Holiday Music | Other Country Styles

The Talbot Brothers "The Talbot Brothers" (Warner Brothers, 1974)
(Produced by Bill Halverson)
Beautifully produced, classic-sounding '70s country-rock, with an explicit religious overtone. The Talbot Brothers -- John And Terry -- were the driving force behind the '60s band Mason Proffit, where they had explored some spiritual themes, but here they reveal themselves as what was once known as "Jesus freaks," which is to say, longhaired hippies of an evangelical bent. The siblings pioneered what became known as "Christian rock," with an impressive lineup of top talent behind them: in addition to a bunch of rock-scene studio cats such as David Lindley, Leland Sklar and Russ Kunkel, twangsters like Josh Graves, Randy Scruggs and Sneaky Pete Kleinow add to the country vibe. Most of the songs are Talbot originals, although Little Feat's Lowell George contributes the album's opening track, "Easy To Slip," and outlaw country songwriter Lee Clayton contributes the slinky, swampy "Carnival Balloon." It's a very nice, very '70s record, one that fans of Brewer & Shipley would appreciate -- although you gotta be willing to hang with the Christian messaging, because it is inescapably present. One track, the gear-jamming "Moline Truckin'," has a raunchier, more secular feel -- a fun song that apparently that track got left off the later reissue LP, which was retitled Reborn. Go figure. I've poked around a little at some of their later records, but generally found them to be more pop-oriented and in the whole "contemporary Christian" scene, rather than country gospel. Which is the stuff I like.

The Tanner Boys "Standing On The Rock" (Rite Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Phil Burkhardt & Dan Burton)
A late entry into the Cincinnati, Ohio/Rite Records country gospel canon... Oddly enough, the Tanner Boys are not listed by name, though the studio musicians backing them are, and they include some fairly familiar names: Dan Burton (guitar and keyboards), Dennis Herrell (bass), Chuck Rich (dobro and steel guitar), Gary Smith (lead guitar), and Tim Short (drums). This is a lively, uptempo album and while I have to confess I found the group's odd vocal tone to be distracting, the arrangements are pretty solidly country-flavored, with plenty of guitar twang and oceans of steel. The lyrics are almost painfully sincere, so if you're looking for novelty numbers, keep moving -- but if you're into a more earnest evangelical tone, this might be for you.

The Tarklin Valley Quartet "What A Friend Is Jesus" (Diverse Sales Company, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Jerry Ferguson)
Old-fashioned, pleasantly plangent group-vocals gospel from a mixed-gender quintet from Tarklin Valley, Tennessee, a hyper-rural crossroads just southeast of Knoxville, roughly o the way to Pigeon Forge. The group was guided by pianist Linda Hood, with quartet vocals by Burl Hines (tenor), Harold Hines (baritone), Wayne Hood (bass) and her husband Sammy Hood singing soprano. The record also features some pretty low-key bass playing from a fella named Bill Campbell, who may have worked for the label, the curiously-named Diverse Sales Company, which was headquartered in nearby Alcoa, TN. This isn't a country record, per se -- no steel guitar or mandolin here, my friends -- but there's a rough-hewn feel that almost suggests some roots in the shape-note tradition, and the plunky piano work has an appealing abruptness about it as well. Plus the sound mix seems a little echo-y and lo-fi. I found it appealing.

Bill Taylor & The Helmsingers "When The Master Speaks" (Anchor Records, 196--?) (LP)
(Produced by Red Ellis)
I had high hopes for this dashing young fella appearing on a Bakersfield label, but if truth be told, this is a pretty flat and uneventful album. Texas-born Bill Taylor was a singer of modest ability, and he's not greatly buoyed by the plodding musical backing, which is murkily recorded and lacks any distinctive flair. There's a banjo in their somewhere, but the album's light country twang is obscured by the poor mix and unimaginative arrangements. The Helmsingers (or Helm Singers) was a female vocal chorus if seven gals, led by Lois Morris, who also plays bass in the band. Other musicians included Randy Brehms on piano and organ, Dennis Nutter on banjo and guitarist Alan Pierce. This seems to have been a California band: the Anchor label was headquartered in Bakersfield, while later albums by Bill Taylor were on Bridge Records, in Mountain View, CA. Taylor and the Helmsingers continued to record together for several years, although the lineup of the band changed significantly on later albums.

Bill Taylor & The Helmsingers "Come Back Home" (Bridge Records, 19--?) (LP)

Bill Taylor & The Helmsingers "All His Children" (Bridge Records, 1972-?) (LP)

Taylor Brothers "Sing Keep Your Eyes On Jesus" (Pathway Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Red Ellis)
The Taylor Brothers -- Marvin and Minnis -- grew up in Greenville, Tennessee and were living in the Detroit suburb of Lincoln Park, Michigan when they cut this album. They were clearly unabashed fans of the Louvin Brothers, playing in the classic Louvin style, while covering several of their songs ("He Included Me," "I'll Never Die" and "Keep Your Eyes On Jesus") on this album. There are also a couple of originals by Marvin Taylor, "How Can You Stand" and "Build Your Life On That Stone," and a slew of traditional standards as well as gems by Flatt & Scruggs and Don McHan. Musically, this is a little uneven -- one gets the impression that the Taylors made due with the talent at hand, and while their harmonies are fine and the Atkins-esque/Travis-y guitar is pretty groovy, the mandolin player was a bit sluggish. The musicians include Brenda Farley (piano), Junior Porter (mandolin, a little clunky), Bill Loveday (bass), Jerry Hyatt (lead guitar) who were all, I believe, locals from around Detroit, or from Ypsilanti, home of the Pathway label. Sweet music, very heartfelt and compelling.

The Taylor Mountain Boys "Take Up Thy Cross" (REM Records, 1968) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Mooney)
Led by singer-guitarist Carl Crabtree, The Taylor Mountain Boys was a bluegrass gospel group made up of guys from various Appalachian states, with members originally from Kentucky, West Virginia and elsewhere. Most of them lived in Columbus, Ohio, where Mr. Crabtree had settled down. I believe this was their first album, with a lineup that included Carl Crabtree (lead vocals and guitar), Harden Mullins (bass), Virgil Murphy (fiddle), multi-instrumentalist William Taylor on banjo, guitar and mandolin), and Ray Testerman on banjo. It's nice, simple stuff, very much in the same sentimental, melody-oriented tradition as the Stanley Brothers, though the vocals are less sweet and a little bit rougher. Authentic and heartfelt.

The Taylor Mountain Boys "God Guide Our Leader's Hand" (REM Records, 1969) (LP)
Rock-solid bluegrass gospel, hitting all the right notes. This quartet was headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, though the individual members hailed from all over the region -- Kentucky, Illinois, West Virginia, etc. It's worth noting that, other than lead singer Carl Crabtree, this edition of the band had a completely different lineup than the version that recorded their first album the year before: this album features Wallace Duty (banjo), Tom Eastham, and Kenneth Webb playing guitar and harmonica, with guest pickers Jim Horn on lead guitar, and Richard Thornberry on bass. (The liner notes don't tell us what instrument(s) Crabtree and Eastham played; it's possible both of them were primarily just singers...) The politics-meet-Jesus title track is a Jimmy Martin classic... they also cover songs by some of the best in the business, including Bill Clifton, J. D. Jarvis and Carl Story, and there are also two Crabtree originals: "In God We Trust" and "It Takes A Christian Man." Sounds pretty swell to me!

The Temple Echoes Quartet With Charlene "Introducing..." (Psalms Records, 196--?) (LP)
A perky, almost barbershop-ish white gospel vocal group from Caruthers, California, a tiny agricultural town about ten miles south of Fresno. The group included Roger Backar (baritone), Sid Belt (second tenor), Dennis Dille (first tenor) and Jerry Saylor (bass vocals), briskly accompanied by pianist Charlene Chappell. Not much twang on here, even though the Psalms label did record several country-oriented gospel groups, but if you enjoy white-gospel jubilee singing, or are digging deep into Central Valley musical history, this might be of interest. No production credits, though it's likely engineer Stan Anderson was involved.

Terry & The Gospel Express "On The Right Track" (Reflection Records, 1967-?) (LP)
(Produced by Dale Hooper & Gradie O'Neal)
Real rural country gospel from a spunky Northern California band that, well, kinda had its flaws, though there's still a lot of authenticity and guileless charm to make up for it. On the plus side, plenty of legitimate twang -- an unruly fiddle and zippy pedal steel (by an unidentified picker with a real West Coast sound), long with a guy who sounds a lot like Merle Haggard singing lead on several tracks. There's also a pleasantly rough-edged feel that sets them apart from the smoother southern gospel crowd, amateurism of just the right kind. On the minus side, however, this was maybe not the best-produced record, and some of the vocals get to be a bit much, sometimes things are just a little bit off, and there's one of the gals in particular who is both a bit too churchy as well as a total belter, and I can't say I really enjoyed her deep, bluesy tone. On balance, though, this disc is worth having on our radar, as it is a legit country-sounding album. The liner notes are frustrating -- some but not all of the backing musicians are identified, while for the life of me I also couldn't figure out who Terry or any of the other vocalists were. Close to zero info about these folks online, including a lack of clarity about where they were from: the record label gives an address in Sacramento, while the tracks were recorded at a place called Tiki Sound Studio, over in San Jose. If anyone knows more about these folks, I'm all ears

Donna Terry & Doyle Terry "He Lifted Me Out" (Reflection Records, 1968-?) (LP)
A husband-wife duo from Wichita - or rather, from Harper, Kansas, a tiny postage-stamp town about thirty miles southwest of town. The Terrys both worked for the city, with Mr. Terry notably employed for about twenty-five years as a detective sergeant for the Wichita police department. The couple felt an evangelical calling while attending "a Ledbetter church service" in 1965, and devoted themselves to a musical ministry, which included making several records. I think this was their first album, though I'm not 100% sure about that.

Donna Terry & Doyle Terry "Here Come The Terrys With Songs Of Their Savior" (1968-?) (LP)
(Produced by Col. Dave Mathes)
The Terrys traveled to Tennessee to get the whole, big Music City treatment for this set, which was produced by Col. Dave Mathes, with arrangements by pianist Henry Slaughter, and backing by unidentified "other Nashville artists." The music is fairly solid -- it's not a hillbilly twangfest, but there's some decent (and not completely over the top) Nashville Sound musicianship at play. What's, um, notable are the vocals, particularly from Mrs. Terry, who sounds like she's playing at the wrong speed, particularly on more uptempo numbers, although on more moderate songs where she sings in a lower register (as on her own composition, "Only Thru Him") she actually sounds pretty okay, though just not in a particularly country-sounding style, rather in more of a Kate Smith mode. The Terrys evangelized through live performances and made an unknown number of records over the course of several decades. In the early 1990s, after they had both retired, they were involved in the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue's controversial demonstrations at Wichita medical clinics; later they moved to Florida and were also involved in church groups there. Anyway, in musical terms this ain't my kind of country gospel, bu they sure were sincere about it.

Jack & Debi Tewalt "Special Delivery" (Pure Love Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Don Caldwell & Lloyd Maines)
Late '70s Christian country from Texas... Jack Tewalt (1948-2013) was a divinity student who graduated from a Baptist divinity school in Fort Worth and went on to become a music minister in Texas and Georgia (with a day job in real estate...) This album was produced by Lloyd Maines and features a hefty chunk of the Maines Brothers band, including some tasty guitar and pedal steel from Lloyd Maines.

Bill Textor & Linda Faye "All In All" (Cherish Records, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Bobbe Seymour, Neil Wilburn & Lea Jane Berinati)
Rock-solid 'Seventies-style country gospel duets. Linda Faye sounds a lot like Dolly Parton, and while Mr. Textor is maybe a little more Bill Phillips than Porter Wagoner, it's the same basic formula. Features backing by Nashville regulars such as Jimmy Dempsey, D. J. Fontana, Bunky Kiels, Buddy Spicher, and the Lea Jane Singers. Quite good!

George Thacker "...And The Happy Hearts Trio" (Riverside Recording Studios, 197-?) (LP)
(Produced by Terry Brooks & Ron Shawver)
Super-twangy, pleasantly rough-edged country gospel from a fella from Ewington, Ohio, supported by a small country band with a chaotic but definitely country sound. The trio were vocalists George Thacker, Ruth DeLong and Hester Eblin, who stick to a traditional jubilee style, with rather dynamic musical backing by Bob DeLong on piano, Sonny Hudson (lead guitar), R. E. Tackett (bass), Jerry Taylor (steel guitar), Roger Cooper (fiddle) and Ron Shawver on drums. Thacker was decidedly a singer of limited ability, but he is enthusiastic and joyful, while the female vocals alternate between beautiful harmonies and rougher, more shape-note sounding accompaniment. Thacker's pastor, Dewey King of Wesleyan Church in Pomeroy, Ohio, offers brief congratulatory liner notes. A nice example of lively, heartfelt amateur gospel twang.

Harriett Thede "Peace That Passeth Understanding" (Jewel Records, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by Chet Barnett)
A very DIY Midwestern gospel singer, Harriett Mae Thede (1921-2015) was originally from Minnesota, but had long lived in Boone, Iowa with her husband Richard by the time she started her recording career. Devoutly religious, the Thedes were part of the town's First Baptist Church and members of the local Salvation Army, and spent over a decade traveling the region with their own gospel band, performing the more than one hundred gospel songs Mrs. Thede wrote over the years. She had a day job working for the Iowa Department of Transportation, which she retired from in 1979. I'm not sure how long she pursued her musical ministry, but I believe these four LPs were the sum of her recorded output; hillbilly old-timer Jimmie Skinner seems to have been a sponsor of her work, writing the liner notes for a couple of her albums.

Harriett Thede "I Found Sweet Peace" (Jewel Records, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Reggie Wallace)

Harriett Thede "...Sings Gospel Music In Nashville" (Mission Records, 197-?) (LP)
(Produced by Louie Swift)

Harriett Thede "His Name Is Jesus" (QCA Records, 19--?) (LP)

B. J. Thomas -- see artist discography

Bob & Bobbie Thomas "Favorite Country Hymns" (Superior Recordings, 196--?) (LP)
Originally from Iowa, the father-son duo of Bob and Bobbie Thomas were featured performers on the 1960s/early '70s edition of WGN-TV's "Barn Dance" country variety show in Chicago, which by the end of the 'Sixties had become a nationally syndicated program. Bobbie Thomas was a child prodigy, learning to play guitar and perform onstage at age five; later on his brother Scott joined the group, which then became billed "Bob & Bobbie, Plus One." Although this is an all-gospel album, they regularly performed secular material on the show, as can be heard on the 1965 album, Saturday Night At The Old Barn Dance, which probably came out around the same time as this disc... Bobbie Thomas also recorded a solo album (below), though I'm not sure if the Thomases recorded any other records as a duo.

Bobbie Thomas "Guitarist Extraordinary" (Brave Records, 1965-?) (LP)
On this secular solo album, Bobbie Thomas (of the Chicago-area father-son duo Bob & Bobbie) sets out to establish himself as a hotshot guitar picker, dropping the gospel material in favor of a surfy set of rock- and pop-flavored instrumentals, also including a healthy dose of country stuff. Covers of "Ghost Riders In The Sky" and "Steel Guitar Rag" coexist with "Flight Of The Bumble Bee," "Yankee Doodle" and "Caravan." [Note: Originally owned by hillbilly star Marvin Rainwater, this was apparently the same Brave Records label which was later managed by Brien Fisher and helped launch the career of 'Seventies country star Cristy Lane.]

Elma Thomas "Wonderful Marvelous Yet True" (Victory Records/Churchmen Enterprises, 197-?) (LP)
(Produced by Stan Anderson)
A nineteen-year old singer from California's San Joaquin Valley, Elma Thomas grew up in Modesto, then moved to Fresno with her parents, where she became a choir director at a local church and performed in several different bands, including a group called The Sounds Of Happiness, which she started in the early 'Seventies. She's backed by a twangy local gospel group called The Churchmen, a pentecostal band that included Cletus Clark on lead guitar, his son David Clark (bass), James Coker (piano), Richard Coronado (drums), and steel player Mack Thomas, who I assume (but have not confirmed) was Elma Thomas's father. The Churchmen released several albums of their own, and this disc seems to have been released on their own label, although it appears to have been the imprint's only release. Not sure of the release date, though Ms. Thomas covers Robbie Hinson's hit song, "The Lighthouse," which probably places this from around 1971-72 or later.

Elma Thomas "Memories Of Christmas" (Manna Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Christopher Banninger & Hal Spencer)

The Thomas Indian Family "Instrumental Sounds Of The Thomas Indian Family" (Alma Records/Christian Faith Recordings, 19--?) (LP)
Instrumental performances of gospel standards (and a few tunes that were relatively off the beaten track...) The Thomases were a Native American family band from the Muscogee Creek Confederacy in Oklahoma. The family patriarch, singer-guitarist Johnson B. Thomas, attended the Chilocco Indian School, near the Kansas border, where he was a member of the school's orchestra. Although a large group including several children is pictured on the back cover, the older members of the family who are individually profiled include Johnson B. Thomas on rhythm guitar, his oldest son, Mack Philip Thomas (steel guitar), Ramona Susie Thomas (piano), Riley Edward Thomas (violin), and Muskogee Sophia Thomas on bass. According to the liner notes, Mack Philip Thomas studied steel guitar with legendary Hawaiian picker Sol Ho'opi'i, and claims that his final lesson with Ho'opi'i came only a week or so before the steel master passed away in 1953, which may match up with Ho'opi'i's (disputed) death in Los Angeles. There's no date on this album, and it's not clear where the family was living when it was made, though the record label was headquartered in Northridge, California (a suburb of LA) and the liner notes were provided by a pastor at the First Church Of The Nazarene, in Buena Park, CA.

The Thomas Indian Family "Instrumental Sounds Of The Thomas Indian Family, v.2" (Christian Faith Recordings, 19--?) (LP)

The Thomas Indian Family "Instrumental Sounds Of The Thomas Indian Family, v.3" (Christian Faith Recordings, 19--?) (LP)
This album recycles some of the liner notes from their previous releases, but adds profiles of several family members: the mother, Lillian Thomas, Lavinia Lee Thomas (bass), Virginia Ann Thomas (ukulele) and John earl Thomas on slack key guitar, with Muskogee Sophia still playing bass, but moving primarily to the accordion. Although still a gospel group, the Thomases seem to have delved deeper into Hawaiian music, and recorded this album in tribute to Sol Ho'opi'i, who also was a Christian artist in his later years. The songs were all part of his repertoire, mostly gospel material, but also a couple of old Hawaiian hapa haole songs, including four tunes that are credited to Sol Ho'opi'i as composer... The album also recycles the cover art from their first LP, so it can be a little confusing.

The Thomas Singers "Songs About Jesus" (Gospel Heritage Records, 197--?) (LP)
(Produced by Wayne Walters)

The Thomas Singers "True To The End" (Southern Heritage Records, 197--?) (LP)
(Produced by Wayne Walters & Kevin McManus)
Gospel music from a family band led by Don and Virginia Thomas, with their daughter Leana Thomas playing banjo, and backing by a high-power Nashville crew. They appear to have been proteges of producer Wayne Walters, known in the 1960s as the leader of the Christian Troubadours, and who later moved to Nashville and set up shop as a custom-label gospel producer. He's lined up a pretty top-level studio crew for these sessions, including himself on rhythm guitar, his son Noel playing bass, along with Doug Jernigan on pedal steel, Leon Rhodes playing lead guitar and Bruce Watkins on strings and family member Leana Thomas on banjo. The main attraction is Don Thomas, who had a great country baritone, bringing to mind guys like Hoyt Axton, Vern Gosdin or Merle Haggard -- very confident and soulful, even when the arrangements seem a little languid or lax. All in all, though, this is a pretty strong late-Seventies(?) effort, and definitely fits in the true-country camp. Unfortunately, there's no info on the album about where the Thomas family hailed from, though the liner notes inform us they toured across the US in the "Big Eagle" bus, so they must have been pretty serious evangelical musicians. Although both daughters' names aren't given, they appear to have been Donata and Leana Thomas, who also made their own LP on Southern Heritage at roughly the same time this full-family album came out.

The Thomases "Country Side/Gospel Side" (Cumberland Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Al Bennett & Hal Duncan)
A half secular, half gospel album from the Greer, South Carolina family duo of Carroll Thomas and his daughter Linda, who sings and plays piano, with backing by Luke Brandon (1925-2012) on bass and lead guitar, Donnie Hale thumping the drums, and Stony Stoneciper (1932-2018) on pedal steel. Side One is secular, Side Two is gospel: all the songs are Thomas originals, except for an instrumental version of "What A Friend We Have In Jesus," which closes out the album. Although the Thomases were from South Carolina, they apparently traveled to eastern Tennessee to record this album: the Cumberland label was located in Oliver Springs, Tennessee while Brandon and Stonecipher were both well-regarded local pickers with deep roots in the Knoxville country scene.

Marsha Thornton "Farther Along -- Acapella Hymns Of Farewell" (Metronome Records, 2003)

Tim & Tom "The Everett Olp Team Presents Tim And Tom: Come To The Waters" (Charter Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by J. Andy Thompson)

The Singing Todds "Let Me Live" (AHMC/American Heritage Music Corporation, 1975-?) (LP)
(Produced by Vern Garrison & Milt Harris)
West Coast country gospel by a family (apparently) from Pacheco, California... This was recorded at the fabled Trac Studios in Fresno, with the Todds joined by Paul Murrell (lead guitar), Lonnie Dawson (rhythm guitar) and Rick Fields (bass) -- producers Vern Garrison and Milt Harris were from Fresno and San Pablo, respectively. This is a really nice, sweet little record, with distinctive, folk-flavored, easygoing arrangements ornamented by noodly but not overwhelming guitar riffs and some pleasantly rural vocals, kind of like if Porter Wagoner had teamed up with the Carter Family. The album highlight is Lonnie Dawson's original composition, "Precious Jesus," though really the whole album is quite enjoyable. This is the kind of amateurism I love -- it feels very personal and sincere, and has a not-too-slick sound that's a welcome change of pace from all the southern gospel harmony vocals and bluegrass pickers who pursue the same musical ideals, over and over again. This album feels fresh and pleasantly informal... Might not appeal to everyone, but I thought it was a keeper.

Randy Travis -- see artist discography

Justin Trevino "Before You Say Amen" (Heart Of Texas Records, 2006)
An all-gospel offering from this modern, indie-oriented Texas honkytonk crooner... Fine stuff, and very traditionally oriented! If you like Johnny Bush's old stuff, you'll probably dig this, too.

Laverne Tripp "The World Of Laverne Tripp" (Canaan Records, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by Otis Forrest)
North Carolina's Laverne Tripp recorded innumerable gospel records, both under his name and as the leader of the Tripp Family band, not to mention his 1968-75 stint in the Blue Ridge Quartet, and in the Palmetto State Quartet and other bands. This one's actually pretty twangy, though unfortunately the musicians aren't identified -- probably whoever was working at the Mark Five Studios in NC at the time. Plenty of pedal steel and plangent guitar, so that's a plus. Mr. Tripp's vocals tilt towards a little too corny and/or florid for me, though he also is surprisingly robust at times, and definitely has a country vibe. More often than not he seems to be aiming for a "gospel Elvis" sound, though also veers into songs where he's channelling Porter Wagoner, or maybe even George Jones. Not completely my cup of tea, but more country-sounding than an awful lot of southern gospel records.

Laverne Tripp "Earth Born/Heaven Bound" (QCA Records, 1977) (LP)
A pretty solid set, with slick, sweet, very contemporary pop-country production that wouldn't sound out of place on a Billy Sherrill-produced George Jones album. Lavern Tripp is in fine fettle as well, singing in a robust, confident style reminiscent of Conway Twitty (and also still sounding like Porter Wagoner in his more rural moments...) Unfortunately there are no musician or producer credits, but it sure sounds like a Nashville album. Ultimately, the Christian messaging is a little on the geefy side, but some twang snobs might be surprised at how good this is overall.

Laverne Tripp "Jesus Loves Cowboys" (Song Revival Records, 1980) (LP)

Ralph Trotto "The Things I See" (Artists Records, 19--?) (LP)

Ralph Trotto "Gentle Shepherd" (Artists Records, 19--?) (LP)

Ralph Trotto "If I Can Help Somebody" (Artists Records, 19--?) (LP)

Ralph Trotto "So Trust The Lord" (Jewel Records, 19--?) (LP)

Ralph Trotto "Sings And Plays Jesus Take A Hold And Lead Us Through" (Artist's Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Rollin Bennett)

Ralph Trotto "Sings And Plays Jesus Take A Hold And Lead Us Through" (Artist's Records, 19--?) (LP)

Ernest Tubb "Old Rugged Cross" (Decca Records, 1952)

Ernest Tubb "Family Bible" (Decca Records, 1963) (LP)
A nice, low-key gospel set... Old standards such as "Precious Memories," "Great Speckled Bird" and "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" commingle with Hank Williams' "I Saw The Light" and other more modern material... All of it is filtered through ET's standard-issue loping beat... and it all sounds uniformly rugged and sincere. Not bad!

Ernest Tubb "Family Bible" (MCA Special Products, 2003)
This budget-line CD reissue omits two tracks from the original LP...

Ernest Tubb "Stand By Me" (Vocalion Records, 1966) (LP)

Ernest Tubb "Saturday Satan, Sunday Saint" (Decca Records, 1969) (LP)

The Tucson Messengers "Home In The Sky" (Crusade Records, 1975-?) (LP)
(Produced by Bill McClintock & Paul Cleon)
This album was recorded in Nashville with help from studio pros such as steel guitarist Curly Chalker, bassist Tommy Floyd, and D.J. Fontana on drums...

The Tucson Messengers "Goin Home" (Eddie Crook Productions, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Eddie Crook)
A southern gospel/country gospel group from Arizona, the Tucson Messengers were founded by singer Marojean Tatman (1923-2011) who previously had years of experience performing with her family group, The Kline Family. Mrs. Tatman started her own group in 1968, earning national popularity and recording several albums before her death in 2011. The Tucson Messengers continued on as a group, although the distinctively twangy approach heard on these early albums was gradually softened to take on a more "contemporary" Christian sound.

The Tucson Messengers "Classic" (Eddie Crook Productions, 1985-?) (LP)

The Mike Turner Family "Servants Of The Lord" (Good Life Records, 1982-?) (LP)
(Produced by Billy Blackwood & Jimmy Tarbutton)
A family band trio from somewhere in central Michigan... The trio of Charlotte Turner (bass), Mike Turner (banjo), and Vicki Turner (guitar) began playing together in 1975, and travelled to Nashville to record this set of mostly-traditional gospel songs with additional backing by drummer Billy Blackwood and studio pro Bruce Watkins on banjo, bass, fiddle, guitar and piano. At least one song, "Servants Of The Lord," was credited as a Mike Turner original.

Don Tuter "Sing, Sing, Sing: Jesus Is Coming" (Charter Records, 1973) (LP)
A folk-gospel auteur from John, Day, Oregon (a tiny rural hamlet midway between Eugene and Boise, Idaho) songwriter Don Tuter is joined here by singer-guitarist Danny Houle, who later joined him in a mostly-secular folk-rock band called Wild Country... Tuter recorded all his albums, or at least the ones I know about, at Ripcord Studios in Vancouver, Washington, an enterprise best known for its regional country records, but also for its prolific string of private-press gospel, mostly on the Charter imprint, or one-off "labels" devoted to individual artists. This album is mostly original material written by Tuter, though he also covers Dottie Rambo and a couple of other contemporary religious composers.

Don Tuter "One More Day" (Charter Records, 1976) (LP)

Don Tuter & The Average Jesus Band "AJB" (Found Records, 197-?) (LP)
(Produced by Ellis Miller)

Don Tuter & The Average Jesus Band "Full Time Loving, Praise God Singing" (Found Records, 197-?) (LP)

Conway Twitty "Clinging To A Saving Hand/Steal Away" (MCA Records, 1973)
Amazingly enough, this was Twitty's one and only gospel record, and it has kind of a funny history. It came out in May of '73 and almost immediately was repackaged as a 10-song LP the same year, but with one song -- "Steal Away" -- omitted. My guess is that the switch from an 11-song to a 10-song playlist enabled the folks at MCA to reclassify it as a budget-line record, and sell it in more downscale venues -- truck-stops, drug stores, that kind of thing. Anyway, it's a great record if you like Christian country music, and a rare chance to hear that '70s swinger, Conway Twitty, singing religious material. The full-length, eleven-song, album was reissued on CD as The Gospel Spirit (which is what I've linked to here...) The shorter, 10-song version also came out on CD, and is included below.

Conway Twitty "Who Will Pray For Me?" (MCA Records, 1973)
Material from the 1974 Clinging To A Saving Hand album (above).

Conway Twitty "The Gospel Spirit" (MCA/Geffen Records, 1994)
A reissue of Twitty's 1973 album, Clinging To A Saving Hand. Amazingly enough, this was Twitty's one and only gospel record, and it's pretty groovy if you like Christian country music. It's also available in a shorter version (ten songs instead of eleven) on a CD called Who Will Pray For Me. One additional song, "Steal Away," is included only on this version.

T. Texas Tyler "The Great Texan" (King Records, 1960)
Country gospel with a rollicking beat, a nice hillbilly twist on the genre -- none of the syrupy, watered-down, well-behaved poppiness that plagued so many other country Christian records. Tyler tears the house down with rambunctious revival-style rave-ups like "You've Got To Live Your Religion" and "Didn't They Crucify My Lord." Even the slower numbers have plenty of backbeat and slinky steel guitars; this is a for-real country record, fun to listen to, even aside from the religious content. If ya ask me, this is really the way to get folks fired up about their religion -- make it fun! Good record... recommended!

Hick Music Index