MUSIC

Songs like “Deep River” and “Every Time I Feel the Spirit” were well-known to any African American church-goer at the time and unknown by the white audiences. Interestingly, Witherspoon chose the popular Randy Van Horne Singers (theme songs to the Flintstones and the Jetsons cartoons) to sing backing vocals on ‘Feelin’ The Spirit’. Most famous was his version of Bessie Smith’s “Ain’t Nobody’s Business.” However, Witherspoon’s appearance at the 1959 Monterey Jazz Festival restarted his career and exposed him to a new generation of record-buying fans. ‘Feelin’ The Spirit’, released in 1959, hoped to capitalize on Witherspoon’s newfound popularity (particularly with white audiences) by bringing traditional African-American spirituals into the national arena.