Andy Griffith Before and After Andy Griffith Show

The late Andy Griffith in a scene from No Time For Sergeants.

 

The first time I heard of Andy Griffith was when he appeared in the movie No Time For Sergeants. He played Will Stockdale a mountain boy, who is drafted into the U.S. Army. He had already played the part in the Broadway play by the same name three years, before the 1958 movie was released.

The funniest scene of the movie to me was when he was named PLO (Permanent Latrine Orderly). He rigged the toilet seats to stand up all at once, which shocked the inspecting officer to say the least. However, this scene of him being tested by a corporal for manual dexterity may be even funnier. Don Knotts plays the corporal, who is utterly frustrated by the way Andy’s character Will Stockdale puts the two links together. Don Knotts appears at about the 1:15 mark.

I hadn’t even known Andy Griffith had appeared in A Face in the Crowd in 1957, in a dramatic role unlike the Andy Griffith I had known in No Time For Sergeants and on the Andy Griffith show.

Andy received top billing in the movie portraying an Arkansas hobo Larry “Lonesome” Rhodes who becomes rich overnight. This is a scene from A Face In The Crowd:

Made Television Debut On U.S. Steel Hour

Andy had made his television debut on the U.S. Steel Hour when he played Will Stockdale on television. He played the role on Broadway, on television and in the movies, which probably has not been done very often, by any actor in the same role.

He also made the movie Onionhead in 1958, so it was a very busy year for him.

Danny Thomas Show Role As Sheriff

Andy got a big break when he appeared on a Danny Thomas episode in 1960, where Danny is given a ticket, by a small-town sheriff.  Andy is perplexed when he finds out that Andy is not only the sheriff, but also the justice of the peace.

The Danny Thomas episode led to the formation of the Andy Griffith show which was shown that same year, on the CBS television network.  249 episodes later the Andy Griffith show would complete its run.

He appeared on Mayberry RFD for two years, then had two series fail in short order, when Headmaster lasted 13 episodes in 1970, followed by the New Andy Griffith show which lasted only 10 episodes. He didn’t return to another series until 1979 when Salvage One only last 19 episodes. He had appeared in three series since leaving Mayberry RFD, but only 42 shows were made of those three series combined.

Seven years later Andy tried again for a hit series and he struck gold with Matlock which ran from 1986-1995. He appeared in various television series and movies till he made his last acting appearance in Play the Game in 2009 at the age of 83.

Andy non only was an actor, but recorded gospel songs. This is Andy singing How Great Thou Art:

I looked at Andy Griffith and saw a role model, for the right way to live life.

My wife and daughter surprised me in 2006, when we went to Mt. Airy, N.C. to see Andy’s boyhood home. I didn’t know we were going to stay there that night and it was the surprise of my life, when I found out we were actually spending the night there. Hampton Inn rents out the home to tourists and it was something I will never forget. I even played baseball with my grandson in Andy’s backyard.

The late Andy Griffith’s boyhood home in Mt. Airy, NC.

Andy had also made some comedy records early in his career. I had the record that has him giving his impression of seeing his first football game. He said in his monologue that 5 or 6 convicts were running up and down the field blowing whistles.  The game was played in a cow pasture and Andy concludes saying that the object of the game must be to keep from being knocked down or stepping in something.

The only remaining actors still alive from Andy Griffith are Jim “Gomer Pyle” Nabors and Betty “Thelma Lou” Lynn.

I was 15 when the first Andy Griffith show was televised in 1960 and was 23 when the last show aired, so have been watching Andy Griffith during the first eight original years and in 44 years of re-runs.

Andy, Thanks for the memories and RIP.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Southern Gospel Music Star Fading In Louisiana?

I can remember many years ago, when southern gospel music quartets appeared in Louisiana more often, than they do today. I can remember driving home from work at the newspaper, for my supper break and seeing the Masters Five Quartet bus in front of our church. The group featured five members consisting of Hovie Lister, Jake Hess and Rosie Rozell of the Statesmen Quartet and James Blackwood and J.D. Sumner of the Blackwood Brothers Quartet. It was sad to know I missed seeing some of the giants of southern gospel music, but have seen quite a few concerts since then.

Masters V singing the classic O What A Savior

Today we see fewer southern gospel quartets, soloists and family groups traveling to Louisiana. Many of the southern gospel ministries are centered in Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia, which means it is a 600 or 700 mile trip to Louisiana. It is even further to southern Louisiana and the gasoline costs to power the busses has stopped some ministries from driving that far.

It is not unusual today to see prices of $15 or more to see a soloist or group sing in concert. There are still some southern gospel artists, that will sing in concert, for only a love offering, but some demand up-front money, before even walking in the door of the concert venue.

I have heard of smaller churches asking the artists to come to their church, but nix the deals when the artists say they need thousands of dollars, before they even show up.

Pennsylvania Hotbed For Southern Gospel

Apparently the churches and other sponsors, of southern gospel music in Pennsylvania can afford the asking prices, since the Harper booking agency lists 26 concerts scheduled in Pennsylvania in the upcoming months. However, Louisiana only has two concerts scheduled, which shows that Louisiana is not attracting southern gospel artists to the state in large numbers.

The original Dove Brothers Quartet configuration of John Rulapaugh, tenor, McCray Dove, lead, Burman Porter, bass, Richard Simmons pianist and Eric Dove, baritone.

My favorite group the Dove Brothers Quartet has no concerts in Louisiana in their current schedule, which shows upcoming concerts from today till December 7 of this year.

Southern Gospel Concerts of the Past

There have been many southern gospel quartets here in the past. We have been able to see the Dove Brothers Quartet, in the Louisiana cities of Oak Grove, Monroe, Jena and Pineville, where we used to live for many years.

The Blackwood Brothers Quartet appeared in the Pineville area many times over the years and will never forget seeing and hearing the great James Blackwood. The Dixie Echoes used to sing in this area often. It was exciting to see Billy Todd singing for the Dixie Echoes, after seeing him sing on the Gospel Singing Jubilee.

A local radio station in Pineville, Louisiana used to sponsor a huge southern gospel concert every year, but that too has vanished from the scene. The Happy Goodman Family appeared there along with many other southern gospel soloists and groups.

The Kingsmen Quartet once sang in Cheneyville, Louisiana and sang in a school. The windows actually rattled during the concert when the quartet reached a crescendo during the concert.

Ann Downing a southern gospel soloist passing through this area, worked in an unplanned concert at Faith Baptist Church in Pineville and I can still remember her not being too happy, because one of the girls there that night was knitting while she sang.

Louisiana is fortunate to have singers like Mark Lanier, who used to sing with the Bibletones, Perfect Heart and Poet Voices living in Ball, Louisiana and who sings frequently in Louisiana concerts. Mark now sings as a solo artist.

Reasons For Decline 

It is sad to know that southern gospel ministries don’t travel this far south very often. There could be many reasons, why so few ministries travel through Louisiana. The gasoline prices may be a major cause of the decline. It may be that when they do make their way into Louisiana, that the attendance is not that great. Fewer people attending concerts usually is going to mean less sales of CD’s of the artists and anything else they may be selling at the concerts.

The artists are going to naturally gravitate to the venues, which produce the most sales of their products. Southern gospel music is not only a ministry, but it is a business which has to make a profit, to provide a living for the members of any group. They have house notes, utilities and other costs, like the rest of us, so they are not going to continue to appear in less profitable venues.

It would be interesting to hear from anyone that reads this article, to find out if there are valid reasons for leaving Louisiana out of the schedules for most artists.

I think the over-riding reason we don’t see southern gospel artists often in Louisiana is money. Maybe someday the fading star of southern gospel will once again shine brightly.

 

Life and Death of Hank Williams Sr.

Hank Williams Sr. 1923-1953

Hank Williams was born as Hiram King Williams on September 17, 1923 in Mount Olive, Alabama. He changed his name to Hank, since it sounded more like a good name, for a country music singer.

Lillie Williams, his mother would have to raise him, when his father Elonzo was sent to the VA Hospital in Pineville, Louisiana  with a brain aneurysm, where he remained for eight years.

Hank would begin playing the guitar at 8, then first appeared on radio at the age of 13. By the time he was 14 he had formed a band called the Drifting Cowboys.

Roy Acuff once told Williams the dangers of using alcohol, saying “You have a million dollar voice, but a 10 cent brain”.

Began Abusing Alcohol During World War II

World War II would find him working in a Mobile, Alabama shipyard and singing in Montgomery, Alabama. He started abusing alcohol, due to having a congenital spinal disorder, which caused extreme back pain. He would never be able to curb his drinking habit.

It was in 1943 when he met his future wife, Audrey Sheppard.

He was only 23 in 1946, when he signed a songwriting contract with the Acuff-Rose songwriting company. He first hit was Move It On Over recorded on the new MGM record label in 1947. The Grand Ole Opry, which had refused to sign him in 1946 would later sign him in 1949 and he would debut on the Grand Ole Opry stage on June 11,1949, with six encores that night.

Lovesick Blues Was Breakthrough Hit

His big break came in 1949 at the age of 26 when he recorded the 27-year-old song Lovesick Blues, after he had joined the Louisiana Hayride and later would join the Grand Ole Opry.

Williams didn’t know how to read or notate music, yet still had eleven No.1 songs, between 1948 and 1953. Tony Bennett would sing one of his songs, Cold, Cold Heart. 

He would begin recording religious songs, as Luke the Drifter, in case the songs would not be well received.

Audrey, Jett, Hank Jr., Hank Sr.

Divorces Audrey Williams

The back pain of Williams got worse, after Williams fell in a hunting accident. He was now taking morphine and drinking alcohol, because of the pain. His wife Audrey would divorce him in June of 1952, but he would marry Billie Jean Jones, only four months later in October of 1952.

Billie Jean Jones, daughter of Bossier City Police Chief. She widowed Hank Williams Sr. and Johnny Horton.

Two months earlier in August of 1952, Williams was fired by the Grand Ole Opry for habitual drunkenness. He was now not showing up for performances or not singing well, if he did show up.

Health Worsens

Williams was beginning to have heart problems in late 1952. He may have made a critical mistake by contacting a fake doctor who had no real credentials as a doctor as indicated by this paragraph from his Wikipedia biography:

 

He met Horace Raphol “Toby” Marshall in Oklahoma City, who claimed to be a doctor. Marshall had been previously convicted for forgery, and had been paroled and released from the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in 1951. Among other fake titles he claimed to be a Doctor of Science. He purchased the DSC title for $35 from the Chicago School of Applied Science, in the diploma, he requested that the DSC was spelled out as “Doctor of Science and Psychology”. Under the name of Dr. C. W. Lemon he prescribed Williams with amphetamines, Seconal, chloral hydrate, and morphine.^[52] 

 

It would be interesting to know what a real doctor thought, about this cocktail mix of drugs and if these drugs could have sped up the end of his life.

Death Comes In The Morning of January 1, 1953

Hank Williams was supposed to appear in a concert at Charleston, West Virginia on Dec. 31, 1952, but because of an ice storm in Nashville, Tennessee, he was unable to make it there on time. His driver, Charles Carr called ahead to notify management of the auditorium, that they would not be able to make it to Charleston, because of the bad driving conditions.

However, Carr was instructed to drive Williams to Canton, Ohio for a concert on New Year’s Day of 1953. When they arrived in Knoxville, Carr summoned a doctor to the Andrew Johnson Hotel. The doctor injected Williams with two shots of Vitamin B-12, which included some morphine.

Carr proceeded to drive Williams to Bristol, Virginia and asked Williams if wanted something to eat.  Williams told him no, which were probably his last words. Carr then drove on to Oak Hill, West Virginia to refuel, when he realized Williams was dead and notified the local police chief.

The following paragraph describes what the doctor found during the autopsy and what occurred at the Canton, Ohio venue,when the audience was informed that Williams had died en route to Canton.

 

Dr. Ivan Malinin performed the autopsy at the Tyree Funeral House. Malinin found hemorrhages in the heart and neck and pronounced the cause of death as “insufficiency of the right ventricle of the heart.”^[59] That evening, when the announcer at Canton announced Williams’s death to the gathered crowd, they started laughing, thinking that it was just another excuse. After Hawkshaw Hawkins and other performers started singing “I Saw the Light” as a tribute to Williams, the crowd, now realizing that he was indeed dead, sang along.^[60] 

 

 

 

I will never forget the scene in the Your Cheatin’ Heart movie when the audience, was told that Hank had died, then everyone starts singing I Saw The Light. One of the most special moments in any movie ever.

 

Hank Williams died in the backseat of this 1952 Cadillac.

 

His funeral on January 4, 1953 attracted more people, than to any other funeral in the history of Alabama, up to that time. Estimates range as low as 15,000 and high as 25,000 that filed by his silver coffin.

This is a small portion of the funeral service for Hank Williams on January 4, 1952.

It was ironic that one of his best-known hits, Your Cheatin’ Heart hadn’t been released prior to his death, but it would remain No.1 on the country charts for six weeks.

This is the announcement made on WCKY radio telling of the death of Hank Williams, followed by Hank singing I Am Bound For The Promised Land.

Left Musical Legacy

Hank Williams may have only recorded music from 1947-1952, but he left a  lasting imprint among country music fans and will always be remembered by the fans who enjoyed his music in the past. His music will continue to be passed on to future generations, as even today his music is still being sung.

He recorded a lot of gospel songs, as well as country hits. These are just some of his songs:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hank_Williams_discography

If this song I Dreamed About Mama Last Night doesn’t touch the heart of anyone that has lost their mama, something is seriously wrong.

This song Be Careful of Stones That You Throw will make us think twice before we throw stones at others.

Hank Williams may have died 58 years ago at the age of 29. Hank would be 87 if he was still living today. He may not have lived long on this earth, but he brought a lot of happiness to a lot of people through his musical legacy.

He only lived through the terms of four American presidents in his 29 years. We know Hank Williams had his faults, like the rest of us, but as he passed on his music to future generations, we will also pass on his music to those who have never heard his music in the coming years. Thank you Hank for reminding us to see the same light, you saw when you sang I Saw The Light.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Old Time Radio Poll

The last old time radio show aired on September 30,1962. Next year marks the 50th anniversary of Suspense and Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar being the last old time radio shows to be broadcast.

The poll today breaks down by age groups of people who have heard old time radio shows either live from 1920′s till September 30, 1962 or media such as MP3 CD’s and downloads:

Favorite Southern Gospel Song: The Lighthouse

Kenny Hinson and the Hinsons sing The Lighthouse in a concert before his death.

There have been many great southern gospel songs written and sung in the history of southern gospel music but the song that is my personal favorite is The Lighthouse sung by the Hinsons.

This song is southern gospel music at its best and when the rest of the Hinsons join in with Kenny for the chorus it gets even better. Then the crowd joins in at the end to sing the chorus.

Jane Russell Dies at 89

Jane Russell has died at the age of 89 at home in Santa Maria, California of respiratory failure.

Jane Russell has died at the age of 89 with her family beside her in Santa Maria, California. The actress who was discovered by Howard Hughes when she was 19 and working in a doctor’s office. Hughes would cast her in The Outlaw in her first movie appearance.  She appeared in nineteen movies between 1943 and 1957. She would only appear in four more movies, with her last movie appearance coming in 1970 in Darker Than Amber. She was 49 the year her last movie was filmed.

Russell was born in Bemidji, Minnesota on June 21, 1921. Her family moved back to United States from Canada so she would be born a U.S. citizen.

She co-starred with Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes in 1953. Then in 1955 she received top billing in Gentlemen Marry Brunettes.

Television appearances were few and far between for Russell as she appeared in only seven television appearances with her last appearance being in a 1986. She hadn’t acted in movies or television in the last 25 years of her life.

Russell  would pursue a singing career that started in 1947 but she was more famous for her movie career. She did have a very listenable voice which was very soft. She was part of this singing group that included big band singer Connie Haines and actress Rhonda Fleming:

Jane Russell singing One For My Baby.

Allmusic.com has short  clips of many of her songs:

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jane-russell-p443225/songs

While going to church she became involved in singing with a group that included big band singer Connie Haines and would later include Rhonda Fleming another famous Hollywood actress.

Her first husband Bob Waterfield was a football player who won the Heisman Trophy and would later play quarterback in the NFL for the Cleveland Rams and Los Angeles Rams. He would be inducted later into the NFL Football Hall of Fame. Their marriage lasted twenty four years.

Roger Barrett an actor was her next husband but died only three months after their wedding. She next married John Peoples in 1974 and they would be married till his death in 1999.

Russell battled a drinking problem that got worse after his death but eventually conquered alcoholism and she had this to say about her reliance on God in the last paragraph of her New York Times obituary:

A higher power was always there, she wrote, “telling me that if I could just hold tough a little longer, I’d find myself around one more dark corner, see one more spot of light and have one more drop of pure joy in this journey called life.”

Archive.org: Great Multimedia Website

Archive.org will keep a reader entertained for hours.

Archive.org is probably the best source for audio and video online this side of YouTube.  The home page for the website as I write this article has a link to an audio version of a Grateful Dead concert at Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum at New Haven, Connecticut on May 11, 1981.

The concert is only one of 803,305 audio recordings at the website.  There are 2,214 old time radio related links to old time radio shows and magazines that were printed during the height of the popularity of old time radio.

One Roy Rogers episode has been downloaded 74,882 times showing that the website is available for downloading many of the old time radio shows we grew up with.

Old time radio fans will love looking at list after list of old time radio shows available for downloading including some of the more obscure shows which have very few episodes in existence.

The live music archive features 88,813 archives while the moving image archives total 451,934.

Avid readers will enjoy knowing that there are 2.694,639 texts including books and ebooks. The new Bookreader at the site includes Origin of the Species by Charles Darwin and is the example shown of how the Bookreader works.

http://blog.archive.org/2010/12/10/2685/

There is an audio version of some books but the one I listened to was not of the best quality and seemed to be a computer generated voice which probably would be tiring to listen to for an entire book.

Most readers may not enjoy the voice and instead opt to read the books without sound. For those that like the audio they should enjoy the feature that highlights the portion of the book being read by the voice.

The Mega Reader iPhone app provides access to the 1.8 million free books at archive.org so they each iPhone user can have their own personal reader.

Each volume of the Warren Report investigation of the assassination of  President John F. Kennedy is available to read.

The site is an excellent source of reading material for educators and students who are looking for books that are no longer copyrighted.

One word of caution: it could take hours just to look at what is available at archive.org. This website may have the most content of any website online and is worth going to the website to see for yourself what is available.

http://www.archive.org/

Charlie Louvin Dies at 83

Grand Ole Opry member Charlie Louvin has died at 83.

Charlie Louvin longtime member of the Grand Ole Opry died at 83 at his home in Wartrace, Tennessee on January 26 from complications due to pancreatic cancer.

Louvin teamed with his brother Ira to form the Louvin Brothers and  sing gospel music but they later switched to secular music and would become part of the Grand Ole Opry in 1955. The Louvin Brothers broke up in 1963. They were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001 but Ira was admitted posthumously having been killed by a drunken driver in 1965.

Charlie was still a member of the Grand Ole Opry at the time of his death having been a Grand Ole Opry member for 56 years.

Charlie Louvin singing Just Between the Two of Us.

The world of country music has lost another pioneer that I grew up listening to. Charlie still sang for 46 years after the death of his brother. Both the Louvin Brothers have died and the following obituary in the N.Y. Times tells how much Emmy Lou Harris enjoyed listening to their music and gives more information about his life and death.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/27/arts/music/27louvin.html

Connie Smith, Martina McBride: Once a Day

Connie Smith and Martina McBride singing Once a Day written by Bill Anderson. It was at No.1 on the Billboard Country Music charts for more weeks than any song recorded by a female country artist.

It was Smith’s debut single after signing with RCA Victor Records. Ironically it was her only single to reach No.1 on the charts although she had 17 songs to reach the Top Ten.

Connie Smith singing a couple of gospel songs highlighted by her rendition of How Great Thou Art which she sings better than anyone I have ever heard sing it.

Farther Along: Florida Boys, Brad Paisley Versions

Farther Along is best known for the slower version but this faster version by the Florida Boys featuring the late  bass singer Billy Todd who later joined the Dixie Echoes later in his career delivers the same message as this slower version.

Brad Paisley singing Farther  Along in a much slower audio only version that is more traditional. Paisley sings this song as well as anyone I have heard sing it.

Til the Storm Passes By: Ben Speer and Dove Brothers

Ben Speer and the Dove Brothers sing the classic ‘Til the Storm Passes By written by Mosie Lister and is one of the most inspirational songs ever written.

All Quartets Radio

Southern gospel fans who love to hear southern gospel quartets can listen to these quartets 24/7 on their computer in stereo. I have listened to the station for just a few minutes have already heard such well known southern gospel favorites as Till the Storm Passes By, Turn Your Radio On and The Old Country Church.

http://www.allquartetsradio.com/listenfree.html

Beyond the Ashes Involved in Southern Gospel Concert Fire

Beyond the Ashes southern gospel trio had just left the stage at the Majestic Theatre in Chillicothe, Ohio when they noticed the curtains were on fire.

The aptly named Beyond the Ashes southern gospel trio were in concert in Chillicothe, Ohio earlier this month and had just left the stage when they noticed the stage curtains were on fire.

One of the members of Beyond the Ashes was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation and Kelly Nelon Clark  of the Nelons was also taken to the hospital with stomach pain along with her daughter Amber who was coughing.

No plans for a name change for Beyond the Ashes at the time this article was written.

 

Talley Trio and Jason Crabb: Searchin’

The Talley Trio does a great job on Searchin’ but when Jason Crabb takes the stage and when he and Lauren Talley both are featured at the end the song has an even bigger impact on the southern gospel fans at the concert.

Dove Brothers Quartet: Get Away Jordan

I will never forget seeing the Dove Brothers Quartet singing Get Away Jordan the first time in Texarkana, Texas in 1999.  I have never seen a crowd so much into a song as they were when this song was sung.

The video is from a Bill Gaither Homecoming video and Burman Porter the bass, John Rulapaugh the tenor and Richard Simmons the pianist are no longer with the quartet.

Dove Brothers Quartet: I Can Pray

Dove Brothers Quartet singing I Can Pray one of the best songs written.

Statesmen Quartet: You Sho Do Need Him Now

Hovie Lister and the Statesmen Quartet sing the You Sho Do Need Him Now one of the southern gospel classics.

Blackwood Brothers: The Old Country Church

The Blackwood Brothers singing The Old Country Church at the Grand Ole Gospel Reunion. The group at this time was comprised of tenor Bill Shaw, lead James Blackwood, baritone Cecil Blackwood, bass J.D. Sumner and pianist Wally Varner.

The highlight for me was when Bill Shaw is featured on the last verse. I liked the song so much I that I wore out the record and had to order another one.

I have been fortunate to have seen the Blackwood Brothers a few times in concert but not with this configuration since J.D. Sumner was no longer with the group and Wally Varner had left the group in 1963.

Varner was one of the best southern gospel pianists to sit down at the keyboard. The following video shows him playing Looking For The City and he is in top form as he shows his piano wizardry.

This is southern gospel music at its best with Vestal Goodman, Johnny Cook, Wally Varner and the Bill Gaither homecoming singers singing the classic Looking For A City on the Turn Your Radio On video. This video was the fifth in the Bill Gaither Homecoming series and was released in 1993.

Wikipedia has more information about the homecoming videos and even lists how many videos each of the performers appeared on.

It was surprising to me that Jake Hess was on 38 videos while James Blackwood only appeared in 10 of them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaither_Homecoming

Dove Brothers Quartet: When I Move To Hallelujah Square

John Rulapaugh featured on When I Move to Hallelujah Square in this video from an appearance in Kentucky when the original lineup for the Dove Brothers was still together with Burman Porter singing bass, Eric Dove singing baritone, McCray Dove singing lead, Rulapaugh singing tenor and Richard Simmons playing the piano.

Only McCray Dove and Eric Dove remain out of the original five Dove Brothers. Jerry Martin tenor, David Hester bass and Adam Harman are rest of the group as it is comprised today.

Complete Elvis Masters To Be Released October 19

CompleteElvis.com will release the complete collection of Elvis Presley masters on October 19.

All 711 remastered tracks released by Elvis Presley will be released by CompleteElvis.com on October 19. The collection will include 30 compact discs that will have 35 hours of his music plus a 240 page book about the songs with information about each song including charting position.

The website also states there are 103 additional rarities for a total of 814 tracks in the collection:

Also included are 103 rarities: additional masters, alternate takes, session outtakes, demos, rehearsal jams, home recordings, live performances and radio recordings This triumph of musicology is the definitive document – a magnificent audio chronicle of the inspiration, pain and genius that make Elvis the world’s most enduring musical and cultural icon.

The collection is being released in commemoration of his 75th birthday on January 8 of this year.

The website also includes a list of songs on each compact disc.

There is nothing cheap about the set since it will cost $749 plus tax and shipping. It can be pre-ordered now  but won’t be released till October 19. If they sell only 10,000 of these sets which is unlikely $7.49 million will be made from those sales not including the cost for tax and shipping.

The usual disclaimer applies in that I am in no way connected with the sale of this collection and am only letting potential buyers know of the release on October 19.

The Lighthouse – Buddy Mullins

Buddy Mullins singing the southern gospel classic The Lighthouse one of the most loved songs ever recorded. Mullins sings the song with the late Kenny Hinson’s wife in the audience. Hinson had died of cancer.

The Ryman Reunion Homecoming Concert is my favorite of the Gaither homecomings. Christianbook.com has clips of the songs which were sung at the concert and the sound of these great songs will evoke memories of southern gospel at its best.

http://www.christianbook.com/bill-gaither/ryman-gospel-reunion/7474000458/pd/CD5383

Blackwood Brothers: The Old Country Church

This is one of my favorite up tempo southern gospel songs with the fourth verse my favorite when the Blackwood Brothers Quartet gets down in the chorus.

I had this song on a Best of the Blackwood Brothers album that I played so much it wore out the record and I had to send for a new copy.

Masters Five: Have A Little Talk With Jesus

The Masters Five sings Have  A Little Talk With Jesus. The group was comprised of such southern gospel patriarchs like the tenor Rosie Rozell, bass J.D. Sumner, Jake Hess probably on baritone and James Blackwood apparently singing the lead. Hovie Lister completes the group by playing the piano.

Statesmen Quartet: O What A Savior

The Statesmen Quartet featuring the great tenor Rosie Rozell on one of the greatest southern gospel songs ever O What A Savior.

Statesmen Quartet: You Sho Do Need Him Now

The Statesmen Quartet singing the old southern gospel classic You Sho Do Need Him Now.

This is southern gospel the way I remember it when we used to watch the Gospel Jubilee program  on Sunday morning before going to church about 50 years ago.

Dove Brothers Quartet: I Can Pray

My favorite southern gospel quartet the Dove Brothers singing I Can Pray which is one of the best southern gospel songs of recent years and went to the top of the southern gospel charts.

This song reminds us that no matter what our circumstances in life are we can pray.