Historic Proportions
Mike Helwig
“Years ago when I was with the Stamps, the group was in rural Mississippi, in the wee hours looking for a place to stop for the night. Then road manager/primary driver, Jack Howell and I […]
Historic Proportions
Historic Proportions
Jimmy Jones: The Common Man
“Please let us understand that the hope of America lies in our faith in God and the common man.” – Jimmy Jones One of the first southern gospel singers I had the privilege of seeing […]
Historic Proportions
SGMA & Unsung Heroes
I have always been proud of the work put forth by the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Their tireless efforts honoring the heritage of our music goes well beyond the […]
Historic Proportions
The Gospel Music of the Statler Brothers
The members of the Statler Brothers spent their formative years gleaning priceless musical knowledge from the Statesmen, Blackwood Brothers, Sunshine Boys, and others, and then traveled to platforms that their gospel heroes had only dreamed […]
Historic Proportions
The Jordanaires
In music, there is such a thing as a “beautiful contradiction”. Such terminology was one of many grand definitions of The Jordanaires. They accrued no Gold or Platinum-certified albums of their own, but they have […]
Historic Proportions
The Scattered Beams of Sunshine: The Story of the Sunshine Boys
My love story with gospel music begins with The Sunshine Boys. They were the first group I ever saw in my life, and my friendship with the Wallace Family is one that I cherish. From […]
Historic Proportions
Historic Proportions – Definitive Cuts: Ed O’Neal and the Dixie Melody Boys
Ed O’Neal and the Dixie Melody Boys have cemented their reputation in gospel music as a standard for top-notch singing, and as a place for monumental beginnings. One can not help but wonder if gospel […]
Historic Proportions
Hovie Lister and the Statesmen Lead Singers
The Statesmen Quartet…..that mammoth name in gospel music. Even more than a decade since their disbandment, the name still evokes excitement. Hovie Lister worked, performed, thought, and dreamed larger than any of his contemporaries, and […]
Historic Proportions
Stamps Quartet: Curtain Calls & Encores
For the first time since 1924, the name Stamps Quartet entered a period of complete inactivity beginning in 1980. JD Sumner attempted permanent retirement from gospel music and began leasing and driving his buses for […]
Historic Proportions
J.D. Sumner & the Stamps: Taking Care of Business in the 70s
When JD Sumner assumed leadership of the Stamps Quartet in 1965, he transitioned the group from a viable quartet to a powerhouse of young talent, and that momentum would only continue building as the group […]