Elijah Funk

Camille Doughty (Banner), from Columbus, Ohio, has been singing from the age of ten, i.e. from the mid-Fifties. She grew up in the Baptist tradition and, at the age of fourteen, joined the »Inspirational Choir« of her uncle Rev. Shellie R. Doughty's Mt. Hermon Baptist Church. Not before 1972 she started performing as a soloist. She's still active.
      In 1978, her Gospel Roots LP »God's Prescriptions« was released: eight songs, four of them credited to »C.D. Banner«; the LP was produced by Ira Tucker (leading member of the Dixie Hummingbirds). Camille's voice is great but, sadly, the song material on the LP isn't quite. As for the band, I miss some creativity in the musi- cians' performance, and the arrangements are conventional throughout. To my liking there's but one track that stands out, namely her (moderately) funky version of the old staple »Elijah Rock« (most modern arrangements of this traditional are credited to Jester Hairston ... on Camille's LP he is credited as »T. Hairston« [?]). Mahalia Jackson made the song famous, many others recorded it (Albertina Walker et al.) and today you'll hear it mainly a cappella or performed by a mass choir. I haven't heard another version funkier than Camille's, listen to it below. Happy Sunday all!

Camille Doughty: »Elijah Rock« from the Gospel Roots LP # 5032 (1978):