The World's Greatest Gospel Singer is Mahalia Jackson's debut album on the Columbia label, recorded in 1954.

Original record sleeve, written by George Avakian: "The recordings in this collection were made in the course of two consecutive evenings at Columbia's 30th Street Studio in New York City.

For Mahalia's debut on the Columbia Label, Mitch Miller had asked her to prepare some new songs for single record release, and I had hoped to get a start toward making an album of spirituals and gospels songs of her own choice.

The only reason we quit was that there was limit to the amount of material we could absorb all at once."

November 23, 1954, Columbia, New York City, with The Falls-Jones Ensemble: Mildred Falls (piano), Ralph Jones (organ), Jack Lasberg (guitar), Frank Carroll (bass), Bunny Shawker (drums), and Mahalia Jackson (vocal).