The Looper Trio were a country gospel family band that has gained a strong cult following over the years, mostly due to their haunting, uncompromised rural, backwoods sound. The original trio was formed in 1964, made up of brothers Coleman Looper and Oral Looper, along with Oral's daughter, Brenda, who was a preteen at the time. Later married and known as Brenda Looper Ray (or just Brenda Looper) she emerged as a star inside the group, and even enjoyed top billing on an album or two. Brenda Looper's accent and piercing vocal tone are strongly reminiscent of both Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton, and confirm the family's deep Appalachian roots. The Loopers were originally from Tennessee, but had permanently settled down in Dayton, Ohio by the time they began to record their first albums. Various family members and other musicians joined the Loopers over the years, though their musical vision remained remarkably pure, much to the delight of fans seeking out country gospel with real twang in it. [NOTE: Like many uber-indie, private-label artists, the Looper's catalog is shrouded in mystery and hard to quantify or completely nail down. Kudos to the 45 RPM Records website, which posted an (apparently) reliable guide to dating releases manufactured by the Rite Records company, which made many of the albums below... Many thanks!]
The Looper Trio "I Wanta See Jesus" (Harvest Records/Gospel Records And Recordings, 19--?) (LP)
The Looper Trio "I Don't Want To Get Adjusted To This World" (Midwest Gospel Sound Records, 1968-?) (LP)
This is identified in the liner notes as the band's third album, with the trio being joined by bass player Virgil Jones, an Oklahoman recently transplanted to Dayton. The set list includes a song by Bud Chambers, as well as a cover of Loretta Lynn's "Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven."
The Looper Trio "Singing The Gospel In Song" (Midwest Gospel Sound Records, 19--?) (LP)
Nice. Good, sweet, simple, straightforward, real-deal rural country gospel. The group harmonies are nice, and Brenda Looper's spotlight numbers are also quite nice, with her signature mix of Dolly-meets-Loretta vocals. I actually prefer some of the plainer harmony numbers, such as "Great Gilded Hall," but really everything on here is pretty golden.
The Looper Trio "I'm Longing For Home" (Harvester Records, 19--?) (LP)
The Looper Trio "Singing On The Way" (Harvest Records, 1973-?) (LP)
(Produced by Norman Livingston)
The Looper Trio "Life Beyond Death" (Gospel Records And Recordings, 19--?) (LP)
The Looper Trio "The Holy Hills Of Home" (Midwest Gospel Sound Records, 1970) (LP)
The Looper Trio "Good Old Gospel: Looper Trio Sings Live" (Gospel Recordings, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by Lan Ackley, Carl J. Burkhardt & Phil Burkhardt)
A stunning live set, recorded on June 22, 1973 at the Dayton Free Will Baptist Church... This double LP showcases the Loopers at their rawest and most sincere, led by a simple, chiming electric guitar (reminiscent of Pop Staples) and craggy, rough, unapologetically rural vocals, as well as plenty of between-song evangelical exhortations. Brenda Looper's Loretta-ish vocals are penetrating and spooky, mixing well with the intense, fierce hillbilly tones of the guys... it's like if Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner had never made it in Nashville, and just hung around at their local church: this is the kind of raw-boned, backwoods authenticity that so many country and bluegrass revivalists aim for... It's the real deal, and they really meant it!
The Loopers "It's Worth It All" (Gospel Records And Recordings, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by Phil Burkhardt & Dan Burton)
The group was now a quintet, with two gals and three guys: "Brenda, Louise, Oral, David and Freddy" (Loopers all) with additional backing by a studio band that included Dan Burton playing piano, Chuck Rich on steel guitar and banjo, and Gary Smith playing lead guitar.
The Looper Trio "Down Home Gospel" (19--? ) (LP)
The Loopers "Good Times With The Loopers" (1974-?) (LP)
(Produced by Phil Burkhardt)
Perky gospel twang, with chicken-pickin' lead guitar courtesy of Rite Studio's Gary Smith, who chimes in along with the studio's drummer Clayton Imhoff. With Coleman Looper taking a break on this album, Brenda Looper is the clear showcase singer, keening away with a very Loretta Lynn-like tone, though the family chorus -- Brenda, David, Freddy, Louise and Oral -- adds a warm, authentic family-harmony sound. This album has a fairly low-key feel, no muss or fuss, but solid mountain music from start to finish, with a minimalist rural feel. Notable among the many solid tracks is a haunting a capella version of "Where Every Day Will Be Sunday," which closes the album out.
The Loopers "Just Want To Thank You Lord" (Rite Records, 197--?) (LP)
(Produced by Danny Burton)
Brenda Ray & The Loopers "From The Heart" (19--? ) (LP)
More standard-issue modern-day southern gospel, with a slick, grandiose Contemporary Christian/pop production style. Brenda Ray showboats and belts it out in white-soul mode; I by far prefer the simpler, more homespun style on her earlier recordings. Great set of pipes, though! I think this may have been a cassette-only release.
