Freedom Highway (Gospel Spirit Series)

Though soul music from the mid to late 1960s is often montaged over archival footage from the era, it was predominantly African-American gospel that served as the soundtrack to the Civil Rights struggle in the United States. Mahalia Jackson herself urged Rev. Dr. King to "tell them about the dream Martin!" before he extemporaneously launched into his most famous speech. And it was this incredibly talented family act (also friends with Dr. King), who during their "soul folk" phase in the 1960s wrote some of the most moving songs about the struggle for equality, respect and love. The original vinyl LP of the same name was a field recording made in a Chicago church, replete with Pops Staples' between-song commentary and the congregation singing and clapping along. This is actually a compilation spanning a handful of albums released on Epic in the mid to late 1960s. Pops Staples's outer-space-meets-the-Delta guitar meshes perfectly with the other family members' strong voices. A number of their best gospel tunes are here, as well as their cover of Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth," the poignant story-song "Be Careful Of The Stones That You Throw," and of course their bracing version of the anthem "Freedom Highway."