by Gail A. Brown
How has contemporary gospel’s renowned group, the Mighty Clouds of Joy, successfully carried the traditional quartet style music beacon throughout an era? As Joe Ligon and the Mighty Clouds of Joy prepare for a Christmas Extravaganza performance at the Vision of Faith Bible College Center on Sunday, Dec. 7, 3:30 p.m. We became intrigued as to how this group can still command a sell-out audience after a 54-year stint in the music business.
The Clouds have garnered success as Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame Inductees, Gospel Hall of Fame Inductees, Image Award Winners, 11-time Grammy Nominee and 3-time Grammy award winner; five Stellar Awards, 32 albums and touring nationally at almost every city and internationally in 18 countries. In Brian Howe’s 2012 interview with Joe Ligon, the only original member touring with the group, keys to the group’s legendary success are “as relevant today as when the group started.”
Consistency is quality. The traditional quartet group’s sound was four singers and a single electric guitar. Yet when the Clouds recorded they had the big studio sound with drums, bass guitar, and keyboard, which is what their audience was buying. Not only did the Clouds quickly realize their tours needed to sound like their albums, they realized their audience wanted a consistent quality sound whether at in-person concerts or in purchased recordings. Over the years as the group’s lineup changed, an incarnation process was required to ensure the consistency of the group’s vocal sound. Music sound quality requires consistency.
Relate to the mainstream audience. The Clouds have lasted a half century by being a daring group that wasn’t afraid to innovate, take chances and make progress toward increasing audience access. In addition to their goal of bringing a spiritual message to the gospel, they share the message with the pop world by also relating on their level. A different, full sound with bass, piano and drum allowed them to go beyond the gospel world with a disco hit, landing them the first gospel group on Soul Train. They dressed in bright, color-coordinated outfits like the Temptations who were the secular group coming up at the same time as the Clouds. They were the first gospel group with choreographed moves that displayed nimble footwork. Their crossover sound generated invitations to play where other groups weren’t going, like Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall and Apollo Theatre. They embraced the current music trends to reach the mainstream audience with Christian message songs focused on making life better, as well as religious songs drawing people to follow Christ.
Is this a good strategy to keep the legendary Mighty Clouds of Joy around for another half century? Time will tell.
For more information on the Christmas Extravaganza with Joe Ligon and The Mighty Clouds of Joy, contact John Word Productions at 540-915-6916 or Vision of Faith Bible College at 540-242-8789. Tickets are $20 advance and $30 at the door.
