Hi, Earl: Slewfoot was what my Dad called me as a kid. I'm Jerry Rasmussen gospelmessengers@msn.com. This thread is very timely for me. I'm leading a workshop on Gospel Styles at the NOMAD festival in Ct. in a couple of weeks, sharing it with my group, The Gospel Messengers, who primarily do black gospel, and friends of mine, The Beans, who do white gospel. Blues and gospel are unlikely bedfellows, but bedfellows they are. Much of what the Messengers do sounds like spiritual blues or rhyhmn and blues. The 5 Blind Boys, who we draw on heavily, could easily have moved into the "Doo Wop" scene. I learned guitar from Dave Van Ronk, and the blues foundation he gave me has served me well, playing electric guitar. I'm white, and the other Messengers are black, but I've loved blues and rhythm and blues all my life...