Not a tribute, but Prophet channels Bobby Fuller

Going back all the way to beginning of his career as a member of ’80s alt rockers Green on Red and carrying onto a solo career which is now pushing nearly 30 years, San Francisco Bay Area-based artist Chuck Prophet has always moved to the beat of his own drum, playing rock and roll music fortified by the basics of beat, groove and attitude. Bobby

His latest, titled Fuller Died For Your Sins, is no exception.

It gets the Ear Bliss looksee this week with the vinyl reissue of a very sincere dose of a previously out of print circa-1970s gospel music from Ozone Park in Queens, N.Y. from the Reverend Sam Dixon. Independently released in the late 1970s, it is a soulstirring collection of song that should fine favor with fans of reissue houses such as Light in the Attic Records and The Numero Group each of which has been responsible in the past for resurrecting some terrific gospel and soul recordings. Let’s get to it.

Chuck Prophet Bobby Fuller Died For Your Sins Yep Roc Records

Perhaps you’ve heard of the story of Bobby Fuller.

A Texas native, he made a big rock & roll splash in the early 1960s in his native state with hits like “I Fought the

Law” and “Let Her Dance.” He had the looks and the style and no surprise abandoned his Southwest Texas home of El Paso for the glitz of Los Angeles. A blossoming star, within a few years he was found dead with the cause of death listed as asphyxiation due to inhalation of gasoline. Whereas there was speculation galore (Mafia, getting mixed up with the wrong gal, etc., etc.), the case was never solved and remains a mystery to this day.

The mysterious tale of Fuller provides the impetus for the latest release from Bobby Chuck Prophet called Fuller Died For Your Sins.

Prophet describes the new album as “California Noir” saying “the state has always represented the Golden Dream, and it’s the tension between romance and reality that lurks underneath the surface in all noir films and paperbacks, and that connects these songs. Doomed love, inconsolable loneliness, rags to riches to rags again, and fast-paced violence are always on the menu on the Left Coast.”

The guitars in those Fuller classics, full of reverb, splash and drive, were like few other bands and Prophet taps into that whole thing (while sneaking in some classic Fuller riffs and licks, in the process), and Bobby Fuller Died more, on For Your Sins.

Take note that this is not a tribute record by any means, but rather a back to the basics album of original songs in Prophet’s typical topical style that tap more into the freewheeling Fuller sound and spirit. With Prophet’s own Mission Express band lockstep with him the entire way, this latest is a rocker of a record. It also sure sounds like they had a blast making it. Recommended. yeproc.com. Visit

Reverend Sam Dixon My Soul Says Yes Asherah Records

To say the Reverend Samuel Dixon was any sort of known figure in gospel circles is likely a stretch, but in the sanctity of his First Freedom Baptist Church in Ozone Park, Queens in the 1970s, here’s thinking he was downright rock royalty.

Released on his own Samdy Records imprint sometime in the ’70s and one would think it was an LP bought largely by parishioners, the fact that it still has life is quite astonishing. Towards that end, we give thanks to the small Asherah Records, a minute historical reissue label specializing in small batch vinyl releases which to date have been primarily of the pre-War folk, jazz, world and blues music variety for resurrecting this holy nugget. Reissued in MP3 and vinyl formats with the latter featuring the original album artwork plus an interview with Dixon himself, the My Soul 10 songs comprising Says Yes

find Dixon backed by the graceful harmonizing of his church choir along with a full band featuring guitar, piano, organ, bass and drums holding court delivering the gospel goods with plenty of power and emotion. In addition to Dixon singing, selected female choir members also take their turns on lead vocals when the Reverend steps aside.

The sum total is both high energy and stimulating sacred stuff, to say the least, in the black gospel style with as much soul as funk. If you’ve dug similar collections of vintage gospel from labels like Light in the Attic Records, The Numero Group, and Big My Soul Legal Mess Records, Says Yes

is the ticket. Visit omnianmusicgroup.com/collections/asherah.

LIVE SHOTS

Diane Blue & the Ladies

of the Blues and Soul, which, in addition to Blue on vocals and harmonica, features Lisa Mann (bass and vocals), Myanna (sax), Alizon (keyboards and vocals), Diane Gately (drums) and Wendy Sobe (Guitar and vocals) touch down at Chan’s

Restaurant in Woonsocket (267 Main St.) on Friday night for a single performance starting at 8 p.m. The following night finds the Paul Nelson

Band in the home of eggrolls and in this case, blues.

Blues pianist and Roomful of Blues co-founder of Al

Copley brings his band to The Knickerbocker Music

Center in Westerly (35 Railroad Ave.) on Saturday night for an evening of dining and dancing. Doors are at 6:30 and music starts at 8 p.m.

Common Fence Music continues their “Best of New England” showcase on Saturday night with an appearance by Session Americana with special guest fiddle player and vocalist Laura Cortese at the Common Fence Community Hall in Portsmouth (933 Anthony Road). “Folk tailgating” begins at 7 and music at 8.

A terrific twinbill happens at the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River (16 Anawan St.) next Thursday night as the venue welcomes the revered Texas singer/songwriter James McMurtry with Northampton-based performer Ray Mason in the opening slot. Also on Thursday, the Celtic Woman tour makes a stop in Providence for a performance downtown at the Providence Performing Arts Center (220 Weybosset St.) at 7 p.m. The 2017 show is called “Voices of Angels” and features vocalists Susan McFadden, Mairéad Carlin, and Eabha McMahon, as well as new Celtic violinist Tara McNeill, and all accompanied by a group of equally talented musicians and dancers.

Dan Ferguson is a freelance music writer and host of The Boudin Barndance, broadcast Thursday nights from 6 to 9 p.m. on WRIU-FM 90.3.