Southern Gospel Recording Artist Charlie Griffin shares with our readers his journey in Southern Gospel Music. His recent radio release “Sing Sing” on Radioactive Airplay.Com has been quickly climbing the charts.
My first memories of southern gospel music came as a small child. I would be loaded into the car on Sunday mornings with my 3 brothers as Mom and Dad would rush to get to WATA radio for the Morning Star Radio Broadcast with Rev. Roscoe Greene. Mom played piano for the Morning Star Trio. My relatives made up that trio. I remember a couple of those songs even now. “When He Reached Down His Hand For Me, I Want My Lord to Be Satisfied With Me, Sorry I Never Knew You” for just a few.
I also remember listening to Reverend J Bazzell Mull on Sunday nights when coming home from church on the Mulls Gospel Singing Convention on WNOX radio. Then that eventful day when we got a TV changed it all. I would rise early on Sunday morning, sneak into the den to watch the Gospel Singing Jubilee. Oh how I LOVED to watch those groups. The Florida Boys, Happy Goodmans, Speers, Segos, Cathedrals, Dixie Echoes, Wendy Bagwell and the Sunliters among the many others.
I was truly smitten. I would listen to the harmony and see the stage presence. I watched every move and made note of how they worked the stage. I knew I wanted to sing on stage some day. And sing southern gospel music.
My first experience in organized southern gospel music came with the Meetin’ Time Quartet in the 70′s. I joined the Singing Americans and became involved with the Hallelujah Supper Club in the 80′s. Then I began to sing professionally with The Ron Williams Singers in the early 80′s. Ron, Nancy and I sang all over the south and north east. As publishers of Southern Gospel Music News, we championed the many new groups entering into mainstream gospel music. Over the years met so many wonderful friends and new artists. Many of those friendships remain today.
With the help of some talented friends the Vanguards were organized. Curt Davis, Jeff Martin, Brian Caudle, David Walker, Rodney Harrison, Mike Roberts, Mack Hamlett, Tim Brown and Kevin Saulman and I were performing members of the Vanguards. For many years we loaded up that bus and headed out to sing somewhere. It did not matter if a concert hall or in the local church, we loved to sing and share our message.
Our love for gospel music allowed us to travel all over America singing and making friends. And what a time we had. This collection of songs is just for you as we share a musical Homecoming. Enjoy the musical memories past, again for the first time.
Always singing a song…
Charlie Griffin
