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I obtained this record from the collection of Mr. Hannah of West Virginia. My copy does not have a jacket and the only other one that I have seen was on eBay and sadly, that one didn't have a jacket either. Not sure what that tells me expect there are at least two copies without jackets....or that it never came with one. The other detail I am not sure on is the date. The LP is a Sound of Nashville pressing. The number may indicate that it is from around 1970. This falls outside my own date range for this site, but the music could just as well be from 1960, or 1930 for that matter, so it stays.
This much I do know.....all of the songs on this LP provide a great example of the cross pollination between white and black gospel styles. Listen especially to "The Sun Didn't Shine" and "Ticket". They have the rhythmic intensity of great black gospel, but the pure, down home feel of white country gospel. There is no doubting that this is rural country gospel at any point. This is gospel fusion at its best.
As for dating this record, some basic research shows that the Blair Gospel Trip were indeed active in the late 1960's and according to this ad, in 1969, about the time I suspect this LP was released:
I know there are other records out there by this group and I am always looking. By all reports, they were a well loved group in their part of the country. Based on this one LP, I can understand why. Sadly, Ms. Hester Fry, the female vocalist heard on these recordings, passed away on April 5th, 2010, at the age of 75.
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