William Ronald Crowe

1935 - 2021

William Ronald Crowe

Roebuck, SC - William Ronald "Bill" Crowe of Roebuck, SC was born October 9, 1935 in Alcoa, TN. He went to his Heavenly home on April 13, 2021, after an extended illness. Many loving family and friends were at his side in his last days. He is preceded in death by his wife, Carol Ann (Kuykendall) Crowe; children Dianna Lynn Crowe and Linda Ann Crowe of Spartanburg, SC; parents Ronald Herbert "Curley" Crowe and Mable Fagg Crowe of Alcoa; sister Mary Charlotte Crowe Maxey of Knoxville, TN and brother, Ed Crowe of Maryville, TN. He is survived by son William R. Crowe II (Jessica) of Savannah, GA; daughters Janet Crowe-Sessoms of Myrtle Beach, SC and Maria Crowe Cochran (Jody) of Boiling Springs, SC. He is also survived by sister Beverly Crowe Johnston (Charles) of Knoxville, TN; grandchildren, Kristen Horn (Matt), Allyson Kunkel, Tyler Sessoms, Mason Cochran, Chase Cochran, Savannah Crowe, and his great-grandchildren, Elizabeth, Alyssa, Jeffrey and Madison Horn, and many loving nieces and nephews.

Bill grew up in Alcoa, TN. His mother, Mable Crowe, played the piano and taught Bill and his siblings how to sing. She even wrote many of the hit songs performed by the Blue Ridge Quartet.

After high school, Bill and his friend, David Young, organized a quartet called the Victors, along with his brother, Ed Crowe, and Fred Rose. Following his time with the Victors, Bill and David Young were part of the Foggy River Boys. In October 1960, his uncle, Elmo Fagg, lead singer and manager of the Blue Ridge Quartet, offered him a job as their baritone singer. It was the job he always wanted, "To sing with the Blue Ridge Quartet was a dream come true", Bill recalled.

Bill continued to sing baritone right up to the end. He became the sole owner of the Blue Ridge Quartet when Burl Strevel passed away in November 1981. Bill didn't say much on the stage, it was at the record rack where you could really get to know him. In 1996, the Grand Ole Gospel Reunion presented him the prestigious Living Legend Award, and in 2008, Bill became the first South Carolinian to be inducted into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame.

A crypt-side service will be held, Friday, April 16th at 1:00 pm, at Heritage Memorial Gardens Mausoleum, Roebuck, SC. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Shriners Hospital at https://www.shrinershospitalsforthechildren.org.

Lanford-Gwinn Mortuary