Ten On Ten – Gold City

This week’s ten on ten feature has one of Southern Gospel music’s most acclaimed quartets.  Much has been written about what constitutes Gold City’s best recordings.  Now I will offer my thoughts on the ten best recording’s in Gold City’s career.  When looking at an artist who has had a 30+ year recording career, it is tough to try to narrow down the ten best recordings.  Here is what I came up with.

Gold City’s top 10 recordings are as follows.

1. Double Take, Live In Charleston South Carolina (1986)
2. Pillars Of Faith (1992)
3. Are You Ready (2000)
4. Windows Of Home (1990)
5. What A Great Lifestyle (1997)
6. Answer The Call (1991)
7. Walk The Talk (2003)
8. Live (1982)
9. Preparing The Way (1996)
10. Standing In The Gap (1995)

• The top two recordings are interchangeable.  I gave the slight edge to Double Take because this recording captured Gold City’s best line-up at the time they began their domination in the quartet world.
• The group’s Live recording from 1982 was also among the group’s 10 best.  What the group is able to capture on a live recording should’ve been done more.  I am surprised the group didn’t record more live recordings than what was done.
• Pillars Of Faith is considered by many Southern Gospel historians as one of the industry’s best recordings.  No arguments here.
• The best Parrack, Wilburn, Trammell, Riley line-up recording was the 2000 album Are You Ready.
• The forgotten gem in Gold City’s discography is the 1991 recording Answer The Call.  Overshadowed by the group’s follow-up landmark album Pillars Of Faith, Answer The Call shouldn’t be overlooked.
• Gold City’s best recording periods were between the years 1990 to 1992 and 1995 to 1997.  All major label recordings released in those years are all part of the group’s ten best albums.  Many would argue the Cathedrals dominated the 1990′s but from a recording stand point I would give that to Gold City.
• The 2003 recording Walk The Talk was the last ‘landmark’ Gold City recording to land in the top ten.  It has been a long dry spell for the group in releasing a ‘landmark’ album.
• Many would argue Movin’ Up from 1987 should be among the group’s ten best if for nothing else but “Midnight Cry”.  One great song does not a great album make.  Of the 30+ recordings in my Gold City collection Movin’ Up would rank 19th.
• One of the biggest disappointments in Gold City’s discography was their 2008 recording Moment Of Truth.  That has already made my forgotten list.
• It is hard to argue that Gold City’s 30+ year recording career has been filled with more hits than misses.

***NEXT UP ON TEN ON TEN:  NELONS***