Moving to The Upper Realm - Walker and Burke

This is a day of recognition and sorrow of the passing of two great performers. Dr. Albertina Walker and Mr. Solomon Burke have made their transition to the upper room.

Albertina Walker is one of the great ladies of traditional African American gospel music. A body could not move through a Sunday morning without hearing a recording from Dr. Walker or one of the many choirs she created or was associated with.

Special shout to her recording with James Cleavland, Please Be Patient with Me, God is Not Through With Me Yet.

This is her rendition of Lord Remember Me:



For those that don't know, just because the song seems to end does not necessarily mean that the song has ended. This is the music equivalent of stoking the furnace.

Four minutes and thirty seconds isn't always enough time to invoke the spirit. You might need a little longer to not only go up but to remember to come back down.

Solomon Burke made his transition on route to a performance in Solomon Airport in Amsterdam, the Netherlands for a sold out show with Dutch band, De Dijk.

This is his recording with the Blind Boys of Alabama with a ripping version of None Us Are Free



Mr. Burke recorded gospel, secular and country music. Think of him as a musician's performer. Those that knew about the depth of his talents were respectful and did not nor would not try to lump him as a one or two hit wonder. There is a strong body of work and good music that never got proper promotion or U.S. air play.

Europe and Asia had more sense than we did.

Mr. Burke, in addition to his musical legacy has a loving family of 21 children, 90 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.