Thank You For One More Day: The 70th Anniversary Of The Dixie Hummingbirds

Released in conjunction with Thank You for One More Day: The 70th Anniversary of the Dixie Hummingbirds in 1998, this brings together 14 sides recorded for the ABC label. As one of the oldest of the still-performing groups (alongside the Fairfield Four and the Soul Stirrers), these earlier sides show the group during its hard gospel phase, although still adhering to their original concept of being a five-man gospel group with four-part harmonies surrounding and supporting a lead singer. Highlights can be found anywhere the laser beams falls here, but special note should be paid to “Loves Me Like a Rock,” “Let’s Go Out to the Program” (where they imitate other groups with uncanny precision), “Two Little Fishes (And Five Loaves of Bread),” “Christian’s Automobile,” “Mother’s Prayer,” and “Bedside of a Neighbor.” Equally noteworthy are “Ezekiel Saw the Wheel,” “In the Morning,” “If Anybody Asks You,” “The Final Edition,” “Our Prayer for Peace” and the title track. A nice, bite-sized introduction to this long-standing gospel music tradition. – Cub Koda