The Caravans

The Caravans were a prominent American gospel music group founded in Chicago, Illinois. The group was originally formed in 1947 by Robert Anderson as "Robert Anderson and his Gospel Caravan" and began recording as The Caravans in 1952. Albertina Walker is recognized as the founder and leader who shaped the group's identity. The Caravans were primarily a female gospel ensemble, though they underwent numerous personnel changes over their history.

Notable members who passed through the group include Albertina Walker, Inez Andrews, Shirley Caesar, Dorothy Norwood, Cassietta George, Delores Washington, and James Cleveland. The Caravans reached peak popularity during the 1950s and 1960s. Over the years, the group recorded for several labels, including States, Savoy, Vee-Jay, and HOB. Their catalog includes such songs as "Mary Don't You Weep" (1958), "Lord, Keep Me Day by Day" (1958), "I Won't Be Back" (1962), "Walk Around Heaven All Day" (1964), "Choose Ye This Day" (1966), "No Coward Soldiers" (1969), and "Share!" (1976).

The Caravans were active from 1947 to 1976 and reunited for a period between 2006 and 2010. The 2006 reunion album Paved The Way was released by Malaco Records. The album entered the Billboard charts in the top ten and remained in the top forty for sixteen weeks. In 2021, the song "Lord, Keep Me Day by Day" (1958) was inducted into the National Recording Registry.