I have to confess the the Johnson Family Singers were unknown to me until this CD came in for review. Unfortunately, the liner notes are of no help. Research tells me that The Johnson's were a family group from North Carolina who were popular enough to record gospel music for Columbia in the early 40's and early 50's. They consisted of Pa (Jesse Deverin Seymour , he was raised by an Aunt Mary Johnson and took her name) Ma( Lydia Florence Craven) and their children Betty, Kenneth and the twins Bob and Jim. They were active on various radio stations of the south, including the Grand Ole Opry and traveled in concerts with the famous country stars of the time. Their easy to listen to gospel was mainly sung with simple but excellent piano accompaniment, provided on some tracks by Larry Walker, with the fiddle of Arthur Smith here and there and the steel guitar probably played by Nat Richardson. The recordings were made for Columbia between 1946-'50, the majority in Charlotte, N.C. the others divided between Nashville and New York. I enjoyed the clever delivery of such gospel standards as I"LL MEET YOU IN THE MORNING and the happy sounding KEEP ON THE SUNNY SIDE. there are also some very nice but perhaps relatively unknown numbers penned by noted writers such as Fred Rose, Albert Brumley and Al Dexter I don't think for one minute think this CD will prove a big seller but the plaintive vocals and style of the Johnson Family do grow on you. I hope people give it a listen because it is representive of the gospel music to be heard on country radio back in the '40's. Not to be confused with the intense singing of black gospel groups, this is genetic and laid back music. Maybe in about six months I'll manage to dig more into research and learn more about the Johnson Family Hugh T. Wilson Country Music People May 2002 London, England ---- In the 1940s, Betty Johnson, her brothers and parents often traveled through the South singing in churches they visited, and supping at the table of members of the congregation. Betty recalls those days in a welcome collection of original Columbia recordings by the Johnson Family Singers. As I said on the program, Betty's voice is like the grace of angels on these titles. We heard "A Haven in Heaven," "Get On Your Knees, Sinner," one of the Johnson Family numbers inspired by the advent of the atomic bomb, and "Sunday Morning in Dixie." These and 23 other selections are on Bliss Tavern Music 1229. Order it from www.CDBaby.com! Rob Bamberger - host of WAMU 88.5 FM's Hot Jazz Saturday Night