Photo courtesy Hearth Music
When local gospel matriarch Maggie Ingram died in 2015, one wondered if her backing group, The Legendary Ingramettes, led by oldest daughter Almeta Ingram-Miller, would survive. As shown by “Take a Look in the Book,” the family band’s first album without Maggie, they’re thriving.
Produced by state folklorist Jon Lohman, this 10-song set expands the reach of their ministry while maintaining that old-church sound. With a tight band, and Maggie’s granddaughter Cheryl Maroney-Yancey and daughter-in-law Carrie Jackson in support, Ingram-Miller incorporates Appalachian ballads (Ola Belle Reed’s “I’ve Endured”), stirring standards (“Rock of Ages”) and even a soul hit that Mama might’ve preached (Bill Withers’ “Grandma’s Hands”) into an infectious blend that even nonbelievers can respond to.
