Heavenly Gospel Singer Beatty Nominated for Gospel Music Hall of Fame and Museum

TBGB caught this on the WSPA Channel 7 (South Carolina) website. The Heavenly Gospel Singers were the first to record Thomas A. Dorsey’s classic “Take My Hand, Precious Lord.” They recorded it on February 16, 1937 in Charlotte, NC for Victor’s Bluebird subsidiary, a year before Arthur “Bob” Beatty joined the quartet.

Friday, Jan 25, 2008 – 03:17 PM

A Spartanburg great-grandfather is nominated for the International Gospel Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

Bob Beatty dreamed of becoming a professional boxer but another talent led him out of the ring and onto a stage. He started singing professionally at age 19. Beatty toured with Heavenly Gospel Singers as well as with four other groups over his 75 year career. “It’s a soul thing,” said Beatty about his music.

Beatty hopes to soon see his name next to legends at the International Gospel Hall of Fame and Museum in Detroit. “It would make my life,” chuckled the 95 year old singer.

Beatty is on the ballot for the hall of fame this year. The museum will announce the winners in April.

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You can vote! Go to the IGMHF nomination site and vote for Bob Beatty!

Special thanks to Marc Lindy of Vancouver, BC for providing TBGB with information on Mr. Beatty, especially the reminder that Beatty was part of the 1953 Violinaires that recorded “Just Another Soldier” for the Drummond label.