A Lot of LeFevres Lately

I found another White Gospel Group Tour Bus (WGGTB) LP when I scrambled to catch the last half-our of business at one of the country’s more pitiable Goodwill stores in Middlesboro (Middlesborough), Kentucky. More on the store in a later post; lets get on to the prolific LeFevres and their WGGTB!

 

I would have appreciated a larger photo of The LeFevres and their tour bus on the cover (talk about bad cover design), but it meets the criteria for a WGGTB LP. It will take some Intar-Webs sleuthing to confirm the year, make, and model of the bus, so stay tuned.

 

The LeFevres may seem obscure to some, but they were a HUGE success in The South and commanded their own gospel music empire with a big recording studio in Atlanta. You can see the latter behind them and their bus on the cover above. Talk about your large, modern curtain wall!

 

The bus on this LP was just the most recent bus for The LeFevres; they had others in their long career:

The above bus was brand-spanking new in 1959. The bus on the featured LP is from 1964.

 

OK. Now it’s time to give The LeFevres a look and listen with two of dozens of YouTubes that feature the group. White Gospel Music is much more tolerable than, say, Christian Rock, and at times it’s even enjoyable.

 

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Wouldn’t you know it.  Right before I was gonna post the above piece about The LeFevres, I took a ten-minute stroll through my local ATL Goodwill and picked up this:

Raymond LeFevre provides a nice, more secular antidote to the overt Christianity of the gospel LeFevres.

 

Raymond LeFevre created one of my favorite easy listening “sounds,” a thoughtful fusion of orchestra with now sounds. Lush strings mixed with solid beats and gentle chorus. This sound tends to divide people, with many declaring it schlock while others, like myself, close their eyes and let the LeFevre music wash over them like a comforting and warm waterfall. He can also produce some dramatic, Morricione-inspired movie music. And it’s always well-recorded.  You probably have heard one of his most famous arrangements, but in case you missed it, here it is:

 

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