The Jubalaires were an Americangospel group active between 1935 and 1950. Previously known as the Royal Harmony Singers in 1936,[1] the band was known for song verses delivered in a rhythmic, rhyming style that has been described as an early version of rapping. Their 1946 song "Noah" is often named as the first recorded instance of rap.[3][4]
History
The band reached No. 10 on the R&B charts on November 14, 1942, with "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition" a song adapted from the speech of a naval chaplain in response to the attack on Pearl Harbor the previous year.[5] Other releases included "Before This Time Another Year" / "Ezekiel (Saw the Wheel A Rollin')" (released under the Decca Records label), "God Almighty's Gonna Cut You Down" / "Go Down Moses" (King Records), and "My God Called Me This Morning" / "Ring That Golden Bell" (King Records).[6]
The band recorded with Andy Kirk on November 27, 1945, a session which produced the Decca Records78rpm release "I Know" / "Get Together with the Lord" credited to Andy Kirk & His Orchestra with the Jubalaires. A third track recorded during the session, "Soothe Me", went unreleased.[7]
The band's recording of "Dreaming of the Ladies in the Moon" (Crown Records) attracted the praise of Billboard magazine, which gave the record a mark of 78/100 in the 17 April 1954 issue, commenting that "The boys here come thru with a strong reading on a bright ballad with an evocative flavor." The reviewer compared the Jubalaires' treatment of the song with the style of the Mills Brothers and predicted it could become a break-out hit.[10] In the 15 December 1951 issue, Billboard praised the group's performance on the release "David and Goliath" / "I've Done My Work" (Capitol Records). However, in the 4 August 1951 issue, the praise provided did not mention the release "Rain is the Teardrops of Angels" / "Keep on Doin' What You're Doin."[11][12][relevant? – discuss]
Most of the music by the Jubalaires was released by Queen Records, a King Records subsidiary specializing in African-American music. However, later reissues of their music would appear under King Records.[13]
Band members
Original members
Orville Brooks, vocals (January 27, 1919 – August 30, 1997)[14]
^Lumpkin, Ben Gray; McNeil, Norman L. (Brownie), eds. (1950). Folksongs on records, Volume 2. Denver: Folksongs on Records and Alan Swallow. p. 30. OCLC1395344.
^Kirk, Andy; Lee, Amy; Rye, Howard (1989). "Discography". Twenty years on wheels. Oxford: Bayou Press. p. 141. ISBN1-871478-20-0. OCLC19776354.
^Mackenzie, Harry (1999). The Directory of the Armed Forces Radio Service Series. Westport: Greenwood Press. p. 101. ISBN0-313-30812-8. OCLC41612414.
^Hanson, Patricia King; Dunkleberger, Amy, eds. (1971). "Duchess of Idaho". The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States: Feature Films, 1941-1950. Berkeley: University of California Press. p. 657. ISBN0-520-21521-4. OCLC468239657.
^"Reviews of new pop records". The Billboard: 22. April 17, 1954. The boys here come thru with a strong reading here on a bright ballad with an evocative flavor. The group handle this tune in Mills Brothers style, which will help get the side some attention. Should pull many jock spins, and it has the chance to break
^"Rhythm & Blues record reviews". The Billboard: 33. December 15, 1951. A slick semi-religious item, Is expertly sung by the new Capitol group. Lyrics are slyly humorous, and disk should be watched.
^The Billboard: 29. August 4, 1951. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
^Ruppli, Michel; Daniels, William R., eds. (1985). The King labels : a discography. Discographies, no. 18. Westport: Greenwood Press. p. 755. ISBN0-313-25146-0. OCLC12421822.
"The Jubalaires" – extensive article by Karen Caplan prepared for the 8th annual United in Harmony Association Hall of Fame Ceremony held on April 4, 1998
