The Blind Boys of Alabama hooked up with Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff for the 1982 album I'm a Soldier in the Army of the Lord, originally released on the Philadelphia International Records gospel subsidiary Peace International. Twenty-two years later, during a period of high visibility for the group, The Right Stuff/Philadelphia International re-released the album on CD with six previously unreleased bonus tracks. The collection sounds very much like a Philadelphia International release of the '70s or '80s, as the Blind Boys are placed in R&B arrangements that recall such PI acts as Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes Featuring Teddy Pendergrass. That effect is particularly notable in "(I'm A) Soldier (In the Army of the Lord)" (co-written by Gamble and Cecil Womack) and the Gamble/Huff composition "Jesus, He's Got What I Need," both of which appeared on the original album. "God Is Movin'," another song from the LP, and the previously unreleased "Somebody's Gone" bear the influence of Earth, Wind & Fire with their lively horn charts. Elsewhere, especially on other newly released tracks such as "Shine Your Light," the Blind Boys employ more traditional arrangements, some contributed by group member Clarence Fountain. But for the most part, the album represents a successful attempt to update the Blind Boys' sound for the '80s. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
Clarence Fountain (Arranger), Clarence Fountain (Vocals), Clarence Fountain (Producer), Clarence Fountain (Rhythm Arrangements), Roscoe Robinson (Vocals), Roscoe Robinson (Producer), Roscoe Robinson (Rhythm Arrangements), Eddie Alford (Guitar (Bass)), Eddie Alford (Guitar (Rhythm)), Eddie Alford (Rhythm Arrangements), Richard Amaroso (Violin), Charles Apollonia (Viola), Morris Bailey (Horn Arrangements), Gary Baker (Bass), Gary Baker (Guitar (Bass)), Davis A. Barnett (Violin), Diane Barnett (Viola), Rocco Bene (Trumpet), Joel Bryant (Keyboards), Marvin Daniels (Trumpet), Marvin Daniels (String Arrangements), Dirk Devlin (Engineer), Don Renaldo (Violin), Jimmy English (Guitar), Jimmy English (Guitar (Rhythm)), Jack Faith (Flute), Jack Faith (Sax (Tenor)), The Five Blind Boys of Alabama (Main Performer), Jim Gallagher (Engineer), Jim Gallagher (Mixing), Kenny Gamble (Producer), Kenny Gamble (Liner Notes), Kenny Gamble (Executive Producer), Kenny Gamble (Mixing), Kenny Gamble (Rhythm Arrangements), Richard Genovese (Trombone (Bass)), Owen Hale (Drums), Leon Huff (Executive Producer), Peter Humphreys (Mastering), Peter Humphreys (Assistant Engineer), Fred Jointer (Trombone (Tenor)), Quinton Joseph (Drums), Lenny Pakula (Organ), Andrew Robinson (Art Direction), Andrew Robinson (Design), Arthur Stoppe (Mixing), Vince Warsavage (Assistant Engineer), Craig White (Engineer), Cecil Womack (Guitar), Cecil Womack (Guitar (Rhythm)), Cecil Womack (Producer), Cecil Womack (Mixing), Cecil Womack (Rhythm Arrangements), Tom Cartwright (Reissue Producer), Mike Tarsia (Assistant Engineer), Rev. Samuel Butler (Guitar), Rev. Samuel Butler (Rhythm Arrangements), Jim Pollard (Percussion), Charles Parker (Violin), Darryl Dixon (Sax (Alto)), Diana Barnes (Art Direction), Nimite Sarikananda (Mastering), Noah White (Engineer), Joel Cataldo (Trumpet), Rubin Benson (Art Direction), George Vinson (Assistant Engineer), Roger Harrington (Violin), Susan Lavoie (Art Direction), Jeff Lawrence (Engineer), Milton Perry (Cover Photo), Tony Beck (Producer), Tony Beck (Executive Producer), Tony Beck (Horn Arrangements), Tony Beck (String Arrangements), Tony Beck (Mixing), Richard Jones (Cello), Melvin El (Trombone), Melvin El (Horn Arrangements)
![I'm a Soldier in the Army of the Lord [Bonus Tracks]](http://content.answers.com/main/content/img/amg/pop_albums/cov200/drg300/g380/g38013nfq14.jpg)
