#57 JUST ANDRAE by Andrae Crouch (1972)

JUST ANDRAE by Andrae Crouch (1972)
Light Records - LS 5598-LP

“Andrae Crouch is easily the most important gospel singer of the modern era, possibly of all time. It was Crouch who changed the sound of gospel music forever such that, a hundred years from now, all gospel recordings from the twentieth century will be classified as pre- or post-Andrae.” 

–Mark Allan Powell

Wow.

Anyone who witnessed Andrae’s humble beginnings would’ve never predicted what was to come for the mischievous, stammering youngster.

Andrae Edward Crouch and his twin sister Sandra Elaine came into the world at their grandmother’s home on July 1^st, 1942. The family initially lived in the back of their business, Crouch Cleaners. Sandra had trouble pronouncing the word brother when she was young and instead referred to Andrae as "Bobo." Andrae said in the book Through It All that he and his twin sister were “born rebels,” earning lots of spankings with the “Gospel strap” and the “Gospel ironing cord.”

Andrae and Sandra Crouch as infants

Andrae, Sandra and older brother Bennie were brought up in a home steeped in denominational Christianity. “I loved church so much I never wanted to miss a chance to go,” said Andrae. The family had deep roots and a rich heritage in the Church of God in Christ, with denominational conventions being held at Crouch Temple, pastored by Andrae’s uncle, Bishop Samuel Crouch.

Andrae’s father, Benjamin Crouch, made a living as a dry cleaner and a restauranteur. He initially resisted being labeled a “preacher,” but felt an irresistible call of God to minister to people on the streets. This eventually translated into full-time ministry as a pastor.

The story, now famous, has been told and retold of how Andrae’s Dad placed his hands on his son during a service one day and prayed for God to give Andrae “the gift of music.” “Two weeks later, at church, Dad set me up on the piano bench and I started playing,” recalled Andrae. With no formal training whatsoever, he began to play What a Friend We Have in Jesus with two hands…and without the ability to read music. 

A hugely significant event in Christendom had just taken place. 

Andrae’s “gift of music” would eventually revolutionize Christian music, would bridge the gap between Black Gospel, Southern Gospel, and Jesus Rock, and, most importantly, would touch countless lives over the next several decades.

Andrae with the COGICS

Andrae would form two groups in the 1960s. The first was called the COGICS (an acronym that stood for Church of God in Christ Singers) and, later, the group that changed everything: Andrae Crouch & the Disciples. We've already taken a look at the group's last album together -- Live in London -- and in future posts, we will explore several other AC&D records. 

The original Disciples group
Clockwise from the top:
Bili Thedford, Sherman Andrus,
Andrae Crouch and Perry Morgan

But this post is all about a rarity for Andrae...a solo project.

After 1968's Take the Message Everywhere, 1971's Keep On Singin', and 1972's Soulfully, the decision was made to release a solo album called, appropriately enough, Just Andrae.

Just Andrae is a very eclectic album. There’s something here for everyone…Gospel-infused Jesus rock, a worship standard, a country sing-along, even a weird psychedelic song about demonic deception. But the ballads…oh, those beautiful, deep, rich, textured, thoughtful ballads are what makes Just Andrae a truly exceptional audio snapshot of what God was doing in 1972. In Remembrance, It’s Not Just a Story, If Heaven Was Never Promised to Me, and What Does Jesus Mean to You combine to form the backbone of this project.

Andrae’s piano provides the very first notes on Side One, and it is quickly joined by organ, tambourine, and the rest of the rhythm section. You Ain’t Livin’ puts forward the idea that a personal experience with Jesus outweighs status, wealth, and worldly success of any kind. It was a central theme of the Jesus Movement, this idea of an experience with the Lord, not just a knowledge of Him, being what we all should seek. In the song’s bridge, Andrae sings about his own experience:

My life was filled with loneliness

No trace of joy, no trace of happiness

But when I opened up my heart and let Christ in

New life for me began

With those four lines, Crouch encapsulates the essential thrust behind the entire Jesus Movement.

You Ain’t Livin’ was sung and played with all of the fervor of an old-time Gospel revival meeting. As the song builds, Andrae plays the part of choir director, adlibbing lead lines while Paula Clarin, Phyllis Swisher, Andrae’s twin sister Sandra, and the irrepressible Danniebelle Hall function as a mini-choir. And Sandra’s tambourine got a workout.

After a false ending drenched in ‘70s reverb, the band picks back up and jams until the fade-out.

Next came the only song on the album that Crouch did not write or co-write…and it’s a beauty. Hadley Hockensmith’s In Remembrance covers the entire Gospel story – salvation, Second Coming and judgment -- in a little over 4 minutes. Fletch Wiley’s horns are perfectly suited to this one, and there’s a tenderness in Andrae’s voice as he sings…

Many years ago I was shown the way to go

But I just laughed and walked away

But as the time went by I discovered I was wrong

I could not face another day

So then I humbled myself and prayed to God up above

And I remember the day when Jesus Christ washed my sins away

That’s What It’s All About is a musical treatment of Paul’s “love chapter.” This one is somewhat dated. It has sort of a Brady Bunch-Partridge Family-Fifth Dimension-Osmond Brothers-Jackson Five feel as Andrae sings about loving, caring, sharing, and the like. The female back-up team is featured prominently, and there’s also a dramatic reading by Andrae of several verses from I Corinthians chapter 13.

I heard the story of Jesus

Sounded like music in my ear

The second of the record’s quartet of classic ballads is up next. It’s Not Just a Story is primarily just Andrae and his piano. This 2-minute song sounds as though it was recorded live in the studio with little or no overdubbing. One of the musical highlights of Andrae’s memorial service was when BeBe Winans took the mic and sang this song. Lyrically, this one also presents the Gospel message in clear, direct terms and reminds the listener that the Biblical account of the life of Christ is so much more than “just a story.”

Andrae flexes his Jesus rock muscles a bit on Come On Back My Child. The uptempo song is written from the perspective of the Lord Himself, imploring a wayward son or daughter to return to the fold. Hockensmith turns in a gritty guitar solo on this track.

Ballad #3 closes out Side One…and it’s one for the ages. In the early 70s, so many songs focused on Heaven, the Second Coming of Jesus, and the afterlife. Black Gospel was saturated with songs about escaping hard times here below by somehow making it to the Promised Land; Jesus Music artists were basically obsessed with the end times; and Southern Gospel writers had a long-held focus on flying away to the “other side” and reuniting with loved ones at that “meeting in the air.” So along comes Andrae Crouch, an artist respected and held in high regard in all three of those fields, declaring that Heaven and the afterlife were not the only reason, or even the primary reason, for a Christian to live his or her life for the Lord…

You may ask me why I serve the Lord
Is it just for Heaven’s gain
Or to walk those mighty streets of gold
And to hear the angels sing
Is it just to drink from the fountain

That never shall run dry

Or just to live forever, ever and ever

In that sweet old bye and bye

But if Heaven never was promised to me

Neither God’s promise to live eternally

It’s been worth just having the Lord in my life

Living in a world of darkness

He came along and brought me the light

He’s been my closest Friend down thru the years

And every time I cry He dries all my tears

It’s been worth just having the Lord in my life

Living in a world of darkness

He came along and brought me the light

Later, this concept was explored by others, most notably in Pat Terry’s song All I Can Be, but in If Heaven Was Never Promised To Me Andrae gave us permission to enjoy the Christian life and be thankful for the love of God without any regard for what’s coming next. Andrae’s signature piano and Fletch Wiley’s flute offer musical support on this song.

Sonlight

Before diving into Side Two, let’s take a closer look at the players. The album’s rhythm section was comprised mostly of a group of men who called themselves Sonlight at the time. Their names may be quite familiar to many of you: Bill Maxwell on drums, Harlan Rogers on the organ, and the aforementioned Wiley on horns and Hockensmith on guitar and bass. This was the beginning of their long-time association with Crouch, and these men would go on to make quite a mark on Kingdom music over the next couple of decades and beyond. They made invaluable contributions to albums by Keith Green, Paul Clark, Barry McGuire, Phil Keaggy, Kelly Willard, Janny Grein, Phil Driscoll, and many others. They were later known as Koinonia and became one of the world’s foremost jazz bands.

Just Andrae was recorded at Abbey Sound Ltd., was produced by Bill Cole and engineered by Steve Maslow. Woody Woodward Grafix handled the album design and photography. Woodward also designed other covers for Andrae, Pat Boone, and Jimmy & Carol Owens. Interestingly, the album’s back cover prominently displays a black and white childhood photograph of Sandra and a beaming Andrae. He was a cute kid!

Side Two of Just Andrae begins with a song of thanksgiving called Lord, You’ve Been Good to Me. It’s a full-throated Gospel rock praise tune. Near the end of the track, a jubilant Andrae exclaims, “Thank you for the Holy Ghost!” Which reminds me – the anointing of the Holy Spirit permeates this Crouch album just like so many of his others.

That anointing was especially evident on the final of the Big Four Ballads – What Does Jesus Mean to You, co-written by Andrae and long-time Disciple Bili Thedford. This is a great companion song to It’s Not Just a Story from Side One, as both tunes are concerned with an accurate portrayal of the person and ministry of Jesus. Crouch’s piano is the only accompaniment on this track, and it really sparkles. The lyrics contain a somewhat dated reference (How can the Lord of Lords be called a superstar?) but Andrae sings with great feeling as he proclaims Jesus to be “the King of kings.”

And now we enter wacko-land (and I mean that in a good way) with 2 novelty songs that were a definite departure for Andrae.

A rooster’s crow and several other barnyard animal sound effects signal the start of God Loves the Country People, a “hand-clapping, foot-stomping, leg slapping” tune that extols the virtues of Christians who are “not ashamed” to “praise His name.” Not long after a smooth and tasty guitar solo from Hockensmith, Andrae and the girls give the Caucasian segment of their audience just a taste of what it might feel like to be in a Black church service (remember, Live at Carnegie Hall had yet to be recorded at this time). “I want everybody to get together, we gon’ have service tonight!,” said Andrae in his best Black preacher dialect. “Clap yo’ hands and sang to the Lord! That’s right!” The girls oblige with “hallelujahs” until the track fades.

The next song was a little freaky, quite odd and more than a little scary to me as a youngster. Lullaby of the Deceived begins with a scary pipe organ before transitioning into what sounds like creepy circus music. As you listen, you can almost imagine a demented clown singing these words…

When I watch the stars I find my destiny
And almost every night some spirit visits me
I know I’m not, I hope I’m not
Oh maybe I’ve been deceived
I know I’m not, I hope I’m not
Oh help me, I need relief

The creepy carnival music continues as Andrae says in a sing-song voice drenched in reverb…

Jesus, help me…

Jesus, help me…

By this time, there’s an evil female laugh in the background, growing ever louder as the scary organ returns.

Only in the 70s, folks. Only in the 70s.

Andrae actually goes into great detail in his 1975 autobiography (with Nina Ball) Through It All concerning encounters with demonic spirits and how he was ultimately delivered from that satanic oppression by relying on the power of the Word of God. It's hair-raising stuff. The book is long out of print, but used copies can be purchased online relatively inexpensively. It's a great read and well worth the effort.

In 1999 Vincent Allen asked Andrae if he got any pushback for that song. "Oh, yeah!" Crouch answered. "People said, 'What is that?' I just said that I had to attack that which was trying to attack me. That was a result to some demonic oppression that I was experiencing after leading a guy to the Lord who was into satanic worship. Then on that same album, the following song was the breakthrough of deliverance with Bless the Lord, O My Soul. So we know that the satanic powers are real, now they're more sophisticated."

As Andrae mentioned, the very next song was a powerful worship song that has been included in many hymnals and sung by Christians the world over. Bless His Holy Name (Psalm 103) was the breakout hit from this album (if you can refer to it that way). It featured Fletch Wiley’s trumpet and it was the track on the record that sounds the most like an AC&D song. Worshipers have been singing these words ever since they were first recorded on Just Andrae:

Bless the Lord oh my soul
And all that is within me
Bless His holy name

He has done great things
He has done great things
He has done great things
Bless His holy name

Sometimes the most simplistic expressions carry with them the greatest impact.

After Just Andrae, AC&D would release a greatest hits project, 2 wildly successful, critically acclaimed studio albums, and a double live recording.

At that point, the group disbanded and Crouch focused on a solo career. He ended up recording for Warner Bros. and turned out sparkling, high-budget albums with elements of disco, progressive jazz, soft rock, and R&B. While the production values were a notch above the 70s AC&D material, for whatever reason the energy, excitement and, yes, anointing of those earlier group albums seemed to be lacking. There was definitely an effort to broaden Andrae's appeal among secular audiences. “Every album I’ve done has been controversial,” Crouch told Billboard’s Cary Darling at the time. “I feel this album [Don’t Give Up] has the potential to reach a different kind of person than the Light Records audience.”

Crouch's slick, more sophisticated 80s sound was sometimes criticized. Live performances were described as calculating and boring; some accused the singer of "selling out." 

And then, in November 1982 a scandal caused Andrae Crouch to retreat from public ministry for a period of about ten years or so. He was pulled over by LAPD for driving erratically. Crouch later indicated that he was a victim of what we would now call "racial profiling" (since he was a Black man in an expensive Mercedes). He and the car were searched and the police found a drug pipe in Andrae's pocket along with a small amount of what they thought was cocaine in the vehicle. Crouch said it was a soup powder and that the pipe probably belonged to some unsaved musician friends who'd been using his house and car while he was on the road. Crouch said he was planning to confront them about it, but was pulled over by the officers before he had a chance to. This explanation was entirely plausible, as Crouch had been befriending and working more with secular musicians during that period. The charges were eventually dropped against him due to insufficient evidence. Crouch was arrested and released several hours later on $2,500 bail. But the story hit the newspapers, and the damage was done.

Michael Jackson with Andrae Crouch

Andrae gave his side of the story in an extensive CCM cover story...but it was clear that he was embarrassed by the whole thing. He basically went underground for about a decade. When he resurfaced, he focused on film and television work, contributing to The Lion King, Free Willy, The Color Purple, and TV's Amen. He would eventually record again as a solo artist, releasing Mercy and Pray in the 90s. He worked with the likes of Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, and Madonna. But his own music never found a significant "crossover" audience. He never altered his message in order to gain mainstream approval; his songs were always about Jesus.

After the passing of his parents and older brother, Andrae would be called to pastor the very church that his father and brother pastored before him. He would eventually name Sandra as co-pastor, which seems very fitting. 

Andrae Crouch passed from this life on January 8, 2015. Love, affection, and admiration flowed from artists and industry professionals. A lot of their thoughts and remembrances were preserved in this post. While it would be very difficult to list all of the awards and honors that Andrae received during his lifetime, it would be impossible to accurately gauge how many lives were changed for eternity as a result of his ministry.

Andrae's parents, Benjamin & Catherine Crouch

The back cover of Just Andrae featured a heartfelt, poignant note from Andrae's parents:

Dear Andrae,

What a blessing it is to be the parents of three talented children who love the Lord. We remember when you, your elder brother Benjamin, and your twin sister Sandra were a cute little trio singing in Sunday School. Little did we ever dream that this would be the beginning of a glorious life of singing for Christ.

About the time you gave your heart to the Lord, at the age of nine, your father was appointed to the little church in the canyon, and we needed a piano player. He prayed that God would give you the gift of playing the piano, and within two weeks you were picking out the melody of What a Friend We Have in Jesus.

Through the next years, Jesus did become your Special Friend. Your inborn love for music inspired you to practice every morning before going to school, and the days always ended with the ringing of the piano. Sandra would join you with her accompaniment on the nearest pie pan. Through the years she has always been ready to give her approval on the words of a song or offer a suggestion in the beautiful way that only she can.

Son, God has given you many songs that thrill the hearts of people as they hear the message that Jesus loves them. We are so happy that Sandra has joined with you in your ministry, trading in her pie pan for a tambourine, and singing with you for Jesus. Our hearts are joyful when we think that you've visited thirty-two countries in the last two and a half years and have recorded three LP's with the Disciples. And now this fourth album is YOU, "Just Andrae," and it gives us a special joy.

We really miss you and Sandra. Benjamin and his family send their love. He is really busy with the church now, helping us faithfully.

Please take care of your sister. I know you two don't eat right. When you come home, I'll cook your favorite meal -- fried chicken, mustard greens and rice.

One more thing, Son. Remember that we love you, but more than that we love the God who gave you to us. He has given you a very special gift, that of being able to communicate His love through music. We pray that you remember that blessings are given so that you may again give to others. Your giving in music will bring a song to many a sad heart, a smile to many a troubled face, and hope to many who've lost their way. praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Love, 

Mom and Dad