The Joy Strings 1966 Album: Well Seasoned -B4- O Little Town Of Bethlehem
Continuing on my quest for the "first" here is another very early Christian rock album. I knew nothing of this album until a few months ago when it came across my desk and I'll admit the cover didn't make me rush to listen to it. You think I would know at this point that album covers mean nothing. This is without a doubt one of the best Christian rock albums I have ever heard. The band were led by keyboard player Joy Webb and got their start when they were featured on the BBC Tonight television show. The band mainly consisted of Salvation Army singers from the William Booth Memorial Training College, Denmark Hill in London. After appearing on TV they got a record deal and released a couple singles with great success. "It's An Open Secret" made it to #32 and "A Starry Night" made it to #34 on the British charts. This is their first of 2 full length album and it's a rather oddly structured album with Side A being all original tunes and Side B being Christmas carols. The album has 16 tracks which was great value for money at the time, something that would disappear until CD's many years later. The album was picked up by Epic Records for U.S. release in 1967 but alas the album didn't do as well in the U.S. If for no other reason you listen to this album you HAVE to listen to their rendition of "O Little Town Of Bethlehem" set to the music of The House of the Rising Sun. It is without a doubt one of the greatest moments of Christian music that no one ever heard. (Real 80s CCM) The Joy Strings Album: Well Seasoned Label: Regal Zonophone Country: UK Released: November 1966 Genre: Jazz, Rock, Pop, Folk, World, & Country Style: Religious, Beat, Mod, Psychedelic Rock, Holiday A1 Keep Me In Your Love (Davidson, Dalziel) A2 He Is Near (Joy Webb) A3 No Time To Lose (Robson/Robson) A4 Where Will It End (Peter Dalziel) A5 Long Lost Cause (Bill Davidson) A6 Friend For You (Peter Dalziel) A7 There Will Be God (Joy Webb) A8 Love That's All Around (Bill Davidson) B1 We Three Kings Of Orient Are (Arranged By The Joy Strings) B2 Silent Night, Holy Night (Arranged By The Joy Strings, Written By Gruber) B3 The Little King Jesus (Music By F. Ingles, Written By Lt. Com. Wiggins) B4 O Little Town Of Bethlehem (Arranged By The Joy Strings) B5 Away In A Manger (Arranged By The Joy Strings, Written By Luther, Kirkpatrick) B6 Mary's Little Boy Child (Hairston) B7 Do You Hear What I Hear? (Shane, Regney) B8 The Holly And The Ivy (Arranged By The Joy Strings) The Joystrings (originally credited as The Joy Strings) were a 1960s British Christian music group led by classically trained keyboard player and singer Joy Webb, who was an officer in the Salvation Army. After appearing on Cliff Michelmore's BBC Tonight television show, they were given a recording contract by EMI Records. In 1964, they became the first Salvation Army pop group to achieve chart success with "It's An Open Secret" and "A Starry Night". The main members through the years were Joy Webb (who wrote the group's first hit), Peter and Sylvia Dalziel, Bill Davidson, and Wycliffe Noble. The group had a number of other singers drawn, at intervals, from cadets at the William Booth Memorial Training College, Denmark Hill in London. They also recorded a version of "O Little Town of Bethlehem," using the music of The Animals' "The House of the Rising Sun" - an unusual blending.
