The Pilgrim Jubilees

14. "Please Don't!"

14. "Please Don't!" An underlying reason for the camaraderie among traveling profes^ sional quartets today is simplythat not too many are left. Quartets are not quite an endangered species, but times have changed since the days when they ruled the gospel circuits. Then, competition was fierce, as new groups worked to climb the ladder and those already on its top rungs battled to maintain their positions. The PilgrimJubilees quickly found that the meek inherited very little in the gospel music business. Major: "When we first came on the road, we tried to stay in different hotels to the older groups so we could learn our way without finding ourselves in any situation. Because sometimes they wouldhave a little gathering in that circle ... they liked to have fun. Wedidn't want to be part of that. We stayed away and would just show up at the program. Women couldn't get close to us. No women. And as far as drinking and stuff like that— nobody drinking. Our rules were strict. Then wefound out they were talking about us, saying, 'The Jubes are stuck on themselves.' So we said, 'Let's loosen up a little bit. But no drinking, no messing around.' So we loosened up a little bit so they would like us more. Because some groups didn't want to work with us. And every time they could tell a promoter something ugly they would.They wouldsay,'Don't fool with the PilgrimJubilees. They like 132 n An early Peacock publicity picture from around 1961. From left, rear: Major Roberson, Cleave Graham, Clay Graham; middle: Percy Clark; front: Rufus Crume. Picture courtesy of Joann Reel. From left: Cleave Graham, Maurice Dollison, Major Roberson, Roosevelt English; front: Clay Graham, circa 1964. Picture courtesy of Major Roberson. Rear: Roosevelt English, Major Roberson, Clay Graham; front: Cleave Graham, Charles Green, Bobby McDougle, probably taken soon after McDougle joined the group in 1965. Picture courtesy of Clay and Hazel Graham. By the early 1970s, the long-term core of the PilgrimJubilees was established. From left: Bobby McDougle, Michael Atkins, Ben Chandler, Clay Graham, Cleave Graham, Major Roberson. Picture courtesy of Joann Reel. Shannon Williams and Clay Graham pose for a publicity picture as the Pilgrim Jubilees sign with Nashboro in 1976. Picture courtesy of Opal L. Nations. The PilgrimJubilees on Malaco. Rear, from left: Major Roberson, Fred Rice, Marco Atkins, Michael Atkins; center: Ben Chandler, Cleave Graham, Bobby McDougle; front: Clay Graham. Picture courtesy of Jerry Mannery, Malaco Records. Founding members Cleave (left) and Clay Graham. Picture courtesy of Joann Reel. Backstage at a gospel music program ... As local groups sing on stage, Pilgrim Jubilees drummer Greg "Bobo" Harris (left) and Violinaires bass player Dwight "Tito" Arthur play dominos in an office converted to a dressing room at the Monticello High School gymnasium in Mississippi. Photo: Alan Young New Zion Missionary Baptist Church. The church wasfounded in 1885; the wooden building at which the Graham family worshipped was replaced by this brick structure in 1973. Photo: Alan Young On stage at Mercy Seat Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago. From left: Fred Rice, Michael Atkins, Clay Graham, Cleave Graham, Ben Chandler, Greg Harris (obscured, rear). Guitarist Bobby McDougle was on stage, far right, but is not in the picture. Photo: Alan Young Carrying the message ... Clay Graham goes into the audience while singing "Old Ship of Zion." Photo: Alan Young Stepping out... Bobby McDougle plays his finale to "Too Close." Photo: Alan Young Bobby McDougle. Photo: Alan Young Cleave Graham. Photo: Alan Young Clay Graham. Photo: Alan Young Major Roberson. Photo: Alan Young Ben Chandler. Photo: Alan Young Michael Atkins. Photo: Alan Young Eddie Graham. Photo: Alan Young Fred Rice. Photo: Alan Young Gregory "Bobo" Harris. Photo: Alan Young "Please Don't!" 133 to fight promoters/ Or somebody \from another group] would say, 'Man, you got a good group. I'm going to get some dates from you so we can work together.' He'd take the dates; after a while, I'd call him. 'We're working on it,' he says. The dates get a little closer, I call him again. He says, 'You're on. Here's the promoter's phone number.' So I call the promoter and he tells me the other group is...