Gospel Artist
The Canton Spirituals
The Canton Spirituals are an American gospel quartet founded in 1943 in Canton, Mississippi, by Harvey Lee “Pop” Watkins Sr. Under his leadership, the grou...
- Songs
- 29
- Albums
- 17
About The Canton Spirituals
The Canton Spirituals are an American gospel quartet founded in 1943 in Canton, Mississippi, by Harvey Lee “Pop” Watkins Sr. Under his leadership, the group became known for pioneering a sound that mixes traditional gospel with modern R&B and urban elements.
Following the death of Harvey Watkins Sr. in 1994, the group has been led by his son, Harvey Watkins Jr. The Canton Spirituals have released a number of albums, including Mississippi Po' Boy (1985), Live in Memphis (1993), Live in Memphis II (1995), Living the Dream: Live in Washington, DC (1997), Keep Knocking (2013), and Hallelujah Anyhow (2022). Their catalog also features songs such as “I’m Coming Lord” and “Ride This Train.”
Live in Memphis spent 169 weeks on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart and earned the group a Grammy nomination. In 2013, Keep Knocking debuted at No. 7 on the same chart. The Canton Spirituals received two Stellar Awards in 1997, winning Best Group/Duo of the Year and Traditional Group of the Year. At the 1998 American Gospel Quartet Awards, they were named Quartet of the Year and Artist of the Year.
Harvey Watkins Sr. was honored with the Legend Award from the Mississippi Gospel Music Awards in 1994. In his memory, Second Street in Canton, Mississippi, was renamed Harvey Watkins Sr. Street.
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