Brother Cecil Shaw, 78 RPM Imperial 5253, I Got Jesus/Heaven Bells, TEXAS GOSPEL

$

40

Up for sale is an exceptionally rare 10 inch shellac 78 RPM record (SP) recorded by a fabulous African-American 1950's gospel singer.  This is an ORIGINAL 1952 RELEASE, not a later re-release.

Artist:  Brother Cecil L. Shaw and The Silverlight Quartet

Label: Imperial

Record Number: 5253

Recorded in Fort Worth, Texas on June 2, 1952

One side (IM-449):  I Got Jesus In My Heart (C. L. Shaw), B.M.I. 2:37.  The wax matrix mark on this side is:  IM-449.

Other side (IM-450):  Heaven Bells Have Called Mother Home (C. L. Shaw), B.M.I. 2:40.  The wax matrix mark on this side is:  IM-450.

 Brother Cecil L. Shaw was born in Brenham, Texas in May, 1919, and was the son of sharecroppers.  He grew up in Belton, Texas where he excelled athletically in high school.  (He had a physical resemblance to Joe Louis, the boxer.)  He attended the Mt. Zion Baptist Church and performed with his brother and sister as a trio known as the "The Shaw Singers".  He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II.  Post-war, Shaw continued to sing gospel with a group called the "Union Spiritual Harmonizers".  In 1952, he was noticed by Lew Chudd of Imperial Records.  Shaw recorded only 29 songs, of which only 18 were actually released.  According to a 2005 article I found at the OpalNations website, "Heaven Bells Have Called Mother Home" is described as "eerily beautiful" and "I Go Jesus In My Heart" as "hypnotic".  Both are excellent examples of the swing lead and the sanctified shout style.  Shaw left gospel music in 1955, and spent of his life raising a family and operating an auto dealership.  He died of a heart attack in 1991.  Among those he influenced was Ray Charles, who acknowledged Shaw's greatness in his own autobiography.  Shaw's son (named Cecil, Jr.) was a fine singer in his own right, at one time recording as a trio with Billy Davis, Jr. and Marilyn McCoo.

 Please see above for complete condition description (which is very nice) and photos.  Sold as is.

 Attention US Buyers:  I will ship by USPS Media Mail or by USPS Priority Mail, your choice.  Please note that if you have a Military Mail (e.g. APO) address, I must ask that you pick USPS Priority Mail as it is my understanding that USPS Media Mail is not reliable to Military Mail addresses.

 Attention International Buyers:  I will ship by USPS First Class International Mail (to selected countries where E-Delcon is available) or by USPS Priority International Mail (worldwide), your choice.  Please note that the price does not include any customs that may be charged by the country to which this is delivered.