Inspiring gospel groups
The Dixie Hummingbirds have been one of gospel's most durable and inspiring gospel music groups.The Birds came together in South Carolina in the late 1920s. Founder James B. Davis, who had retired in 1984, died in 2007. Ira Tucker joined in 1938, when he was 13, and he became the lead singer. The group continued under his leadership until June 2008, when Tucker died due to complications stemming from heart disease.
Inspiration
The Hummingbirds inspired many secular artists, including Jackie Wilson, Bobby "Blue" Bland, the Temptations and James Brown, the Godfather of Soul who adapted the shouting style and enthusiastic showmanship of hard gospel to secular themes to help create soul music in the 1960s.
On Who Are We Ira Tucker raps out the lead.
Who we are?
We're the Dixie Hummingbirds
ASnd we love to sing
Source: All Music, NPR, Wikipedia
Source image: Sibyoung via Wikimedia
