Mike Holcomb

Last updated

Michael Terry Holcomb (born February 2, 1954) is a Southern Gospel bass singer, best known for his forty plus years of work with The Inspirations. [1]

Contents

Biography

Holcomb was born in Pickens County, Georgia, on February 2, 1954, to Alfred Carl Holcomb Jr. and Sarah Piccola Padgett. He began singing at the age of 4 in church. [2] He attended Tate Elementary School grades 1–5 and then moved to Jasper, Georgia, where he attended the Jasper Elementary School. in the 6th grade and Talking Rock Elementary in the 7th grade. [2] Holcomb was saved on Wednesday, July 22, 1964, at Price Creek Baptist Church. [2] He then attended Pickens County High School from the 8th grade through to the 12th grade and graduated from high school in 1972. Along the way he had sung bass in groups such as the Happy Harmony Quartet and the Deliverance Quartet. [2] He had begun at a vocational college but dropped out in September 1972 to join The Inspirations. [2] [3] The group he attained success in the Southern Gospel genre with such songs as "Shouting Time In Heaven", "When I Wake Up To Sleep No More", "A Rose Among The Thorns" and "We Need To Thank God", "Jesus Is Coming Soon" and have sold over a million records. Mike has been featured on several top southern gospel songs including the following:"Hide me Rock of Ages", "I Get Happy", "Everybody will be happy", "The Son Came Down", "I'll have a New Life" "If You Only Knew", "God Makes No Mistakes" "Talk about Dying" and many many more. He married Bavaria Lynn Mitchell on April 25, 1976. He has two children Jeremy Nathan (born 1977) and Olivia Niccole (born 1979). Holcomb has two grandchildren; Aubrey is the daughter of Niccole and Nathan Pierce. The newest addition to the Holcomb family is Jackson Holcomb, son of Nathan and Brandy Holcomb. He resides in Bryson City, North Carolina.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jasper, Georgia</span> City and county seat in Georgia, United States

Jasper is a city in Pickens County, Georgia, United States. The population was 3,684 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Pickens County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Isley Brothers</span> American musical group

The Isley Brothers are an American musical group originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, that began as a vocal trio consisting of the brothers O'Kelly Isley Jr., Rudolph Isley and Ronald Isley in the 1950s. With a career spanning over seven decades, the group has enjoyed one of the "longest, most influential, and most diverse careers in the pantheon of popular music".

Gospel music is a traditional genre of Christian music, and a cornerstone of Christian media. The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music varies according to culture and social context. Gospel music is composed and performed for many purposes, including aesthetic pleasure, religious or ceremonial purposes, and as an entertainment product for the marketplace. Gospel music is characterized by dominant vocals and strong use of harmony with Christian lyrics. Gospel music can be traced to the early 17th century.

A singing school is a school in which students are taught to sightread vocal music. Singing schools are a long-standing cultural institution in the Southern United States. While some singing schools are offered for credit, most are informal programs.

The Stamps-Baxter Music Company was an influential publishing company in the shape note Southern gospel music field. The company issued several paperback publications each year with cheap binding and printed on cheap paper. Thus, the older books are now in delicate condition. These songbooks were used in church singing events, called "conventions," as well as at other church events, although they did not take the place of regular hymnals. Among the country music and bluegrass "standards" that were first published by Stamps-Baxter are "Rank Strangers to Me", "Just a Little Talk with Jesus", "Precious Memories", "Farther Along", "If We Never Meet Again", "Victory in Jesus", and "I Won't Have to Cross Jordan Alone".

Southern gospel music is a genre of Christian music. Its name comes from its origins in the southeastern United States. Its lyrics are written to express either personal or a communal faith regarding biblical teachings and Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music. Sometimes known as "quartet music" for its traditional "four men and a piano" set up, southern gospel has evolved over the years into a popular form of music across the United States and overseas, especially among baby boomers and those living in the Southern United States. Like other forms of music, the creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of southern gospel varies according to the cultural and social context. It is composed and performed for many purposes, ranging from aesthetic pleasure, religious or ceremonial purposes, or as an entertainment product for the marketplace.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Gaither (gospel singer)</span> American singer and songwriter

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”.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Jordanaires</span> American vocal group; back-up singers for Elvis Presley and other artists

The Jordanaires were an American vocal quartet that formed as a gospel group in 1948. Over the years, they recorded both sacred and secular music for recording companies such as Capitol Records, RCA Victor, Columbia Records, Decca Records, Vocalion Records, Stop Records, and many other smaller independent labels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. D. Sumner</span> Musical artist

John Daniel Sumner was an American gospel singer, songwriter, and music promoter noted for his bass voice, and his innovation in the Christian and Gospel music fields. Sumner sang in five quartets and was a member of the Blackwood Brothers during their 1950s heyday. Aside from his incredibly low bass voice, Sumner's business acumen helped promote Southern Gospel and move it into the mainstream of American culture and music during the 1950s and 1960s.

James Webre Blackwood was an American gospel singer and one of the founding members of legendary Southern gospel quartet The Blackwood Brothers. He is the only person in any field of music to have been nominated for a Grammy Award for 28 consecutive years. He received 31 nominations and won nine Grammy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Imperials</span> American Christian music group

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.

The Statesmen Quartet were an American southern gospel quartet founded in 1948 by Baptist Minister Hovie Lister. Along with the Blackwood Brothers, the Statesmen Quartet were considered the most successful and influential gospel quartet of the 1950s and 1960s and had a wide influence on artists during that time from the gospel, country, pop, and rock and roll genre. Along with hits spanning many decades, The Statesmen Quartet had many notable successes including being the first Gospel group to receive endorsement deals. Additionally, they made television commercials, appeared on numerous radio and TV shows, and were signed to RCA Victor before launching their own record label, Skylite Records, with The Blackwood Brothers.

The Perrys are a Southern gospel quartet based in Hendersonville, Tennessee.

The Florida Boys were a male vocal quartet in Southern gospel music. The group was founded in 1946 by J. G. Whitfield. Originally named The Gospel Melody Quartet, the group was renamed in 1954. From the 1950s until 2007, the group was led by Les Beasley as lead/guitar, Glen Allred as baritone, and Derrell Stewart at piano, and featured many notable tenors and basses. In 1999, the Florida Boys were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. The group, led by Charlie Waller in its later years, officially retired in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glen Payne</span> American singer

Glen Weldon Payne was a Southern gospel artist who served for 55 years and was known for being the lead vocalist for The Cathedral Quartet.

The Kingsmen Quartet is an American Southern gospel vocal quartet.

The Pickens County School District is a public school district in Pickens County, Georgia, United States, based in Jasper. It serves the communities of Jasper, Nelson, Talking Rock, and Tate.

Gordon E. Hill was an American quartet bass singer during the 1940s through the early 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pickens High School (Georgia)</span> High school in Georgia, United States

Pickens High School is a public high school in Jasper, Georgia, United States. It serves the communities of Jasper, Nelson, Talking Rock, and Tate.

Lee Roy Abernathy (1913–1993) was a Southern gospel music musician, songwriter, and performer.

References

  1. Graves, Michael P.; Fillingim, David (February 2005). More than precious memories: the rhetoric of Southern gospel music. Mercer University Press. p. 12. ISBN   978-0-86554-955-5 . Retrieved 30 March 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Biography". Mikecolomb.org. Archived from the original on 21 August 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
  3. Goff, James R. (March 2002). Close harmony: a history of southern gospel. UNC Press Books. p. 247. ISBN   978-0-8078-5346-7 . Retrieved 30 March 2011.