If you are looking to add any Christmas music to your collection this year, why not bring home an old friend, a timeless friend, Christmas music that will always be timeless, classic, and relevant
Yes, of course I am talking about the
Blue Ridge Quartet Christmas albums,
which are available on a single CD, along with LaVerne Tripp's 1975 Christmas album, for only $10.00, which includes first class shipping, right to your door in time to sing along with all of your Christmas favorites! Order yours today!
Rise Again is an inspirational song about the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, and was written by Dallas Holm. His version of the song won the Dove award for Song Of The Year in 1977. The Blue Ridge Quartet released their version, with Bill Crowe singing the lead, on their 1978 album "Here They Come." If they had made music videos for their music back then, I believe it would have looked something like this video I've made...
How many of you owned Blue Ridge music on 8-Track tapes?
Does anyone still own a working 8-track player? Remember how you could buy 3 albums for $6.50 but 3 8-tracks cost $10? Remember how annoying it was when a song would be cut in half, with the continuation on a different track? And remember needing to buy a new tape if it came unraveled when you forgot to demagnetize the player? Oh how we prayed to be able to find a replacement tape of Bill Crowe's "That Little Girl Of Mine" when my Mom ruined her Dad's copy....
I'm so thankful for the technology that allows the Blue Ridge to now be heard on CD's - they travel with me in my car 24/7 and never sounded better!
Don Seabolt was born in Calhoun, Georgia on July 30, 1944. "Donnie" learned to sing at a young age while picking cotton on his daddy's cotton farm with two of his sisters, Ruth and Jean.
In his teen years he joined the FFA quartet at his high school. The young men would travel and compete against other FFA groups from all over the state, and for two years in a row they won the award for being the top FFA quartet in Georgia. In Donnie's senior year he entered the competition in the solo division as well and won the award for the top soloist in the state. After high school, he began traveling with a regional group from north Georgia called the Peacemakers. For about five years he worked a full-time job and sang all over Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama with the group. As the 60's gave way to the 70's, like most young gospel singers, was itching to sing full-time and found out that the Downings were auditioning singers for an opening in their group. After arriving in Nashville and singing for them, they informed him that they loved his singing, but they were looking for someone with a lower voice and he sang too high! However, they mentioned to him that the Prophets Quartet was in need of a lead singer and they thought he would be the perfect fit to sing under their sky high tenor "Big Lew" Garrison. They were correct, and the Prophets hired Donnie shortly thereafter. During his time with the group they recorded three albums and thrilled audiences at some of the largest gospel music gatherings in the country.
It was at one of these events that the Prophets were on the same program as the Blue Ridge Quartet. During sound check prior to the concert, LaVerne Tripp was checking his microphone and singing a country song. Donnie was standing on the side of the stage and recognized what he was singing and stepped up to a mic and began to sing harmony with him. The two sounded so good together that they decided to sing another one! Evidently, Donnie made an impression with the Blue Ridge because it wasn't long before they informed him that Fred Daniel would be coming off the road and they wanted him to be their new tenor singer. Donnie is best known for his time with the Blue Ridge from 1971-1978, and his flying leaps from the stage. He is pictured on the cover of "Energy" doing just that. In addition to singing, Donnie also wrote many of the Blue Ridge Quartet songs, such as There's Just No Way, Happy, I'll See You In Heaven, Safe In The Arms Of God, Things Are Gonna Be Different, When He Opens Up The Book Of Life, I'm Part Of The Family Of God, I'm Depending On Jesus, He's A Good Man, I'm Depending On Jesus, I Found Peace In The Old Rugged Cross, Already Mine, A Kid's Song... the list goes on and on... He also recorded two solo albums while with the Blue Ridge.
Sadly, for Blue Ridge fans, Donnie left in 1978 to start the Donnie Seabolt Band, where he continued to sing and tour until 2002.
In his over 40 years of singing, his songs climbed the charts in both the Singing News and Cashbox Magazine. He also had his songs recorded by other well known Southern and Black gospel artists such as the Cathedral Quartet, The Hoppers, and The Dixie Hummingbirds. In 2009 he was inducted into the Pennsylvania Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and in 2016 he was inducted into the South Carolina Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
He and his wife, Karen, live in Simpsonville, SC, with their son, daughter and son-in-law, and two grandchildren.
Thank you, Donnie, for all of the love shown to us Blue Ridge fans over the years, and we pray you know how much you mean to us! And thank you also, to Scott Jacobs for helping with a lot of the information to make this tribute possible!
The 12 songs on this collection need no introduction or description, after all, night after night, from venue to venue, these are the songs the Blue Ridge couldn't stop singing! Whenever the boys would get tired of performing a particular number, they would leave it off the program that night, but at intermission, they would be hounded by fans wanting to know why a certain song wasn't played. And back on the program it would go!
"Songs We Can't Stop Singing includes "Wings Of A Dove", "No Disappointments In Heaven", "You're Not Home Yet", "Dry Bones", "He's Always There", "It Is No Secret", "Battle Hymn Of The Republic", "This Ole House", "Follow Me", "Jubilee's A Coming", "The Light Of Your Love", and "Wonderful Time Up There." Released in 1967, it is one of 3 albums featuring Otis Forrest at the piano. Kenny Gates had decided to leave the group in 1967, and Otis took his place.
Forrest began playing piano at the age of nine, though his parents told him that he showed interest in music even earlier. "My father and some of his friends knew about five or six chords on a guitar, and they would get together and play," he said. "I would watch, curiously, at an early age." At the age of 13, Forrest was asked to play piano for a Gospel quartet, the Pilgrimaires, formed in his hometown of Easley, South Carolina. They sang and played at churches locally and in North Carolina and Georgia. Not long after he, as piano player, and four singers, Tom Brown (baritone), Joel Duncan (bass), Bobby Edwards (tenor), and Carl Whitman (lead), formed a Gospel quartet called The Trav’lers,
Otis then was asked to join with the Blue Ridge, and worked with them through 1968 when Kenny Gates returned. His name is still known today as a studio musician and record producer.
"He Bought My Soul" is the title song of this Blue Ridge LP released in 1960.
It is one of two records with Jim Hamil as the baritone singer. Heard on every song is the beautiful, melodic piano accompaniment of Kenny Gates.
Elmo Fagg sings He Bought My Soul, a beautiful, slow soft song with feeling and delicacy. "It's Different Now" is a happy melody with beautiful harmony and smooth rhythm. George Younce and Elmo take turns with the chorus and verses, and Ed Sprouse's beautiful tenor voice reaches sky-high. Jim Hamil sings "Love Is Why", backed with more harmony from the group.You'll start singing along energetically with the Blue Ridge as they sing "A child of God you'll be throughout eternity, He'll Make Somebody Out Of You", penned by JD Sumner. "My Wonderful Friend" is a lovely, smooth, melody featuring George's deep bass voice. Side one comes to a close with "He Kept His Promise", another contribution from Elmo in his inimitable style.
Turn the record over and you'll be singing along again with George, even if you don't know the words to JD's "I Want To Tell The World About His Love". Ed Sprouse lovingly sings "Somewhere, Someday", a beautiful slow song, which is followed by "Don't Say No". The lyrics here, also written by JD Sumner, are as powerful as any you'll ever hear: "He said yes to Calvary and saved you from your sins. Don't say no to him today, let the Savior in. Don't say no. He said yes for you! He left his home in glory, came to a world of sin. Made his life a sacrifice, that Heaven you might win" "His Mercy" features all four in the quartet, and "Why Not Start Today" is more of the four part harmony known as "The Sweetest Singing This Side Of Heaven", made even more powerful by a recitation from George. The collection closes out with yet another JD Sumner tune "A Soul Such As I"
As you can tell from yesterday's post, teaching the Gospel to children has been on my mind lately, and as a result I can't get "A Kid's Song" out of my head! I couldn't tell you the number of times Donnie came down off that stage and stuck his microphone up to my face, wanting me to sing. Shy as I was, how could I say no? Children young and old were given the chance to sing as he taught the Gospel in pure simplicity! I walked down the doorstep, I saw my little boy Playing in his sandbox, with a special toy He opened with a question which caught me by surprise And I saw the look of concern in his little eyes When he said... Who made the sunshine? Who made the trees? Who made the flowers that bloom in the spring? Who made the rivers? Who made the sea? Who made the rainbow? And who made you and me?
Donnie Seabolt with Bill Crowe's son Bill
I picked him up from the sandbox And I brushed off his feet. I sat on the steps, and he sat on my knee I said the answer to your question Is as simple as can be For you see, God made it all Just for you and me!
He made the sunshine He made the trees He made the flowers that bloom in the spring He made the rivers He made the sea He made the rainbow And He made you and me
Jesus loves me, this I know And He made you and me! "A Kid's Song" can be found on QCA LP 358 "Blue Ridge Now", and also my CD # 21, which also includes the Blue Ridge LP QCA 330 "Hymns Of The Hour", recorded with Little Jimmy Dickens.
