'The Last Shall Be First': A Lost Chapter Of Gospel, Saved From Extinction
The Last Shall Be First: The JCR Records Story, Vol. 1 is a collection of gospel music first recorded in 1970s Memphis and released for the first time after years spent tracking down master tapes.
This fall brings a new collection of some old spirituals and gospel music, first recorded back in the 1970s. The Last Shall Be First: The JCR Records Story, Vol. 1 aims to give a second life to some memorable performances that almost disappeared forever. It's a story that really begins with a close cousin of gospel music: the blues.
In the late 1940s and into the '50s, radio station KWEM in West Memphis, Ark., featured live broadcasts of future legends like B.B. King, Johnny Cash and
