This isn't exactly Southern Gospel but I bet there are SG bass singers that would know this man. How many of you have ever heard Jimmy Jones of the black quartet The Harmonizing Four.
Recently someone let me borrow some tapes of this man and all I can say is that I have enjoyed listening to these tapes as much as any singing that I have listened to in a long time.
This man had a style to his bass singing that I would call similar to how Jake Hess styled lead singing. I think Mr. Jones has died and I don't know when. Did not find too much info on him on the web. but did get lucky enough to find a solo album the other day.
Anyway, how many of you have heard this man sing and what do you think?

Excellent singer. I think a lot of today's singers got some of their "chops" from Jimmy whether they realize it or not. I think he's the one that originally did "Golden Bells" which several white groups have copied.

I recently recorded a couple of his solo LPs on CD. Some were good, but some were a bit "over the top" for my tastes. Guess it was the ole "70s" thing.

We had a trivia question about him a few months ago and found out that he was almost an "unknown".

John, one of these tapes was of the quartet and there was three songs right together that are on a Statesmen LP "The Happy Sound of The Statesmen" and the arrangements are identical The songs are Back to The Dust, Live Like Jesus,and Lived and He Loved Me. Now I don't know who copied who but my guess is that the Harmonizing four recordings are older.

I don't doubt for a moment that the Harmonizing Four recordings are earlier than the Statesmen recordings. The Statesmen often used spirituals from black groups in their programs and on their recordings.

Jones was a great bass singer and the Harmonizing Four were a terrific group. I remember talking to Burman Porter about how good Jones was. Burman said Rex Nelon was a big fan and covered their song "I Love to Call His Name."

Liner notes on the Charly CD "I Shall Not Be Moved" says the group didn't get a lot of publicity because leader and manager Joe Williams would only allow the group to be interviewed if they were paid appropriately.

The CD is made up of songs recorded on the VeeJay label in the early 1950s. Jones is on six of the 20 tracks. Bass on the other songs is Ellis Johnson "who could not sing as deep as Jones but possesseed a wider range and richer resonance." In the early 40s the group recorded for Decca.

It also says that "In the Black gospel world Jones is generally considered as the greatest bass of all time."

As for the group, it says that in the 40s and 50s black groups were moving to a harder, more contemporary gospel sound. "The Harmonizing Four took a bold step backwards ... all the way to their Southern folk roots focusing on spirituals and hymns of an earlier era."

The CD has such well known songs as Farther Along, Where Could I Go, Pass Me Not, Live Like Jesus, God Will Take Care of You and I Love to Call His Name.

They are one of my two favorite Black groups with the Soul Stirrers, with Sam Cooke singing lead, my other favorite.

I have been looking at album listings for Harmonizing Four with Jimmy Jones since John posted a question about him a while back. I looked over the ads for the various albums, but I could never be sure which ones had him singing. The the listings and the cover photos are somewhat misleading. I guess that's not so unusual, though. I'm also interested in hearing Ellis Johnson. I like to know what I'm ordering.

Norm, I appreciate the detailed information that you posted. I noticed a video on YouTube that had them singing in the 1960s and another from 1991. The one from 1991 has Ellis Johnson on bass. I don't know who the bass was on the older video.