While
the Soul Stirrers' catalog has been thoroughly documented on many Specialty reissues, the 28 tracks presented here show that even their secondary and/or alternate cuts were outstanding. They pioneered the use of a double lead, with
Sam Cooke's wondrous tenor contrasted by several other superb vocalists from Paul Foster to
Julius Cheeks. There's even one cut where guitarist Bob King takes a turn at the microphone and doesn't disgrace himself. Through the many performances -- previously released or not -- it's instructive to hear the discussions, fragments, and partial pieces that show
the Soul Stirrers experimenting and perfecting the formula that made gospel history. ~ Ron Wynn