Harmony is serious business where the Dedicated Men of Zion come from. For their eldest member Anthony “Amp” Daniels, it was so serious that every day his mother would call her children inside, turn off the television, and make them sing in harmony, talk in harmony, do everything in harmony. Singing well together was a virtue that she and her sisters had learned from their own father, and Anthony gave it to his children in return. Older folks in the Black communities of rural North Carolina relied on that singing for everything in a time when both respect and money were especially scarce. “That’s where that seriousness is from,” Amp remembers. “They demand respect. They’re serious about what they do and they don’t play with God.”
The Dedicated Men of Zion came up out of this singing land of eastern North Carolina, around the city of Greenville and its small neighboring town of Farmville. Each trained in the church and the home, the group’s four vocalists – Anthony Daniels, Antwan Daniels, Dexter Weaver, and Marcus Sugg – share the bond of that upbringing and another more literal bond of kinship (they’re all family now through blood or marriage).
Theirs is a community dense with talent and legendary impact on the origins of gospel, funk, R&B, soul, and jazz; a place where the sounds of Saturday night and Sunday morning couldn’t help but jump their lanes. The group’s own backgrounds tell that story. Anthony Daniels, the eldest of the group, led a career in R&B down in Atlanta, backing up the likes of Bebe Winans, Toni Braxton, and Elton John. Antwan Daniels, the youngest member and son of Anthony, was playing keyboards and organ in church while simultaneously injecting his hip-hop production work with traditional gospel roots. But the church was always the backbone. Weaver, whose grandmother managed several gospel groups around Greenville, had sung with elder quartet groups for years, running into Anthony Daniels around the sacred soul circuit. When they both found themselves without a group, Weaver turned to Daniels and said “I don’t know what you’re gonna do but if you do something, I’m on board with you. I want to be with you.”
In 2014 Weaver and Daniels, with Antwan on keys, came together to form the Dedicated Men of Zion’s original iteration, along with singers Trevoris Newton and Darren Cannon. The group was quickly gaining a following in eastern North Carolina when Newton suddenly passed away in 2018. The loss of one member was soon followed by Cannon’s departure. The arrival of Marcus Sugg re-completed the group. Sugg, who had grown up singing in church choirs and a little on the side during a stint in the military, was soon to be Anthony Daniels’ son in law.
The Dedicated Men of Zion’s new album Can’t Turn Me Around, due out June 26th via Bible & Tire, was recorded in Memphis at Bruce Watson’s Delta-Sonic Sound in 2019. Watson is best known as the general manager/house producer at Fat Possum Records and also happens to helm Bible & Tire Recording Co. Backed by Watson’s all-star studio band, the recordings bring great depth to the incredible harmonies that soar above. The album marks a moment of clarity for the group. By embracing their roots, they knew they were pointedly taking a right turn where some of their peers had veered left in a race to make gospel sound like anything other than what it was back in the day: soul music. Each track on Can’t Turn Me Around comes from that overflowing heritage of sacred soul. Tradition sets a high standard of excellence. What more can new artists pour into that cup? The Dedicated Men of Zion accepted that challenge with the seriousness of their upraising and the joy of spiritual inspiration. With their second album, they get back to where they came from – soul and the salvation of harmony. In Anthony Daniels’ own words, “You want to live, get to where the root is. Get close to the root.”
Today Glide is excited to premiere “Father, Guide Me, Teach Me,” one of the most stirring tracks on the new record. Backed by the heavy groove of an organ and scorching guitar riffing, the song fuses gospel with thick blues and soul to create an entirely new approach to the gospel. The blistering guitar work, massive beat and anthemic harmonies make this a song that is perfect for dancing while also singing along with. While this music is as suited for the juke joint as it is for the church, the group’s message is one of hope and trusting in faith. The beauty of gospel has always been its ability to transcend religion – even while being overtly religious – and lift up every soul. Regardless of your faith, the message of “Father, Guide Me, Teach Me” is important at a time when the world is turned upside down and we all need a reminder to maintain a little hope despite the injustices all around us.
Anthony “Amp” Daniels explains the song in his own words:
“‘Father, Guide Me, Teach Me’ was one of the most energized and exciting songs that we recorded for ‘Can’t Turn Me Around.’ The song also contains a very strong and meaningful message: One can truly believe without a doubt that if we allow the Father to lead, we will not go astray.”
LISTEN:
