Clara Ward & the Ward Singers - The Famous Ward Singers 1949-62 (CD)

The Famous Ward Singers, based in Philadelphia, were one of the foremost gospel groups of the post-war era. Originally founded as a family group in 1931 by Gertrude Ward as a family group, then called, variously, The Consecrated Gospel Singers or The Ward Trio, the collective achieved fame after the Second World War when Gertrude's daughter Clara Ward was leader. - A gifted singer and arranger, Ward adopted the lead-switching style, previously used primarily by male gospel quartets, creating opportunities for spontaneous improvization and vamping by each member of the group, while giving virtuoso singers such as Henrietta Waddy, Marion Williams and Willa Ward Moultrie the opportunity to perform the lead vocal in songs. - This 77-track collection comprises a fairly significant proportion of the 130 or so A and B sides released on the Gotham and Savoy labels during this era, which represented the years when they achieved their greatest success. The releases were under various guises - Clara Ward as a solo artist, The Famous Ward Sisters Of Philadelphia, The Clara Ward Specials, Clara Ward & the Ward Singers, The Clara Ward Singers, The Famous Ward Singers and simply as The Ward Singers. It features the million-seller Surely God Is Able, along with How I Got Over, and Packin' Up, plus many gospel classics and standards. Ward died in 1973 at the age of 48 and Aretha Franklin and Rev. C. L. Franklin sang at her funeral in Philadelphia. She was honoured posthumously at the Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York City four years later in 1977.

Track List:

Disc: 1

1. Surely God Is Able
2. I Need Thee Every Hour
3. The Fountain
4. How I Got Over
5. I Don't Know Why
6. Throw Out the Lifeline
7. He'll Never Let Go My Hand
8. Hark the Voice
9. When I've Done the Best I Can
10. When the Gates Swing Open
11. Happy Over There - Part 1
12. I'm Waiting for Jesus
13. At the Cross
14. In That Great Judgement Morning
15. On Higher Ground
16. Faith Moves Mountains
17. I Heard of a City Called Jerusalem
18. Jesus
19. Stretch Out
20. Just One Moment
21. Each Day
22. Jesus Is All the World to Me
23. The Day Is Past and Gone
24. Get Back, Jordan
25. How Far Am I from Canaan?

Disc: 2

1. He Knows How Much We Can Bear
2. My Jesus Is All and All
3. Who Could Ask for Anything Else
4. I'm Bound for the Higher Ground
5. When I Woke Up in Glory
6. That Awful Day Will Surely Come
7. The Old Rugged Cross
8. Oh My Lord, What a Time
9. I Heard the Voice of Jesus
10. The Old Landmark
11. I Will Trust in the Lord
12. This Little Light of Mine
13. Until I Found the Lord
14. How Many Times
15. Since I Found the Light
16. I Just Can't Make It Myself
17. I Know It Was the Lord
18. I Want to Be More Like Jesus
19. Who Shall Be Able to Stand
20. Farther on Up the Road
21. Only the Crumbs
22. God's Amazing Love
23. Treading the Wine Press Alone
24. Oh Gabriel
25. Lord, Touch Me

Disc: 3

1. I'm Goin' Home
2. Hold Back the Tears
3. Anywhere in Glory
4. Great Is the Lord
5. Packin' Up
6. Nearer My God to Thee
7. Climbing Jacob's Ladder
8. I Feel the Holy Spirit
9. I'm So Glad
10. Our God Is Real
11. In His Arms
12. Pure Gold
13. Good News
14. Got on My Traveling Shoes
15. He's Watching Over You
16. We're Gonna Have a Time
17. We Shall Be Changed
18. Every Day Will Be Sunday
19. God Is Good
20. I'm Getting Richer
21. I'm Gonna Move Upstairs
22. A Sweeter Tomorrow
23. Life Is Just One Step
24. Rock of Ages
25. The Lord's Army
26. Handwriting on the Wall
27. Contract with the Lord