Projects You Might Have Missed:Leanne Faine – Serve The Lord

You would have to be living in a vacuum to not remember the glory days of Reverend Milton Brunson’s Thompson Community Singers.  Affectionately known as the Tommies and hailing from Chicago, Illinois- the Gospel Music Capital of the World, this choir dominated the charts during the 80s and 90s with multiple hits fronted by masterful musicians and skilled lead vocalists.  Leanne Faine was a huge part of the TCS hit machine(The Holy Ghost, Guess You’re Wondering) and went on to even greater acclaim with regular appearances on the Bobby Jones Gospel Show on BET and touring with Dr. Jones’ Nashville Super Choir ensemble.  With 2solo projects under her belt (the self titled “Leanne” and “Conqueror”), the end of 2010  brought the release of her latest effort Serve the Lord.

Backed by a group of hand picked singers whom she christened Favor, Leanne brings the liquid smoke, lighter fluid and fire to the bar b cue on this project.  Here lies a treasury of gospel standards done “Leanne Faine style”.  The Power Plays include When the Gates Swing Open, Come to my Rescue (yes, the Luther Barnes one), her own cover of  the Tommies’ Just a Prayer Away, a tribute to fellow TCS member Ethel Holloway in the form of He’ll Make it Alright and a contemporary Can I Get a Witness.  The title cut Serve the Lord and He Kept Me round out the disc.  Its unequivocally all Leanne and very nicely done.