Martha Bass - I'm So Grateful

Martha Bass today is not nearly as well known as her daughter, Fontella Bass, or her son, David Peaston.   This is partly due to the fact that she had curiously few opportunities to record.  Fortunately, we have this masterpiece, I'm So Grateful, that preserves her legacy as one of the great gospel divas of her time.  

Martha Bass was born in Saint Louis in 1921, and was trained as a gospel singer by the legendary Willie Mae Ford Smith (aka Mother Smith).  She became one of the Clara Ward Singers briefly, but hardly had the opportunity to record until Chess Records took her into the studio in the 1960s.  This LP was certainly the crowning achievement of her partnership with Chess. 

There are 11 tracks on the LP, but separate recordings were made for the mono and stereo versions.  So the CD release on Righteous Records ripped here contains both the stereo and mono versions.

 If you like good gospel music, I am sure that you will enjoy Martha Bass.