“I’ll Keep on Living After I Die”

Abstract

Abstract James Davis passed in 2007. Ira Tucker soldiered on choosing and training younger singers in the Hummingbirds’ style. Ira Jr. teamed up with him in efforts to continue the legacy. The seventy-fifth anniversary was marked with an album and special events in South Carolina. There, Ira Tucker took part in a new documentary film, How They Got Over: Gospel Quartets and the Road to Rock ‘n’ Roll. The album Diamond Jubilation featured Dr. John along with veterans of Bob Dylan's band including as producer Larry Campbell, Tony Garnier, Levon Helm, and Garth Hudson. A highlight was the debut of Dylan's song “City of Gold.” Guitarist Lyndon Baines Jones made his recording debut as a Hummingbird. High-profile appearances and accolades continued. Philadelphia honored them with a mural on the side of a building and a street renamed “Dixie Hummingbird Way.” Ira Tucker's final album Still Keeping It Real/The Last Man Standing was nominated for a 2007 Grammy Award. There was a performance at Paul Simon's award ceremony for the inaugural Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. Health issues began affecting Ira Tucker and he passed in 2008. Stevie Wonder spoke and performed at the funeral. The Hummingbirds currently stand at a crossroads. The interest in quartet gospel thrives through new books, documentaries, music streaming, and social media fan pages. The National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC features a Hummingbirds exhibit. Nonetheless, performance opportunities remain scarce and the future of the Dixie Hummingbirds is uncertain.