The Caravans
Encyclopedia
The Caravans is a Jubilee Gospel group that was started by Albertina Walker
(queen of gospel). 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 Andrews
, Shirley Caesar
, Josephine Howard, Rev. James Cleveland
, and more. The group underwent numerous personnel changes between 1951 and 1961. 1962 to 1966 provided the Caravans with its most stable group member lineup, consisting of Washington, Walker, Caesar, George, James Herndon and Josephine Howard. The group also made frequent TV appearances during this time on shows such as TV's Gospel Time and Jubilee Showcase.
in Chicago, Illinois to serve as Anderson's backing vocalists. The group consisted of Ora Lee Hopkins, Elyse Yancey, Irma Gwynn, Eward Robinson, the pianist, and Louise Overall Weaver as their organist. Their recordings between 1949 and 1951 were made under the names of Robert Anderson and Choir, Anderson Singers with Robert Anderson, Anderson Singers, and Robert Anderson and his Gospel Caravan.
In 1952, Gwynn left the group, a slight change of the group's name to Robert Anderson and The Caravans was made, and Nellie Grace Daniels and Albertina Walker joined the group. The group featuring Walker and Daniels under their new name made their first and only recording on April 18, 1952. During this recording session, a sequence of events happened, resulting in Robert Anderson parting ways with his background singers. Walker, Hopkins, Yancey, and Daniels recorded the remainder of their tracks, and adopted the group name of The Caravans simply by dropping Robert Anderson's name from the group name. Walker was the featured singer on the records that the first version of the newly emancipated Caravans made, which had the measured style typical of artists influenced by Roberta Martin
.
That changed, however, as other singers joined the group, which retained the close harmonies and precise rhythms of the original group, but now allowed each member the opportunity to solo on alternating leads. At their height in the late 1950s the Caravans combined the energetic, agile alto of Shirley Caesar on songs such as "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" with the powerful contralto of Inez Andrews on "Mary Don't You Weep
, the dramatic soprano of Delores Washington, and the frenetic piano style from Eddie Williams, a friend of Washington."
Bessie Griffin joined the group in 1953, but left after a year. Cassietta George also joined in 1953 and stayed for two years, but returned in 1960 to stay for another year before rejoining in 1962 and staying for another four years. Norwood joined in 1955 and left in 1957, forming her own group, the Norwood Singers. Inez Andrews joined, at the suggestion of James Cleveland
, the pianist and arranger for the group, in 1957 and left in 1962 to form her own group, the Andrewettes (aka: The Gospel Challengers of Jamaica, New York). Andrews returned in 1966, only to depart again and go solo in 1967. Shirley Caesar joined the Caravans in 1958 and left to pursue a solo career in 1966.
Loleatta Holloway
and Julia Mae Price were also added to the group during the same 1967 recording session featuring Rev. Cleveland and Norwood. By 1968, the transition was complete, and an all new set of Caravans consisting of Walker, Loleatta Holloway
, Willie James McPhatter, Julia Mae Price, Doris Willingham, and Gwen Morgan began to record for HOB records until c. 1971. In the early 1970s, The Caravans recorded some songs composed by Donny Hathaway
for the small, Chicago based Caritas record label. The songs were released on a 45 rpm album.
Despite this release, by 1972, the group was disbanded. In 1976, Caravans members Albertina Walker
, Cassietta George
, Josephine Howard, and Delores Washington reunited to record an album for the Birthright Records label with all new material titled "Share", featuring special guest Isaiah Jones, Jr.
on piano. After 1976, the group members still did reunion concerts occasionally. Notable reunion concerts include a 1988 Stellar Awards performance with Albertina Walker
, Inez Andrews
, Shirley Caesar
, Delores Washington and Rev. James Cleveland, a 1994 reunion on a Dorothy Norwood
album with Albertina Walker
, Dorothy Norwood, Delores Washington, and Cassietta George
, and a 2004 reunion for the Malaco Records "Gospel Legends" DVD with Albertina Walker, Dorothy Norwood, Inez Andrews, Shirley Caesar, and Delores Washington. As of 2008, the group was touring with Walker, Norwood, Washington, Caesar and Andrews.
recently recorded a reunion album with her group The Caravans entitled "Paved The Way", which was released by Malaco Records on September 5, 2006. This was the group's first new recording since 1976. The group consisted of Walker, Norwood, Andrews, Washington, and special guest Evelyn Turrentine-Agee And Davon Hurn. The album was dubbed by Billboard Magazine as one of the most memorable releases of 2006 (Deborah Evans Price, December 9, 2006) and entered the Billboard charts in the top ten and has remained in the top forty for sixteen weeks. "Paved the Way" was recently nominated for a Grammy, Dove, & Soul Train Music Award. Albertina Walker passed away from respiratory failure on 8 October 2010.
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...
(queen of gospel). The group reached its peak popularity during the 1950s and 1960s, launching the careers of a number of artists, including: Delores Washington, 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...
, Bessie Griffin
Bessie Griffin
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...
, Cassietta George
Cassietta George
Cassietta George was an American gospel vocalist, and composer. George was a member of The Caravans, the most popular touring gospel group from the late '50s to the mid-'60s...
, Dorothy Norwood
Dorothy Norwood
Dorothy Norwood is an American gospel singer. She began touring with her family at the age of eight, and in 1956, began singing with Mahalia Jackson. In the early 1960s she was a member of ]The Caravans, and in 1964, she embarked on a solo career, recording her first album, Johnny and Jesus...
, Inez Andrews
Inez Andrews
Inez Andrews is an American gospel singer and recording artist.-Biography:In 1957, Andrews became a member of the gospel group The Caravans; she auditioned for Albertina Walker and Dorothy Norwood, and they sent for her in Chicago...
, Shirley Caesar
Shirley Caesar
Shirley Ann Caesar is an American Gospel music singer, songwriter and recording artist whose career has spanned six decades...
, Josephine Howard, Rev. James Cleveland
James Cleveland
The Reverend Dr. James Cleveland was a gospel singer, arranger, composer and, most significantly, the driving force behind the creation of the modern gospel sound, bringing the stylistic daring of hard gospel and jazz and pop music influences to arrangements for mass choirs...
, and more. The group underwent numerous personnel changes between 1951 and 1961. 1962 to 1966 provided the Caravans with its most stable group member lineup, consisting of Washington, Walker, Caesar, George, James Herndon and Josephine Howard. The group also made frequent TV appearances during this time on shows such as TV's Gospel Time and Jubilee Showcase.
Founding
The Caravans were founded in 1947 under the name Robert Anderson and his Gospel Caravan by Robert AndersonRobert Anderson (singer)
Robert Anderson was an American gospel singer and composer.-Early years:Robert Anderson was born in Anguilla, Mississippi, and moved to Chicago with his family as a child. During his childhood, Anderson learned piano by ear and assisted Roberta Martin with coaching the Sunday school choir at the...
in Chicago, Illinois to serve as Anderson's backing vocalists. The group consisted of Ora Lee Hopkins, Elyse Yancey, Irma Gwynn, Eward Robinson, the pianist, and Louise Overall Weaver as their organist. Their recordings between 1949 and 1951 were made under the names of Robert Anderson and Choir, Anderson Singers with Robert Anderson, Anderson Singers, and Robert Anderson and his Gospel Caravan.
In 1952, Gwynn left the group, a slight change of the group's name to Robert Anderson and The Caravans was made, and Nellie Grace Daniels and Albertina Walker joined the group. The group featuring Walker and Daniels under their new name made their first and only recording on April 18, 1952. During this recording session, a sequence of events happened, resulting in Robert Anderson parting ways with his background singers. Walker, Hopkins, Yancey, and Daniels recorded the remainder of their tracks, and adopted the group name of The Caravans simply by dropping Robert Anderson's name from the group name. Walker was the featured singer on the records that the first version of the newly emancipated Caravans made, which had the measured style typical of artists influenced by Roberta Martin
Roberta Martin
Roberta Martin was an American gospel composer, singer, pianist, arranger and choral organizer, helped launch the careers of many other gospel artists through her group, The Roberta Martin Singers.-Early years:...
.
That changed, however, as other singers joined the group, which retained the close harmonies and precise rhythms of the original group, but now allowed each member the opportunity to solo on alternating leads. At their height in the late 1950s the Caravans combined the energetic, agile alto of Shirley Caesar on songs such as "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" with the powerful contralto of Inez Andrews on "Mary Don't You Weep
Mary Don't You Weep
"Mary Don't You Weep" is a Negro spiritual that originates from before the American Civil War – thus it is what scholars call a "slave song," "a label that describes their origins among the enslaved," and it contains "coded messages of hope and resistance." It is...
, the dramatic soprano of Delores Washington, and the frenetic piano style from Eddie Williams, a friend of Washington."
Bessie Griffin joined the group in 1953, but left after a year. Cassietta George also joined in 1953 and stayed for two years, but returned in 1960 to stay for another year before rejoining in 1962 and staying for another four years. Norwood joined in 1955 and left in 1957, forming her own group, the Norwood Singers. Inez Andrews joined, at the suggestion of James Cleveland
James Cleveland
The Reverend Dr. James Cleveland was a gospel singer, arranger, composer and, most significantly, the driving force behind the creation of the modern gospel sound, bringing the stylistic daring of hard gospel and jazz and pop music influences to arrangements for mass choirs...
, the pianist and arranger for the group, in 1957 and left in 1962 to form her own group, the Andrewettes (aka: The Gospel Challengers of Jamaica, New York). Andrews returned in 1966, only to depart again and go solo in 1967. Shirley Caesar joined the Caravans in 1958 and left to pursue a solo career in 1966.
1966-2000
By 1966 the group's popularity began to dim when Shirley Caesar and Cassietta George left to pursue solo careers. In 1967, longtime members Josephine Howard, James Herndon, and Delores Washington all left the group to pursue solo careers and form their own groups, with exception to Albertina Walker, who released a solo album in 1966 without leaving the group. During this time, former members, some of which hadn't recorded with the group since the mid 1950s, returned for recording sessions including Inez Andrews in 1966, and Rev. James Cleveland, and Dorothy Norwood during a session in 1967.Loleatta Holloway
Loleatta Holloway
Loleatta Holloway was an American singer, mainly known for disco songs such as "Hit and Run" and "Love Sensation", both of which have been sampled extensively.-Biography:...
and Julia Mae Price were also added to the group during the same 1967 recording session featuring Rev. Cleveland and Norwood. By 1968, the transition was complete, and an all new set of Caravans consisting of Walker, Loleatta Holloway
Loleatta Holloway
Loleatta Holloway was an American singer, mainly known for disco songs such as "Hit and Run" and "Love Sensation", both of which have been sampled extensively.-Biography:...
, Willie James McPhatter, Julia Mae Price, Doris Willingham, and Gwen Morgan began to record for HOB records until c. 1971. In the early 1970s, The Caravans recorded some songs composed by Donny Hathaway
Donny Hathaway
Donny Edward Hathaway was an American soul singer-songwriter and musician. Hathaway contracted with Atlantic Records in 1969 and with his first single for the Atco label, "The Ghetto, Part I" in early 1970, Rolling Stone magazine "marked him as a major new force in soul music."His collaborations...
for the small, Chicago based Caritas record label. The songs were released on a 45 rpm album.
Despite this release, by 1972, the group was disbanded. In 1976, Caravans members 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...
, Cassietta George
Cassietta George
Cassietta George was an American gospel vocalist, and composer. George was a member of The Caravans, the most popular touring gospel group from the late '50s to the mid-'60s...
, Josephine Howard, and Delores Washington reunited to record an album for the Birthright Records label with all new material titled "Share", featuring special guest Isaiah Jones, Jr.
Isaiah Jones, Jr.
Isaiah Jones, Jr. was an award-winning musician and Presbyterian minister.-Music:Jones authored more than 100 hymns. His works have appeared in Presbyterian, United Methodist, Lutheran, Episcopal, Baptist, and Catholic hymnals. "Fill My Cup" has been recorded by over 15 groups. "God Has Smiled...
on piano. After 1976, the group members still did reunion concerts occasionally. Notable reunion concerts include a 1988 Stellar Awards performance with 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...
, Inez Andrews
Inez Andrews
Inez Andrews is an American gospel singer and recording artist.-Biography:In 1957, Andrews became a member of the gospel group The Caravans; she auditioned for Albertina Walker and Dorothy Norwood, and they sent for her in Chicago...
, Shirley Caesar
Shirley Caesar
Shirley Ann Caesar is an American Gospel music singer, songwriter and recording artist whose career has spanned six decades...
, Delores Washington and Rev. James Cleveland, a 1994 reunion on a Dorothy Norwood
Dorothy Norwood
Dorothy Norwood is an American gospel singer. She began touring with her family at the age of eight, and in 1956, began singing with Mahalia Jackson. In the early 1960s she was a member of ]The Caravans, and in 1964, she embarked on a solo career, recording her first album, Johnny and Jesus...
album with 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...
, Dorothy Norwood, Delores Washington, and Cassietta George
Cassietta George
Cassietta George was an American gospel vocalist, and composer. George was a member of The Caravans, the most popular touring gospel group from the late '50s to the mid-'60s...
, and a 2004 reunion for the Malaco Records "Gospel Legends" DVD with Albertina Walker, Dorothy Norwood, Inez Andrews, Shirley Caesar, and Delores Washington. As of 2008, the group was touring with Walker, Norwood, Washington, Caesar and Andrews.
Later Years
Albertina WalkerAlbertina 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...
recently recorded a reunion album with her group The Caravans entitled "Paved The Way", which was released by Malaco Records on September 5, 2006. This was the group's first new recording since 1976. The group consisted of Walker, Norwood, Andrews, Washington, and special guest Evelyn Turrentine-Agee And Davon Hurn. The album was dubbed by Billboard Magazine as one of the most memorable releases of 2006 (Deborah Evans Price, December 9, 2006) and entered the Billboard charts in the top ten and has remained in the top forty for sixteen weeks. "Paved the Way" was recently nominated for a Grammy, Dove, & Soul Train Music Award. Albertina Walker passed away from respiratory failure on 8 October 2010.
Members
- Ora Lee Hopkins 1951-1954 (deceased 2000)
- Elyse Yancey 1951-1954
- Irma Gwynn 1951-1952 (died April 23, 2006)
- Albertina WalkerAlbertina 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...
1952-1972 and 1976 and 2006 (1929–2010)(deceased 2010)
- Nellie Grace Daniels 1952-1954
- Edward RobinsonEdward Robinson-Elected officials:*Edward Robinson , American Whig politician*Edward Robinson , Irish-born Canadian Liberal politician...
1952-1953 - Louise Overall Weaver 1952-1953
- Charlotte Nelson 1953
- Bessie GriffinBessie GriffinBessie Griffin was an African American gospel singer.Born Arlette B. Broil in New Orleans, Louisiana, she was steeped in church music as a child...
1953-1954 (1922–1989) - Iris Humble 1953-1955
- Johneron Davis 1953-1957 and 1960-1962 (1929-1965)
- Rev. James ClevelandJames ClevelandThe Reverend Dr. James Cleveland was a gospel singer, arranger, composer and, most significantly, the driving force behind the creation of the modern gospel sound, bringing the stylistic daring of hard gospel and jazz and pop music influences to arrangements for mass choirs...
1953-1957 and 1967 (1931–1991) - Cassietta GeorgeCassietta GeorgeCassietta George was an American gospel vocalist, and composer. George was a member of The Caravans, the most popular touring gospel group from the late '50s to the mid-'60s...
1953-1956 and 1960 and 1962–1966 and 1976 (1929–1995) - Gloria Griffin 1954-1955 (d. 1998)
- Louise McDowell 1954-1956 (deceased)
- Dorothy NorwoodDorothy NorwoodDorothy Norwood is an American gospel singer. She began touring with her family at the age of eight, and in 1956, began singing with Mahalia Jackson. In the early 1960s she was a member of ]The Caravans, and in 1964, she embarked on a solo career, recording her first album, Johnny and Jesus...
1956-1957 and 1967 and 2006 - Sarah McKissick 1956-1958 (d. 2008)
- Imogene Green 1956-1957
- Inez AndrewsInez AndrewsInez Andrews is an American gospel singer and recording artist.-Biography:In 1957, Andrews became a member of the gospel group The Caravans; she auditioned for Albertina Walker and Dorothy Norwood, and they sent for her in Chicago...
1957-1962 and 1966–1967 and 2006 (1929-) - Eddie Williams 1957-1959 and 1961-1962 (still alive)
- Shirley CaesarShirley CaesarShirley Ann Caesar is an American Gospel music singer, songwriter and recording artist whose career has spanned six decades...
1958-1966 (1938-) - Delores Washington 1958-1959 and 1961–1967 and 1976 and 2006 (1939-)
- James HerndonJames HerndonJames Neil Herndon is a media psychologist. He received his Ph.D. in Educational Technology from Arizona State University. His early experimental research focused on new methods of personalizing training materials. More recent work explores the use of media psychology research in digital public...
1960 and 1963-1967 (still alive) - Josephine Howard 1963-1967 and 1976 (1937–1979)
- Julia Mae Price 1966-1972 (still alive)
- Bessie Lance 1967
- Willie James McPhatter 1967-1972
- Loleatta HollowayLoleatta HollowayLoleatta Holloway was an American singer, mainly known for disco songs such as "Hit and Run" and "Love Sensation", both of which have been sampled extensively.-Biography:...
1967-1972 (1946–2011) - Gwen Morgan 1967-1972
- Doris Willingham (aka Doris DukeDoris Duke (soul singer)Doris Duke is an American gospel and soul singer, best known for her 1969 album I'm A Loser.-Biography:She was born as Doris Curry in Sandersville, Georgia, and reportedly started singing with gospel groups including the Queen of Gospel Albertina Walker and Caravans, though this has been questioned...
1968-1969) - Isaiah Jones, Jr.Isaiah Jones, Jr.Isaiah Jones, Jr. was an award-winning musician and Presbyterian minister.-Music:Jones authored more than 100 hymns. His works have appeared in Presbyterian, United Methodist, Lutheran, Episcopal, Baptist, and Catholic hymnals. "Fill My Cup" has been recorded by over 15 groups. "God Has Smiled...
1976 (1940–2006) - Evelyn Turrentine-Agee 2006
- Faith Howard 2010
Hit songs
- Paved The Way
- Remember Me
- I'm Not Tired Yet
- Lord Keep Me Day by Day
- Mary Don't You WeepMary Don't You Weep"Mary Don't You Weep" is a Negro spiritual that originates from before the American Civil War – thus it is what scholars call a "slave song," "a label that describes their origins among the enslaved," and it contains "coded messages of hope and resistance." It is...
- I Know The Lord Will Make A Way
- I'm Willing
- Show Some Sign
- I Won't Be Back
- Make It In
- Think Of His Goodness
- Seek Ye Thee Lord
- Unto Thee Oh Lord
- One of These Old Days
- Walk Around Heaven All Day
- You Can't Beat God Giving
- The Blood(Will Never Lose It's Power)
- What Kind Of Man Is This
- Tell The Angels
Further reading
- Heilbut, TonyAnthony HeilbutAnthony Heilbut , is an American writer, and record producer of gospel music. He is noted for his biography of Thomas Mann, and has also won a Grammy Award.-Life:He has a doctorate in English from Harvard University....
, The Gospel Sound: Good News and Bad Times Limelight Editions, 1997, ISBN 0-87910-034-6. - Horace Clarence Boyer, How Sweet the Sound: The Golden Age of Gospel Elliott and Clark, 1995, ISBN 0-252-06877-7.
- Cedric J. Hayes and Robert Laughton, "The Gospel Discography, 1943-70" Eyeball Productions, 2007, ISBN 0-9686445-8-9
- Bil Carpenter, "Uncloudy Days: The Gospel Music Encyclopedia" Backbeat Books, 2005, ISBN 0-87930-841-9