in New Orleans, in the late 1940s. They issued several 78 rpm shellac records with her billed as lead vocalist.After moving to Chicago in 1951, she worked briefly with The Caravans, a gospel group led by Albertina Walker, making a session with them for States
States Records
States Record Company was a Chicago-based record label. A subsidiary of United Records, it was in business from May 1952 to December 1957. States focused on rhythm and blues, jazz, and gospel....
in 1954. She left the group later that year, recording as a soloist for Al Benson's Parrot
Parrot Records (blues label)
Parrot Records was a Chicago-based label founded in 1952 by disc jockey Al Benson. It specialized in blues, jazz, doo-wop, and gospel. The company began operating in earnest in the summer of 1953, and lasted till the middle of 1956. Several Parrot recordings were later released by Chess...
label. After moving to Los Angeles she was signed in 1956 by Art Rupe
Art Rupe
Arthur N. "Art" Rupe is an American music industry executive and record producer. He started Specialty Records, noted for its rhythm & blues, blues, gospel and early rock and roll music recordings, in Los Angeles in 1946.-Career:Born in the Pittsburgh suburb of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Rupe...
of Specialty Records
Specialty Records
Specialty Records was an American record label based in Los Angeles. It was originally launched as Juke Box Records in 1946, but later renamed by its owner Art Rupe when he parted company with a couple of his original partners...
. After collaboration with Robert "Bumps" Blackwell, she recorded an album on the Decca
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
label with an orchestra: "It Takes a Lot of Love"; she made "Portraits in Bronze" on Liberty
Liberty Records
Liberty Records was a United States-based record label. It was started by chairman Simon Waronker in 1955 with Al Bennett as president and Theodore Keep as chief engineer. It was reactivated in 2001 in the United Kingdom and had two previous revivals.-1950s:...
; and joined the lucrative night club circuit singing and recording gospel albums in night clubs in the 1960s. She recorded a solo album for Savoy
Savoy Records
Savoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part in popularizing bebop.Savoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part...
which was unremarkable except as a great example of her voice, and an album with the Gospel Pearls entitled "Gospel Soul" on Sunset
Sunset Records
Sunset Records was a record label started in 1966 as the budget album subsidiary of Liberty Records to reissue the Liberty, Imperial, and Minit material.The label stopped operating around 1974....
, a subsidiary of Liberty. The Nashboro label released an album recorded live in concert in stereo and Griffin continued to tour and record as her health allowed, up to her death. There is an album on the Spirit Feel label which samples her four-decade long recording career.
In 1974 she appeared in the 20th Century Fox thriller, Together Brothers, which was filmed in Galveston, Texas. She played a female preacher, "Reverend Brown", who conducts a funeral service for a murdered policeman. The only witness to the crime is a little boy who is stalked and his "brothers" pull together and help apprehend the killer. The soundtrack for the movie was scored by Barry White
Barry White
Barry White, born Barry Eugene Carter , was an American composer and singer-songwriter.A five-time Grammy Award-winner known for his distinctive bass voice and romantic image, White's greatest success came in the 1970s as a solo singer and with the Love Unlimited Orchestra, crafting many enduring...
.
On her passing in 1989, Bessie Griffin was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California
Glendale, California
Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California...
.
Sampled
Griffin was sampled in the 1996 dance track "I Know The Lord" by the band The Tabernacle. The same sample was also used in 1999 for the Shaboom track "Bessie".Further reading
- Boyer, Horace ClarenceHorace Clarence BoyerDr. Horace Clarence Boyer was one of the foremost scholars in African-American gospel music. He and his brother James had a career as singers under the name the Famous Boyer Brothers...
; How Sweet the Sound: The Golden Age of Gospel; Elliott and Clark; 1995; ISBN 0-252-06877-7. - Heilbut, Tony; The Gospel Sound: Good News and Bad Times; Limelight Editions; 1997; ISBN 0-87910-034-6.