The latest part of the ongoing series chronicling, in no particular order, the greatest 1001 recordings made by Christian artists

154. REVEREND GARY DAVIS - TIME IS DRAWING NEAR, 1966. From the album 'Say No To The Devil', P-Vine.
A positive genius of the guitar in the '60s, the good reverend was a monumental influence on a generation of folk and blues buffs and before his death in 1972 left behind a stunning legacy of albums. His fluid picking on a beloved and battered Gibson would make any beginner rock guitarist weep but then the Rev Gary did have a lifetime of experience playing on the streets of South Carolina. But it wasn't just Gary's virtuoso guitar playing that was so thrilling, the blind ex-street musician also possessed a rich, harsh, soaked-in-the-blues voice perfectly suited to rasp out the message of salvation. On "Time Is Drawing Near" Gary's vocal echoes pre-blues, with hints of work song and field holler in his impassioned declamatory hollering while the song, an apocalyptic vision of the End Times, is as powerful as they come.
Tony Cummings

155. DON FRANCISCO - ADAM, WHERE ARE YOU, 1977. From the album 'Forgiven', New Pax.
I saw Don gig recently in St Austell and he still has the anointing. Ministry pure and (musically) simple, Don's records, country-tinged narrative songs with simple, though dramatic, arrangements, are extensions of his unblinkered vision to see the lost found. This song is surely among Don's finest, its theme going back to the Garden: "But the master of deception now begins with his dissection of the word/And with all his craft and subtlety the serpent twists the simple truth they've heard/While hanging in the balance is a world that has been placed at their command/And all their unborn children die as both of them bow down to Satan's hand." Then that heartbreaking cry of a Father looking for his lost son, "Adam...Adam...where are you?" He's still calling now. "And though the curse has long been broken Adam's sons are still the prisoners of their fears/Rushing helter skelter to destruction with their fingers in their ears/While the Father's voice is calling with an urgency I've never heard before/Won't you come in from the darkness now before it's time to finally close the door."
Tony Cummings

156. GLENN KAISER - IN THE OCEAN OF HIS LOVE, 1993. From the album 'All My 'Days', Ocean/Grrr.
Do you have that peace with the Saviour? Do you know His love? Does His joy surround? If it doesn't may I suggest you make a start by getting the veteran blues rocker's worship album which grew out of songs he wrote for his own devotions over many, many years. What about your 'devotions'? If they're non-existent or lacking reality, a positive step in rediscovering the ocean of God's grace would be, each and every time you slot 'All My Days' into your stereo, saying to yourself, and to God, "What I'm doing now is an act of worship."
Tony Cummings

157. WHITE HEART - WHO OWNS YOU, 1992. From the album 'Tales Of Wonder', Star Song.
An astonishing mixture of textures, one moment haunting acoustics behind the most delicate of vocals, the next howling guitars, crunching chords and the heaviest of heavy drum tracks - thanks to some great engineering and Adam Again's Jon "Hard" Knox (who had got on board the White Heart gravy train just before the Tales Of Wonder' sessions). As a piece of superlative AOR production "Who Owns You" would take some beating. But there's more; here is a fine lyric, exposing the commercialism and greed which have made America stray a long, long way from the faith of the founding fathers. When one considers the gigantic success of the album from which this comes, it would be nice to believe that America's CCM scene has a company of prophets prepared to challenge the USA's status quo. But in view of the reported huge fees White Heart's management now demand for a single concert the theme of the song rankles a little.
Tony Cummings

158. RICHIE FURAY - MAN OF MANY SORROWS, 1992. From the album 'The Spirit In Us', Pakaderm.
Apart from a Mark Pogue track when the dear brother is painfully flat, 'The Spirit In Us' various artists album is a gem undeserving of its nosedive into the bargain bins. Maybe the public wasn't ready for the Pakaderm roster, known for their decidedly heavy approach to rock, doing an acoustic 'unplugged' album. Maybe the company's half-hearted attempt to market it as a worship album was ill conceived (some of the songs are suited to congregational worship but not many). But the album, and this song, are well worth searching for. Since his pop star days with Poco, post-conversion Richie has made precious few albums in his own right which is a great shame as his gravel-voiced country-rock is never less than marvellous while he has a way with melody and imagery that many CCM stars don't get near. A moving passionate song.
Tony Cummings

159. LARRY NORMAN - WHY SHOULD THE DEVIL HAVE ALL THE GOOD MUSIC, 1972. From the album 'Only Visiting This Planet', Capitol.
As previously recounted, it's Geoff Moore's heavy rock version (his 1980 cut, not his recent version with the Distance) that is my favourite rendition but brother Larry's romping original - which threw down the gauntlet for thousands of Christian musicians to subsequently pick up - still gets the ol' feet tapping. That sly, sinuous, nasal vocal; that whined observation, "I ain't knocking the hymns"; Tom Howard's two-fisted piano attack doing a commendable pastiche of Jerry Lee Lewis; those raspberry-blowing saxes looking somewhere off mike and the whole rocking, rollicking thing reminds every listener that indeed "the Devil STOLE the beat" and that it's only right and proper that the Church should reclaim the rock'n'roll rhythm from the Great Conman. CCM as we know it today really started with this track...long may it continue.
Tony Cummings

160. MICHAEL OMARTIAN - ANNIE THE POET, 1977. From the album 'Adam 'Again', ABC.
Michael is, of course, one of the most renowned record producers around. Nobody could say the same about Michael's singing. But the LA studio maestro knew how to work within his voice's obvious limitations while the keyboard work and arrangements are top drawer. This kind of soul-influenced pop music of Michael's ABC albums has moved on a bit since 1977 but this is still a delightful example of the pop arranger's art.
Tony Cummings

As published in CR22, 1st August 1994

Gary Dunham

161. GARY DUNHAM - THE PEARL, 1982. From the album 'The Pearl', New Pax,.
I first heard this song when Gary accompanied Don Francisco on one of his tours of the UK in the mid '80s. Gary has now slipped from view but has left behind this gem of a ballad which was good enough for Helen Shapiro to cover a couple of years back. Gary's version is simplicity itself, his warm, smooth voice gliding across a plaintive piano accompaniment. A beautiful, timeless song of faith.
Tony Cummings

162. KAISER/MANSFIELD - BLIND WILLIE GLICKMAN, 1993. From the album 'Slow Burn', Grrr/Ocean.
I know devotees of Ry Cooder will disagree but for me no recreation of the stunning slide guitar sound of Blind Willie Johnson has got as near to the pre-war maestro as this instrumental gem. Glenn Kaiser puts so much bluesy passionate eloquence into those thrilling slides that it produces goose pimples whenever it's dug out.
Tony Cummings

163. MARK HEARD - I JUST WANNA GET WARM, 1993. From the album 'Dry Bone Dance', Fingerprint.
To my ears 'Dry Bone Dance' was Mark's definitive album. After experimenting with everything from guitar rock to techno it was this 'back to the roots' project which finally brought Mark's consummate songwriting talent into pristine focus. This magnificent, poignant song with a delicious roots-propelled groove is a fitting testament to a sorely missed talent.
Tony Cummings

164. 2ND CHAPTER OF ACTS - EASTER SONG, 1974. From the album 'With Footnotes', Myrrh.
Another of CCM's pioneers, Matthew Ward and the Herring sisters were surely at their creative prime on this, a catchiest of hooks, a delightful piano figure, those shrill, tight harmonies and a lyric which expresses the bubbling joy of realising that Christ is indeed risen. The song has been much revived in the subsequent years but it's this classic piece of California pop to which I continually return.
Tony Cummings

165. SHELDON SWIN -THE GREAT CORONATION, 1988. From the various artists album 'The Real Bahamas In Music And Song Volume 2', Nonesuch.
Recordings made 'in the field' by earnest folk music archivists aren't easy to listen to particularly if your ears are attuned to state-of-the-art digital sound. And certainly there are numerous field recordings which will appeal only to the ethnomusicologists among us (yer what John?). But for those prepared to put up with turn-on-a-tape-recorder production values and 'performers' who are not professional singers but simply living/breathing receptacles of the particular cultural expression (usually endangered or obscure) being documented by the tape recorder toting-historians, it's a rewarding area to investigate. One of the richest and, on these shores, least heard folk traditions is the gospel music of the Bahamas and save for a magnificent singer/guitarist called Joseph Spence remains largely undiscovered even by the world music connoisseurs. Sheldon Swin was recorded, with some brothers adding guttural acappella accompaniment in a haunting, polyrhythmic, though short, piece of Bahamas church. It's a thrilling sound.
Tony Cummings

166. ADAM AGAIN - RIVER ON FIRE, 1992. From the album 'Dig', Brainstorm.
Adam Again's main man Gene Eugene is an erratic genius but genius he is and on this he and his fellow alternative rockers deliver the goods. Beautiful song, beautiful guitar and a haunting chorus.
Tony Cummings

167. MARTYN JOSEPH - I WILL FOLLOW, 1987. From the album 'Treasure The Questions', Ears And Eyes.
There are many who still believe this American recorded set to be Martyn's finest album, while I would plump for this being Martyn's finest song. To give this rendition even more earthy passion, the soulful-voiced David Mullen duets with Martyn.
Tony Cummings