Good News in Hard Times | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | August 22, 1995 | |||
Recorded | 1995 | |||
Genre | Gospel | |||
Length | 68:16 | |||
Label | Warner Bros./WEA (#9 45990) [1] | |||
Producer | Jennifer Cohen, Lois Walden | |||
CeCe Peniston chronology | ||||
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Good News in Hard Times is the album released by American gospel group the Sisters of Glory, released on August 22, 1995, by Warner Bros. Records. The set included solo performances by five female singers from different musical backgrounds: Thelma Houston, CeCe Peniston, Phoebe Snow, Lois Walden, and Albertina Walker.
The concept of their modern gospel ensemble was initially created by Lois Walden. For the first time, the vocalists performed together on April 25, 1994, at the New York benefit concert named "Gospel Music: From the Church to the Charts". The next gig for the gospel quintet was at the music festival Woodstock '94 on August 14, 1994. Later that year, on December 16, they appeared before Pope John Paul II at the Christmas at the Vatican II concert in Rome. [2] After receiving an offer from Warner Bros management, the Sisters also recorded a studio album in common.
The album, produced by Jennifer Cohen in collaboration with Walden, earned positive to mixed reviews from music critics. With no song released in support either on promotional single, Good News in Hard Times charted on the U.S. Billboard Top 40 Gospel Albums at number twenty-nine. [3]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [4] |
Entertainment Weekly | A− [5] |
Good News in Hard Times received positive to mixed reviews from critics. Dimitri Ehrlich from Entertainment Weekly graded the album with A−. Describing the product as "the funky, inspiring tour de force of classic black gospel", he highlighted Phoebe Snow's performance on the roof-raising "His Eye is on the Sparrow." [5] People acknowledged the Sisters for sticking to gospel tradition, instead blending their music with contemporary pop or R&B elements. The magazine praised the Walker's version of "He's Right on Time" for presence of "the glorious spirit of Mahalia Jackson", Peniston's sassy soul strut on "How I Got Over" and, especially, "the touching, tear-jerking way of maternal love" provided by Walden on the song "No Charge". [6] AllMusic gave the album three (out of five) stars with no particular comment. [4]
On September 9, 1995, the album entered the U.S. Billboard Top Gospel Albums Chart, debuting at number thirty-four. After three weeks at the same position, plus one week at number thirty-nine, the set topped its chart run on July 10 at number twenty-nine, eventually. Overall, the album spent six weeks in the chart. [7]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Performer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Rough Side of the Mountain" | Faircloth Barnes | The Sisters of Glory | 4:51 |
2. | "I Love the Lord" | Traditional | The Sisters of Glory and friends | 0:52 |
3. | "Precious Lord" | Thomas A. Dorsey, George Nelson Allen | Albertina Walker | 5:44 |
4. | "Surely God Is Able" | W. Herbert Brewster, Virginia Davis | Thelma Houston | 4:49 |
5. | "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" | Ada R. Habershon, Charles H. Gabriel arr. Jennifer Cohen, Shelton Becton | Lois Walden | 5:39 |
6. | "How I Got Over" | Clara Ward, arr. Jennifer Cohen, Shelton Becton | CeCe Peniston | 4:36 |
7. | "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" | Civilla D. Martin, Charles H. Gabriel, arr. Jennifer Cohen, Shelton Becton | Phoebe Snow | 6:49 |
8. | "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" | Traditional, arr. Jennifer Cohen, Shelton Becton | The Sisters of Glory | 3:30 |
9. | "I Won’t Be Back No More" | James Herndon | The Sisters of Glory | 4:00 |
10. | "Precious Memories" | J.B.F. Wright, arr. Jennifer Cohen, Shelton Becton | CeCe Peniston | 5:32 |
11. | "He’s Right on Time" | Dorothy Love Coates | Albertina Walker | 2:58 |
12. | "No Charge" | Harlan Howard | Lois Walden | 3:54 |
13. | "Move On Up a Little Higher" | W. Herbert Brewster | Phoebe Snow | 4:23 |
14. | "Walk Around Heaven All Day" | James Cleveland, Cassietta George | Thelma Houston | 4:25 |
15. | "Oh Happy Day" | Edwin Hawkins | The Sisters of Glory | 5:48 |
16. | "Yes" | Traditional | The Sisters of Glory | 0:26 |
Total length: | 68:16 |
Chart (1992) | Peak position |
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US Top Gospel Albums (Billboard) [7] | 29 |
Thelma Houston is an American singer. Beginning her recording career in the late 1960s, Houston scored a number-one hit in 1977 with her recording of "Don't Leave Me This Way", which won the Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.
Cecilia Veronica "CeCe" Peniston is an American singer and former beauty queen. In the early 1990s, she scored five number one hits on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play. Her signature song "Finally" reached the number 5 spot on the Hot 100 and number 2 in the UK Top 75.
Phoebe Snow was an American roots music singer-songwriter and guitarist, known for her hit 1974 and 1975 songs "Poetry Man" and "Harpo's Blues", and her credited guest vocals backing Paul Simon on "Gone at Last". She was described by The New York Times as a "contralto grounded in a bluesy growl and capable of sweeping over four octaves". Snow also sang numerous commercial jingles for many U.S. products during the 1980s and 1990s, including General Foods International Coffees, Salon Selectives, and Stouffer's. Snow experienced success in Australia in the late 1970s and early 1980s with five top 100 albums in that country. In 1995 she recorded a gospel album with Sisters of Glory.
"Finally" is a song by American singer-songwriter CeCe Peniston, released in September 1991 by A&M Records as her debut single from her first album of the same name (1992). Co-written by her, it received critical acclaim, becoming Peniston's first hit song, peaking at number five on the US Billboard Hot 100 in January 1992. Prior to that, the track was a major success on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, where it spent two weeks at number one in late 1991. In addition, a dance remix of the song, the "Choice Mix", peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart in March 1992. The remix appeared on many dance music compilations in the early '90s. Its music video was directed by Claude Borenzweig. Billboard ranked "Finally" among the "500 Best Pop Songs of All Time" in 2023.
Albertina Walker was an American gospel singer, songwriter and humanitarian.
Remix Collection is a rare CD only released in Japan containing special alternate versions of songs from CeCe Peniston's first two albums Finally and Thought 'Ya Knew. Many of these versions were exclusively available on vinyl and were never released on CD. The album featured nine alternate versions previously available only on vinyl and was issued on CD in Japan in 1994.
Lorraine Ellison was an American soul singer and songwriter known for her recording of the song "Stay with Me" in 1966.
Finally is the debut album by American singer CeCe Peniston, released on January 30, 1992, by A&M Records. Prior to the release of this album, Peniston released her debut single "Finally", which topped the US Billboard Hot Dance Music Club Play chart on October 26, 1991, peaking eventually at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 and at number two in the UK Singles Chart. The album yielded two additional singles which achieved dance number one status in the US; "We Got a Love Thang", co-written by Chantay Savage, and "Keep On Walkin'", written in collaboration with Kym Sims. Both songs entered the UK Singles Chart top 10 and the Billboard Hot 100 top 20 in the US. Despite the success of the singles, the album itself climbed only to number seventy on the US Billboard 200. However, during its thirty-six weeks long presence in the chart it sold over 554,000 copies in the US. The album peaked at number ten on the UK Albums Chart. The total worldwide sales of the album surpassed 3,000,000 units. Two further tracks were released from the album which were more in the R&B field; "Inside That I Cried" charted at number ten in the US R&B chart and at number forty-two in the UK, while "Crazy Love" peaked at number thirty-one in the US and at number forty-four in the UK. The album was part of the resurgence of dance music in the United States during the mid-1990s.
Marvin Lawrence Winans is an American pastor and gospel singer, and a member of the musical Winans family. He is also known for his recurring role in the hit show Tyler Perry's House of Payne.
American recording artist CeCe Peniston entered the music industry as a backup vocalist on the Overweight Pooch's album Female Preacher, released in July 1991 on A&M Records. Shortly before that, she was featured on the B-side to 12-inch single "I Can't Take the Power" by male rapper Marvelous JC. Besides her vocal performance on the Pooch's only charting track, "I Like It", she was given a credit for co-writing two compositions; "Kickin' Da Blues" and the titular "Female Preacher". Soon after, the singer pursued a solo career. By now, Peniston has released four studio albums including one as a member of The Sisters of Glory, two remix collections, one live album, four compilations and one live extended play (EP). Her singles discography features twenty-nine physical releases, twenty-one digital-only, seven promotional recordings and twenty-six other appearances; regardless of their format. She has also been included on one video album and has made fourteen music videos.
The Best Of is the first compilation album by American recording artist CeCe Peniston, released on March 2, 1998, by A&M Records in the overseas. It contains thirteen versions of her hit singles from 1991 to 1997. As the compilation was the singer's closing release under her contract with A&M, it didn't feature any new material. To increase the appeal of the product, the label included alternate, dancefloor remixed takes of Peniston's popular songs from her previous studio albums. Finally (1992), Thought 'Ya Knew (1994) and I'm Movin' On (1996).
Essential is a compilation album by the American artist CeCe Peniston, released on March 13, 2000.
Thought 'Ya Knew is the second solo studio album by American singer-songwriter CeCe Peniston, released on January 10, 1994, by A&M Records, and on February 10 in Japan. For this album, Peniston once again collaborated with Chicago-based producer Steve "Silk" Hurley, along with other producers Carsten Schack and Kenneth Karlin from Denmark, David Morales, Sir Jinx, and on one track also with the multiple Grammy Award-nominee Brian McKnight.
"Keep Givin' Me Your Love" is a song by American singer-songwriter CeCe Peniston, originally from her second studio album, Thought 'Ya Knew (1994). While in the US, it was issued as the fifth single release in 1995, in the UK the song was released as the second single in April 1994. After peaking at number 35 on the UK Singles Chart, it reached at number four on the US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in March 1995 and was Peniston's first song that failed to enter the Billboard Hot 100, stopping at number one on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart. The song was also classified the Billboard Hot Dance Breakouts number one in the category of Maxi-Singles Sales on March 4 and the Billboard Hot Dance Breakouts number three for the category of Club Play Singles on January 21, 1995.
"Searchin'" is a 1993 song by the musician CeCe Peniston, taken from her second solo album Thought 'Ya Knew on A&M Records.
Female Preacher is the debut, and to date the only album recorded by Tonya Davis, a US rapper better known as Overweight Pooch, which was released in 1991 on A&M Records. Although the record indicated that Pooch had some potential, her album didn't go far commercially.
"Nobody Else" is a 1998 song by American singer and songwriter CeCe Peniston. The composition was to be the lead single of the singer's originally scheduled album release on the Silk Entertainment label, as well as reportedly released on Steve Hurley's compilation The Voices of Life, Vol 1. The production of her album was cancelled eventually, and releasing of the compilation wouldn't happen either. However, the singer released another two singles on the label, "He Loves Me 2" the following year and "My Boo" in 2000.
Finally / We Got a Love Thang: Remix Collection is the first limited remix collection by CeCe Peniston, issued exclusively in Japan in 1992. The album was compiled of the singer's first two singles, as a result of charting both in the Japanese Top 10 at the same time. The album included overall eight versions remixed by David Morales, Steve Hurley, Maurice Joshua and E-Smoove.
The Sisters of Glory was a US gospel band that included Thelma Houston, CeCe Peniston, Phoebe Snow, Lois Walden and Albertina Walker. After performing for the Pope John Paul II in Rome at the Vatican, the quintet released their only album entitled Good News in Hard Times, which scored at number twenty-nine on the U.S. Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart in 1995.
Lois Walden is an American author, singer, songwriter, actor, record producer, performer & teaching artist for The Acting Company. She is the author of two novels: One More Stop, a 2012 finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Debut Fiction and Waterstones New Voices finalist, and Afterworld published in 2013 in the UK and in May 2014 in the US by Arcadia Books.