Marvin Sapp's Never Would've Made It is a contemporary gospel masterpiece.
The Wailers recorded a couple of spirituals and gospel tunes as well. I really like their versions of Amen, Sinner Man, and This Train.
Let the Lord Be Seen in Me is a great gospel ballad. Jamaican interpretations of American gospel, spirituals, and R&B are fascinating and essential for understanding the evolution of ska, reggae and rocksteady.
Wings of a Dove is another interesting gospel/spiritual interpretation from Bob Marley and the Wailers
Tell Them Lord is a ska tune with Christian lyrics
This gospel tune was the inspiration for Ray Charles' I've Got a Woman, which was sampled by Kanye West for his hit, Gold Digger.
I'll Fly Away is another gospel fav of mine and one of Kanye's best moments on his first album.
Were You There When They Crucified My Lord? is one of the greatest spirituals. I first heard it during Easter season at Catholic mass in my youth. Robeson also has such an amazingly deep voice that captures the melancholy of this spiritual. Check out his Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child as well.
Oh Happy Day is a classic
Mahalia Jackson is a phenomenal gospel singer and her rendition of Amazing Grace is required gospel listening
Take My Hand, Precious Lord is a gospel standard composed by Thomas A. Dorsey, the 'father of gospel.' He brought blues and jazz influences into gospel. Jim Reeves was a country singer whose rendition of the song I find interesting.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe was known for her guitar and singing skills. And she really knew how to play the blues and swing (some accused her of playing 'devil's music' because she always played in a bluesy or jazz-influenced manner)
Down by the Riverside is a classic
Up Above My Head
Another great Sister Rosetta Tharpe song, a duet
This Train
Classic gospel-blues
Peace in the Valley was composed by Thomas A. Dorsey, the aforementioned blues pianist who became the 'father of black gospel'
Jesus Gave me Water
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Oh, Freedom
That's Heaven to Me
Nina Simone's legendary recording of Sinnerman
First recording of Sinner Man by Les Baxter
Classic Gospel song
No More Auction Block For Me
Summertime is not a spiritual but Gershwin was trying to write a song that sounds like African American folk music so I'll include Robeson's version of summertime
Robeson's version of Amazing Grace. What a voice!
Somebody's Knockin' At Your Door. I first heard this in a Catholic church in Wisconsin. I never new it was a Negro spiritual
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