Stand By Me Father (SAR 101) with Johnnie Taylor lead singer - The Soul Stirrers video free download

Although Sam was a member of the Soul Stirrers from 1949 to 1957, he left that group before this record was made to launch his solo career. He was replaced briefly by Little Johnny Jones, and then by Johnnie Taylor, who stayed with The Soul Stirrers for a couple of years. The guy singing this song is actually Johnnie Taylor, trying to sound as much like Sam as he could. Sam Cooke had actually done the same thing earlier, emulating the style of R. H. Harris when he took his place as a member of The Soul Stirrers. Only someone with incredible talent could pull this off, which is why these two men could do it so well. Johnnie perfected his instrument as a member of Melodymakers and, before that, with The Five Echoes in 1954. He stayed with the Soul Stirrers until 1963 when he was replaced by Jimmy Otler.

This was also the first record issued on Sam Cooke's independent SAR Records label. But what's most interesting about this song is that it laid the foundation for a song that became a timeless classic. With the help of Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller, Stand By Me Father was fitted with new lyrics and the melody restyled to create Stand By Me by Ben E. King, which makes this another Original Version of a hit song. This song was still listed as one of the top five gospel records on Billboard's Hot Spiritual Singles in February 1965, six years after its original release.

Here's Stand By Me Father by The Soul Stirrers on Sar 101 from 1959:

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