The small town of Como, Mississippi is itching for inclusion on your Deep South tour itinerary, and regardless of whether or not there’s a freakin’ McDonald’s around to make you feel comfortable in your environs, a family with the surname “Walker” is inadvertently coaxing visits by way of their siren-like gospel harmonies. Sam Cooke and Fred McDowell were both drawn to the voice of the now 80-something-year-old Raymond Walker when they recruited him for singing purposes presumably some time ago, and now the entire Walker Family is being formally highlighted on Panola County Spirit, the third release from the Daptone label in their dedication to Como church music. (Devoutness isn’t a prerequisite for enjoyment, you lovable heathens.)
Panola County Spirit comes out March 18, and for the purposes of clarification, The Walker Family itself is an outfit consisting of Raymond and Joella, three of their four daughters (Alberta, Patricia and Delouse), and their two sons (Robert and Bobby). Each of the those younger Walkers have solos on the new album, and there’s certainly an inescapable American quality to the sample track below, “Jesus Gave Me Water,” in which Raymond’s voice is quite obvious (initially debuted via NPR).
Raymond actually turned down both Cooke and McDowell due to their insistence on singing blues as opposed to gospel. What a badass, right?
Panola County Spirit tracklisting:
01. The Lord Is Blessing Me
02. Jesus Gave Me Water
03. My Time Will Come
04. Had My Chance
05. Chilly Jordan
06. Make Me Real
07. Leave That Liar Alone
08. There Will Be A Fire One Day
09. Jesus Died On Calvary
10. Oh Lord Hear My Voice
11. Jesus Walk With Me
12. Sweet Home
13. Don’t Wonder About Him
14. Old Ship Of Zion
15. Living Testimony
16. Shake My Mother’s Hand
17. He Didn’t Have To Wake Me
More about: The Walker Family
