Critic's Review
Opal Louis Nations, All Music Guide
The legendary Southern Sons of Little Rock were composed of James Walker (lead), who went on to sing lead with The Dixie Hummingbirds, Earl Ratcliff (baritone), David C. Smith (tenor), and founder Cliff Givens (bass), who sang in previously recorded Southern Sons groups based in Newark. Also featured were Sammy Downs or Roscoe Robinson, the latter a tenor lead replacement for Archie Brownlee in The Blind Boys of Mississippi. Unlike the Newark aggregations, who stuck to a strict Jubilee-type formula, the Little Rock outfit adopted the then-new sanctified approach of hard-singing typified by The Blind Boys. These are the complete Trumpet sides, 16 in all, circa 1950-1953. It's gospel excitement by one of the pioneer quartets -- with discography plus rare pictures.
