The Soul Stirrers

HAD THE Soul Stirrers done nothing more than launch the career of Sam Cooke, they would have more than earned their place in rock & roll history. But for nearly half a century the Soul Stirrers set the pace for both gospel and pop vocal groups with their blend of full, mellow harmonies and sexy, crooning leads delivered by a magnificent succession of singers. Cooke's replacement, Johnnie Taylor, went on to Top Ten pop and R&B success, and the group's original lead singer, R.H. Harris, "simply created the entire gospel quartet tradition," as Tony Heilbut wrote in The Gospel Sound.