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{{One source|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox Musical artist <!-- See Misplaced Pages:WikiProject_Musicians --> {{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Misplaced Pages:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| Name = The Pilgrim Travelers
| Img = | name = The Pilgrim Travelers
| Img_capt = | image =
| Img_size = | caption =
| Landscape = | image_size =
| Background = group_or_band | background = group_or_band
| Alias = | alias =
| Origin = ] | origin = ], United States
| Genre = ] | genre = ], ]
| Years_active = | years_active = 1936–1956, 1956-present
| Label = | label =
| Associated_acts = | associated_acts =
| URL = | website =
| current_members = James Wafer<br>Bill Bufkin<br>Lawrence Hambrick<br>Bill White<br>Ben Peters
| Current_members =
| past_members = Keith Barber<br>Kylo Turner<br>Jesse Whitaker<br>J.W. Alexander<br>]<br>]<br>Raphael Taylor<br>Willie Davis<br>Joe Johnson<br>Lonnie Hill<br>Dempsey Evans<br>Henry Bottes<br>Ernest Booker
| Past_members =
}} }}

'''The Pilgrim Travelers''' were a ] group popular in the late ] and early ].
'''The Pilgrim Travelers''' were an American ] group, popular in the late 1940s and early 1950s.<ref name="Larkin50">{{cite book|title=]|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=]|date=2002|edition=Third|isbn=1-85227-937-0|page=327}}</ref>


==Musical career== ==Musical career==
Formed in the early ] in ], they were strongly influenced by another Texas-based quartet, the ]. They achieved popularity after moving to ] in ], where their new manager, James "Woodie" Alexander, helped fashion a new style that went beyond imitating the Soul Stirrers and the ], the other reigning quartet of the era. Like the Soul Stirrers, the Travelers traded the lead between their two best singers, Kylo Turner, a baritone with the same facility as a note-bending falsetto as ] of the Soul Stirrers, and Keith Barber, also nicknamed "Doc" or "Crip", who changed from being a sweet-voiced tenor to a hard gospel shouter under Alexander's direction. They added Jesse Whitaker &mdash; whom ] credited as one of his models when he adapted hard gospel style to secular themes to create ] in the 1950s &mdash; as a baritone in ]. Formed in 1936 in ], United States,<ref name="Larkin50"/> They achieved popularity after moving to ] in 1942, where their new manager, ], helped Travelers vocal style that went beyond imitating the Soul Stirrers and the ], the other reigning quartet of the era.<ref> allmusic Retrieved 16 November 2024</ref> The Pilgrim Travelers traded the lead between their two singers, Kylo Turner, the same facility as a note-bending falsetto as ] of the Soul Stirrers, and Keith Barber who changed from being a sweet-voiced tenor to a hard gospel shouter. They added Jesse Whitaker &mdash; whom ] credited as one of his models when he adapted hard gospel style to secular themes to create ] in the 1950s &mdash; as a baritone in 1947.<ref name="Larkin50"/>


Alexander also changed the Travelers' performance style from the "flat-footed" style of early quartets to the church-wrecking style of other groups of their era. The singers would punctuate their singing by jumping off stage and running up the aisles in order, in Alexander's words, "to pull the sisters out of their seats". They cemented their popularity with a series of "mother songs", which replayed the same themes of gratitude and guilt for all that mother had done to steer them toward salvation. Alexander also changed the Travelers' performance style from the "flat-footed" style of early quartets to the church-wrecking style of other groups of their era. The singers would punctuate their singing by jumping off stage and running up the aisles in order, in Alexander's words, "to pull the sisters out of their seats". <!-- They cemented their popularity with a series of "mother songs", which replayed the same themes of gratitude and guilt for all that mother had done to steer them toward salvation. -->


After a handful of a cappella songs, the Travelers began recording their material with a microphone picking up the sound of their percussive foot-tapping; Specialty's early press for the group proclaimed "Something New — Walking Rhythm Spirituals," and the unique sound quickly caught on with consumers. In 1948, the group issued six singles; after just three the following year, in 1950 Specialty released no less than ten Pilgrim Travelers sides, all of them to strong sales (particularly "Jesus Met the Woman at the Well" and "Mother Bowed"). However, at the peak of their success, Barber was involved in a 1950 auto accident which left his voice ravaged; at the same time, the emergence of the Soul Stirrers' Sam Cooke made Turner's vocal style appear increasingly outdated, and seemingly overnight the group's fortunes began to wane. The Travelers began recording their material with a microphone picking up the sound of their percussive foot-tapping; Specialty's early press for the group proclaimed "Something New — Walking Rhythm Spirituals," and the unique sound quickly caught on with female gospel fans.<ref> crossrhythms.co.uk Retrieved 16 November 2024</ref> In 1948, the group issued six singles; after just three the following year. In 1950, Specialty released ten Pilgrim Travelers sides, all of them to strong sales (particularly "]" and "Mother Bowed").<ref name="Larkin50"/>


The Travelers gradually fell apart in the ], however, as accidents and drinking caused both Barber and Turner to leave the group. While the group continued to tour and record, adding ] in ], it lost its hitmaking power after leaving ] in ]. Rawls left the group in ]; although he returned to record another album with the group after that, it soon faded from the scene. The Plgrim Travelers gradually fell apart in the 1950s, however, as accidents and drinking caused both Barber and Turner to leave the group.<ref name="Larkin50"/> While the group continued to tour and record, adding ] in 1950s,<ref> tshaonline.org Retrieved 16 November 2024</ref> it lost its hit making power after leaving ] in 1956.<ref name="Larkin50"/> The group disbanded in 1956. Rawls left the group; although he returned to record another album with the group after that, it soon faded from the scene.<ref name="Larkin50"/> James Wafer formed new Pilgrim Travelers in 1956.<ref> reverbnation.com
Retrieved 16 November 2024</ref> <!-- Shortly after Lou Rawls separated from the Travelers, Ben Peters stepped in and continued to be an active member of what was left of the group. -->


==Further reading== ==Further reading==
* Boyer, Horace Clarence,''How Sweet the Sound: The Golden Age of Gospel'' Elliott and Clark, 1995, ISBN 0-252-06877-7. * Boyer, Horace Clarence,''How Sweet the Sound: The Golden Age of Gospel'' Elliott and Clark, 1995, {{ISBN|0-252-06877-7}}.

⚫ ==References==
{{Reflist}}

==See also==
*]


==External links== ==External links==
*
*
* *
*


{{Authority control}}
⚫ ==References==
{{reflist}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Pilgrim Travelers, The}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Pilgrim Travelers, The}}
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Latest revision as of 06:52, 19 November 2024

This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources.
Find sources: "Pilgrim Travelers" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (October 2019)
The Pilgrim Travelers
OriginHouston, Texas, United States
GenresGospel, Christian music
Years active1936–1956, 1956-present
MembersJames Wafer
Bill Bufkin
Lawrence Hambrick
Bill White
Ben Peters
Past membersKeith Barber
Kylo Turner
Jesse Whitaker
J.W. Alexander
George McCurn
Lou Rawls
Raphael Taylor
Willie Davis
Joe Johnson
Lonnie Hill
Dempsey Evans
Henry Bottes
Ernest Booker

The Pilgrim Travelers were an American gospel group, popular in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

Musical career

Formed in 1936 in Houston, Texas, United States, They achieved popularity after moving to Los Angeles in 1942, where their new manager, J. W. Alexander, helped Travelers vocal style that went beyond imitating the Soul Stirrers and the Golden Gate Quartet, the other reigning quartet of the era. The Pilgrim Travelers traded the lead between their two singers, Kylo Turner, the same facility as a note-bending falsetto as R.H. Harris of the Soul Stirrers, and Keith Barber who changed from being a sweet-voiced tenor to a hard gospel shouter. They added Jesse Whitaker — whom Ray Charles credited as one of his models when he adapted hard gospel style to secular themes to create soul music in the 1950s — as a baritone in 1947.

Alexander also changed the Travelers' performance style from the "flat-footed" style of early quartets to the church-wrecking style of other groups of their era. The singers would punctuate their singing by jumping off stage and running up the aisles in order, in Alexander's words, "to pull the sisters out of their seats".

The Travelers began recording their material with a microphone picking up the sound of their percussive foot-tapping; Specialty's early press for the group proclaimed "Something New — Walking Rhythm Spirituals," and the unique sound quickly caught on with female gospel fans. In 1948, the group issued six singles; after just three the following year. In 1950, Specialty released ten Pilgrim Travelers sides, all of them to strong sales (particularly "Jesus Met the Woman at the Well" and "Mother Bowed").

The Plgrim Travelers gradually fell apart in the 1950s, however, as accidents and drinking caused both Barber and Turner to leave the group. While the group continued to tour and record, adding Lou Rawls in 1950s, it lost its hit making power after leaving Specialty Records in 1956. The group disbanded in 1956. Rawls left the group; although he returned to record another album with the group after that, it soon faded from the scene. James Wafer formed new Pilgrim Travelers in 1956.

Further reading

  • Boyer, Horace Clarence,How Sweet the Sound: The Golden Age of Gospel Elliott and Clark, 1995, ISBN 0-252-06877-7.

References

  1. ^ Colin Larkin, ed. (2002). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 327. ISBN 1-85227-937-0.
  2. Pilgrim Travelers allmusic Retrieved 16 November 2024
  3. Pilgrim Travelers crossrhythms.co.uk Retrieved 16 November 2024
  4. Pilgrim Travelers tshaonline.org Retrieved 16 November 2024
  5. Pilgrim Travelers reverbnation.com Retrieved 16 November 2024

See also

External links

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