- The Violinaires were formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1952 when Willie Banks of the Evangelist Gospel Singers of Alabama moved to the Motor City and met Isaiah “Lil’ Shot” Jones, Wilson DeShields and Leo Coney. Seeking to organize a quartet in the style of the Evangelist Gospel Singers, the foursome added Providence Thomas of the Singing Sons and began appearing locally as the Violinaires (from the Malaco website). Bob Beatty and Calvin Fair joined the group a little later on, replacing Leo Coney (?) and in this line-up they recorded their first sides (for Drummond). The group continued to record for labels such as Gotham, Checker, Jewel and Malaco and they’re still active today.
- All dates are recording dates.
- This page lists all known recordings by the Violinaires, recorded between 1953 and 1971. Their later recordings are omitted from this discography.
Detroit, MI, c. 1953
| 302 | Another Soldier Gone | Drummond 4000 |
| 303 | Joy In The Beulah Land | Drummond 4000 |
- Released as by the Voilinaires (typo).
Detroit, MI (?), c. 1954
| --- | Another Soldier Gone | Swing Time 346 |
- Released as by the ? Marks.
- Different recording than “Another Soldier Gone” on Drummond.
- The reverse side is by the Hollywood Flames (but also listed as by the ? Marks).
Detroit, MI (?), c. 1955 (?)
| PC-102-A | Walk Through The Street | P-C 1090 |
| PC-102-B | I Woke Up This Morning | P-C 1090 |
- Released as by the Violinaires of Detroit.
Detroit, MI (?), c. December 1957
| VID 1 | Sign Of The Judgement | Gotham 776 |
| VID 2 | My Work Will Be Done | Gotham 776 |
| --- | Somebody's Going | Collectables CD 6000 |
| --- | Someone Is Waiting For Me | Krazy Kat LP 812 |
| --- | Someone Is Waiting For Me (alt.) | Calvin CD 241 |
- Krazy Kat LP 812 is titled “Gotham Gospel, Vol. 1” remaining titles are not by the Violinaires.
- Calvin CD 241 is titled “Songs Of Unity”; remaining titles are not by the Violinaires.
- Collectables CD 6000 is titled “Good Lord I’ve Been Saved”; remaining titles are not by the Violinaires.
Detroit, MI, c. April/May 1964
| 13192 | Tell Mother There Will Be No Separation Now | Checker 5002 |
| 13193 | Things That Worry Me | Checker 5002 |
| 13206 | I Done Laid My Burden Down | Checker unissued |
| 13207 | Answer The Prayer | Checker unissued |
| 13208 | I Have Had It Hard | Checker unissued |
- The labels of Checker 5002 mention “J.V.B.”, which may indicate that these sides were recorded prior to the above date
Chicago, IL, February 5, 1965
| 13801 | Condition | Checker LP 10011 |
| 13802 | Dark Thursday Evening | Checker LP 10011 |
| 13803 | Vacation In Heaven | Checker LP 10011 |
| 13804 | Feel Just Like My Time Ain't Long | Checker LP 10011 |
| 13805 | Shadrack | Checker LP 10011 |
| 13806 | Coming Up Through The Years | Checker LP 10011 |
| 13807 | Stand By Me | Checker LP 10011 |
| 13808 | Show Me The Way To Go Home | Checker LP 10011 |
| 13809 | Shout When You're Feelin' Blue | Checker LP 10011 |
| 13810 | Glory Hallelujah | Checker LP 10011 |
| 13811 | Jesus I Love You | Checker LP 10011 |
| 13812 | Memories | Checker LP 10011 |
- Checker LP 10011 is titled “Stand By Me”, click here for scans.
Chicago, IL, February 23, 1966
| 14530 | I'll Never Stop Loving God | Checker 5021, LP 10017 |
| 14531 | I'm Going Home | Checker LP 10017 |
| 14532 | Old Time Religion | Checker 5013, LP 10017 |
| 14533 | My Mother Used To Hold Me | Checker 5013, LP 10017 |
| 14534 | Children Are You Ready | Checker 5021, LP 10017 |
| 14535 | Precious Memories | Checker LP 10017 |
| 14536 | If We Never Meet Again | Checker LP 10017 |
| 14537 | I'm Satisfied | Checker LP 10017 |
| 14538 | Meet Me Over Yonder | Checker LP 10017 |
| 14539 | My God Called Me This Morning | Checker LP 10017 |
| 14540 | Nobody Knows | Checker LP 10017 |
| 14541 | Lift Him Up | Checker LP 10017 |
- Checker LP 10017 is titled “The Fantastic Violinaires”, click here for scans.
Chicago, IL, December 1966
| 15399 | Three Pictures Of The Lord | Checker 5025, LP 10020 |
| 15400 | Trying To Get Ready | Checker LP 10020 |
| 15401 | It's Getting Late | Checker LP 10020 |
| 15402 | I'm Going To Serve The Lord | Checker 5025, LP 10020 |
| 15403 | If I Had A Chance | Checker LP 10020 |
| 15404 | Freedom After While | Checker LP 10020 |
| 15405 | I Know | Checker LP 10020 |
| 15406 | I've Come Too Far | Checker LP 10020 |
| 15407 | Another Year | Checker LP 10020 |
| 15408 | Why Not Tonight | Checker LP 10020 |
| 15409 | Thanks For My Travelin' Shoes | Checker LP 10020 |
| 15410 | He Heard My Cry | Checker LP 10020 |
- Checker LP 10020 is titled “I’m Going To Serve The Lord”, click here for scans.
Chicago, IL, c. June 1967
| 15934 | What He Done For Me | Checker LP 10030 |
| 15935 | Mother's Last Prayer | Checker 5035, LP 10030 |
| 15936 | Wicked Man | Checker 5035, LP 10030 |
| 15937 | Glad To Be In Service | Checker LP 10030 |
| 15938 | He Gave It To Me | Checker LP 10030 |
| 15939 | Standing For Jesus | Checker LP 10030 |
| 15940 | Move On Up | Checker LP 10030 |
| 15941 | The Zion Ship | Checker LP 10030 |
| 15942 | You Go To Your Church | Checker LP 10030 |
| 15943 | Forevermore | Checker LP 10030 |
| 15944 | It's Hard To Get Along | Checker LP 10030 |
| 15945 | You've Been So Good | Checker LP 10030 |
- Checker LP 10030 is titled “Move On Up”.
Chicago, IL, November 1967
| 16465 | He Touched Me | Checker LP 10040 |
| 16466 | Come By Here | Checker LP 10040 |
| 16467 | Please Answer This Prayer | Checker LP 10040 |
| 16468 | That Blessed Homeland | Checker LP 10040 |
| 16469 | There'll Be No Separation | Checker LP 10040 |
| 16470 | Call On Him | Checker 5043, LP 10040 |
| 16471 | Spreading Brotherhood | Checker LP 10040 |
| 16472 | Move These Things | Checker LP 10040 |
| 16473 | Come On Holy Spirit | Checker LP 10040 |
| 16474 | Times Like These | Checker LP 10040 |
| 16475 | God Is Not Dead | Checker LP 10040 |
| 16476 | I Don't Know | Checker 5043, LP 10040 |
- Checker LP 10040 is titled “Shout”, click here for scans.
Chicago, IL, March 1968
| 16890 | When I Come | Checker LP 10045 |
| 16891 | Just Go Ahead | Checker 5053, LP 10045 |
| 16892 | I'm On My Way | Checker LP 10045 |
| 16893 | My Last Time | Checker LP 10045 |
| 16894 | The Ninth Hour | Checker LP 10045 |
| 16895 | Waiting For Me | Checker LP 10045 |
| 16896 | Live The Right Way | Checker LP 10045 |
| 16897 | Sunday Go To Meeting | Checker LP 10045 |
| 16898 | It's Wrong To Fight | Checker LP 10045 |
| 16899 | Practice What You Preach | Checker 5053, LP 10045 |
| 16900 | A Little Bit Of Understanding | Checker LP 10045 |
- Checker LP 10045 is titled “Live The Right Way”, click here for scans.
Chicago, IL, September 1, 1968
| 17406 | Children Are You Ready | Checker LP 10053 |
| 17407 | I'm Going To Serve The Lord | Checker LP 10053 |
| 17408 | My Mother Used To Hold Me | Checker LP 10053 |
| 17409 | Old Time Religion, Pt. 1 | Checker LP 10053 |
| 17410 | Old Time Religion, Pt. 2 | Checker LP 10053 |
| 17411 | Stand By Me | Checker 5063, Checker LP 10053 |
| 17412 | I've Come Too Far | Checker LP 10053 |
| 17413 | You've Been So Good | Checker LP 10053 |
- Checker LP 10053 is titled “The Fantastic Violinaires In Concert”.
Chicago, IL (?), c. October/November 1968
| 17271 | The Sound Of Christmas | Checker LP 10050 |
| 17272 | Remember What Day Is This | Checker LP 10050 |
| 17273 | He's All You Need | Checker LP 10057 |
| 17274 | The Whole World Is Watching | Checker 5054, LP 10057 |
| 17275 | I'm Satisfied With Jesus | Checker 5065, LP 10057 |
| 17284 | Do You Know Him? | Checker LP 10057 |
| 17285 | It Will All Be Over (After While) | Checker 5065, LP 10057 |
| 17286 | When Jesus Comes | Checker LP 10057 |
| 17287 | God's Creation | Checker LP 10057 |
| 17288 | That Evening Sun | Checker 5054, LP 10057 |
| 17289 | The Man Jesus | Checker LP 10057 |
- Checker LP 10050 is titled “A Christmas Dedication”. Other titles on this LP are not by the Violinaires.
Chicago, IL (?), c. February/March, 1969
| 17679 | Spinning Wheel | Chess LP 50053 |
| 17680 | You Can All Join In | Chess LP 50053 |
| 17681 | I Shall Be Released | Chess LP 50053, LP 10060 |
| 17682 | Games People Play | Chess LP 50053 |
| 17683 | All My Hard Times | Chess LP 50053 |
| 17684 | Labor And Hard Sweat | Chess LP 50053 |
| 17685 | Keep On Moving | Chess LP 50053 |
| 17686 | A New World | Chess LP 50053, LP 10060 |
| 17687 | Salt Of The Earth | Checker 5063, LP 10057, Chess LP 50053 |
| 17688 | Old Time Religion | Checker LP 10057, Chess LP 50053 |
- Chess LP 50053 is titled “You Can All Join In” and was released in 1974.
- Checker LP 10057 is titled “God’s Creation”, click here for scans.
Chicago, IL, September 26, 1969
| 18130 | Judgement | Checker LP 10060 |
| 18131 | He's Alright | Checker LP 10060 |
| 18132 | He'll Let Me Come Home | Checker LP 10060 |
| 18133 | I'm Feeling Good | Checker 1240, LP 10060 |
| 18134 | A Simple Prayer | Checker 1240, LP 10060 |
Chicago, IL, July 1, 1970
| 18728 | Our Father (Lord’s Prayer) | Checker LP 10060 |
| 18729 | I’m At His Command | Checker 1249, LP 10060 |
| 18730 | Wait There | Checker LP 10060 |
| 18731 | Coming Up Thru The Years | Checker 1249, LP 10060 |
- Checker LP 10060 is titled “At His Command”.
Chicago, IL, 1971
| 1869 | Groovin’ With Jesus | Checker LP 10067 |
| 1870 | Let Us Pray | Checker LP 10067 |
| 1871 | Put Your Hand In The Hand | Checker LP 10067 |
| 1872 | Let The Sunshine In | Checker LP 10067 |
| 1873 | We Got To Live Together | Checker LP 10067 |
| 1874 | Take Me | Checker LP 10067 |
| 1875 | My Sweet Lord | Checker LP 10067 |
| 1876 | This Old World Can’t Last Too Long | Checker LP 10067 |
| 1877 | No Back Door | Checker LP 10067 |
- Checker LP 10067 is titled “Groovin’ With Jesus”, click here for scans.