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The Gospel Music Hall of Fame, created in 1972 by the Gospel Music Association, is a Hall of Fame dedicated exclusively to recognizing meaningful contributions by individuals and groups in all forms of gospel music.
James Houston Davis was an American singer, songwriter, and politician. After achieving fame for releasing both sacred and popular songs, Davis served as governor of Louisiana from 1944 to 1948 and again from 1960 to 1964. As Governor, he was an opponent of efforts to desegregate Louisiana.
Shirley Ann Caesar-Williams, nee Caesar,, known professionally as Shirley Caesar, is an American gospel singer. Her career began in 1951, when she signed to Federal Records at the age of 12. Throughout her seven decade career, Caesar has often been referred to as the "First Lady of Gospel Music", and "The Queen of Gospel Music". She has won eleven Grammy Awards, fifteen Dove Awards, and fourteen Stellar Awards.
James Charles Rodgers was an American singer-songwriter and musician who rose to popularity in the late 1920s. Widely regarded as the "Father of Country Music", he is best known for his distinctive yodeling. Rodgers was known as "The Singing Brakeman" and "America's Blue Yodeler". He has been cited as an inspiration by many artists, and he has been inducted into multiple halls of fame.
William James Gaither is an American singer and songwriter of Southern gospel and contemporary Christian music. He has written numerous popular Christian songs with his wife Gloria; he is also known for performing as part of the Bill Gaither Trio and the Gaither Vocal Band. In the 1990s, his career gained a resurgence, as popularity grew for the Gaither Homecoming series. In 2023 he released a secular music album with the Gaither Vocal Band entitled “Love Songs”.
The Imperials are an American Christian music group that has been active for over 55 years. Originating as a southern gospel quartet, the innovative group would become pioneers of contemporary Christian music in the 1960s. There have been many changes for the band in membership and musical styles over the years. They would go on to win four Grammys, 15 Dove Awards and be inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
Dottie Rambo was an American gospel singer and songwriter. She was a Grammy winning solo artist and multiple Dove award-winning artist. Along with ex-husband Buck and daughter Reba, she formed the award-winning southern Gospel group, The Rambos. She wrote more than 2,500 songs, including her most notable, "The Holy Hills of Heaven Call Me", "He Looked Beyond My Fault and Saw My Need", "We Shall Behold Him", and "I Go To the Rock".
Vestal Goodman was a singer who performed in the Southern gospel genre for more than half a century. She was known for her work as a solo performer and as a member of the Happy Goodman Family—which originated with her husband and his brothers and sisters—one of the pioneering groups in southern gospel music.
The Speer Family was a Southern gospel family musical group. It was founded in 1921 by George Thomas ("Dad") Speer (1891–1966), his wife, Lena Darling ("Mom") Speer, and his sister and brother-in-law, Pearl Claborn (1902–1979) and Logan Claborn. Harold Lane was also a member of this group.
Janet Paschal is an inspirational gospel vocalist. She has released numerous albums in that genre and has received multiple fan awards and Grammy and Dove Award nominations. She is also a songwriter and published author. In May 2019, she was inducted into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee. Paschal was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in October 2022.
The Original Hinsons were a multi-award-winning Southern Gospel group that was formed in 1967 and was active until 1994.
The Chuck Wagon Gang is a Country gospel musical group, formed in 1935 by David P. ("Dad") Carter, oldest son Ernest ("Jim") along with daughters Lola ("Rose") and Effie ("Anna"). The group got their first radio break as sponsored singers for Bewley Flour in 1936. The "Gang" signed with Columbia Records and remained with them for 39 years, a world record that lasted until 2000, when Johnny Mathis' overall time with the same label entered its 40th year. At one point they were Columbia's number one group with over 39 million in record sales.
Charles F. "Rusty" Goodman was an American singer/songwriter in the Southern Gospel Music industry. He was a prolific composer whose many songs included "Standing in the Presence of the King", "Leavin' On My Mind", "Home", "John the Revelator", "Touch the Hand of the Lord", "Had it Not Been" "I Believe He's Coming Back" "Look for Me" and "Who Am I?" His songs have been covered by many of the top artists in the music industry including Elvis Presley, The Imperials, J. D. Sumner & The Stamps Quartet, The Speers, The Happy Goodman Family, Michael English and Gaither Vocal Band.
Brock Speer sang bass for the Speer Family Southern Gospel musical group and was a leader in Southern Gospel music.
Ben Lacy Speer was a singer, musician, music publisher, and record company executive. He sang for The Speer Family for most of his career. Speer later became the music director of the Gaither Homecoming programs. He was born in Double Springs, Alabama, the youngest child of Lena and G.T. Speer, who originally led the group, with Speer's siblings Brock Speer, Mary Tom Speer, and Rosa Nell Speer also participating. He died on April 7, 2017, after suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
Mary Tom Reid was an American southern gospel singer who sang with the well-known Speer Family Gospel Choir from the 1920s until her official retirement in 1954 and again from the 1980s until the group's official retirement in 1997. She also sang with the Gaither Homecoming Series from 1995 until her death.
Flora E. Molton was a street singer and slide guitar player who performed gospel and blues music in Washington, D.C., from the 1940s to shortly before her death. She played slide guitar in the "bottleneck" style commonly employed by rural blues musicians, and she played the harmonica and tambourine.
Rosa Nell Powell was an American southern gospel singer who sang with the well-known Speer Family. She was born in Double Springs, Alabama, the second child of George Thomas "GT" Speer and Lena Speer, who led and helped found the family group.
The Singing Christians were a Southern gospel music band. They released five albums on the Canaan Records label and charted in the Southern gospel radio markets.
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ownby, Ted; Wilson, Charles Reagan; Abadie, Ann J.; Lindsey, Odie; Thomas, James G. Jr. (2017). The Mississippi Encyclopedia. University Press of Mississippi. pp. 364–365. ISBN 978-1-4968-1159-2 . Retrieved May 30, 2020.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Piarrot, Henry (April 24, 2003). "For singer Ann Downing, dream lives on after husband's death". The Tennessean. Tennessee, Nashville. p. 58. Retrieved May 30, 2020– via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Chuck Wagon Gang Joins Jimmie Davis 11-Day Tour". Billboard. August 9, 1969. p. 70. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
- ↑ "Ann Downing in concert Sunday". The Daily Times. Maryland, Salisbury. February 20, 1999. p. 7. Retrieved May 31, 2020– via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 "The History ..." Ann Downing Ministries. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
- ↑ "Downing to sing at local church". The Call-Leader. Indiana, Elwood. August 13, 2010. p. 3. Retrieved May 31, 2020– via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Hall of Fame inductions in alphabetical order". Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame and Museum. Archived from the original on May 30, 2020. Retrieved May 30, 2020.