Three outstanding gospel albums to supplement the vibe today.

1. My Mother’s Hymn Book, a collection of Johnny Cash’s favorite gospel songs he first learned from his mother as a child. All songs are performed by Cash with nothing but his voice and his guitar. Whatever we lose in the realm of folk harmonies and banjo riffs is more than made up for by Cash’s powerful renditions of these classic songs.
   
   Cash, known for the forceful, steady depth of his voice, shows off his full range on this album. It’s a great window into the musician behind the icon.
   
   My favorite tracks are “When He Reached Down“, “In The Garden“, and “Just As I Am“; but the entire album is worthy of a listen.
   
   
   
   
2. Jim Avett and Family. Yes, that Avett family. Where the Cash album is minimalist, the Avett family album captures the true spirit of gospel standards: everybody plays, everybody sings. This collection gives the impression less of a record than of a live worship service.
   
   There’s actually an even better album, For His Children and Ours, available by purchase only–not on Spotify, sadly. But Jim Avett and Family is stellar in every way. Great country songs from one of America’s all-time great country families.
   
   
   
3. Steal Away, a bass and piano duet album by Charlie Haden and Hank Jones. The duo preserve a decidedly folk gospel sound while delivering the best blue notes that jazz has to offer. Moving, worshipful, and downright funky at points, this album is one of my favorites of all time and a great example of how simple good music can be.
   
   Favorite tracks include “It’s Me O Lord, Standing in the Need of Prayer” and “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot“, but the star of the show is the “Hymn Medley” finale.
   
   Not to be slept on, and not to be sold short as “instrumental” music.