Crossbeats - and other Christian Groups (1960s)

Other Christian Groups

The following is a list of other Christian music groups that the crossBeaTs came up against in the 60s and 70s, either through seeing their names on posters or playing at the same church, club, coffee bar or college etc. I have also included groups that I have heard about since (from folk who have contacted me). Clearly, there were many other Christian groups up and down the country with whom we have had no contact, and so who aren't mentioned here.

Solo singers and folk duos have not been included in this list. For those connections made through publicity, the month and year has been given - along with the source of publicity. Where there was a connection through playing with the crossBeaTs on the same occasion, the specific date, month and year has been given (from the booking list). Where extra information is available (a link in the booking list), a link has been added here around the date, month and year to those details. The earliest contact we had (and maybe later ones) has been included.

The ordering of the list is, as far as possible, chronological in the way that the crossBeaTs came into contact with the groups (or relevant dates given to me) - and may not reflect the length of time a particular group had been playing together.

Group/Band	Home Town	Date of contact with the crossBeaTs
The Concords (from Liverpool) - or were they called the Raiders?	Liverpool	24 Feb 64
The Vigils (later called) Time and Space	Cheadle	Started some time after February 1964. See e-mail from Paul De Barr on Cheadle Parish Church link
The Heralds	Liverpool	3 Aug 64, 17 Oct 64 , 20 Feb 65, 30 Aug 65, 29 Aug 66. Gordon Lorenz, lead singer of the Heralds (see photo on the 30 Aug 65 link), is currently a songwriter/producer (see BBC article of Queen's Jubilee 2002)
The Warriors		July 64 (we went to see them at Youth For Christ in Liverpool)
Victory Side Quartet (later called) The Cobblers	Preston	12 Sep 64, 17 Oct 64, 20 Feb 65, 28 May 66, 4 May 68. From Carey Baptist Church Preston (William Carey - cobbler/missionary)
The Gospel 4	Stockport	17 Oct 64 , 30 Aug 65, 28 May 66
The Gospel Folk Four (also known as The Folk Four) - later called The Glorylanders	Oldham	17 Oct 64 , 20 Feb 65, 19 Sep 65, 12 Oct 65, 5 Feb 66, 4 May 68, 29 Nov 69
Te Deum 5	Rock Ferry	20 Feb 65, Newspaper cutting around Feb 66
The Witnesses	Liverpool	20 Feb 65, 6 July 65, 30 Aug 65, 30 Apr 66, 28 May 66, 23 Sep 66, 17 Dec 66
The Travellers	Liverpool	20 Feb 65
The Envoys	London	Sep 65. See on the page of a write-up of our first single.
Gospel Messengers	Liverpool	Newspaper cutting around Feb 66
The Beacons	Liverpool	Newspaper cuttings around Feb 66 and Dec 68
The Calvary Links	Manchester	Newspaper cutting around Feb 66, 4 May 68, 29 Mar 69
The Folktellers	Oldham	28 May 66
The Persuaders	Stockport	28 May 66
The Informers	Liverpool	23 Sep 66, 17 Jan 70, 14 April 72
The Ambassadors	Liverpool	23 Sep 66 See some details of the group (and their bookings) from the link around the name.
The Joystrings		17 Dec 66
The Sowers	Chester	(1966-7?) No paperwork on this group but see link. It has information on the "Session" coffee bar in Chester (1966), and also a link to The Sowers website
The Gospelaires		6 May 67
The Crofters	Liverpool	24 Jun 67, 22 Dec 68
His Servants	Manchester	4 May 68
The Navigators	Rochdale	4 May 68, 26 Oct 68, 29 Mar 69, 4 Oct 69 and some Oct 69 publicity for the Fish Coffee bar, Milnrow
The Pilgrims (later called) Out of Darkness	London	4 May 68, 23 May 70, Oct 70 (publicity)
The Messengers (from Ashton)	Ashton-u-Lyne	26 Oct 68, 29 Mar 69, Jun 69 (Catacombs prayer letter), and on some Oct 69 publicity for the Fish Coffee bar, Milnrow
OHMS		26 Oct 68
Peculiar People		17 May 69
The Gospel Rhythms	Liverpool	No paperwork on this group but see link.
The Revelation	Marple	Dec 68 (Catacombs newsletter), Jun 69 (Catacombs prayer letter)
Proclaimers		Dec 68 (Catacombs newsletter), Jun 69 (Catacombs prayer letter)
(The) Movement (Banned)	Heywood	29 Mar 69, Sep 70 (publicity), 19 Nov 71
Time Ltd	Liverpool	Jun 69 (Catacombs prayer letter), 17 Jan 70
The Messengers (from Bacup)	Bacup	Jun 69 (Catacombs prayer letter)
The Newscasters	Bury	Jun 69 (Catacombs prayer letter) and on some Oct 69 publicity for the Fish Coffee bar, Milnrow
The Outreach	Poole, Dorset	No paperwork on this group, but *I think* it was different to The Outreachers (below), See link around the name.
The Concords (from Scotland)	Scotland	4 Oct 69
The Corner Stones	Milnrow	Oct 69 - on some publicity for the Fish Coffee bar, Milnrow
The Way	Sale, Manchester	Oct 69 - on some publicity for the Fish Coffee bar, Milnrow and 3 April 71
Trinity Folk	Liverpool	17 Jan 70, 20 Nov 70, 19 Nov 71
Quest		31 Oct 70
The Outreachers		31 Oct 70
The Crusaders		31 Oct 70
The Samaritans	Rossendale	Oct 70 - on some publicity for Ralph Chambers and his Number One Disco
God's People		20 Nov 70
Ninth Hour	Boreham Wood	3 April 71
Messengers of the Cross		9 Oct 71
Bent Marrow Light Patch Show		9 Oct 71
Peter Bye Trio	Scotland	18 Nov 72
The Believers	Liverpool	16 Mar 74
The Sons of Jubal	Hull	On a harvest thanksgiving ticket which we can't put a date/place to
Mixed Media		On a concert programme called "Living Sound" which we can't put a date/place to - speaker: Derek Stringer
Carol, John and Aubry (and one)	Romford	On a concert programme called "Living Sound" which we can't put a date/place to - speaker: Derek Stringer
Soul Aim		Replaced by Carol, John and Aubrey (and one) at "Living Sound" (above) - mentioned in the programme.
Millstone (Grit?)	Liverpool	On a flyer suggesting they were available for bookings from 1977. Apparently, they played at Greenbelt in 1974.

For those interested in the early history of the UK Christian music scene (c 1960s), a good resource has got to be past copies of the old Buzz Magazine. The problem might be that the 'old' Buzz Magazine amalgamated with other Christian magazines (from 1987), and its place was eventually taken by "Cross Rhythms". Those people looking for a magazine called "Buzz" on the internet will realise that many other magazines with that title have since sprung up. Some examples of parts of old Buzz pages can be seen on this site.

:Finally, some pre-60s, "pre- beat" Christian groups can be found and heard by clicking on the link.

If you can help to supply any extra information, please get in touch.