Albert Edward Brumley (October 29, 1905 – November 15, 1977) was an American

shape note Shape notes are a musical notation designed to facilitate congregational and social singing. The notation, introduced in late 18th century England, became a popular teaching device in American singing schools. Shapes were added to the noteh ...

music composer and publisher, prolific in the genre of

southern gospel Southern gospel music is a genre of Christian music. Its name comes from its origins in the southeastern United States. Its lyrics are written to express either personal or a communal faith regarding biblical teachings and Christian life, as ...

Biography

Brumley was born near

Spiro, Oklahoma Spiro is a town in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, Le Flore County, Oklahoma, United States. It is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Fort Smith metropolitan area, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,164 at the 2010 census, a 2.8 ...

on October 29, 1905, into a family of sharecroppers. He spent much of his early life chopping and picking cotton on his family's farm. In 1926, he enrolled in the Hartford Musical Institute of Hartford, Arkansas, and studied there through 1931. The institute was led by

Eugene Monroe Bartlett Eugene Monroe Bartlett Sr. (a.k.a. E.M. Bartlett) (December 24, 1885 – January 25, 1941) was an American Christian singer, songwriter and producer of gospel music. He wrote " Victory in Jesus". Early life Eugene Monroe Bartlett Sr., was born on ...

(1884–1941), owner of the Hartford Music Company and composer of the well-known gospel song "Victory in Jesus". Brumley purchased Hartford Music Company in 1948. Brumley married Goldie Edith Schell in 1931. They lived on the banks of

Big Sugar Creek Big Sugar Creek is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed May 31, 2011 waterway in the Ozark Mountains of southwest Missouri. The creek starts near the Arkansas state line. B ...

Powell, Missouri Powell is an unincorporated community in eastern McDonald County, Missouri, United States. It is located on Missouri Supplemental Route E, approximately ten miles east of Pineville. Powell is located on Big Sugar Creek. The community includes s ...

, where they raised six children. "

I'll Fly Away "I'll Fly Away" is a hymn written in 1929 by Albert E. Brumley and published in 1932 by the Hartford Music company in a collection titled ''Wonderful Message''.Richard Matteson, Jr.''The Bluegrass Picker's Tune Book'' Mel Bay Publications, 2006 ...

," "Turn Your Radio On," "If We Never Meet Again (This Side of Heaven)," "I'll Meet You in the Morning," " Rank Stranger," and "He Set Me Free" are among a host of favorites written by Albert E. Brumley. He wrote over 800 songs. He established the ''Albert E. Brumley Sundown to Sunup Gospel Sing'' (now ''Albert E. Brumley Gospel Sing'') in 1969 in

Springdale, Arkansas Springdale is the List of cities and towns in Arkansas, fourth-largest city in Arkansas, United States. It is located in both Washington County, Arkansas, Washington and Benton County, Arkansas, Benton counties in Northwest Arkansas. Located on th ...

. Brumley has been inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. Albert Brumley was a member of the

Church of Christ Church of Christ may refer to: Church groups * When used in the plural, a New Testament designation for local groups of people following the teachings of Jesus Christ: "...all the churches of Christ greet you", Romans 16:16. * The entire body of Ch ...

and is buried at Fox Church of Christ Cemetery near Powell, Missouri. He died November 15, 1977. Brumley's son

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, who would die in 2009, later became a respected

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ist in country music and songleader in the Church of Christ in Powell.

Notes

External links

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Biographical Sketch on the Life of Albert E. BrumleyBrumley MusicEncyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Brumley, Albert
1905 births 1977 deaths American male composers American gospel singers American members of the Churches of Christ People from Spiro, Oklahoma Songwriters from Oklahoma Christian hymnwriters Hymnwriters *Writers Southern gospel performers 20th-century American male singers 20th-century American singers Singers from Oklahoma 20th-century American composers American Christian hymnwriters American male songwriters {{Oklahoma-stub