The Gospel Music Hall of Fame, created in 1972 by the

Gospel Music Association The Gospel Music Association (GMA) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1964 for the purpose of supporting and promoting the development of all forms of gospel music. As of 2011, there are about 4,000 members worldwide. The GMA's membership c ...

, is a Hall of Fame dedicated exclusively to recognizing meaningful contributions by individuals and groups in all forms of gospel music.

Inductees

This is an incomplete list of those inducted into the GMA's Gospel Music Hall of Fame, listed alphabetically with the year of induction. Many of these were honored posthumously for their contribution in gospel music.

Individuals

* Lee Roy Abernathy (1973) * Bentley D. Ackley (1991) *

Yolanda Adams Yolanda Yvette Adams (born August 27, 1961) is an American gospel singer, actress, and host of her own nationally syndicated morning gospel show. She is one of the best-selling gospel artists of all time, having sold over 10 million albums ...

(2017) * Doris Akers (2001) * Charles M. Alexander (1991) * Bill "Hoss" Allen (2010) *

Brown Bannister Elliott Brown Bannister III (born August 15, 1951) is an contemporary Christian music (CCM) producer and songwriter. Bannister released one album of his own, ''Talk to One Another'', in 1981 on NewPax Records. It was reissued on the Reunion Records ...

(2014) *

Cliff Barrows Clifford Burton Barrows (April 6, 1923 – November 15, 2016) was a longtime music and program director for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. He had been a part of the Graham organization since 1949. Barrows was best known as the ...

(1988) * E.M. Bartlett, Sr. (1973) * Clarice Baxter (1981) *

J. R. Baxter Jesse Randall Baxter, Jr. (December 8, 1887 – January 29, 1960), known professionally as J.R. Baxter and sometimes referred to as "Pap", was an American Southern Gospel composer and publisher. Biography He was born on December 8, 1887, in Leban ...

(1973) * Les Beasley (1989) * Samuel W. Beazley (1992) * George Bennard (1976) * John T. Benson, Jr. (1981) * John T. Benson, Sr. (1982) * John T. Benson III (2006) * Robert "Bob" Benson, Sr. (1991) *

James Blackwood James Webre Blackwood (August 4, 1919 – February 3, 2002) was an American gospel singer and one of the founding members of legendary Southern gospel quartet The Blackwood Brothers. He is the only person in any field of music to have been nomin ...

, Sr. (1974) * P. P. Bliss (1989) *

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 ...

(2003) * Albert E. Brumley, Sr. (1972) * Donald W. Butler, Sr. (1995) *

Shirley Caesar Shirley Ann Caesar-Williams (born October 13, 1938), known professionally as Shirley Caesar, is an American gospel singer whose career has spanned seven decades. She has won 11 Grammys in addition to Dove Awards and Stellar Awards; Caesar is k ...

(2000) * Carman (2018) *

Ralph Carmichael Ralph Carmichael (May 27, 1927 – October 18, 2021) was an American composer and arranger of both secular pop music and contemporary Christian music. He is regarded as one of the pioneers of contemporary Christian music. Early Life and Career ...

(1985) * D. P. "Dad" Carter (1984) *

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

(2010) *

James Cleveland James Edward Cleveland (December 5, 1931 – February 9, 1991) was an American gospel singer, musician, and composer. Known as the King of Gospel, Cleveland was a driving force behind the creation of the modern gospel sound by incorporating tra ...

(1984) * James B. Coats (1992) * Oliver W. Cooper (1992) * Fanny Crosby (1975) *

Andraé Crouch Andraé Edward Crouch (July 1, 1942 – January 8, 2015) was an American gospel singer, songwriter, arranger, record producer and pastor. Referred to as "the father of modern gospel music" by contemporary Christian and gospel music profess ...

(1998) * Denver Crumpler (1973) * John Daniel (1973) *

Jimmie Davis James Houston Davis (September 11, 1899 – November 5, 2000) was an American politician, singer and songwriter of both sacred and popular songs. Davis was elected for two nonconsecutive terms from 1944 to 1948 and from 1960 to 1964 as the ...

(1994) * Cleavant Derricks (1984) * Thomas A. Dorsey (1982) * Asa Brooks Everett (1993) *

Tennessee Ernie Ford Ernest Jennings Ford (February 13, 1919 – October 17, 1991), known professionally as Tennessee Ernie Ford, was an American singer and television host who enjoyed success in the country and western, pop, and gospel musical genres. Noted for ...

(1994) * John Wallace Fowler (1984) *

Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the "Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in ''Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". With ...

(2012) * Charles H. Gabriel (1982) * Bill Gaither (1983) * Gloria Gaither (1997) * Charles "Rusty" Goodman (1993) * Vestal Goodman (2004) * Lari Goss (2008) *

Billy Graham William Franklin Graham Jr. (November 7, 1918 – February 21, 2018) was an American evangelist and an ordained Southern Baptist minister who became well known internationally in the late 1940s. He was a prominent evangelical Christi ...

(1999) *

Amy Grant Amy Lee Grant (born November 25, 1960) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. She began in contemporary Christian music (CCM) before crossing over to pop music in the 1980s and 1990s. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Christia ...

(2003) *

Al Green Albert Leornes Greene (born April 13, 1946), better known as Al Green, is an American singer, songwriter, pastor and record producer best known for recording a series of soul hit singles in the early 1970s, including " Take Me to the River", ...

(2004) *

Keith Green Keith Gordon Green (October 21, 1953 – July 28, 1982) was an American pianist, singer, and songwriter in the contemporary Christian music genre, who was originally from Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, New York. His most notable songs are " There ...

(2001) * Steve Green (2017) * Connor Hall (1980) *

Stuart Hamblen Carl Stuart Hamblen (October 20, 1908 – March 8, 1989) was an American entertainer who became one of radio's first singing cowboys in 1926, going on to become a singer, actor, radio show host, and songwriter. He underwent a Christian conversion ...

(1994) * Herman Harper (1996) * Larnelle Harris (2007) * Edwin Hawkins (2000) * Tramaine Hawkins (2019) * Walter Hawkins (2005) * Paul Heinecke (1984) * W.J. "Jake" Hess (1987) * Billy Ray Hearn (1997) *

Lou Wills Hildreth Lou Wills Hildreth (July 13, 1928 – February 28, 2019) was an American Southern gospel performer, songwriter, talent agent and television host. She was the first woman to have owned a talent agency in the Southern gospel industry as the presiden ...

(2005) * Stuart K. Hine (1994) *

Dallas Holm Dallas Holm (born November 5, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter of Christian music, whose musical ministry has spanned almost four decades. His 1977 live album, with the group Praise, featured his best known song, "Rise Again". The group ...

(2012) * Ron Huff (2005) * Rex Humbard (2012) *

Mahalia Jackson Mahalia Jackson ( ; born Mahala Jackson; October 26, 1911 – January 27, 1972) was an American gospel singer, widely considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century. With a career spanning 40 years, Jackson was integral to ...

(1978) *

Dr. Bobby Jones Dr. Bobby Jones (born September 18, 1939 in Henry, Tennessee, United States) is an American Gospel music singer television host, and radio broadcaster from Nashville, Tennessee and the host and executive producer of several cable television gos ...

(2008) * Kurt Kaiser (2001) *

Phil Keaggy Philip Tyler Keaggy (born March 23, 1951) is an American acoustic and electric guitarist and vocalist who has released more than 55 albums and contributed to many more recordings in both the contemporary Christian music and mainstream markets. H ...

(2007) * Alphus LeFevre (1996) * Eva Mae LeFevre (1977) *

Mylon LeFevre Mylon R. LeFevre (born October 6, 1944) is an American Christian rock singer best known for his work with his band Mylon and Broken Heart. He is a member of the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. He travels around the United States, ministering, teach ...

(2005) * Urias LeFevre (1986) * Don Light (2005) *

Haldor Lillenas Haldor Lillenas (19 November 1885 – 18 August 1959) was "one of the most important twentieth-century gospel hymn writers and publishers" and is regarded as "the most influential Wesleyan / Holiness songwriter and publisher in the 20th century ...

(1982) * Hovie Lister (1984) * Mosie Lister (1976) *

Mark Lowry Mark Alan Lowry (born June 24, 1958) is an American singer, comedian, minister and songwriter. He is best known for co-writing the song "Mary, Did You Know?" and being a member of the Gaither Vocal Band from 1988 to 2001, and 2009 to 2013, alo ...

(2015) * Roland Lundy (2015) * Bob MacKenzie (2000) * James Edward Marsh (1993) * Sallie Martin (1991) * Dr. Lowell Mason (1982) * John Alexander "J.A." McClung (1992) * Jarrell McCracken (1993) * B. B. McKinney (1982) * Dottie Leonard Miller (2019) *

Don Moen Donald James Moen (born June 29, 1950) is an American singer, pianist, and songwriter of Christian worship music. Early and personal life Moen grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota where he attended high school in 1968. Moen attended Oral Rob ...

(2019) * Joe Moscheo (2007) * Jacob Bazzel Mull (1998) *

Rich Mullins Richard Wayne Mullins (October 21, 1955 – September 19, 1997) was an American contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter best known for his worship songs " Awesome God" and "Sometimes by Step". Some of his albums were listed by ''CC ...

(2014) * W.F. "Jim" Myers (1993) * Greg Nelson (2018) *

John Newton John Newton (; – 21 December 1807) was an English evangelical Anglican cleric and slavery abolitionist. He had previously been a captain of slave ships and an investor in the slave trade. He served as a sailor in the Royal Navy (after forc ...

(1982) * Marvin Norcross (1983) *

Larry Norman Larry David Norman (April 8, 1947 – February 24, 2008) was an American musician, singer, songwriter, record label owner, and record producer. He is considered to be one of the pioneers of Christian rock music and released more than 100 album ...

(2001) * W. B. Nowlin (1984) * Doug Oldham (2006) * Lloyd Orrell (1984) *

Adger M. Pace Adger M. Pace (August 13, 1882 - February 12, 1959) was an American hymn writer, music performer and teacher. He (co-)wrote close to 4,000 Southern gospel shape note songs, including ''Jesus Is All I Need'', ''My Father Answers Prayers'', ''Beaut ...

(1973) *

Twila Paris Twyla (also Twila) is a given name. Notable people with the name include: Twyla * Twyla Hansen (born 1949), American poet, a Nebraska State Poet * Twyla Herbert (1921–2009), American songwriter * Twyla King (1937-2022), American newspaper editor ...

(2015) * Oren A. Parris (1992) *

Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album d ...

(2008) * Sandi Patty (2004) * Janet Paschal (2019) * Glen Payne (1995) *

Karen Peck Karen Peck and New River is a southern gospel mixed group based in Gainesville, Georgia. Music career The youngest of three daughters, Karen was exposed to the traditional sounds of gospel music at a very early age. Her parents often took Kare ...

(2018) *

John W. Peterson John Willard Peterson (November 1, 1921 – September 20, 2006) was a songwriter who had a major influence on evangelical Christian music in the 1950s through the 1970s. He wrote over 1000 songs, and 35 cantatas. Biography Born in Lindsborg, Kans ...

(1986) *

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

(2001) * Frances Preston (2004) * Howard Rachinski (2016) *

Dottie Rambo Dottie Rambo (March 2, 1934 – May 11, 2008) was an American gospel singer and songwriter. She was a Grammy winning solo artist and multiple Dove award-winning artist. Along with ex-husband Buck and daughter Reba, she formed the award-winnin ...

(1992) * William Morgan Ramsey (1991) * Homer Rodeheaver (1973) * James Rowe (1993) *

Ira D. Sankey Ira David Sankey (August 28, 1840 – August 13, 1908) was an American gospel singer and composer, known for his long association with Dwight L. Moody in a series of religious revival campaigns in America and Britain during the closing decades o ...

(1980) *

George Beverly Shea George Beverly Shea (February 1, 1909 – April 16, 2013) was a Canadian-born American gospel singer and hymn composer. Shea was often described as "America's beloved gospel singer"Michael Ireland, "America's 'Beloved Gospel Singer,' George Bev ...

(1978) *

Ricky Skaggs Rickie Lee Skaggs (born July 18, 1954), known professionally as Ricky Skaggs, is an American neotraditional country and bluegrass singer, musician, producer, and composer. He primarily plays mandolin; however, he also plays fiddle, guitar, ...

(2012) * Richard Smallwood (2006) * Michael W. Smith (2008) * G. T. "Dad" Speer (1971) * Ben Lacy Speer (1995) * Lena "Mom" Brock Speer (1972) * Brock Speer (1975) * Tim Spencer (1985) * Frank Stamps (1973) * V. O. "Virgil Oliver" Stamps (1973) * Ira F. Stanphill (1981) * J.D. "John Daniel" Sumner (1984) *

Russ Taff Russell Taff (born November 11, 1953) is an American gospel singer and songwriter who grew up in Farmersville, California. He has sung a variety of musical styles throughout his career including: pop rock, traditional Southern gospel, contempor ...

(2016) * Charlie D. Tillman (1993) * Charles A. Tindley (1993) *

Evie Tornquist Evelyn Tornquist Karlsson (born Evelyn Tornquist on March 29, 1956), mononymously known as Evie, is an American contemporary Christian music singer who was known in the late 1970s and early 1980s for songs such as "Mirror", "Step into the Sunsh ...

(2005) * Glenn Kieffer Vaughan (1974) * James D. Vaughan (1972) * Jim "Pappy" Waites (1971) * W. B. Walbert (1973) *

Albertina Walker Albertina Walker ( – ) was an American gospel singer, songwriter, actress, and humanitarian. Early years Walker was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Ruben and Camilla Coleman Walker. Her mother was born in Houston County, Georgia, and ...

(2001) * Hezekiah Walker (2016) * Clara Ward (1984) *

Ethel Waters Ethel Waters (October 31, 1896 – September 1, 1977) was an American singer and actress. Waters frequently performed jazz, swing, and pop music on the Broadway stage and in concerts. She began her career in the 1920s singing blues. Her no ...

(1984) * Charles Weigle (1991) *

Charles Wesley Charles Wesley (18 December 1707 – 29 March 1788) was an English leader of the Methodist movement. Wesley was a prolific hymnwriter who wrote over 6,500 hymns during his lifetime. His works include "And Can It Be", "Christ the Lord Is Risen ...

(1995) * James S. "Big Chief" Wetherington (1977) *

J. G. Whitfield Jesse Gillis Whitfield (1915–2006), also known as J.G. or Whit, was a gospel musician, music promoter, and member of the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame. Biography After serving in the Air Force, Whitfield worked in the grocery ...

(1990) * R. E. Winsett (1973) *

George Younce George Wilson Younce (February 22, 1930 – April 11, 2005) was an American bass singer, known for performing with Southern gospel quartets, especially The Cathedrals. Biography Born in Patterson, North Carolina, Younce ( ) was the youngest ...

(1999) * P.J. "Pat" Zondervan (1984)

Groups

The Blackwood Brothers The Blackwood Brothers are an American southern gospel quartet. Pioneers of the Christian music industry, they are 8-time Grammy Award winners in addition to winning 7 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards. They are also members of the Memphis ...

(1998) * Blanton & Harrell (2017) *

The Blind Boys of Alabama The Blind Boys of Alabama, also billed as The Five Blind Boys of Alabama, and Clarence Fountain and the Blind Boys of Alabama, is an American gospel group. The group was founded in 1939 in Talladega, Alabama, and has featured a changing roster ...

(2003) * Roger Breland & Truth (2000) * Cathedral Quartet (1999) *

The Chuck Wagon Gang The Chuck Wagon Gang is a Country gospel musical group, formed in 1935 by David P. ("Dad") Carter, oldest son Ernest ("Jim") along with daughters Lola ("Rose") and Effie ("Anna"). The group got their first radio break as sponsored singers for Bew ...

(1998) * DeGarmo & Key (2010) * Disciples (1998) *

The Dixie Hummingbirds The Dixie Hummingbirds are an influential American gospel music group, spanning more than 80 years from the jubilee quartet style of the 1920s, through the "hard gospel" quartet style of gospel's golden age in the 1940s and 1950s, to the eclec ...

(2008) * Dorothy Love Coates & The Gospel Harmonettes (2017) * The Fairfield Four (1999) *

Fisk Jubilee Singers The Fisk Jubilee Singers are an African-American ''a cappella'' ensemble, consisting of students at Fisk University. The first group was organized in 1871 to tour and raise funds for college. Their early repertoire consisted mostly of traditiona ...

(2000) *

Florida Boys The Florida Boys were a male vocal quartet in Southern gospel music. The group was founded in 1946 by J. G. Whitfield. Originally named The Gospel Melody Quartet, the group was renamed in 1954. From the 1950s until 2007, the group was led by Les ...

(1999) * Gaither Trio (1999) * Gaither Vocal Band (2014) * Gold City Quartet (2017) * Golden Gate Quartet (2010) * Happy Goodman Family (1998) *

The Harmonizing Four The Harmonizing Four was an American black gospel quartet organized in 1927 and reaching peak popularity during the decades immediately following World War II.Jason Ankeny. "The Harmonizing Four," AllMusic (link points to University of South Car ...

(2017) *

The Hinsons Hinson is a name that now refers to several different southern gospel singing groups, all members of the same extended family. The groups have different personnel and have shared the common name, "The Hinsons" but each has a different lead singer ...

(2006) *

The Hoppers The Hoppers (until 1981: Hopper Brothers and Connie) are a multi award-winning Southern Gospel group from North Carolina. They have performed together for several decades and have achieved significant popularity due to widening the playing field ...

(2012) *

The Imperials The Imperials are an American Christian music group that has been active for over 55 years. Originating as a southern gospel quartet, the innovative group would become pioneers of contemporary Christian music in the 1960s. There have been many ...

(1998) *

The Jordanaires The Jordanaires were an American vocal quartet that formed as a gospel group in 1948. Over the years, they recorded both sacred and secular music for recording companies such as Capitol Records, RCA Victor, Columbia Records, Decca Records, Voca ...

(1998) *

The LeFevres The LeFevres, or The Singing LeFevres, were an American Southern gospel singing group, active for nearly 50 years in the middle of the twentieth century. The LeFevres were a family from Smithville, Tennessee, and their singing group centered on b ...

(1998) * The Kingsmen (2000) * The Lewis Family (2005) *

Love Song A love song is a song about romantic love, falling in love, heartbreak after a breakup, and the feelings that these experiences bring. A comprehensive list of even the best known performers and composers of love songs would be a large order. ...

(2012) * Mighty Clouds of Joy (1999) * The Nelons (2016) *

The Oak Ridge Boys The Oak Ridge Boys are an American country and gospel vocal quartet originating in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The group was founded in the 1940s as the Oak Ridge Quartet. They became popular in Southern gospel during the 1950s. Their name was change ...

(2000) *

Petra Petra ( ar, ٱلْبَتْرَاء, Al-Batrāʾ; grc, Πέτρα, "Rock", Nabataean: ), originally known to its inhabitants as Raqmu or Raqēmō, is an historic and archaeological city in southern Jordan. It is adjacent to the mountain of Ja ...

(2000) * The Rambos (2001) * The Roberta Martin Singers (2017) * Second Chapter of Acts (1999) * Speer Family (1998) * Stamps Quartet (1998) *

The Staple Singers The Staple Singers were an American gospel, soul, and R&B singing group. Roebuck "Pops" Staples (December 28, 1914 – December 19, 2000), the patriarch of the family, formed the group with his children Cleotha (April 11, 1934 – February 21, ...

(2018) * The Statesmen Quartet (1998) *

The Statler Brothers The Statler Brothers (sometimes simply referred to as The Statlers) were an American country music, gospel, and vocal group. The quartet was formed in 1955 performing locally, and from 1964 to 1972, they sang as opening act and backup singers fo ...

(2007) * Sunliters & Wendy Bagwell (2001) *

Take 6 Take 6 is an American a cappella gospel sextet formed in 1980 on the campus of Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. The group integrates jazz with spiritual and inspirational lyrics. Take 6 has received several Grammy Awards as well as Dove ...

(2014) * The Winans (2007) * BeBe & CeCe Winans (2015)

Special inductees

was inducted to the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1999 for providing a platform to many Christian artists through the Billy Graham events. These artists include: Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, Sandi Patty, Larnelle Harris,

Steven Curtis Chapman Steven Curtis Chapman (born November 21, 1962) is an American contemporary Christian music singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, author, and social activist. Chapman began his career in the late 1980s as a songwriter and performer of conte ...

dc Talk DC Talk (stylized as dc Talk) is a Christian rap and rock trio. The group was formed at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia in 1987 by Toby McKeehan, Michael Tait, and Kevin Max Smith. They released five major studio albums together: ''D ...

, Jars of Clay. Others associated with Graham's ministries are also inductees:

(soloist of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Team);

(music director and choirmaster for all Billy Graham Evangelistic Campaigns);

(producer for the music in Billy Graham films such as "Mr. Texas", "For Pete's Sake", "The Restless Ones", and "His Lane"); and singers

and

References

External links

Gospel Music Association Hall of Famelist of all inductees
{{coord, 35.7962, -83.5338, type:landmark, display=title Gospel music awards American music awards Music halls of fame

Music Music is generally defined as the The arts, art of arranging sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Exact definition of music, definitions of mu ...