Pastor T. L. Barrett – Do Not Pass Me By Vol. 1

Released in 1976 as the final installment of Barrett’s four-part gospel-funk suite from the 1970s, Do Not Pass Me By Vol. 1 blends devotional intensity with psychedelic soul textures. Backed by the Youth For Christ Choir, the album features eight tracks that fuse Barrett’s charismatic preaching style with lush arrangements and rhythmic grooves. The centerpiece, “Father Stretch My Hands,” stretches over seven minutes and became widely known after being sampled by Kanye West in 2016. Other tracks like “You May Not Need Him (Till Tomorrow)” and “After the Rain” showcase Barrett’s lyrical emphasis on spiritual urgency and emotional resilience, framed by funk-inflected instrumentation and choral harmonies. The album’s production leans toward a warm, analog sound typical of Gospel Roots releases, with arrangements that balance Barrett’s vocal leadership against the choir’s collective force. Though rooted in gospel tradition, the album’s sonic palette aligns it with contemporaneous soul and disco movements, making it a unique artifact of sacred music crossing into secular aesthetics.