The Art Reynolds Singers

These Art Reynolds Singers albums are not for sale and are not in print.  If you like what you hear, please consider contacting Universal Music Group / Capitol Records and request that they re-issue these trail-blazing albums that changed black gospel music.  Perhaps, we will get paid this time.  😄

The Music

Tellin' It Like It Is

Tellin' It Like It Is!

Long, Dusty Road

Long, Dusty Road

It's A Wonderful World

It's a Wonderful World

Soul Gospel Sounds

The Soul Gospel Sounds of The Art Reynolds Singers

The Art-Forms LTD.

Art Forms LTD.

The Music

Apple Trees and Butterflies Cover
I'm a Bad Man Cover
Time to Call It a Day Cover
What Did I Do Wrong Cover

Art Reynolds Solo

The Music

A WORK OF ART LIVE with the The Reynolds Singers

A WORK OF ART live with The Art Reynolds Singers

Crossing Generations
on Spotify

A Vintage Perspective
on Spotify

The Art Reynolds Singers

"Jesus Is Just Alright" is a gospel song written by Art Reynolds and first recorded by Reynolds' own group, The Art Reynolds Singers, on their 1966 album, Tellin' It Like It Is.

The song's title makes use of the American slang term "all-right", which during the 1960s was used to describe something that was considered 'cool' or very good. The song has been covered by a number of bands and artists over the years, including the Byrds, Underground Sunshine, the Doobie Brothers, Alexis Korner, the Ventures, DC Talk, Stryper, Shelagh McDonald, and Robert Randolph (featuring Eric Clapton).

The first cover version of the song was recorded by the Los Angeles band the Byrds on their 1969 album, Ballad of Easy Rider. The song was later recorded by The Doobie Brothers, who included it on their 1972 album, Toulouse Street. The Doobie Brothers' version of the song was released as a single in November 1972 and it became a hit in the United States, peaking at No. 35 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1973, American rock band Exile released their self titled debut album which included a cover. In 1992, the Christian rock and hip hop group DC Talk released a version of "Jesus Is Just Alright" on their Free at Last album. The song has also been covered by Robert Randolph on his Colorblind album, with guest artist Eric Clapton and Stryper's 2013 release, No More Hell to Pay.

The Byrds' version

The Byrds' version of "Jesus Is Just Alright" was recorded on June 17, 1969 during the sessions for the band's eighth studio album, Ballad of Easy Rider. It was first released as part of that album but was subsequently issued as a single on December 15, 1969. The single stalled at No. 97 on the Billboard Hot 100 and failed to chart in the United Kingdom. Despite this lack of commercial success, the Doobie Brothers' later hit version of the song featured an arrangement that was heavily influenced by the Byrds' own recording.

The song was introduced to the Byrds by the band's drummer, Gene Parsons, who had been present in the studio when the Art Reynolds Singers had recorded it. The Byrds had added the song to their live concert repertoire some months prior to the start of the Ballad of Easy Rider recording sessions and it had quickly become an audience favorite. In concert, the Byrds rendition of "Jesus Is Just Alright" began with a wordless vocal introduction that built up and led into the first iteration of the song's chorus. This distinctive vocal arrangement had been devised by Parsons but once the band were in the studio, record producer Terry Melcher dispensed with this extended intro, choosing instead to give the song a more pop-oriented arrangement.

"Jesus Is Just Alright" became a staple of the Byrds' concert repertoire between 1969 and 1971, but appears to have been performed only rarely after that. Additionally, the band performed the song on the U.S. television programs Memphis Talent Party and The Midnight Special in 1970 and 1972 respectively.

Besides its appearance on the Ballad of Easy Rider album, "Jesus Is Just Alright" can also be found on several Byrds' compilations, including The Best of The Byrds: Greatest Hits, Volume II, History of The Byrds, The Byrds, The Essential Byrds, and There Is a Season. Live recordings of the song are included on the expanded edition of The Byrds' (Untitled) album as well as on Live at Royal Albert Hall 1971.

The Doobie Brothers' version

The Doobie Brothers' version of "Jesus Is Just Alright" was first released on their second album, Toulouse Street, in 1972. It was subsequently released in November 1972 as the second single from the album (b/w "Rockin' Down the Highway") and went on to become a U.S. hit, peaking at No. 35 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1973. The single featured a shorter, edited version of the song compared to the one included on the album. The Doobie Brothers' version of "Jesus Is Just Alright" was one of a number of religiously-themed songs to reach the U.S. charts between 1969 and 1973. The song, along with its B-side, continues to be a staple of playlists on classic rock radio stations.

The band first became aware of "Jesus Is Just Alright" after hearing the Byrds' version and before long the song had been added to the Doobie Brothers' own live repertoire. As a result, the song's musical arrangement is very similar to the one used by the Byrds, although the Doobie Brothers' rendition does include an extra bridge that the band added themselves. In 2007, bassist Tiran Porter claimed that the idea of adding a slow bridge was his, including the lyrics "Jesus is my friend", but due to the high vocal range demanded, guitarist Patrick Simmons sang lead instead of him. Although none of the individual band members were religiously inclined, the song went on to become very popular among Christians during the early 1970s, particularly those within the hippie counterculture that were involved with the Jesus movement.

In addition to its appearance on Toulouse Street, the song can also be found on a number of Doobie Brothers' compilations, including Best of The Doobies, Listen to the Music: The Very Best of The Doobie Brothers, Long Train Runnin': 1970–2000, Greatest Hits, and The Very Best of The Doobie Brothers. Live recordings of the song appear on the Farewell Tour, Rockin' down the Highway: The Wildlife Concert, and Live at Wolf Trap albums.

 

Personnel
Patrick Simmons — guitars, lead vocals
Tom Johnston – guitars, backing vocals
Tiran Porter – bass, backing vocals
John (Little John) Hartman – drums, percussion
Michael Hossack – drums

Additional personnel
Bill Payne – organ
Ted Templeman – percussion

DC Talk's version

"Jesus Is Just Alright" is a Dove Award-winning single by Christian rock and hip hop band, DC Talk. It was the lead single for their 1992 platinum-selling and Grammy Award-winning album, Free at Last. The band's primary songwriter, TobyMac (Toby McKeehan), retained the song's chorus but added a number of new verses consisting of his own lyrics. These lyrics were rapped, as was usual with DC Talk's songs of the period, with the lead vocal alternating between McKeehan's rapped verses and the sung chorus provided by Kevin Max (then known as Kevin Smith) and Michael Tait.

DC Talk's version also includes subtle lyric alterations, with the line "Jesus is just alright" being intermittently changed to "Jesus is still alright". Thus, DC Talk's recording can be seen as something of an update on the previous version. McKeehan changed the line in an attempt to express his feeling that Jesus was still alright with him even if many others did not share his beliefs. The song's lyrics also comment on the lack of acceptance and recognition that faith-based music often receives from mainstream radio. In addition to being musically based upon the earlier Byrds and Doobie Brothers' recordings, DC Talk's version of the song also features samples of Madonna's hit single "Vogue" and the Snap! song "The Power".

In the audio commentary of the Free at Last – The Movie bonus DVD, Tait identified "Jesus Is Just Alright" as the song that DC Talk have performed most in their live shows. It has been played at every concert since 1992 and is the only song to be played on each of their four major headlining tours: Free At Last (1994), Jesus Freak – The Tour (Spring 1996), The Supernatural Experience (Spring 1999), and An Evening with DC Talk (Spring 2001).

The song's music video was shot entirely in muted sepia-tone and featured DC Talk singing around three crosses in a desert, surrounded by musicians and dancers. It concludes with the band walking off into the desert sunset.

At the 24th GMA Dove Awards in 1994, "Jesus Is Just Alright" was awarded the Dove Award for Best Rock Recorded Song. DC Talk also became one of the first contemporary Christian acts to perform on late-night television when, on November 12, 1993, the band performed "Jesus Is Just Alright" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Awards

  • 24th Annual GMA Dove Awards "Jesus Is Just Alright" - Best Rock Recorded Song - Performed by DC Talk - 1994.
  • 39th Annual GMA Dove Awards "Ready for a Miracle" - Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year - Performed by LeAnn Rimes - 2008.

Credits

  • Second Bill Cosby Special
  • Art Linkletter Hollywood Talent Scouts
  • Betty Hutton Presented Group on Television

Performances

  • Famed Marco Polo Nightclub in Vancouver, Canada
  • Convention Hall in Philadelphia, PA
  • Ford Auditorium, Detroit, MI
  • Catamaran, San Diego, CA
  • Fontana Rosa Nightclub, Mexico City, Mexico
  • Tommy Banks Show, Edmonton, Canada
  • The Della Reese Show, Johannesburg, Cape Town,  Durban, South Africa
  • Hilton Hotel, Las Vegas, NV

Movies

  • "Bruce Almighty" - Featuring Ready for a Miracle
  • "Evan Almighty" - Featuring Ready for a Miracle
  • "Jesus Revolution" - Featuring Jesus is Just Alright
  • "Leap of Faith" - Featuring Ready for a Miracle
  • "Losing Isaiah" - Featuring Ready for a Miracle
  • "Religulous" - Featuring Jesus is Just Alright
  • "Saved" - Featuring Jesus is Just Alright
  • "The Simpsons Movie" - Featuring Jesus is Just Alright
  • "Wonderlust" - Featuring Jesus is Just Alright

Movie Trailers

  • "A Madea Family Funeral" (Tyler Perry) - Featuring Ready for a Miracle
  • "Leap of Faith" - Featuring Ready for a Miracle

Television Special or Series

  • "Branson Special" - Featuring Ready for a Miracle
  • "Cherry Blossom Festival" - Featuring Ready for a Miracle
  • "GCB (Good Christian Bitches)" - Featuring Jesus is Just Alright
  • "Glory Train" - Featuring Ready for a Miracle
  • "King of the Hill" - Featuring Ready for a Miracle
  • "That 70's Show" - Featuring Jesus is Just Alright
  • "The Gaithers" - Featuring Ready for a Miracle
  • "The Newsroom" - Featuring Jesus is Just Alright

Television Trailer

  • "God Friended Me" - Featuring Ready for a Miracle
  • "The Good Place" - Featuring Ready for a Miracle

Other

  • Co-owner of Clifford's Salon (Hair Dressers to the Stars), West Hollywood, CA. with Clifford Peterson.
    Clientele included:
    Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick, Thelma Houston,  Grace Jones, and countless other celebrities.
  • Writer and Music Critic for Soul Magazine.
  • Public Relations for Warren Lanier Enterprises.
  • Public Relations for Barry White, Marla Gibbs, Dizzy Gillespie, Fred Williamson, Melba Moore and Deniece Williams.
  • First Neighborhood Facility Coordinator for the City of Long Beach, California.
  • Directed "The Dutchman" in Long Beach, California.
Thelma Houston

Thelma Houston

Thelma and I have known each other since Jr. High School. Our first musical collaboration was in the form of a recorded album by the Franklin Jr. High Jazz Band featuring Thelma’s solo on “Someone to Watch Over Me” and a vibe solo by me on the same song. A multitude of television shows, world-wide performances and a Grammy Award for her rendition of “Don’t Leave Me This Way”, makes her one of music’s most recorded artists as well as one of its best. She has always given The Art Reynolds Singers credit for her start in the recording business. The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), a Smithsonian Institution museum, honors her contribution to music and it is the reason my name made it into the museum. Thanks Thelma for the love and respect all of these years.

ALFREDA

Alfreda James

Alfreda James has sung with the group ever since she was 14 years old. She has traveled extensively with Art and the group and most memorably to South Africa for a historic trip to Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban as part of the Della Reese Review. For many years she was a staple on the Los Angeles nightclub circuit including Memory Lane, the Page Four and Mavericks Flat. She is one of the lead singers with the group and her rendition of “Long Dusty Road” is a favorite among our listeners. Alfreda has been a champion for all children and has worked in early childhood education for many years. Alfreda will perform on a new single by The Art Reynolds Singers entitled “Walk With Me”. Stay tuned.

ALEXIS

Alexis Donadelle (Newjhar) (Deceased)

As an original member, Alexis was the heart and soul of the group. Besides being the historian, she always insisted the group be the best they could be. She was so funny and full of life. She had a rich family life with her husband (Dennis Newjhar), their children and grandchildren and carried herself with great dignity and poise. She was well educated and well lived. I loved her spirit and a smile that lit up the world. She is truly missed.

LILLIE

Lillie Mae Brown (Deceased)

Lillie was an original singer with the group. She had the most crystal clear soprano voice imaginable. It was the voice of an angel. She was always the group’s realist. That meant she would tell you the hard core truth about everything. Her smile and vocal abilities were always apparent. She continued working in the Long Beach community as the head of the Long Beach Community Improvement League. She is responsible for the “sound” of the Art Reynolds Singers. She is still having fun. Much love!

GLENNA

Glenna Session (Honey) (Deceased)

Honey was full of life and a great lead singer. She was a songwriter, pianist of the first order, vocalist extraordinaire with the personality of a star and a well-versed, fully lived adult woman. She was a choir director for several choirs and an active member of the COGIC (Church of God In Christ). She toured with Barbara Streisand as a background singer and recorded a solo album of her own. We miss her laughter and powerful personality. Her great vocals continue to live on!

ARLENE

Arlene Le Boef

Arlene is the nicest, quietest, and the most no-nonsense kind of person I have ever met. She, like Lillie, has a voice like an angel. She was always on time, on key and ready to work. She was the light and life of the group. She had a very good sense of what she wanted her life to be. Her love of family, friends and a good time is always apparent and she is devout about her faith and is a real jewel of a person with substance and love!

George “Ghee” Brown

George “Ghee” Brown

George joined the group with the release of the “It’s a Wonderful World” album. He had previously worked with the “Friends of Distinction” and “War” before joining the group and played a mean saxophone. His debonair style and smooth vocals became an essential part of the “new” sound of the group. He traveled to South Africa with the group and became one of the lead singers thereafter.

Vern Williamson

Vern Williamson (Deceased)

Vern was a gifted soprano. She could make a building shake with the strength of her voice. Every time she opened her mouth we got a standing ovation. Her love of the church and her family was second to none. I remember her funny personality and her ability to care and feel for others. She was a good mother and always put her best abilities up front. Vern formerly performed with “The Edwin Hawkins Singers” There will never be another Vern. Listen to “I Want to See the Other Side” on the “Work of Art” album and you’ll know what I’m talking about.

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Dora Taylor

Dora was Glenna Session’s sister and she joined the group with the live “Work of Art” album. Her alto smokey voice was so prominent, she practically carried all of her ad-libs with the ease of a solo performance. Her energy in performance was contagious and she was so distinctive that you would never forget her or her voice. Much love to you Ms. Taylor for your love and talent.

Thanks to my brothers, Sonny Reynolds and Renne Reynolds; children, Byron and Brooke Reynolds; and, grandson, Justin Reynolds.

Thanks to Michael Gebhard, my soul mate, best friend, business partner and everything else.

Art Reynolds is an African-American songwriter, producer and singer that has put music at the forefront of his life for over seven decades. His love for music was harvested by his grandmother “Doll” buying him a piano when he was age 10 in Long Beach, California. She told him to play, and play he did. From that simple start, he has used music to say what’s on his mind, heart and soul. He listened to the Doo-Wop groups of the mid-1950’s well into the 1960’s and found a simple set of chords that allowed him to play the most current interaction of R&B/Rock and Roll/Gospel and other forms of music that made it’s way into the fabric of our America.

Art was popular in junior high and high school because of his involvement with music. He also was a pretty good dancer and loved to wear cool clothes. Early on around age 14 Art began shinning shoes on the ocean front near the Long Beach City Hall. He shinned shoes for US Navy personnel stationed in the city. Art’s mother knew the man that owned the shoe shine booth and inquired if he could give Art a job. He told him to come down and learn the craft of “shinning”. He excelled making over $100 dollars on a great day back in the 1950’s. Of course he was the best dressed student because he had the money to buy his own clothing. Independence runs deep within Art. He became President of the Teen Tavern, a community multipurpose building frequented by local black teens. He then became President of the California Youth Association. Started working in the community programs fostered by the Long Beach Community Improvement League. He directed programs including early childhood education, a tutorial program, neighbor to neighbor integration and assorted social services offering job training and placement for disadvantaged youth. He was part of a small group of people that created the Miss Black Long Beach Pageant which was a rousing success. He was Executive Director of the Long Beach Opportunities Industrialization Center, a manpower training program and worked for the City of Long Beach as a Community Development Analyst assisting businesses to relocate in the Central Area.

Art’s love for gospel music got him attention when he started learning the newest gospel music as soon as it was released. Memorable music by The Caravans, Shirley Caesar, James Cleveland and various other pioneers in the evolution of gospel music. After conducting choirs for 3 Long Beach churches, Art started concentrating on the five best singers from the choir at St. Vestal CME Church and called them the “Art Reynolds Singers”.

The Art Reynolds Singers were one of the first black gospel groups ever to record for Capitol Records from 1966 to 1972. Their four albums are collector items and their original recording of “Jesus Is Just Alright” has been covered by countless artists. DC Talk won a 1994 Dove Award for “Best Rock Recorded Song”.

Art Reynolds and Bunny Hull wrote original music for the movie “Leap of Faith” starring Steve Martin which featured the song, “Ready for a Miracle” recorded by Patti LaBelle and later by LeAnn Rimes for the film, “Evan Almighty”. LeAnn’s version won the DOVE Award for “Traditional Gospel Recording Artist of the Year”.

One of the crown jewels is the use of “Ready for a Miracle” in the Tyler Perry trailer for the film “A Madea Family Funeral”.