Washington Phillips
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Washington Phillips – What Are They Doing In Heaven Today
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Biography
Phillips recorded eighteen songs, all between 1927 and 1929, though only sixteen survived. Some of his songs amount to highly specific and detailed gospel sermons, featuring Phillips’ voice self-accompanied by an instrument that sounds like a fretless zither. This instrument, which has been variously identified as a Dolceola, a Celestaphone, two Celestaphones tuned in octaves attached side-by-side, or a Phonoharp (and also is considered by some to be an instrument entirely home-made by Phillips) creates a unique sound on these recordings that makes them immediately recognizable.
Phillips was covered by the Dixie Hummingbirds, an A Capella rendition featured in Vol. 6 of the Mississippi Records “Tape Series”, released in January, 2009.
Posthumous fame
Numerous compilations of Washington Phillips’ complete recorded work have been released, such as The Key to the Kingdom on Yazoo Records in 2005. His songs have been covered by a variety of artists:
Ry Cooder covered Phillips’ “Denomination Blues” on his 1971 album Into the Purple Valley and “Tattler” on his album Paradise and Lunch (1974).
Top Tracks
Top Albums
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The Key to the Kingdom
2,551 listeners20 tracks
Released:
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I Am Born to Preach the Gospel
6,997 listeners16 tracks
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Key to the Kingdom
199 listeners20 tracks
Released:
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Denomination Blues
2 listeners2 tracks
Released:
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oaquard
Dammit. I Can't get "I am born to preach the gospel" out of my head no matter how hard I try.
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blebbio
Washington Chillips
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Nochek
sincerity
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Who_Scared_You
^.^
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mschea
really nice on the ears.
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Echos_Myron
Whatever he is playing sure sounds magical.
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holycoma
<3.
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arlaqin
incredible. Mother's Last Word to Her Son is kdsosfho sfhosdfosdfihos huoh th gwhw hwhu t qewi; g gq;ghuwhiowe gtfwihoe
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CrummyLank
before you educate the head, educate the heart
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tenasrock
mississippi blues1
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SeattleJQueen
Whoa, he's magnificent!
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Cone-Bone69
Atlas Sound sampled the Washington Phillips song "Lifted Him Up That's All" for the song "Washington School".
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MorrisTheFucker
Stunning. Astonishing. Fantastic.
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sGarrista-
this is great
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benguzman
Incredible.
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brianjamesward
excellent artist, one of my favourite finds.
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wendell3
This is gorgeous.
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drpruitt
I find it odd that you'd totally dismiss the photo on the testimony of some liner notes. Why would he just pose for a photo holding random zithers. Like they had lots of zithers just sitting around in the deep south of the 20's for people to pose with. Ok I'll reign in the sarcasm but read this http://home.earthlink.net/~minermusic/corcoran.htm
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ldexterldesign
first shout for the unsung legend. this guy was before his time. peace and love.
All 24 shouts
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