We’ve lost many gospel singers in recent weeks. The renowned Jessy Dixon, who famously sang with James Cleveland’s Gospel Chimes and Bill Gaither’s Homecoming crew, died Sept. 26, 2011 at age 73.
Not long before, Delois Campbell of the Barrett Sisters died. The Chicago-born gospel singer had a voice that “soared to the church rafters and her joy raised the roof,” according to her Associated Press obituary.
Here are more gospel singers who’ve “gone home to be with Jesus” recently. They may not have been famous, but their powerful voices soared to the heavens.
Retired carpenter Freddie Lee Farmer Sr. “was leader of the Farmer Family Gospel Singers” (and sported a Jessy Dixon look) according to his obituary in the Shelby Star of North Carolina.
In her obituary, Jo Carol Moffett is described as “one of Austin’s own Gospel superstars.” A member of the Jimmy Butler Singers (“the first local Black Sunday morning program on television”), Jo Carol discovered music at an early age “and the power it had to draw those who heard her nearer to Christ.”
Day care teacher Annie Maxine McAllister also started singing about Jesus at an early age, according to her obit. She helped organize the McClendon Sisters gospel group and “was a member of the Interdenominational Choir, Longview, Texas, Gospel Music Workshop of America, The Harman Finley Singers, The South Central Music Conference and The Lufkin IDC.”
Retired bus driver Malcolm Dillard Edwards “sang with the Adorations Quartet,” according to his obituary in the Commercial Appeal of Memphis, Tennessee.
Charles Richard “Ricky” Lawrence “was a singer and pianist with the Gospel group, The Galileans.” He also drove school buses for Portsmouth Christian School, according to his obit in the Virginian Pilot.
Willie Finister Sr. “was a lead singer with The Gospel Melotones” and went on to become the pastor of two Baptist churches, according to the obit his family published in The Advocate of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
This post was contributed by Alana Baranick, a freelance obituary writer. She was the director of the Society of Professional Obituary Writers and chief author of Life on the Death Beat: A Handbook for Obituary Writers before she passed away in 2015.
