Existing mostly as a studio project, Philly soul band Nat Turner Rebellion issued only a few singles in their early-'70s heyday, all but disappearing into the ether as bandmembers went on to other pursuits. Decades later, their archive of recordings was unearthed and a never-released debut album, Laugh to Keep from Crying, saw the light of day in 2019. The politically charged '70s soul-funk tracks served as a time capsule for this incredibly obscure group that was almost lost in time's shuffle.

Nat Turner Rebellion was started in 1969 by Philadelphia singer/songwriter Joe Jefferson. Joined by vocalists Major Harris, Ron Harper, and Bill Spratley, the group worked in a high-energy soul-funk vein, and their name (a reference to a bloody uprising during the height of slavery) nodded to their political and sociological underpinnings. They signed a record deal with Philly Groove records in 1970, but disputes between the band and the label ultimately led to their breakup. The label wanted the band to sound more like commercial contemporaries like the Delfonics, but Jefferson and his group argued for more challenging content and a harder sound. They worked in legendary Philly soul studio Sigma Sound Studios for several years, tracking over a dozen songs. Singles like 1969's "Tribute to a Slave" and 1970's "Love, Peace and Understanding" made it to the public, but a finished album was shelved around 1972. Jefferson went on to write songs for other soul acts and Harris joined the Delfonics, enjoying a successful life in music both with the group and solo.

Nat Turner Rebellion remained a distant, foggy memory until the late 2010s, when the Sigma Sound tape archive was donated to Drexel University's Audio Archives. Along with over 7,000 other tapes, the band's complete studio recordings had been preserved, and upon hearing the songs again -- 50 years later -- Drexel affiliate Toby Seay teamed with music industry figures to coordinate a wide-scale release of the music, bringing the band's complete catalog to the masses for the first time. By this point, Jefferson was the only original member of the group still alive to see the music's release. Laugh to Keep from Crying collected all 14 songs from the band and was released both digitally and in a limited-edition vinyl run in the spring of 2019. ~ Fred Thomas, Rovi