Any truth to the news of joe ligon passing

**glencro** · 12-11-2016, 08:20 PM

There was a posting on facebook from someone stating that they were the cousin of Joe Ligon of The Mighty Clouds of Joy and that he passed away. I haven't seen any confirmations but was wondering if anyone else heard anything

**jboy88** · 12-11-2016, 10:53 PM

http://www.soultracks.com/story-joe-...ty-clouds-dies

Damn you, 2016! Probably not the appropriate word given he was a gospel icon. But still..

**marv2** · 12-12-2016, 04:26 AM

This is another huge loss. Joe Ligon was one of the all time great Gospel Artists. Loved the Mighty Clouds of Joy's music. Rest in peace Joe. Thank you

Marv

**manny** · 12-12-2016, 06:28 AM

Sad news!! :-[[

How I love my Mighty Clouds Of Joy vynils from my teens...! "God Is Not Dead", "Time", "Millionarie",... the "THUNDER" voice of Joe Ligon!!!... It seems they were active until today, as I have see some youtube "recent" videos with live performances by MCOJ [[?)

RIP, JOE LIGON and many thanks for your precious, energic, powerful voice and soul!

[[P.D.: how many voices by the same style we have today...?)

**glencro** · 12-12-2016, 06:58 AM

**jaybs** · 12-12-2016, 07:04 AM

What sad news, it was The Mighty Clouds of Joy who lead me to Gospel music, and that trylu amazing voice of Joe! another in 2016 that will be truly missed, Rest in Peace Joe.

**nysister** · 12-12-2016, 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by glencro

This is my favorite by the Great Joe Ligon and the Mighty Clouds of Joy, written by the legendary James Cleveland from the album Changing Times produced by the legendary James Cleveland. Oh how my dad loved the Clouds! Thanks for posting this glencro.

**heikki** · 12-13-2016, 09:49 AM

Hi!

For me Joe Ligon was the greatest lead singer of gospel quartets in our times. I had the pleasure of talking to him a few times - as a result I even compiled a multipage complete Mighty Clouds of Joy story for one of our printed papers - and below is the link to my last interview with him three years ago.

www.soulexpress.net/deep3_2013.htm#joeligon

I also think that "I've Been In The Storm Too Long" is like his signature song.

R.I.P. Joe Ligon!

Best regards
Heikki

**Jerry Oz** · 12-13-2016, 05:28 PM

I hate hearing this news. I was just watching one their videos on YouTube a couple of days ago. I'm a big fan of the Mighty Clouds of Joy. He will be missed by many.

**heikki** · 12-14-2016, 04:03 AM

Hi!

Actually there's a Detroit connection in Joe's life:

Joe Ligon: "One Saturday we caught the bus from Troy, Alabama, and went to Panama City in Florida. I stayed there about six months. Then I went to Detroit and lived there for six months. It was so cold there, and I was still trying to get to California anyway. My destination was Los Angeles. I left Alabama, when I was fifteen, and by the time I got to Los Angeles I was turning seventeen after I was there about a month or so. In Los Angeles in junior high school I met the Clouds, and the rest is good old gospel history."
[[Soul Express # 3/2005: Joe Ligon of the Mighty Clouds of Joy).

This means that Joe lived in Detroit in 1953 for six months.

Best regards
Heikki

**marv2** · 12-14-2016, 02:38 PM

**marv2** · 12-14-2016, 04:17 PM

Here's a favorite of mine:

**heikki** · 12-15-2016, 05:04 AM

Thank you, Marv, for these inspirational clips.
Unfortunately I never saw thew MCOJ live, but luckily there are many DVDs available.

Best regards
Heikki

**marv2** · 12-15-2016, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by heikki

Thank you, Marv, for these inspirational clips.
Unfortunately I never saw thew MCOJ live, but luckily there are many DVDs available.

Best regards
Heikki

You are welcome Heikki. This year has been pretty bad for many reasons and losses such as this just confirms that thought for me.

**mr_june** · 12-16-2016, 03:25 PM

I was sharing the clip above with some co-workers a year or so ago after finally finding it. I saw The Mighty Clouds of Joy at The Auditorium Theater in downtown Chicago in the late 60's or early 70's. The group was on a bill with Johnny Taylor and Syl Johnson and sang the song in the Soul Train clip. I liked it then and it was a joy to finally find it. I thought the title pf the song was the same as the group name and still don't know what it's called.

**jaybs** · 12-17-2016, 06:51 AM

"It's Time" has always been my Favourite MIGHTY CLOUDS OF JOY, with the track from "Soul Train! "Mighty Cloud of Joy" and also "Time" - just managed to pick it up this week on Ebay for £6 inc postage. Name: mightycloudsofjoyitstimecd.jpg
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**marv2** · 12-17-2016, 07:56 PM

Oh yes I loved "Time" as well.

**marv2** · 12-17-2016, 08:05 PM

From the New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/14/ar...dead.html?_r=0

**marv2** · 12-17-2016, 08:06 PM

Another popular favorite of mine:

**caliluv** · 12-18-2016, 12:53 AM

Originally Posted by marv2

Another popular favorite of mine:

Billy Preston came to a party at my house back in the 70s and this was a favorite song of his he requested. We partied off this song!!

**manny** · 12-18-2016, 07:33 AM

"It's Time" and "Kickin'" albums were recorded at Sigma Sound and included the Baker-harris-Young rhythm section, Sweethearts backing vocals and Don Renaldo's Strings. This is the cause I discovered the fantastic MCOJ, when as a Phillysound fanatic as I am, reading the credits info on the back cover arts of the vynils I think "wow... if there's B-H-Y, this should be great!". I knows also the great relationship between Dave crawford and Sigma Sound, especially with Earl Young [[they formed the duo "Night People"). I don't well remember where I heard a fantastic instrumental cover of "Time" [[with this exciting "tic-tac" intro elongated!) ... and also I likes the totally different cover by Jackie Moore.