Willie Mae Ford Smith

Willie Mae Ford Smith is one of the pivotal figures in gospel; born in 1904, she inspired innumerable younger vocalists. Mother Smith & Her Children collects sides by Smith and her spiritual descendents. Among them is Martha Bass, who joins with her own son David Peaston (later a gospel star in his own right) and daughter Fontella, the woman behind the secular hit "Rescue Me" (the best record Aretha Franklin never cut). Brother Joe May, once esteemed as the male Mahalia Jackson, takes the reins for three unreleased and undated performances, while five contributions from Edna Gailmon Cooke round out the collection. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide