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

922. CORINNE BAILEY RAE - THE BLACKEST LILY, 2010. From the album 'The Sea', EMI.
After beginning her recording career singing worship with the Leeds-based Revive church, Corinne's debut solo album became only the fourth female artist project ever to debut at number one in the UK pop album chart. The R&B/jazz singer swiftly went on to win Grammys and Brit Awards and, in 2010, was nominated for a batch of awards for her album 'The Sea'. The song "The Blackest Lily" from that album is the track Cross Rhythms played the most. It still sends tingles down my spine six years on.
Tony Cummings

Robin Mark

923. ROBIN MARK - REVIVAL, 1998. From the album 'This City These Streets', ICC.
The worship leader at Christian Fellowship Church in East Belfast impacted first Northern Ireland, then the rest of the UK and finally in the late '90s the World Church with his passionate and sometimes prophetic calls to worship the living God. It was "Revival" along with Mark's other signature song "Days Of Elijah" which circled the globe. The lyrics in "Revival"'s verses are spot-on - "Every dreamer dreaming in a dead end job", "Every driver driving through the rush hour mob", "From the preacher preaching when the well is dry", "To the lost soul reaching for a higher high." Then comes a glimpse of what will surely come - "I can hear that thunder in the distance/Like a train on the edge of town/I can feel the brooding of your Spirit/Lay your burdens down, lay your burdens down." At this present time when some individuals and churches around the globe are entering into revival this extraordinary song remains a rallying call for our communities to be revived by the Spirit of God.
Tony Cummings

924. UNDEROATH - TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, 2006. From the album 'Define The Great Line', Takehold.
When the band from Tampa, Florida, released their fifth album 'Define The Great Line' it was described by Cross Rhythms as "an impressively versatile project where metal riffs and emo breakdowns, screamo noise and memorable hooks collide in a veritable sonic feast." The project turned out to be Underoath's biggest hit, going Gold and this song remains a hard music gem.
Tony Cummings

925. NORFOLK JUBILEE QUARTET - DIDN'T IT RAIN, 1937. From the album 'Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Vol 5 1929-1937', Document.
There have been literally hundreds of recordings of the old spiritual "Didn't It Rain", with the great Sister Rosetta Tharpe recording a particularly popular version. But it was some smooth jubilee harmonisers coming out of the Tidewater area of Virginia, the Norfolk Jubilee Quartet, who recorded the definitive rendition of the folksy account of Noah and the flood. The Norfolks recorded a lot of mainstream music as well as gospel offerings and eventually got to work with big hitters like Louis Armstrong and Guy Lombardo. But it is their old jubilee gospel tracks that retain their timeless appeal. The group had a great lead singer in Norman "Crip" Harris and an amazing bass vocalist in Len Williams.
Tony Cummings

926. HAYES FAMILY - ISN'T THE LOVE OF JESUS SOMETHING WONDERFUL, 1999. From the album 'Good Times', Hayes Family.
A walking bass country rhythm, some homespun harmonies from a family group from Boone, North Carolina and a tuneful hymn by John W Peterson (who penned over 1000 songs before his death in 2006) all make for a delightful expression of divine love. No wonder a Cross Rhythms reviewer once described this rendition by the Hayes Family, featured on a Southern gospel compilation, as "hauntingly beautiful."
Tony Cummings

927. FIVE IRON FRENZY - EVERY NEW DAY, 1998. From the album 'Our Newest Album Ever!', SaraBellum.
The album 'Our Newest Album Ever!' by the ska band from Denver, Five Iron Frenzy, is the one that established a musical connection between my son and myself. The best and most profound track "Every New Day" became a favourite for a spell. Its lyrics are super as they describe the transition from childhood innocence to youthful disillusionment, moving into prayer mode with references to William Blake's "Tyger" along the way. The steel section carries the song along and pulsating guitar riffs set the tone. The change of tempo in the middle raises the song to another level, vocalist Reese Roper concluding with the prayerful declaration, "Here's my heart/Let me be forever yours/Only you can make every new day seem so new."
Ian Whitwood

Josh White

928. JOSH WHITE - JESUS GONNA MAKE UP MY DYING BED, 1933. From the single, Banner.
The late bluesman and folk singer Josh White was popular in the pre-war years recording 78s as The Singing Christian. But it was decades later that he was to find more fame, and a lot more fortune, when he was adopted by the growing community of white folk music enthusiasts. However, it is Josh's recording of "Jesus Gonna Make Up My Dying Bed" which shows his deft guitar work and powerful voice in the best light. The song also known as "In My Time Of Dying" has been recorded by such diverse figures as Blind Willie Johnson, Bob Dylan and Led Zeppelin. But it was Josh who nailed this sombre contemplation of death.
Tony Cummings

929. FIREFLIGHT - UNBREAKABLE, 2008. From the album 'Unbreakable', Flicker.
Since the release of the 'Unbreakable' album by the Florida-based rockers, the project has regularly appeared in rock devotees' Internet lists as one of the all-time great rock albums. The theme of 'Unbreakable' was triumphing over mistakes and difficulties and that message is no more tellingly delivered than in the hooky anthem which was taken up for use in NBC television's Bionic Woman series. Fireflight's powerhouse lead singer Dawn Michele has explained that the lyric was in part inspired by the biblical account of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery. Dawn recounted, "The people in charge were ready to kill her and Jesus speaks up for her, changes their minds and makes them feel ashamed for accusing her. . . She knows she's guilty and yet she is suddenly free and given a second chance." Certainly the hook "Now I am unbreakable, it's unmistakable/No one can touch me/Nothing can touch me" over those biting guitar licks hits home like only the best rock anthems can.
Tony Cummings

930. JONNY DIAZ - BREATHE, 2014. From the album 'Let It Fly', Centricity.
The singer/songwriter from Portland, Oregon has spoken about his approach to songwriting for his 'Let It Fly' album. He said, "I attempted to break free from some of the traditional confines of Christian music but I couldn't get away from the fact that most of my songs revolve around my relationship with Christ. He is the focus of my life and I find it impossible to record my emotions and my journey without including him." Such a focus is clearly shown in Jonny's song "Breathe". It begins with images of the stresses and strains of everyday life but then the singer hears that familiar quiet still voice - "Breathe, just breathe/Come and rest at my feet/Chaos calls but all you really need/Is just to breathe."
Tony Cummings

931. MARTHA BASS - SINCE I'VE BEEN BORN AGAIN, 1968. From the album 'Rescue Me', Checker.
As any connoisseur of gospel music will tell you, Martha Bass was a seminal figure in post-war gospel music. Tireless work with the Church Of God In Christ fellowships she worked within plus dozens of albums ensured that before her death in 1998 Martha was acknowledged as a major influence on dozens of soloists and choirs. One intriguing moment in Martha's long ministry came in 1968 when the singer, encouraged by her daughter Fontella's entrance into the R&B/pop world with the million selling "Rescue Me", decided to contemporise, for an album at least, her traditional gospel sound. Like Fontella, Martha and her producer plumped for a sound that was very close to the four-on-the-floor rhythms of Motown Records which were leading the way in the pop charts. Although Martha's album track "Since I've Been Born Again" never enjoyed anything like the popularity of her daughter's big hit, it did eventually get picked up for play in Britain's northern soul clubs where, like many other Motown-influenced floor fillers, has been eulogised by the northern soul cognoscente.
Tony Cummings

932. MARIAN ANDERSON - DEEP RIVER, 1938. From the various artists album 'Gospel Greats: 60 Legendary Performances', Soho.
From the start it was decided to exclude classical and choral music from The Spirit Of Rock And Soul. But we couldn't resist putting in this recording from the African American classically-trained contralto acclaimed in the opera houses and classical music halls of the world. Before her death in 1993 Philadelphia's Marian Anderson had built up an adoring following. But the great lady never abandoned her church singing roots and recorded many spirituals alongside her classical repertoire. Marian's version of the haunting spiritual "Deep River", released in 1938 on RCA's Red Seal label, still retains its elegant beauty.
Tony Cummings

Lauren Daigle

933. LAUREN DAIGLE - HOW CAN IT BE, 2014. From The EP 'How Can It Be', Centricity.
When US Christian radio listeners first heard the young singer from Louisiana, Lauren Daigle, more than one fan felt that her powerful, smoky voice resembled that of Adele. But, as any new singer will tell you, a great voice will only get you so far and Lauren needed top rate songs. As it turned out with "How Can It Be" that's exactly what she got when she began working on her debut EP with producer Paul Mabury. The song, penned by Mabury, Jason Ingram and Jeff Johnson, was one of the best songs to be heard on American Christian radio and went on to be named Song Of The Year at 2015's Dove Awards. Lauren's passionate reading of this stirring confession of sin and celebration of grace make "How Can It Be" a modern day classic.
Tony Cummings

934. HILLSONG LIVE - CORNERSTONE, 2011. From the album 'Cornerstone', Hillsong Music.
Hillsong's modern worship anthem "Cornerstone" lifted its verses from "Solid Rock", a hymn written by Edward Mote in 1837. Its glorious stanzas expound how it is only the finished work of our Saviour that make us loved and accepted by a holy God. The addition of the Australian worshippers' "Christ alone, cornerstone" hook helped take it to a new generation of church goers though it's a shame that whoever tweaked the Rev Mote's lyrics didn't deal with the obscurity of the line "I dare not trust the sweetest frame." But that one small blip doesn't stop this being an uplifting anthem which is warming the hearts of many congregations.
Tony Cummings

935. EDWIN HAWKINS SINGERS - O HAPPY DAY, 1969. From the album 'Let Us Go To The House Of The Lord', Pavilion.
How this recording became a huge success (seven million sales) is the stuff of pop music legend. In the '60s an arranger and pianist from Oakland, California, Edwin Hawkins, organised an ensemble for his church The Ephesian Church Of God In Christ. The choir, originally known as The Northern California State Youth Choir, needed to raise funds to finance a trip to Cleveland so an album was recorded. This was made in a San Francisco church on a two track tape recorder and 500 copies of the album 'Let Us Go To The House Of The Lord' were pressed. Somehow one of them got into the hands of a pop and rock disc jockey on a San Francisco radio station. He, against all the odds, began to play the track "O Happy Day" and got immediate positive response from his listeners. Soon the choir, renamed The Edwin Hawkins Singers, had been snapped up by one of the major record companies, Buddah Records. "O Happy Day" featured the huskily soulful voice of Dorothy Morrison but she was quickly whisked away and signed with another major record company. The loss of the hit song's stunning lead singer didn't stop the choir going on to become international ambassadors for gospel music and "O Happy Day" still retains its spine-tingling appeal 47 years on.
Tony Cummings