The Last Mile Of The Way

Label: Specialty / Ace 7052

Trivia:    This is album which has songs from the one album June Cheeks recorded with the Soul Stirrers

The Soul Stirrers: Sam Cooke, Paul Foster, Senior Roy Crain, R.B. Robinson, Jesse J. Farley, Julius Cheeks, Thomas L. Bruster (vocals); Bob King, Leroy Crume (vocals, guitar).
Additional personnel includes: Eugene May, Ken Floyd, Wes Bailey, Don Villareal (vocals); Evelyn Gay, Faidest Wagoner (piano); Willie Webb, Jim Gordon (organ); Wilton Felder (bass); L.C. Cook (drums).
Producers: Art Rupe, J.W. Alexander, S.R. Crain, Mike Akopoff.
Compilation producers: Lee Hildebrand, Opal Nations.
Recorded at Universal Recorders and Master Recorders, Hollywood, California; Universal Recording Studios, Chicago, Illinois; Vault Studios, Los Angeles, California between 1952 and 1969. Includes liner notes by Daniel Wolff.
Digitally remastered by Joe Tarantino (1993, Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California).
This is part of the Specialty Legends Of Gospel series.

Reviews

Entertainment Weekly (6/14/94, p.66) - "...a rare look at [Sam Cooke`s] formative years...though the material is repetitious, his conviction never wavers. On `Were You There?` his ad-libbed line, `Did they really pierce Him in the side?` is chilling...." - Rating: B+

Tracklisting

1. Last Mile of the Way
2. Mean Old World [Take 3]
3. That's Heaven to Me [Take 1-Alternate]
4. Were You There? [False Start][Alternate Take]
5. Were You There? [Take 5]
6. Lord Remember Me [Take 2-Alternate]
7. Pilgrim of Sorrow
8. He's My Guide [Take 4-Alternate]
9. He's My Guide [Incomplete Take][Alternate Take]
10. He's My Guide [Take - 13]
11. Last Mile of the Way [Incomplete Take][Alternate Take]
12. Last Mile of the Way [Take 2A]
13. Pilgrim of Sorrow
14. All Right Now [Take 4-Alternate]
15. He'll Make a Way [Take 2-Alternate]
16. Jesus I'll Never Forget
17. Come and Go to That Land
18. Come and Go to That Land [Composite Take 1 Alternate]
19. Just as I Am [Incomplete Take][#]
20. He'll Welcome Me
21. He's My Friend Until the End
22. Jesus Paid the Debt [Take 2-Alternate]
23. Jesus Will Lead Me to That Promised Land [Incomplete] [Take 2-alternate
24. Jesus Will Lead Me to That Promised Land
25. It Won't Be Very Long [Take 3]
26. How Far Am I from Canaan? [Take 1-Alternate]
27. How Far Am I from Canaan? [Take 3]
28. Let Me Go Home