[Slowhand] Re: Jesus Is Just Alright

[Bruce Wilson]

The Doobies probably scored the biggest hit with this song in 1973 - would like to add that they used the Byrds's arrangement of the gospel song originally recorded around 1966 by the Art Reynolds Singers.  The Byrds were probably the first to cover the original in 1969 on their "Ballad of Easy Rider" album.  They released it as a single in January, 1970.  It got some radio airplay, but I don't recall it being as popular as the Doobie version though it was, of course, far superior.  From Byrdwatcher: A Field Guide to the Byrds of Los Angeles  http://ebni.com/byrds/lpboer.html :

Drummer Gene Parsons watched gospel group the Art Reynolds Singers record "Jesus Is Just Alright" with his former bandmate Gib Guilbeau producing. Impressed, Parsons brought the song to the Byrds. Their version combines gospel-style group vocals with Clarence White's heavy, blues-based, fuzz-toned guitar and a subtle, droning string part. In 1973, the song would be a Top 40 hit for the Doobie Brothers in an almost-identical arrangement.

I don't care what they may say
brooz

---------------------------
Sandy posted:

Read in a Chicago Sun-Times article 
last weekend that EC and Robert recorded a cover of the Doobie Brothers 
classic "Jesus is Just Alright" for Robert's new album 
"Colorblind."
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/slowhand/attachments/20060627/5b9e6ced/attachment.htm