Marie Knight - Gospel Train - The Marie Knight Story (1946-1962) (2021)

This compilation traces Marie Knight's musical journey from mainstream 1940s Gospel, through mid-50s R&B, to early 60s embryonic Soul, across ten different record labels. Knight started out as a Gospel singer in the early 1940s, recording with several renowned groups, before teaming up with the mighty Sister Rosetta Tharpe, with whom she worked extensively until the mid-50s. Their body of work together included releases like 'Precious Memories', 'Up Above My Head' and 'My Journey To The Sky', which are among Tharpe's highest acclaimed work.

Under her own steam she cut sides like 'I'll Let Nothin' Separate Me From The Lord', 'Gospel Train' (which made the R&B Top 10), 'Satisfied With Jesus' and the bluesy 'I Just Can't Keep From Cryin', before switching to secular music with releases like 'Tell Me Why', 'Grasshopper Baby' and 'Look At Me'.

Her outstanding R&B/Soul sides were the wild 'I Thought I Told You Not To Tell Them', 'I Can't Sit Down' (a duet with Rex Garvin), 'Come Tomorrow', which would be successfully revived by Manfred Mann in the mid-60s and 'Come On Baby (Hold My Hand)'.