Though I'm not at all "religious", I have always been mightily attracted to the old "brush arbour" type hymns that I've heard!
   
I just love my collection of 4 x Yazoo (Shanachie) CDs that feature this religious music from the 1920s and 30s : artists like Ernest Phipps and His Holiness Singers, Alfred G. Karnes, Washington Phillips, Mrs Reed & Mrs Duncan, the Rev'd Gates & Congregation, Blind Willie Johnson - to name just a few!! These recordings have great charm!
And of course, favourite English groups : The Watersons and Waterson-Carthy : have always been partial to them too! (e.g. "Heavenly Aeroplane" was an early one for them ...)

Most of the hymns from the "establishment" churches, I find quite boring, but these others (like the shape-note ones too), have a very folky, down-home feel, and are sung with great passion.

And what better place to reflect upon one's spiritual connections than outdoors, rather than in an ediface?!


Cheers! R-J