Epoch VII WV01 (1974)
Most people associate post-Vatican II Catholic music with the folk Mass type music that’s featured regularly on this blog. But there were some exceptions, and this album–and artist–was one of them. This is a very good, straightforward folk album, more like (as Ken Scott points out in Archivist) Maranatha artists Karen Lafferty (of “Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God” fame) and Becky Ugartechea. Her rendering of “Were You There” is especially memorable. There is also some liturgical music here.
It was nominated for a Grammy when it came out, but its later history is another story. Epoch was acquired by North American Liturgy Resources, who featured the title track on their Family Album. They in turn ended up in OCP. But the last, more enamoured with the likes of Marty Haugen and David Haas, allowed their strong female vocalists like Vickers, Juliana Garza and Angle Tucciarone to lapse in the line-up, which should tell you a lot about the state of Catholic music.
Update (October 2016): Wendy Vickers’ music is available here on CD Baby. Also, as she notes in her comment, OCP is planning to re-release the album for download, so perhaps things are moving there too.
- Get on Board
- Were You There
- Glory to God
- Let Me do it with Love
- Sow a Seed
- High Time
- The Lord Gave Me a Song
- Holy, Holy
- Keep the Faith on Movin’
- Come to My Table
- Go in Peace