Various

The precursor to this set, 2009's Fire In My Bones, was a revelation ― there really is no other word for it ― in terms of rediscovering some of the great forgotten gospel music of the past 60 years. That project's instigator, Mike McGonigal, goes even deeper on this new three-disc collection, assembling the rarest of rare singles, most pressed by the artists or church congregations themselves. That being the case, using the word "raw" in the title is entirely appropriate, since digital transfers were done straight from the 45s, although the performances throughout easily rank alongside some of the best blues and R&B produced during the era. There has never been any doubt about the influence of the black church on each of those genres, but This May Be My Last Time Singing shows that connection more clearly than almost any compilation that has come before it. Vocal groups like the Carolina Kings mingle with gutbucket guitarists such as Prophet G. Lusk and legitimate preachers like Elder Robert McMurray, further illuminating a parallel world where God, rather than Satan, has dominion over the blues. Anyone interested in the evolution of pop music needs to familiarize themselves with black gospel, and This May Be My Last Time Singing, along with Fire In My Bones, is as good a place to start as any.