Discs of Fun and Love are back and proud to present their fourth release - Rubeinstein - Joy b/w Somehow (Make A Way)

Fully licensed and remastered by our friends at Grammy nominated mastering house The Carvery, this is the label’s first gospel record. The songs are taken off Rubeinstein McClure’s only solo record “Rubeinstein” written by her brother Fletcher Washington, Jr and originally released on Locus Records in 1979. A relatively obscure and hard to get by recording, this has been a DFL favourite for a long time. Side A, sung by “Ruby” McClure is a funky soulful gospel heat full of joy whose vocal can give goosebumps to everyone who hears it while side B sung by Fletcher Washington himself is a slower, deeply soulful piece of gospel music.

Evangelist Mother “Ruby” McClure started her singing career as part of the Washington Sisters where she sang with her brothers and sisters under the direction of Fletcher Washington and opened up for the Staple Singers, Sam Cooke, The Dixie Hummingbirds and the Swan Silvertones to name a few. Later she was a member and lead soloist with the Radio Choir of Brooklyn’s Institutional Church of God in Christ under the direction of Bishop JC White as well as being a member of the JC White Singers. As part of the JC White Singers she appeared on Max Roach’s “Lift Every Voice and Sing” album and is the lead vocal in “Motherless Child” from the same record.

In Bishop JC White’s words, “In our choir days, “Ruby” reigned in the Key of F. Anything that I wrote in that key I was almost certain was going to her voice, to be complimented with her signature melismas, trills and squall. Under the unction of God, Ruby was unexplainable. She could prick even the most stony heart with her impassioned delivery yet meek demeanour. When I needed the emotion of the song to really be delivered, I knew to call Ruby.”

Sadly, Mother McClure passed away on the 18th of July last month, just weeks before our announcement.

We’d like to thank Bishop JC White for putting us in touch with the wife of the late Fletcher Washington, Jr and Carolyn Washington herself for giving us her blessing to reissue these beautiful songs.