Chess put out a considerable number of gospel LPs, both on the Chess and Checker labels. The
Chess series was a collection of sermons by Rev. C.L. Franklin, Pastor of the New Bethel Baptist
Church of Detroit, the father of Aretha Franklin. The Checker albums were mostly gospel music rather
than sermons.
We would appreciate any additions or corrections to this discography. Just send them to us via e-mail. Both Sides Now Publications is an
information web page, and we have no association with Chess/Checker/Cadet Records. Chess,
Checker, and Cadet are currently owned by MCA Records/Universal Music Group. Should you be
interested in contacting MCA or acquiring albums listed in this discography (which are all out of print,
including the C.L. Franklin sermons), we suggest you see our "Frequently Asked Questions" page and follow the
instructions found there. This story and discography are copyright 1997, 1999, 2005 by Mike
Callahan.
ALBUM DISCOGRAPHY
Number - Title - Artist [Release Date] (Chart) Contents
Chess Label -
Rev. C.L. Franklin Sermon Series:
This series consists of recorded sermons by the Reverend C.L. Franklin
of Detroit Michigan. Numbers 1 through 15 were used for 78 RPM issues.
LP-16 - Nothing Shall Separate Me From The Love Of God - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-17 - Ye Must Be Born Again - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-18 - What Must I Do To Be Saved - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-19 - Moses At The Red Sea - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-20 - The 23rd Psalm - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-21 - The Eagle Stirreth Her Nest - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-22 - Jacob Wrestling With The Angels - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-23 - The Prodigal Son - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-24 - What Think Ye Of Jesus - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-25 - The King Of The Jews - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-26 - The Man At The Pool - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-27 - Give Me This Mountain - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-28 - Two Fishes And Five Loaves Of Bread - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-29 - Counting The Cost - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-30 - Silver And Gold Have I None - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-31 - Ye Are The Salt Of The Earth - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-32 - The Barren Fig Tree - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-33 - The Rev. C.L. Franklin Sings - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-34 - The Story Of Job - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-35 - The Fiery Furnace - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-36 - Dry Bones In The Valley - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-37 - The Eternity Of The Church - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-38 - Nehemiah And The Great Work - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-40 - The Devil Tempts Jesus - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-41 - Study To Show Thyself To God - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-42 - Pressing On - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-43 - The Inner Conflict - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-44 - Hosea The Prophet And Gomer The Prostitute - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-45 - Following Jesus - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-46 - In The Upper Room - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-47 - The King, Lord Of Hosts - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-48 - The Challenge Of Christmas - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-49 - The Rich Young Ruler - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-50 - The Journey To Emmaus - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-51 - The Resurrection - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-52 - Without A Song - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-53 - John's Vision Of A New Heaven - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-54 - Except I Shall See In His Hands The Print Of The Nails and Thrust My Hand Into His Side
- Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-55 - Jesus Met The Woman At The Well - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-56 - Paul's Meditation On Immortality - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-57 - Lo, I'm With You Always - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-58 - Moses Sends The Twelve Spies - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-59 - Fishermen Drop Your Nets - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-60 - The Rich Man And The Beggar - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-61 - Paul's Hymn Of Love - Rev. C.L. Franklin [1963]
LP-62 - The 100th Psalm - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-63 - How Long Halt Ye Between Two Opinions - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-64 - And He Went A Little Farther - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-65 - Hannah The Ideal Mother - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-66 - There's Danger In A Crowd - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-67 - Why Have The Mighty Fallen - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-68 - My Kingdom Is Not Of This World - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-69 - A Wild Man Meets Jesus - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-70 - A Faith To See Us Through The Storm - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-71 - The Preacher Who Was Drunk - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-72 - The Man In The Moon - Rev. C.L. Franklin
LP-73 - I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Rev. C.L. Franklin
Checker Label 10000 Gospel Series:
LP-10001 - Bells Of Joy - Bells Of Joy [1961?] Have I Told You About My Religion/Jesus
Keep Me Near the Cross/Please Hear My Call/Angel's Lullaby/Anyway You Bless Me, Lord/A Christian
Speaks/Kneel Down and Pray/Dear Lord Help Me/I Found Another Soldier/Must Jesus Bear the Cross
Alone/Give an Account at the Judgment/Blind Barnabas
LP-10002 - Oak Ridge Quartet - Oak Ridge Quartet [1961?] Lord I'm Coming Home/Go
Down to the Jordan/I Won't Have to Cross Jordan Alone/No Tears in Heaven/Brother I'll Not Be Far
Behind/Farther Along/Anytime, Anywhere/Gonna Make Myself at Home/Without My Lord/That Great Big
Feeling/Wasted Years/Tell about, Sing About, Shout About
LP-10003 - I'll Go - Original Five Blind Boys Of Mississippi [1961] I've Been Weeping a
Mighty Long Time/Jesus is a Rock in a Weary Land/World is Full of Sin/I'm Thinking/Been a Listening/I'll
Go/One Talk with Jesus/Who/I Haven't Been Home in a Mighty Long Time/Soon I'll Be Done With The
Troubles of the World
LP-10004 - He's Mine - Christland Singers [?] He's Mine/I Know the Lord Laid His
Hands on Me/Down Byu the Riverside/Prayer Changes Things/God Will Take Care of You/Lord,
Remember Me/Lord Will Make a Way Somehow/So Glad I Done Made It Over/Pass Me Not/God Has
Done So Much For Me/Shine on Me/God Specializes
LP*-10005 - Sammy Bryant - Sammy Bryant [?]
LP-10006 - Songs of the KYOK Koral-Aires - KYOK Koral-Aires [?]
LP-10007 - Listen to the Morning Stars of Savannah, Ga. - Morning Stars Of Savannah
Georgia [?]
LP-10008 - Shadrack - Norfleet Brothers [1964] You Can't Beat God/Giving/Live the
Life/I Trust In God/Mean World/Who Is That Knocking/Let Jesus Fix It/Yield ot to Temptation/Oh
Jonah/Blessed Quietness/On the Cross/None But the Righteous
LP*-10009 - Songs of Faith: The Gospel Soul of Aretha Franklin - Aretha Franklin
[1965] There Is A Fountain Filled With Blood/Precious Lord/You Grow Closer/Never Grow Old/The Day Is
Past & Gone/He Will Wash You White As Snow/White The Blood Runs Warm/Yield Not To Temptation
LP-10010 - The Spiritual Soul Of A Child - Stevie Hawkins [1965] Have Thine Own Way/I
Won't Be Back/He Loves Me/My Friend/Feel the Spirit/Open Our Eyes/What a Mighty God/Everlasting
Life/How Great Thou Art/Deep Down
LP-10011 - Stand By Me - Violinaires [1965] Condition/Dark Thursday/Vacation In
Heaven/Feel Just Like My Time Ain't Long/Shadrach/Coming Up/Show Me the Way/shout When You're
Feeling Blue/Glory Hallelujah Jesus/I Love You/Memories
LP-10012 - Stand Up For Jesus - Golden Harps [1965] Holy Ghost/I'll
Overcome/Precious Lord/If You Need It/What Love/I Didn't Have to Get Up/Milky White Way/Are You
Ready/Lord, I Wonder/Jesus
LP-10013 - More Fools Needed - Rev. C.L. Moore [1965?]
LP-10014 - I'm Glad About It - Rev. Sammy Lewis [1966]
LPS-10015 - Best Of Soul Stirrers - Soul Stirrers [1966]
LP-10016 - Just As I Am - Harold Smith and the Majestic Choir [1966]
LP-10017 - The Fantastic Violinaires - Violinaires [1966]
LP-10018 - Sammy Bryant - Sammy Bryant [?]
LPS-10019 - Don't You Want To Go - Meditation Singers [?]
LPS-10020 - I'm Going To Serve The Lord - Violinaires [?]
LPS-10021 - Resting Easy - Soul Stirrers [?]
LPS-10022 - I'm So Grateful - Martha Bass [?]
LPS-10023 - Old Time Religion - Cleveland Golden Echos [?]
LPS-10024 - Two Wings - Stevie Hawkins [?]
LPS-10025 - Try Him - Dorothy Best Gospel Singers [?]
LP-10026 - God Never Fails - Harold Smith and the Majestic Choir [?]
LPS-10027 - The Gospel Truth - Soul Stirrers [?]
LP*-10028 - The Hand Of God - Rev. O.M. Hoover [?]
LPS-10029 - I Feel It - Meditation Singers [?]
LPS-10030 - Move On Up - Violinaires [?]
LP-10031 - Blessed Quietness - Ernest Franklin and the Voices of Mount Eagle Choir
[?]
LP*-10032 - What Can I Do - Rev. Sammy Lewis [?]
LP*-10033 - Love Is A 3 Letter Word:God - Treadwell Community Choir [?]
LP-10034 - Sister Soul - Lucy Rodgers [?]
LP-10035 - The 23rd Psalm - Harold Smith Majestic Choir [?]
LP*-10036 - Sunday Gospel Open House - Various Artists [?]
LP*-10037 - I'll Be Home After 'While - O.W. Brown [?]
LPS-10038 - The Golden Gospel - Soul Stirrers [?]
LP-10039 - Nearer To Thee - Willing Four [?]
LP-10040 - Shout! - Violinaires [?]
LP-10041 - Alex Bradford - Alex Bradford [?]
LP*-10042 - Inspiring - Inspirational Singers [?]
LP-10043 - Give Me Liberty Or Death - Salem Travelers [?]
LPS-10044 - The Bad Apple - Meditation Singers [?]
LPS-10045 - Live The Right Way - Violinaires [?]
LP*-10046 - We've Got To Join Hands - Gospel Classics [?]
LPS-10047 - Mightiest Gospel Program - Various Artists [?]
LP-10048 - Rescue Me - Martha Bass [?]
LPS-10049 - Bless This House - Ernest Franklin [?]
LP*-10050 - A Christmas Dedication - Various Artists [?]
Stereo releases only after this point.
LPS-10051 - Soul Stirrers In Concert - Soul Stirrers [?]
LPS-10052 - Tell It Like It Is - Salem Travelers [?]
LPS-10053 - Violinaires Live In Concert - Violinaires [9/68]
LPS-10054 - What Color Is God? - Gene Viale [?]
LPS-10055 - Soulful - Salem Travelers [?]
LPS-10056 - Soul's In...But Gospel's Out Of Sight - Soul Stirrers [3/69]
LPS-10057 - God's Creation - Violinaires [2/69]
LPS-10058 - Judgement - Soul Stirrers [?]
LPS-10059 - Martha Sings Mahalia - Martha Bass [?]
LPS-10060 - Violinaires At His Command - Violinaires [?]
LPS-10061 - Children Gone Astray - Salem Travelers [?]
LPS-10062 - East St. Louis Gospelettes - East St. Louis Gospelettes [?]
LPS-10063 - Tribute To Sam Cooke - Soul Stirrers [?]
LPS-10064 - I Want To Be Free - Jordan Singers [?]
2CK-10065 - Please Answer This Prayer - Violinaires [?] (2-LP set)
2CK-10066 - Glory, Glory - Soul Stirrers [?] (2-LP set)
CK-10067 - Groovin' With Jesus - Violinaires [?]
CK-10068 - Highway To Heaven - Drinkard Ensemble [?]
CK-10069 - Looking Ahead 50 Years - Harmonizing Four [?]
CK-10070 - Strengthen Me Lord - Gospel Six [?]
CK-10071 - He's A Friend Of Mine - Soul Stirrers [?]
CK-10072 - Oh Lord, Stand By Me - Jordan Singers [?]
CK-10073 - It Was You, Jesus - Williams Singers [?]
CK-10074 - It's Another Day's Journey - Martha Bass [?]
CK-10075 - You Can't Hurry God - East St. Louis Gospelettes [?]
CK-10076 - Tribute To Dr. Martin Luther King - Ben Branchand and Operation
Breadbasket [?] Reissue Of Chess LP-1524
CK-10077 - One God - Harmonizing Four [?]
CK-10078 - Everything Is Gonna Be Alright - Salem Travelers [?]
CK-10079 - Down Memory Lane - Drinkard Ensemble [?]
CK-10080 - A Reason To Pray - Gospel Six [?]
CK-10081 - We've Come This Far By Faith - Gospel Hi-Lites [?]
CK-10082 - He Lifted Me - Williams Singers [?]
CK-10083 - Never Grow Old - Rev. C.L. Franklin and Aretha Franklin [?]
CK-10084 - Stand Up America, Don't Be Afraid - Power and Light Ensemble [?]
CK-10085 - Watch Me - East St. Louis Gospelettes [?]
CK-10086 - A Plea To The People - Jordan Singers [?]
CK-10087 - I'll Trust In The Lord - Harmonizing Four [?]
CK-10088 - Sing A Song - Parker Brothers and Audrey [?]
CK-10089 - My Lord And I - Harmonizing Four [?]
CK-10090 - [Unissued]
CK-10091 - Christ Is All - Soul Stirrers [?]
CK-10092 - [Unissued]
CK-10093 - [Unissued]
CK-10094 - [Unissued]
2CK-10095 - Exciting Soul Stirrers - Soul Stirrers [?] (2-LP set)
Thanks to Donnie Addison.
Back to the Chess Story
Back to the Discography Listings Page
Back to the Both Sides Now Home Page
Chess/Checker Gospel Album Discography