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Rekindling the fire By Raquel Pinder ~ Guardian Intern: Elkin Coakley Sr. started a fire in the mid-1950s with his group The Sensational Sons of Joy which over the years has produced a number of gospel hits. Coakley Sr. passed away in 2002 and the group faltered without their founder. But his son Vallen will not let his father's group die and is now in the process of trying to rekindle that fire his father started way back when. "I feel compelled to keep this dream alive," says Vallen, who has already penned new songs and said that most of the old members have committed to rejoining the group, which now performs under the name The New Inspirational Sons of Joy and will start rehearsals in two weeks to get their tuning right. Vallen, the man behind many popular lyrics, namely "Jump for Joy," "Celebration" and "On that Day" is vocally gifted, but is mostly known for his skillful keyboard playing ability and lyrical writing. Jocelyn Coakley, widow of the group's founder says she is pleased her son is reuniting the group, because it means her husband's dream would live on. She also says it would means so much more because Vallen is her only surviving child. "I remember the days when Elkin those used to rehearse in our garage. The entire house would shake, and I'd often have to close the windows not to be drowned out by the sound. Sometimes the music got so sweet, I'd forget it was a week night, because it felt like Sunday morning," she said. Recalling the group's glory days, she said packed auditoriums were bought to their feet at concerts as people danced in the aisle ways and knew all the lyrics to the songs. "The group was always a crowd pleaser, and for the most part their songs well-requested on the radio stations," she said with a look of pride and admiration on her face, even though an underlying sentiment of sadness loomed. "Some days I'd just play old records, to hear the sound of his voice [because] it can feel like he's not gone but still here with me," she said adding with a laugh that "Keep the Fire Burning" is her favorite song — hands down. Vallen's wife Sharon also stands behind her husband's move to revive the group. "Although it seems like a mammoth task, it is all possible with the help of God [and] I am proud to say I'm a part of such a dynasty of talented men. Whenever the group performs again, I'll be at the forefront to give my wave offering" she said." Sharon is also no stranger to a musically inclined lineage, as her father was the founder of the Original Jubilee Singers. Although the Sensational Sons of Joy was before the time of Vallen's eldest son Shaval, 16, he says he still has a great respect for the music his grandfather and father made. This third generation young man says he intends to continue in the foot steps, but with a different flavor. Shaval is immersed in the art of music, and like his father has the ability to play by ear although he does read music. The gift of music, which started with Coakley Sr. seems to be ingrained in his family members, because his son's daughter can also play the keyboard by ear, and all five of his children seem to be vocally gifted. With the massive influx of various genre's of music into the gospel arena, one would think that Vallen would come out with a new sound considering the times we're living in with The New Inspirational Sons of Joy, but he says he wants to continue with their conventional style, and hopefully appeal to both their old fans and capture a younger fan base. The idea of The Sensational Sons of Joy was first birthed in the heart of Coakley Sr., back in the mid-1950s while he worked on the "Contract" in the southern United States. Singing, which was deeply related with the black man's form of solace, became Coakley's muse and he began penning songs that brought comfort and gave hope. Although his main talent was singing, he was also a self-taught guitarist whose love for music braved the harshest of times. Coakley's singing career began while in the United States with a few of his Bahamian counterparts, like Reverend Clifford Moss. When he returned to Nassau, he kept the dream alive and invited Harry Scott, Jim Fernander, Leonard Coakley, Alfred Davis, Fred and Clevland Archer, Rupert Fynes, and Gilbert Collie to join that first group. Together with a band, they made a sound that was craved by the Bahamian public — all men singing good ole' fashion gospel music. Although it was some time before they released their first album titled "Get Right Church," which consisted of 12 songs, the group constantly practiced and perfected their craft because they were that serious about it. Long before they sold out concert halls The Sensational Sons of Joy mostly performed for local churches. Coakley was a faithful member of the Coconut Grove Temple Church of God since the early 60s and served as a deacon and a Sunday school teacher. Many of the songs Coakley wrote were based on his personal life experiences, according to his wife and son, and even in the later days audiences valued them because the lyrics were reliable, and not just written as feel good music. This sentiment could be felt in songs like "Healing Hands," where he used metaphors like, "I was blind and could not see, Jesus came and rescued me . . ." which was not used in a literal term, but in a figurative sense. The original group consisted of 10 members. Only three of them are alive today — Jim Fernander, Alfred Davis and Gilbert Colllie. As those older members of The Sensational Sons of Joy began to fizzle out, Elkin Jr. and Vallen Coakley, sons of Coakley soon became members of the group along with a slew of new members — Wendel King, Philip Newton, Rodney Farquharson Sr., Everette Jones, Allen Forbes, Fred Archer, Charles Gardiner, Keith, Tony and Leslie Brown, Oscar Brookes, Clay Rolle, and Leon Bowe. As a result, in 1993 the group was renamed The New Inspirational Sons of Joy. In that same year they released their first album under the new name, entitled "Jump for Joy." Elkin Jr. and Vallen became a part of what could be considered the next generation of sons. Not only did they debut a new name but the group had a new sound. With that of the Junkanoo rhythm and a more upbeat tempo, the group had reinvented themselves. They also remained true to the traditional style of gospel music of their father's group which was still considered fresh and new. After Coakley Sr.'s passing back in 2002 the group went on hiatus, and while the founding member's voice — a voice that sometimes crept into a piercing falsetto is missed, it's a talent that lives on in Vallen as Elkin Jr. who is also deceased had a voice that is remembered as being opposite to his father — sultry with a depth of passion and filled with underlining power but equally as anointed. To its credit, the group has several music awards, like the Bahamas Artist Performance (BAP) Award, a number of Marlin Awards and Cacique Awards — accomplishments they are proud of. As Vallen makes the step to the group's return he says they won't be re-mixing classics like "Keep the Fire Burning." "Classic's like that should not be touched. Although it was originally supposed to be a Junkanoo track, in those days it was considered bringing the world into the church. Nonetheless, it would not be the same without Daddy to sing the lead, so it's best left as is to preserve its authenticity and more importantly the sentimental value." In the years to come, there may be another name change to this group or even musical collaborations with other leading gospel artists, or an induction of new members or the release of a "best of album," whose to say. But one thing is certain, with a slate of new songs on the agenda and the group's comeback at the starting gate, you'll have to stay tuned to see just how they do it. Thursday January 28, 2010