Favorite Southern Gospel Groups

My favorite group of all time is the Hinsons. When you combine the pen of Ronnie and Kenny with the voice of Kenny and the sound of the group, you have, in my humble opinion, the greatest group that has ever performed Southern Gospel Music. Granted, there are probably other groups that may have stronger and tighter harmonies, but as far as excitement, stage presence, Spirit (I'm talking about the anointing of the Holy Spirit) you will find none that surpass the Hinson family.

The Hinsons were originally from California and the original group was made up of siblings Kenny, Yvonne, Larry and Ronny. They started their career in Southern Gospel Music in 1967. In 1970 they released their first album with Calvary Records entitled "Here Come The Hinsons" followed by "A Gospel Sound Spectacular." In 1971 they released what would propel them to the top of the charts as they recorded the album "Sing About the Lighthouse" and the rest as they say is history. Numerous #1 hits would follow and the unmistakable voice of Kenny coupled with the pen of Ronnie would make the Hinsons one of Gospel Music's first families.

1970 Here Come The Hinsons: Thank God I'm Free; Lord I Need You Again; When It All Starts Happening, I'll Be There; It Won't Be Long; Filled With Glory Divine; Willing Lord; I Found A Better Way; Cross Over Jordan; I'm Persuaded To Believe; Had It Not Been; How About You; I Would Not Be Denied. (Kenny, Larry, Yvonne, Ronny, Carl).





1970 A Gospel Sound Spectacular (STAV5036): If God Is Dead; That Is My Land; Living In A Brand New World; Way Up On The Mountain; Going Home To Glory; Sheltered In The Arms Of God; Hey Lord, I'm In Trouble Again; When They Ring The Bells Of Heaven; The Sweetest Song I Know; Life Evermore; This World Has Turned Me Down. (Kenny, Larry, Yvonne, Ronny, Carl).





1971 Sing About The Lighthouse (STAV5056): The Lighthouse; One More River To Cross; Clinging To A Saving Hand; He's Not A Stranger To Me; I'll Trade The Old Cross For A Crown; He Never Changes; I'll Carry The Load; Oh Happy Day; The Courage To Try Again; Dwelling In Beulah Land. (Kenny, Larry, Yvonne, Ronny, Carl).





1972 He Pilots My Ship (STAV5074): He Pilots My Ship; For The Love Of Me; Old Brush Arbor Days; Sing Me A Song That Blesses My Soul; Show Me The Way To Calvary; Love Will Roll The Clouds Away; I Never Shall Forget The Day; Some Good Of Me; Goodbye To Tears; I'll Soon Be Gone. (Kenny, Larry, Yvonne, Ronny, Carl).





1973 We Promise You Gospel (STAV5095): It's Just About Time For Me To Lay Down My Cross And Go Home; House Of A King; I Won't Have To Cross Jordan Alone; The Upward Way; Heaven's Best; Ain't That What It's All About; There's Just One Way; Day Of Mercy; Make Room In The Lifeboat; King Jesus. (Kenny, Larry, Yvonne, Ronny, Carl).





1974 Touch Of Hinson, Glimpse Of Glory (STAV5110): Since You Gave Me A Song; How Wrong You Are; Sea Walker; I'm So Glad He Found Me; Talking About The Old Time Religion; That I Could Still Go Free; Hallelujah Meetin'; Potter And The Clay; Carry On. (Kenny, Chris Hawkins(Freeman), Larry, Ronny).





1975 Harvest Of Hits (STAV5116): He's Leading The Way; Once Again; Looking Away; Homesick To Go; Unclouded Day; The Touch Of The Master's Strong Hand; Little Store Front Church; Don't Let The Ship Sail Without Me; Where The Song Will Never End. (Kenny, Chris Hawkins(Freeman), Larry, Ronny).





1975 High Voltage (STAV5130): Campmeeting Days; Burdens Are Lifted Away; Lord Remember Me; Love Took It Away; Lord Send Me; You Can't Hold Back The Dawning; Let Me Fall; He Can; He Will Forgive; That Same Hand. (Kenny, Chris Hawkins(Freeman), Larry, Ronny).





1976 From Out Of The West They Came, Live And On Stage (STAV5135): He's Leading The Way; I'm So Glad He Found Me; King Jesus; The Touch Of The Master's Strong Hand; Ain't That What It's All About; I Never Shall Forget The Day; Little Store Front Church; Since You Gave Me A Song; Sea Walker; I Won't Walk Without Jesus; I'm Living In Canaan Now; Hallelujah Meetin'; The Lighthouse. (Kenny, Chris Hawkins(Freeman), Larry, Ronny).





1977 The Group That God Built And The Songs They Sing (STAV5142): There's Gonna Be Some Changes Made; Too Many Times; Go On Thru; I Like The Promise; There's No Doubt; Blessings On Me; Heaven Is Mine; Desperation; Come To The Water; Who Is On The Lord's Side. (Kenny, Chris Hawkins(Freeman), Larry, Ronny).





1978 On The Road (STAV5152): Who Is On The Lord's Side; He Can; Come To The Water; Too Many Times; I Begin To Feel The Fire; There's Gonna Be Some Changes Made; Burdens Are Lifted Away; Campmeeting Days; To Know He's Real; Desperation; Blessings On Me; Heaven Is Mine. (Kenny, Chris Hawkins(Freeman), Larry, Ronny).





1979 Prime (STAV5162): The God That Cannot Fail; Lord You're All I Need; We've Got To Fight; Remember These Things; He's The Only One For Me; He Will Calm The Troubled Waters; Look To Him; I Never Heard A Real Love Song; Who Do You Know; By The Time They Find Me Missing. (Kenny, Chris Hawkins(Freeman), Larry, Ronny).





1980 Song Vineyard (Lifestream Records/SPCN7501830444): Shining In; Better Than New; Until The World Can't Tell Us Apart; Till The Land; Land Of Victory; Since The Comforter Came Down; Come On Back; He Makes A World Of Difference; Teach Them How To Pray; It All Still Amazes Me. (Kenny, Larry, Yvonne, Ronny).





1981 Bubblin (STAV5178): God's Gonna Do The Same For You And Me; One Simple Prayer; Take It To Jesus; This Joy Is Mine; Home With You Tonight; I Already Know How The Story Ends; Keep Jesus In Mind; The Answer Is Calvary; Look What He's Done For Me; Soldier In The Army. (Kenny, Eric, Yvonne, Ronny).





1982 Hinsongs (STAV5181): Two Winning Hands; Family Resemblance; You Ain't Seen The Last Of Me; Something Keeps Pulling Me Home; The Light; Noah; Call Me Gone; Shine On; Cost Of Living; Beyond The Shadow Of A Doubt. (Kenny, Eric, Yvonne, Ronny).





1983 A Hinson Christmas (STAV-5185): Hinson Greetings; It's Christmas Day; Away In A Manger; It Came Upon A Midnight Clear; That's How Christmas Came To Be; Silent Night; It Is The Day; Go Tell It On The Mountain; Have A Very Scary Christmas; O Holy Night; We Wish You A Merry Christmas (Kenny, Eric, Yvonne, Ronny).





1983 To The Core (STAV5184): I Already Know How The Story Ends; Look To Him; By The Time They Find Me Missing; Come To The Water; Hallelujah Meetin'; The God That Cannot Fail; Shining In; That I Could Still Go Free; Campmeeting Days; It All Still Amazes Me. (Kenny, Larry, Chris Freeman, Yvonne, Ronny).





1984 Lift The Roof Off (STAV5187): Something Keeps Pulling Me Home; Soldier In The Army; Two Winning Hands; Cost Of Living; Old Fashioned Altar; The Dream; Old Time Feeling; Call Me Gone; I Already Know How The Story Ends; I Must Be Getting Closer To The Cross; I Am Free; Keep Them Burning On; Beyond The Shadow Of A Doubt; Old Time Feeling (Reprise). (Kenny, Eric, Yvonne, Ronny).





1985 It Runs In The Family (STAV5191): The Journey; Let's Do It Again; He's Even Blessing Me Now; The Original Superman; Call Me By Name; Envy Of Angels; Old Time Preacher Man; Let Me Tell You His Name Again; I Don't Know Any Better Than Jesus. (Kenny, Bo, Yvonne, Ronny).





1986 The Legacy Goes On (STAV5194): Soul Fillin Station; There's Power In Prayer; Have You Ever Seen A Miracle; Here Today And Gone Tomorrow; I Made The Move; Put Me Down; Cross The Faith Line; I've Got A Picture Of You Lord; There's No Change. (Kenny, Bo, Yvonne, Ronny).





1987 Generations (STAV): Living Up On This Mountain; Til You've Been There; Living In His Word; Holy Ghost Hot Line; Mercy Built A Bridge; He's Having The Time Of My Life; Unsung Heroes; Lord Help Me When I Aim; Still Small Voice; I'm One Of That Crowd. (Kenny, Bo, Yvonne, Ronny).





1988 Encore (Live From Nashville) (Calvary Records SPCN-7501852111): I Don't Know Any Better Than Jesus; Soldier In The Army; I've Got A Feeling; The Lighthouse; Let's Do It Again; Two Winning Hands; Call Me Gone; I Never Shall Forget The Day





1992 One More Hallelujah (SPCN): Sing One More Song About Heaven; Joy Comes In The Morning; I'll Never Be Over The Hill; Come As You Are; Rain On You; There's Only One Real Hero;

1993 Tulsa Live (SPCN): I'm So Glad He Found Me; Soul Fillin Station; Hallelujah Meetin'; I'll Never Be Over The Hill; Come As You Are; Joy Comes In The Morning; Old Time Feeling; I've Been To Heaven; Call Me Gone; Mercy Built A Bridge; He Can; The Lighthouse. (Kenny, Larry, Yvonne, Ronny).





1998 Light Up The Night: Little Store Front Church; He's Got A Miracle For You; Speak The Word Lord; He Made A Believer Out Of Me; Feed My Sheep; Calvary Painted A Picture Of Grace; Pickin' Up Speed; I Will Shine; Shoutin' Shoes; Sin Died Here; The Old Ship Of Zion; Hallelujah Meeting; If There Had Been No Calvary; Oasis; The Lighthouse; I Never Shall Forget The Day



Compilations





1996 Life With A Song





1998 Etched In Stone





2000 Legends, SGMA Collector's Series





2006 Hinson Hits: Gospel Legacy Series (New Haven Records SGCTXX 8060-2): Joy Comes In The Morning; Mercy Built A Bridge; Soul Fillin' Station; Call Me Gone; Two Winning Hands; God's Gonna Do The Same For You And Me; Till The Land; Shining In; The Touch Of The Master's Strong Hand; Hallelujah Meetin'; Ain't That What It's All About; The Lighthouse

My number 2 through 5 groups are not actually in order. They can change really based on what I'm listening to. My all time favorite will always be the Hinsons, but sometimes my second favorite is The Happy Goodmans sometimes its Gold City. Sometimes its the Cathedrals and sometimes its the Kingsmen, so I haven't numbered them in any particular order.

The Happy Goodman family had their beginnings in the 1940s when Howard (Happy) Goodman. The Goodmans which were made up of a combination of Howard and his brothers and sisters (seven siblings) sang as a family group through the 1950s and early 60s. In 1963 Howard and his wife Vestal along with Brothers Rusty and Sam released their first album entitled "I'm Too Near Home."

In 1964, along with the Florida Boys and the Couriers, they began performing on the weekly show The Gospel Singing Jubilee. Over the course of their career they would be honored with 2 Grammy awards, numerous Singing News Fan Awards. They would chart 15 number one songs and preformed over 3500 times.

They recorded such classics as "I Wouldn't Take Nothing For My Journey Now", "Who Am I?", "God Walks The Dark Hills", "Had It Not Been", "What A Beautiful Day For The Lord To Come Again" and many others.

The Cathedral Quartet started in 1963 as a trio singing for Rex Humbard as the house Gospel Group on his Cathedral of Tomorrow. That original trio was made up of Glenn Payne on lead, Bobby Clark on Tenor and Danny Koker on Baritone. Within a year Rex Humbard wanted to expand the trio to a quartet and added George Younce as Bass. In 1969 the Cathedral Quartet launched out on their own. Their acceptance as a professional Gospel group rather than a Church Quartet was very slow. They went through several personnel changes but the combination that really stood out was Glenn on lead, George on Bass, anchoring the group, Kirk Talley singing Tenor and Mark Trammel on the Baritone and playing Bass. with Roger Bennett on the piano the Cathedral Quartet solidified their place in Southern Gospel Music. Kirk Talley would later be replaced by Danny Funderburk and Roger would eventually leave to start a Record company and would be replaced as pianist by Gerald Wolfe (now with Greater Vision)

The Cathedral Quartet had such hits as "I've Just Started Living", "Somebody Touched Me", "Champion Of Love", "I Can See The Hand", "Step Into The Water", "Moving Up To Gloryland", "I Know A Man Who Can" and probably one of their most well known songs "We Shall See Jesus."

The Legacy of the Cathedral Quartet continues on with their last tenor, George's Son-in-law, Ernie Hasse and Signature Sound and the Cathedral's last Baritone singer, Scott Fowler with Legacy Five and Mark Trammel, former Baritone has his own successful Quartet, The Mark Trammel Quartet. Gerald Wolfe now sings with Greater Vision. Glen Payne and George Younce left behind a great heritage and legacy that will continue until their song "We Shall See Jesus" becomes a reality.

Gold City actually started in Mississippi as the Christianairs. They officially adopted the name Gold City in Dahlonega, Ga at midnight on New Year's Eve in 1980. The original quartet consisted of Dallas Gilliland singing bass, Bob Oliver on tenor, Jerry Ritchie singing lead, and Ken Trussell on baritone. in July of 1980 Tim Riley replaced Dallas Gilliand at bass. By 1982 Garry Jones had taken over as the groups pianist, Ivan Parker at lead and Brian Free at tenor. In 1985 Mike LeFevre joined the group singing baritone and it was this nucleus that would launch Gold City to the forefront of Southern Gospel Music. Gold City would include such greats as Mark Trammel (formerly of the Cathedrals, Jay Parrack (son of Johnny Parrack) and Jonathan Wilburn. Gold City continues to enjoy success and continue to chart on the Singing News Charts. They always perform center stage at the National Quartet Convention and are fan favorites and one of the most popular Southern Gospel Groups of all time.

With over 49 hits songs and over 40 recordings, Gold City has earned numerous awards including Album of the Year, Song of The Year, Group of the Year and Vocalists of the Year, as well as many Dove nominations including a Dove award for There Rose A Lamb.

The Kingsmen Quartet is one of Southern Gospel Music's top groups and has included such legendary names as Jim Hamill, Eldridge Fox, Squire Parsons, Anthony Burger, Mark Trammell, Ed Crawford and Ernie Phillips and Aurthur Rice. The Kingsmen Quartet originally had their start in the 1950's with three brothers, Raymond, Reese and Louis McKinney. Over the next several decades there would be numerous personnel changes but would gain their biggest popularity in the 1970's with Johnny Parrack, Jim Hamill, Eldridge Fox, Ray Dean Reese, Charles Abee, Jim McCauley, John Broome, Leonard Hollifeld. They have enjoyed much success in Gospel Music and are still one of the most popular Southern Gospel Quartets. The name "The Kingsmen" is synonymous with numerous number 1 hits and a whole list of fan awards and accolades. The late great Anthony Burger, probably Southern Gospel's greatest Pianist was voted Southern Gospel's Favorite musician 10 years in a row and was eventually retired from winning the award and the award was renamed the Anthony Burger award in honor of him.