Christian Brother's Band

Jose' asked in the Comment section of the previous post, who all was in the band. I couldn't remember everyone,
so I emailed Brooky. Here's his reply.


The original lineup was Jennie, Don, Chris, Irene, and myself (Brook). I have only vague memories of Irene playing bass.  I really don't remember how long she was in the band.

Best I recall, we had a group of sorts when Emory was alive, and that group evolved. I remember I was dating Susan Jackson around that time so that would put it around 1973-74. We had names we tried--I remember "Home Folk" or something like that--but nothing really stuck. We made the New Orleans trip somewhere in that early-seventies period. The band had developed out of Don and me playing together and then growing through our weekly prayer group meetings.

Although we had been playing for two or three years in a sort of loose configuration, we actually formed the Christian Brothers Band around 1976. I had already taken the "daring" step of playing an electric guitar at a Christian gathering. We were on a flatbed truck in the Walnut Park Baptist Church parking lot and I was playing a Gibson 335 through a Fender Bassman amp. After that day I decided I needed a smaller amp. Anyway, CBB was an "electric" band. Chris M. played a Wurlitzer electric piano, Irene (I think you're right here) played electric bass, I played an electric guitar. I'm not positive about Irene. She may already have been at Asbury (College). But it was summer, so she would have been at home.
(Irene played bass for a brief period after Emory's death. Irene used Emory's bass. -df)
The No Jive Jesus Is Alive was actually a summer festival in 1976. There were--I think--three dates, all at the ampitheater. Like one a month or something. The last one was recorded and the tape was in circulation for several years. CBB, Psalm, the Waddels, whatever Chip (Lasseter), Dan (Noojin), and Dan (Maddox) called their group. There was some really good music that day.

Among CBB's repertoire were Sweet Sweet Song of Salvation (with my first-ever soaring Strat solo), Unidentified Flying Object (I played a Small Stone phaser on that to give it a spacey sound.), Prince Song (a 2nd Chapter of Acts song). We at one time did When I Die (with Jennie singing I'll Fly Away as a chorus--her idea and a good one), but I don't remember doing that at the ampitheater.

At one point I remember having Quantrilla Edwards in the band. She and Jennie were quite a combination. Q came from a black gospel background and had an amazing voice. I used to go pick her up for practice at her home off of Tuscaloosa Avenue. She had to quit after now very long. I think she was getting hassled from family or neighbors because it looked like she was dating a white guy. Somebody told me that.

Finally, CBB was Jennie, Don, and Chris. Irene had left to go to Asbury. I was putting together Precious Little with Nori. I'n not sure CBB existed when the first Fall Festival (1977) came around. -Brook