“A tour of the Gay family’s life during the golden age of gospel music, offering libraries an opportunity to put forward underrepresented Black singers while showcasing an underappreciated genre deeply rooted in Black traditions.” 

“Anyone interested in the history of gospel music in Chicago should read it.” 

“[The Gay Sisters] faced both racism and sexism in the music industry. At times, they were not paid or properly credited for their work. Their career was also affected by personal problems. Can I Get a Witness! details their setbacks and triumphs, while recounting music history in Chicago, where scholars say modern gospel music was born.” 

“The story of the Gay Sisters, who performed and recorded over three decades, reads like a who’s-who of gospel music.”

“Structured as a call-and-response between Gay and Dolins, founder of The Sirens Records, the book follows the family through Chicago’s Woodlawn neighbourhood, national tours, television performances, recording sessions and church life.”

“Alongside Gregory Donald Gay, Dolins does far more than analyze record sessions; he passionately captures the beating heart of Chicago’s gospel community, where music driven by the extraordinary talent of the Gay family, became the ultimate vehicle for faith, empowerment, and resilience in the face of hardship. By restoring these unsung heroes of American music to their rightful place in the spotlight, this masterful work stands as an essential read.” 

“A first-rate historical document, written in the most accessible style possible. It avoids cheap nostalgia and focuses on the facts, the songs, and the people.”

“Like no other book, Can I Get a Witness! reveals the richness and breadth of the gospel world below its most famous singers—the hundreds of local groups that came and went, the deep connections to Black Holiness congregations, the plethora of recording labels. The sisters persisted through gospel’s unsettledness and their own problems for decades. Can I Get a Witness! is a unique inside account of remarkable people in an extraordinary American movement.” 

“Dolins has given readers a great gift—a behind-the-curtain view of the gospel music industry during its golden era. There’s no better docent for the journey than Pastor Donald Gay because he and his siblings, the famous Gay Sisters of Chicago, were ‘in the room where it happened.’ Pastor Gay’s gift for storytelling, his remarkable recall, wonderful sense of humor, and lifelong curiosity paint a very human portrait of the pioneers and legends of gospel music. His stories linger with you long after their telling.”

“The Gay family’s immense contributions to gospel and Chicago have been overlooked for far too long. Mildred, Evelyn, Geraldine, and Donald Gay helped forge the music’s golden age while selflessly uplifting their community on the South Side. Donald Gay’s vivid memory, sharp sense of humor and unflinching honesty set the record straight as Steven B. Dolins envelops the reverend’s brilliant personal narrative with crucial historical context. This vital book is a cause for celebration.”

“Dolins and Gay have crafted an extraordinary history on the sadly overlooked but hugely gifted 1950s era gospel trio, The Gay Sisters. Rev. Gay’s older sisters Evelyn, Geraldine, and Mildred Gay were the Destiny’s Child of their era on the gospel scene. Aside from helping The Staple Singers get their first recording contract, they provided a haven for jazz legend Sonny Rollins when he was beating a heroin addiction and they even influenced the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, who covered one of their classics on her best-selling Amazing Grace album. This book is a genealogy on the Gay dynasty and the family business of music and ministry. However, it indirectly chronicles the hardships of a generation of gospel performers who also battled the isms of racism, chauvinism, sectarianism, and sexism. Off stage, there were battles between the sisters over romantic entanglements and business decisions. There were thieving record labels. There were prison sentences and even a murder trial. This book is a must-have for fans of traditional gospel music and for those who’d love a voyeuristic peek into twentieth-century Black church culture and the shady side of the early gospel music industry.”

“This book is a gem. Dolins and Gay have offered a treasure trove of rich stories about gospel music, faith, and family. At times surprising, humorous, and heartbreaking, Can I Get a Witness! honors one of the most significant musical families to come out of Chicago, and opens new avenues for the study of gospel music.”