Song Hall Of Fame – “I Call Him Lord”

This week brings back the Southern Gospel song hall of fame series.  This feature highlights the best songs ever written/performed in Southern Gospel music.  There is no doubt that Dottie Rambo would be at or near the top of everyone’s list, if asked to name Southern Gospel’s best songwriters.

Her catalog contains thousands of songs.  This week, I want to induct “I Call Him Lord” in to the Southern Gospel song hall of fame.  The song was first recorded on the Rambos 1975 album, There Has To Be A Song.  This listener considers “I Call Him Lord” one of Dottie’s best compositions.

Here is a YouTube clip of the Rambos performing this week’s inductee; “I Call Him Lord”.  Enjoy!

Song Hall Of Fame – “I Won’t Have To Worry”

After watching the SGMA hall of fame induction ceremonies last week, it reminded me to get back to the song hall of fame series.  This week the song inductee is the Southern Gospel classic “I Won’t Have To Worry”.  Penned by Jimmy Jones and James Goss over forty years ago, this song has had staying power.

That is evidenced by the recent recording of the song by Jeff & Sheri Easter on their newest album Eyes Wide Open.  Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver also recorded the song and released it as a radio single about a year ago.

Listen to a montage of artists perform this week’s inductee in to the Southern Gospel song hall of fame; Jimmy Jones and James Goss’ “I Won’t Have To Worry”.

Song Hall Of Fame – “I Can’t Even Walk”

This week I wanted to induct the Colbert and Joyce Croft song, “I Can’t Even Walk (Without You Holding My Hand)” in to the Southern Gospel song hall of fame.  A song penned in the 1970′s, has stood almost 30 years and is as popular today as when it was first written.

There have been at least a half-dozen recordings of this song over the last several years by artists such as Beyond The Ashes, the Freemans, the Greenes, Gordon Mote and Wilburn & Wilburn.

The highest charting version of the song came in the early 1990′s by Charles Johnson and the Revivers.  I found this YouTube clip of Charles Johnson and the Revivers performing this week’s inductee in to the Southern Gospel song hall of fame; “I Can’t Even Walk”.  Enjoy!

Song Hall Of Fame – “I Am Redeemed”

I thought I would kick off another week, offering another Southern Gospel song hall of fame inductee.  This week I wanted to induct a more recent song, that is about fifteen years old now.  One of Phil Cross’ greatest composition’s was the song, “I Am Redeemed”.  It was first recorded on the group’s 1997 album Trust The Truth.

This song was a concert gem for Poet Voices during this time period.  It usually was the group’s closer and it was the type of song that moved crowds and brought them to their feet.  It was the landmark song for Poet Voices that garnered them the song of the year award at the Singing News fan awards in 1998.

It is also one of the greatest Southern Gospel songs ever written.  Here is a YouTube clip I found of Poet Voices performing “I Am Redeemed”.  Based the vocal line-up in the video, it has to be circa 1998.  Enjoy!

Song Hall Of Fame – “I Know”

This week’s inductee in to the Southern Gospel song hall of fame is Laverne Tripp’s infectious quartet number “I Know”.  It’s the type of song you can’t stop singing once you get it in your head.  Made popular by the Oak Ridge Boys in the early 1970′s, “I Know” went on to be recorded by many other artists of this era.

Laverne Tripp was touring with the Blue Ridge Quartet at the time this song became popular.  Laverne would go on to write many other Southern Gospel songs but none would have the lasting impact of “I Know”.  Laverne Tripp would even pick up a lead singer award in 1973 at the Singing News fan awards.

I found two YouTube clips that I wanted to share of this week’s inductee.  The first is Laverne Tripp singing his composition, “I Know”.  The second is the group to make it popular in the early 1970′s, the Oak Ridge Boys.  Enjoy!

Song Hall Of Fame – “The Night Before Easter”

It has been several weeks since the song hall of fame series.  This week I wanted to induct Donnie Sumner and Dwayne Friend’s collaboration, “The Night Before Easter”.  Penned in the late 1960′s, the song went on to win a dove award for song of the year in 1970.

Many artists have recorded this song over the course of the last 40+ years but there is no more definitive version of this song than Donnie Sumner’s version on the Gaither Homecoming video Joy In The Camp.  Here is a YouTube clip of Donnie Sumner performing this week’s inductee in to the Southern Gospel song hall of fame; “The Night Before Easter”.  Enjoy!

Song Hall Of Fame – “When He Was On The Cross”

This week’s inductee in to the Southern Gospel song hall of fame is a collaboration from the pens of Mike Payne and Ronny Hinson.  ”When He Was On The Cross” is one of only two songs in Southern Gospel history to win song of the year two years in a row (1985, 1986).

The version of the song to accomplish that feat was of the Florida Boys.  The song was found on their 1984 recording Reaching Out.  The song has been sung and recorded many times since then.

Honoring the best songs ever written in Southern Gospel music, listen to a montage of artists perform this week’s inductee; Mike Payne and Ronny Hinson’s “When He Was On The Cross”.

Song Hall Of Fame – “Redemption Draweth Nigh”

This week’s inductee in to the Southern Gospel song hall of fame is the most beloved song from songwriter Gordon Jensen.  I recall the story Gordon told at the NQC songwriter’s showcase several years ago in regards to “Redemption Draweth Nigh”.  He told of how he took the song to one of the biggest groups of that time period and the group didn’t like the song and told him it wasn’t the kind of song that people wanted to hear.

Not giving up, he continued to pitch the song until it was finally recorded.  Duane Allen of the Oak Ridge Boys told Gordon that “Redemption Draweth Nigh” was the type of song that would be sung for years.  Well, that statement came true as most of the groups of the early 1970′s recorded this gem.  Even now, groups still record and stage what is now Gordon Jensen’s classic.

It is good Gordon didn’t listen to the first group who shot the song down but continued to believe in what he wrote because look at all the countless listeners have since heard this song in the decades that followed.  Listen to a collection of artists perform this week’s inductee in to the Southern Gospel song hall of fame; Gordon Jensen’s “Redemption Draweth Nigh”.