We were one of the first groups to do contemporary gospel, Ligon said during a 1993 interview. The group was influenced by The Temptations, an American vocal group that released four Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles. After 44 years and 35 albums, three Grammys and trophy-case full of almost every award imaginable; shows that have run a gamut from the church-house to the White House, and top-billings with a dazzling roster of superstar artists from nearly every genre of popular music (the Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Earth, Wind & Fire, Luther What I mean be that he gave me his Holy Ghost, the peace within to know that He is the reason I even exist.. 12/13/2016. I grew up listening to the Mighty Clouds of Joy, I even had my own little group at 13 signing their songs. Michael Cook, member of the legendary Gospel group The Mighty Clouds of Joy, died Friday morning July 18th as a result of a massive coronary. The Mighty Clouds of Joy was formed in 1955 in Los Angeles, California. Another great one is gone but now they are all together again up there singing and praising the Lord! 1 on the Disco/Dance chart and remained charted for five weeks. The Mighty Clouds of Joy used declamations of traditional African American ministers and were one of the earliest groups to use an electrified rhythm section to enhance classic Gospel vocals. THE MIGHTY CLOUDS WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN!! You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. Nominated for numerous Grammy Awards, the group received Grammys for several albums, including Live & Direct in 1978, Changing Times in 1979, and Power in 1993. But when I heard Mr lLigon he also had that growl , which made me feel so much better about singing and Ive been trying to sing every since. Mighty Clouds of one of my favorite groups Joe Jim and Joan Richard Johnny Martin known as choked Emirate Franklin The Mighty Clouds of my favorite groups Joe Jimmy Jones Johnny Martin Richard Wallace Emirate Franklin and Elmo Franklin they were the best as far as I am concerned after the Dixie Hummingbirds our group the silver stars of Raleigh song a lot of The Mighty Clouds of Joy song Especially make a step, Mr. Richard Wallace will be missed by many condolences go out to his family from the silver stars of Raleigh North Carolina. The Mighty Clouds of Joy started out in a traditional-based style. The Best of The Dixie Hummingbirds. It was their first crossover success. The singer once said: Gospel singers dont retire, you know, they just die doing what they do., My prayers go out to Joes family, friends, loved ones, and fans, said gospel singer BeBe Winans. Rest with the almighty my friend! In 1979, The Mighty Clouds of Joy received a Grammy Award for the album Live and Direct. In the same year, they released the album Changing Times, which also earned them a Grammy Award. They played for President Jimmy Carter and toured extensively overseas. I was always a die hard quartet fan HE WILL BE SURELY BE MISSED. Elmant Franklin Jr. died on January 17, 1996, in Austin, Texas. We love you! Ligon died in December 2016 at the age of 80. I knew he was the last original. Want to know what everyone in the music business is talking about. According to to a news release provided by gospel music industry publicist Bill. Let it play in the background as you study and immerse yourself in this topic! The Death of Dottie Rambo, Southern Gospel Legend, American Idol Finalists Who are Christian, The World's Best Christian Hard Rock Bands, The 27 Biggest Female Artists in Christian Music, Top 16 Christian Contemporary Pop Bands and Artists. In 1974, The Mighty Clouds of Joy became the first gospel group to appear on the television dance program, Soul Train. What was the name of your family group? Successful gospel group who fused the traditional quartet style with modern, R&B-influenced musical arrangements. He moved to Los Angeles to live with his uncle when he was in his early teens. Responsibility for the accuracy of information provided in stories not written by or specifically prepared for the Academy and its Affiliates lies with the story's original source or writer. Trivia (1) Members have included Joe Ligon, Richard Wallace, Johnny Valentine, Ron Staples, Tim Woodson, Johnny Martin, June Richmond. This was when they came to South Carolina. Odenton, MD 21113 Their debut LP, Family Circle, arrived a year later. Based in Los Angeles, California, the original group members included Joe Ligon (d. 2016), Johnny Martin (d. 1987), Ermant Franklin Jr. (d. 1996), Artis Turnbough (d. 1999), Elmeo Franklin (d. 2008), Richard Wallace (d. 2020), Leon Polk (d. 1998) and David Walker (who also recorded several tracks with Link Wray under the name Bunker Hill). Mighty Clouds of Joy is an American traditional gospel music quartet. Glenn Dale, MD 20769 Unlike other gospel groups, its members dressed stylishly they used the same tailor as the Temptations and worked slick choreography into their act. When I first heard his voice I thought theRev CL Franklin had joined a Quartet Group their voices were so close. Mighty Clouds of Joy was formed in 1954 and started out in a tradition-based style. $11.99. At age 14, Ligon moved to LA to live with his uncle. In 1979, the group won a Grammy for Best Soul Gospel Performance, Traditional for theirLive And Directalbum followed by the song Changing Times in 1980 forBest Soul Gospel Performance, Traditional. In 1992, they were awarded a Grammy for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Albumfor Pray For Me.In 1998, the group had a disco hit, Mighty High, that peaked at no. Gospel music authorities Rev. Julius Cheeks, a Los Angeles singer known for his baritone voice and onstage antics. We were one of the first groups to do contemporary gospel. While lineup changes plagued the Mighty Clouds throughout their career, they remained active into the new millennium; in addition to co-founders Ligon and Wallace, their latter-day incarnation also included Paul Beasley, Michael McCowin, Wilbert Williams, Johnny Valentine, and Ron Staples. Mighty Clouds of Joy is an American traditional gospel music quartet. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. (2021, February 8). Here is another blog you may also enjoy: Idol Chatter Happy Reading! Scrobble, find and rediscover music with a Last.fm account. The quartet later changed its name to the Stars of Bethlehem and cut an album for Ensign Records in 1960. I would like to offer my condolences to the family. Thanks for the update.. In the years that followed, the Mighty Clouds joined the ranks of gospel's greatest showmen; one of the first groups to incorporate choreographed moves into their act, their nimble footwork and bright, color-coordinated outfits earned them the sobriquet "The Temptations of Gospel.". Zelenskyy on Anniversary of Russian War. Joe Ligon (born Willie Joe Ligon in Troy, Alabama on October 11, 1936) died on December 11, 2016, at age 80. Their song "Time" reached the top of the R&B charts in 1974, while their tune "Ride the Mighty High" became a major disco hit. "Mighty Clouds of Joy Biography." Under Ligon's leadership, the Mighty Clouds of Joy changed the standard gospel lineup from a vocal quartet backed by a sole electric guitar to a full-fledged, R&B-influenced group complete with bass, drums, and keyboards. Franklin, Willie Joe Ligon, Richard Wallace and Johnny Martin were the four founding members of the Mighty Clouds of Joy. My condolences to his family and many friends. 32 on the Billboard R&B chart and 102 on the Billboard US Hot 100 chart. See original listing. A WONDERFUL INDIVIDUAL THAT PERFORMED FOR SO MANY. Founding ensemble member Johnny Martin died on February 12, 1987, in Los Angeles at the age of 46. Rest with God! The founder and lead vocalist of the Mighty Clouds of Joy, Joe Ligon (born Willie Joe Ligon) helped bring gospel music up to modern standards. Joe Ligon died in December 2016 at the age of 80. Free shipping for many products! He was 80. Best of the Mighty Clouds of Joy. God bless his family! Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for MIGHTY CLOUDS OF HARMONY press photo 8" x 10" publicity GOSPEL at the best online prices at eBay! The Mighty Clouds of Joy was formed in 1959 in Los Angeles, CA as a traditional-based style group. Read Full Biography. Johnny Martin - the founding member died in 1987 at the age of 46. [1], While reviewing the group's 1974 crossover LP It's Time, Robert Christgau wrote in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981), "You'd figure the showiest of all gospel groups would sell out with some flair, but the vocal transfigurationsthat old Wilson Pickett (and Julius Cheeks) unhh born againaren't the only reason this is one of the best LPs ever to come out of Philadelphia. The Mighty Clouds of Joy was formed in 1959 in Los Angeles, CA as a traditional-based style group. The Mighty Clouds of Joy were formed in Los Angeles during the '50s by schoolmates Joe Ligon and Johnny Martin; while still in their teens, the original group -- which also included Leon Polk, Richard Wallace, and brothers Ermant and Elmo Franklin -- made their recorded debut in 1960 with "Steal Away to Jesus," cut for the Peacock label. All Rights Reserved. More importantly, they were the first group to add bass, drums, and keyboards to the standard quartet accompaniment of solo guitar, resulting in a sound that horrified traditionalists but appealed to younger listeners -- so much so, in fact, that the Mighty Clouds became the first gospel act ever to appear on television's Soul Train, where they performed their disco smash "Mighty High." In 1960, the group released a single, titled Steal Away to Jesus.. Formed 1955 in a Los Angeles high school by Willie Joe Ligon, born Sept. 11, 1942 in Troy, AL; original members were Ligon, lead, Johnney Martin, lead, Elmo Franklin, baritone, and Richard Wallace, bass; Ligon and Wallace continued with the group for the next forty years; added Paul Beasley lead singer of the Gospel Keytones 1980; current members He will be surely missed. Singles that are picks of the week are singled out for their quality. Richard and the Clouds were truly a group of great guys who I counted as really good friends. He was born on October 11, 1936, in Troy, Alabama, USA, as Willie Joe Ligon. $16.99. Rest easy mr. wallace. He added: And we got stoned for it.. 9:00 AM 11:00 AM viewing, 11:00 AM 2:00 PM service The following year, the group recorded their debut album, Family Circle. When the Peacock Records label heard these tapes, the group was quickly signed to a recording contract. Sometime that same year, Wallace, along with members of the Sensational Wonders quartet Ermant Franklin, Elmo Franklin, Leon Polk, David Walker, and former Clouds member-turned-Sensational-Wonder Willie Joe Ligon, joined Johnny Martin in a reconstituted version of the Mighty Mighty Clouds of Joy. Singing for God on the stage but not living for Him after I left the stage. He loved everyone. Despite rumors of his demise, the charming rock legend is alive and well. Format: Record. All That I Am: Chapter 1. Jones, Kim. Michael Cook, a member of the award-winning Mighty Clouds of Joy, died Friday of a heart attack. Release Title:---Record Size: 7" Style: Classic R&B, Gospel. The Mighty Clouds of Joy went through many personnel changes in their decades-long career, with Ligon and Wallace ultimately the two remaining original members. Content on this site does not reflect an endorsement or recommendation of any artist or music by the Recording Academy and its Affiliates. 5:00 PM 9:00 PM Their crossover success continued with opening slots for secular pop stars including Marvin Gaye, the Rolling Stones, and Paul Simon, whom the group backed during a monthlong stint at Madison Square Garden. We dont have any upcoming events for this artist right now.