Sam Goodman (March 19, 1931 – August 5, 1991) was an American

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 ...

singer/songwriter born in

Bremen, Alabama Bremen is an unincorporated town in Cullman County, Alabama, United States. History The Bremen community was founded with the name ''Empire'' in 1860. In order to prevent confusion with Empire in Walker County, the name was changed in 1879 by ...

. Goodman performed with his siblings in

The Happy Goodman Family The Happy Goodman Family is a Southern gospel group that was founded in the 1940s by Howard "Happy" Goodman and performed together for several decades. The Happy Goodmans achieved significant popularity in the 1960s. In 1968, they won the first Gr ...

, where Sam sang baritone and first tenor. He also had a brief solo career.

Life and career

Goodman served in the

United States 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 primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

Air Force, and after his discharge, joined The Happy Goodman Family. Sam acted as the group's

spokesperson A spokesperson, spokesman, or spokeswoman, is someone engaged or elected to speak on behalf of others. Duties and function In the present media-sensitive world, many organizations are increasingly likely to employ professionals who have receiv ...

, and introduced the members and their songs on stage. On record albums produced by The Happy Goodman Family, Sam was known for telling comical stories about his family. The group performed at camp meetings, all night sings, churches, and on television and radio. Goodman won a Singing News Fan Award for Favorite Baritone in 1974. In 1982, Goodman received Minister's credentials with the

Assemblies of God The Assemblies of God (AG), officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 144 autonomous self-governing national groupings of churches that together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination."Assemblies of God". ...

. The Happy Goodman Family split up in 1983. In 1990, Sam reunited with siblings Howard,

Rusty Rusty may refer to something covered with rust or with a rust (color). Rusty is also a nickname for people who have red hair, have a rust-hued skin tone, or have the given name Russell. Rusty may also refer to: People *Rusty Anderson (born 1959 ...

, and Vestal to record the album ''The Reunion'', which received a Grammy nomination that year. Goodman was inducted into the Southern Gospel Museum Hall of Fame in 2011. Goodman died in 1991, and was buried in Odd Fellows Cemetery Madisonville Hopkins County

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...

USA 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., ...

Solo discography

Albums

*1979—''Happiness Is'' *1984—''The Newest Thing Around''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Goodman, Sam 1931 births 1991 deaths People from Cullman County, Alabama American gospel singers Singers from Alabama Southern gospel performers 20th-century American singers