Below are videos created from a century of recordings of (often) rare performances of Negro spirituals composed for concert presentation. Each video identifies the composer and vocalist, and provides a link to more information available in The Spirituals Database.
Let Us Break Bread Together Composer not identified Adele Addison, soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
Steal Away Traditional Adele Addison, soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
I Want to Die Easy Hale Smith, composer Donnie Ray Albert, baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
My Lord, what a Mornin’ Harry T. Burleigh, composer Roberta Alexander, soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
Were You There Composer not identified Betty Allen, mezzo-soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord Florence Price, composer Marian Anderson, contralto Spirituals Database Entry |
City Called Heaven Hall Johnson, composer Martina Arroyo, soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
Couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray Harry T. Burleigh, composer Martina Arroyo, soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands Hamilton Forrest, composer Martina Arroyo, soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
City Called Heaven Composer not identified Ethel Ayler, soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
Oh, Glory Evelyn Simpson-Curenton, composer Kathleen Battle, soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
Goin’ Shout All Over God’s Heaven Composer not identified Jules Bledsoe, baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
Let Us Break Bread Together McHenry Boatwright, composer McHenry Boatwright, bass-baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
Steal Away McHenry Boatwright, composer McHenry Boatwright, bass-baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
Sweet Little Jesus Boy Robert MacGimsey, composer Carol Brice, contralto Spirituals Database Entry |
City Called Heaven Hall Johnson, composer Anne Wiggins Brown, soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
His Name So Sweet Hall Johnson, composer Anne Wiggins Brown, soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
Hold on Hall Johnson, composer Anne Wiggins Brown, soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child Harry T. Burleigh, composer Anne Wiggins Brown, soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
This Little Light of Mine/Deep River (from Symphonic Spirituals) Hale Smith/Frederick Tillis, composer William Brown, tenor Spirituals Database Entry |
Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child Damien Sneed, composer Lawrence Brownlee, tenor Spirituals Database Entry |
Go Down Moses Harry T. Burleigh, composer Harry T. Burleigh, baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
Deep River Harry T. Burleigh, composer Carroll Clark, baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
I’m So Glad Trouble Don’t Last Alway R. Nathaniel Dett, composer Carroll Clark, baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
Give Me Jesus Hall Johnson, composer Vinson Cole, tenor Spirituals Database Entry |
Oh, What a Beautiful City Edward Boatner, composer Vinson Cole, tenor Spirituals Database Entry |
Calvary Medley Shelton E. Kilby, III, composer Barbara Conrad, mezzo-soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
Gospel Blues (from Lyric Suite) Robert L. Morris, composer Calesta “Callie” Day, soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
Is There Anybody Here That Loves My Jesus Undine Smith Moore, composer Pamela Dillard, mezzo-soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
City Called Heaven Edward Boatner, composer Mattiwilda Dobbs, soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
Couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray Composer not identified Evelyn Dove, soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
All God’s Chillun Got Wings John Rosamond Johnson, composer Todd Duncan, baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
Roll, Jerd’n, Roll Hall Johnson, composer Todd Duncan, baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
Witness Hall Johnson, composer Todd Duncan, baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
On My Journey Now Edward Boatner, composer Ruby Elzy, soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
Honor, Honor/Ride on, King Jesus Composer not identified Hope Foye, soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child-Hold on! Composer not identified Hope Foye, soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
By an’ By Harry T. Burleigh, composer Roland Hayes, tenor Spirituals Database Entry |
Crucifixion William Arms Fisher, composer Roland Hayes, tenor Spirituals Database Entry |
Prepare Me One Body ; Three Wise Men to Jerusalem Came (Sister Mary Had-a but One Child) ; Lit’l Boy ; Live-a-Humble ; He Raised Poor Lazarus ; You Hear the Lambs a-Cryin’ ; Plenty Good Room (from The Life of Christ) Roland Hayes, composer Roland Hayes, tenor Spirituals Database Entry |
One of You Shall Betray Me ; Who Betrayed My Lord? ; They Led My Lord Away ; He Never Said a Mumberlin’ Word ; Did You Hear When Jesus Rose? ; Were You There? (from: The Life of Christ) Roland Hayes, composer Roland Hayes, tenor Spirituals Database Entry |
Were You There Roland Hayes, composer Roland Hayes, tenor Spirituals Database Entry |
Go Down Moses Florence Price, composer Richard Heard, tenor Spirituals Database Entry |
He Never Said a Mumberlin’ Word Roland Hayes, composer Charles Holland, tenor Spirituals Database Entry |
Hear de Lambs a-Cryin’ Roland Hayes, composer Charles Holland, tenor Spirituals Database Entry |
Ev’ry Time I Feel the Spirit Shawn Okepebholo, composer Will Liverman, baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
Round about de Mountain Roland Hayes, composer Inez Matthews, mezzo-soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
This Little Light o’ Mine John Wesley Work III, composer Kevin Maynor, bass Spirituals Database Entry |
Deep River Harry T. Burleigh, composer Robert McFerrin, baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
Let Us Break Bread Together William Lawrence, composer Robert McFerrin, baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
Oh, Glory Hall Johnson, composer Robert McFerrin, baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
Were You There Harry T. Burleigh, composer Sherrill Milnes, baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
Great Day Thomas Kerr, Jr., composer Jessye Norman, soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
Sweet little Jesus Boy Robert MacGimsey, composer Jessye Norman, soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
There’s A Man Going Round Traditional Jessye Norman, soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
Go Down Moses Robert Owens, composer Oral Moses, bass-baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
Po’ Mourner’s Got a Home at Las’ (from A Cycle of Six Negro Spirituals for Bass(Baritone) and Piano) Robert Owens, composer Oral Moses, bass-baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
God Is a God Wendell Whalum, composer Kenneth Overton, baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
Standin’ in de Need o’ Prayer John C. Payne, composer John C. Payne, baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands Margaret Bonds, composer Leontyne Price, soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
Here’s One William Grant Still, composer Florence Quivar, mezzo-soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
Bye and Bye Lawrence Brown, composer Paul Robeson, baritone; Lawrence Brown, tenor Spirituals Database Entry |
Medley: Roll de old Chariot — Mary Had a Baby, Yes Lord — Swing Low, Sweet Chariot — Heav’n, Heav’n (I Got a Robe) Various composers Paul Robeson, bass-baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
Glory, Glory, Hallelujah Lena McLin, composer Mark Rucker, baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
Swing Low Sweet Chariot/Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen/Ezekiel Saw a Wheel Traditional Bayard Rustin, tenor Spirituals Database Entry |
There Is a Balm in Gilead Traditional Bayard Rustin, tenor Spirituals Database Entry |
Deep River Harry T. Burleigh, composer Oscar Seagle, baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
O Freedom Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, composer George Shirley, tenor Spirituals Database Entry |
City Called Heaven Composer not identified Kenneth Spencer, bass-baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
Goin’ to Ride up in de Chariot [Lawrence Brown], composer Kenneth Spencer, bass-baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
Hear de Lam’s a-Cryin’ Lawrence Brown, composer Kenneth Spencer, baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
There’s a Man Goin’ Roun’ Takin’ Names/ Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho Composer not identified Kenneth Spencer, baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
Who’ll Be a Witness for My Lord J. Rosamond Johnson, composer Kenneth Spencer, bass-baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
Guide My Feet Jacqueline Hairston, composer Louise Toppin, soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
I’m a Poor Little Orphan in This World! Composer not identified Shirley Verrett, mezzo-soprano Spirituals Database Entry |
Toccata (Ride On King Jesus) (from Cantata) John D. Carter, composer Ray Wade, Jr., tenor Spirituals Database Entry |
Deep River Harry T. Burleigh, composer William Warfield, bass-baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
Go Down, Moses Harry T. Burleigh, composer William Warfield, bass-baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
De Gospel Train Harry T. Burleigh, composer William Warfield, bass-baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
My Lord What a Mornin’ Harry T. Burleigh, composer William Warfield, bass-baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
Nobody Knows de Trouble I’ve Seen Harry T. Burleigh, composer William Warfield, bass-baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
I Couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray Composer not identified Lawrence Winters, baritone Spirituals Database Entry |
More videos will be added as they are created. Randye Jones (a.k.a. Divaslair)