The song known as both "Gospel Boogie" and "A Wonderful Time Up There" was written by Lee Roy Abernathy, and first recorded by him in 1947 under the former name. This release, for the label White Church Record, credits the performance with variant spelling to "Leroy Abernathy Homeland Harmony Quartet".

Pat Boone recording

*In 1958, the song was recorded under the title "A Wonderful Time Up There" by

Pat Boone Patrick Charles Eugene Boone (born June 1, 1934) is an American singer and actor. He was a successful pop singer in the United States during the 1950s and early 1960s. He sold more than 45 million records, had 38 Top 40 hits, and appeared in mo ...

featuring Billy Vaughn and His Orchestra and Chorus. It reached #2 in the

U.K. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

and #4 in the

U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

, and was featured on the 1959 album, ''Pat Boone Sings''. The recording was produced by Randy Wood. and ranked #24 on ''Billboard'' magazine's Top 50 songs of 1958. *The

B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...

to Boone's version, " It's Too Soon to Know", reached #4 in the

and #7 in the

in 1958.

Other versions

* The Blackwood Brothers Quartet released a version of the song as a single in 1958, but it did not chart. *

Sammy Masters Samuel T. Lawmaster (July 18, 1930 – March 8, 2013), known by his stage name Sammy Masters, was an American rockabilly musician. He is perhaps best known for his 1960 hit, "Rockin' Red Wing". Career Born Samuel T. Lawmaster in Sasakwa, Oklahoma ...

released a version of the song on his 1958 EP. *

Tom Netherton Thomas Harold Netherton Jr. (January 11, 1947 – January 7, 2018), was an American singer. He was known for his tenure on ''The Lawrence Welk Show''. Early life Netherton was born on January 11, 1947, in Munich, Germany while his father, a Un ...

released a version of the song on his 1975 album ''My Favorite Hymns''. *

Wally Fowler John Wallace "Wally" Fowler (February 15, 1917 – June 3, 1994) was an American Southern gospel music singer, manager, and music promoter and businessman. He founded the Oak Ridge Quartet, a gospel act that eventually became the Oak Ridge Boys ...

released a version of the song as the B-side to his 1977 single "A New Star in Heaven". *

Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his ca ...

released a version of the song entitled "Gospel Boogie (A Wonderful Time Up There)" on his 1979 album ''

A Believer Sings the Truth ''A Believer Sings the Truth'' is a gospel music, gospel double album and 63rd overall album by American country music, country singer Johnny Cash. The tracks for the double-length album were all recorded in 1979. Cash was under contract to Col ...

''. *

Alvin Stardust Bernard William Jewry (27 September 1942 – 23 October 2014), known professionally as Shane Fenton and later as Alvin Stardust, was an English rock singer and stage actor. Performing first as Shane Fenton in the 1960s, Jewry had a moderately s ...

released a version of the song as a single in 1981 which reached #56 in the U.K. *

Little Roy Lewis The Lewis Family is a family of gospel and bluegrass musicians from Lincolnton, Georgia. They are known as the "First Family of Bluegrass Gospel". Background The family was founded by Pop and Mom Lewis (Roy Lewis Sr. and Pauline Lewis, née Ho ...

released a version of the song on his 1981 album ''Super Pickin. *

Gold City Gold City is an American southern gospel quartet based in Gadsden, Alabama. Formed in 1980, the group was one of the most successful quartets through the 1980s and 1990s, charting ten number one hits in Singing News magazine and being host ...

released a version of the song on their 1995 album ''Lord Do It Again''. * Bill and Gloria Gaither and Homecoming Friends released a live version of the song on their 2010 album ''Atlanta Homecoming/All Day Singin’ at the Dome''. *

Sister Rosetta Tharpe Sister Rosetta Tharpe (born Rosetta Nubin, March 20, 1915 – October 9, 1973) was an American singer and guitarist. She gained popularity in the 1930s and 1940s with her Gospel music, gospel recordings, characterized by a unique mixture of spir ...

released a version of the song entitled "Everybody's Gonna Have Wonderful Time (Gospel Boogie)" on her 2016 album ''I Can't Sit down - An Introduction to the Godmother of Rock'n'Roll.

References

External links

* 1947 songs 1958 singles 1981 singles Pat Boone songs Johnny Cash songs Alvin Stardust songs Sister Rosetta Tharpe songs Dot Records singles London Records singles RCA Victor singles Stiff Records singles Gospel songs {{1950s-single-stub