The Glowing Scroll

  Here's a quiz: Until relatively recently, it was illegal to read the Bible aloud in which country? Saudi Arabia Pakistan Somalia Great Britain Of course, you knew it was a trick question. And by "relatively recently" I did mean the 16th century. But it's true—at one time you could go to jail for reading the Bible aloud—in Great Britain ! That little episode began when Henry VIII withdrew from the Roman Catholic Church and assumed his role as head of the new Church of England. It only seemed right that the new church should have its own Bible—in English. So Henry authorized a new translation which came to be known as the Great Bible. But he didn't understand what he was unleashing. Having the Scriptures in their own language aroused a spiritual curiosity in the English populace. As one historian of the time put it, "Everyone who could bought the book and and busily read it or got others to read it to them." That posed a threat to the k...

It's the Womack Brothers out of Cleveland, Ohio. They became popular as a gospel group under the watchful eye of their father, Friendly Womack. After Sam Cooke heard them, he invited them to come record for his SAR label. So they drove a beat-up Cadillac to Los Angeles and recorded this gospel tune, "Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray" in 1961. You can already hear Bobby's dynamic, distinctive lead--with the sweet, innocent voices of Friendly, Jr., Curtis, Harry and Cecil backing him up.   1962. The Womack Brothers have followed the lead of their mentor Sam Cooke and gone in a secular direction. They're now known as The Valentinos. And "Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray" is now "Lookin' for a Love." Bobby still sings lead. It hits number eight on the R&B charts.   It's 1974—the Disco Era! And Bobby has released an updated solo version of "Looking for a Love." It's a big hit. Here he is, dancing and lip-synching...