John L Posted January 8, 2009 Report Posted January 8, 2009 I just heard the news that the founder and lead singer of the Swan Silvertones, Reverend Claude Jeter, passed away on January 5th. In my estimation, Mr. Jeter was one of the greatest and most influential of all American singers. RIP Reverend Jeter Quote
danasgoodstuff Posted January 8, 2009 Report Posted January 8, 2009 He was still alive?! A GREAT singer, no doubt. Quote
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted January 8, 2009 Report Posted January 8, 2009 Ah, sad to see a great one go. Sure Allen Lowe will correct me if I'm wrong, but I think he was one of the first singers to really use the falsetto style (though Pha Terrell was using it a bit in the mid-thirties) He organised the Silvertone Singers in West Virginia in 1938. Seventy years ago! Time to dig out my Swan Silvertone records and listen to that great voice again. RIP Claude. MG Quote
John L Posted January 8, 2009 Author Report Posted January 8, 2009 Wow, how old was he? He was born in 1914. So I guess that he must have been 94. Quote
JSngry Posted January 8, 2009 Report Posted January 8, 2009 That's a lot of years, those years in particular. RIP, and thanks. Quote
John L Posted January 8, 2009 Author Report Posted January 8, 2009 (edited) Ah, sad to see a great one go. Sure Allen Lowe will correct me if I'm wrong, but I think he was one of the first singers to really use the falsetto style (though Pha Terrell was using it a bit in the mid-thirties) I think that Jeter was certainly the most influential falsetto in the 50s and 60s and, indirectly though soul singers, into the 70s and 80s. Of course, there was also Clyde McPhatter, who had a very different appoach. Don't forget that R.H. Harris (who also left us not long ago) had a beautiful falsetto as well, and already committed it to record in 1939 on Walk Around. In general, falsetto singing has strong roots in Africa, and can also be heard on old country blues records from people like King Solomon Hill. Edited January 8, 2009 by John L Quote
Big Beat Steve Posted January 8, 2009 Report Posted January 8, 2009 A name that does ring a bell ever since I bought that Specialty "This Is How It All Began" compilation LP in the mid-70s (that introduced me to a lot of variants of post-war R&B - and paved the way for a LOT of further record purchases ). Like others here (and not being a gospel specialist) I wouldn not have imagined he was still around. Amazing! R.I.P. Quote
paul secor Posted January 8, 2009 Report Posted January 8, 2009 (edited) Thank you, Reverend Jeter. You helped to make the world a better place for myself and many others. I don't normally play the music of someone who's passed on the day I hear of their passing, but I have to make an exception in this case. "Only Believe", a live recording that was perhaps his finest post Swan Silvertones moment, is going on the box this afternoon. Edited January 12, 2009 by paul secor Quote
paul secor Posted January 12, 2009 Report Posted January 12, 2009 N.Y. Times obituary: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/11/arts/music/11jeter.html Quote
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted January 12, 2009 Report Posted January 12, 2009 A good obit. Thanks Paul. MG Quote
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