Rev. Lawrence Roberts – Rest In Peace

TBGB is saddened to report that Rev. Lawrence Roberts passed away July 14. David Jones first informed us and Rev. Roberts’ daughter confirmed the news.

Rev. Roberts was a longtime producer for Savoy Records. It was his church choir — the Angelic Choir of the First Baptist Church of Nutley, NJ — that teamed with Rev. James Cleveland on the historic “Peace Be Still” recording session in September 1963. That album took Cleveland and the Angelic Choir to new levels of popularity in the gospel music industry and helped make Savoy the “go to” label for gospel choirs for the next three decades.

Rev. Roberts also recorded with his wife and with the Gospel Chordettes, which changed its name when the Archie Bleyer Chordettes (“Mr. Sandman”) took issue. Rev. Roberts said he changed the group’s name to the Lawrence Roberts Singers “because I know nobody had THAT name!”

The homegoing details are still being worked out, but Rev. Roberts’ daughter said that the service is likely to be Saturday, July 19 at 11:00 a.m. at Victory Baptist Church, 1170 N. Hairston Road, Stone Mountain, GA.

Rev. Stefanie Minatee, Rev. Roberts’ niece, adds the following information:

Levett Gregory B & Sons Funeral Home: Scottdale Chapel
www.levettfuneralhome.com

351 N Clarendon Ave
Scottdale, GA 30079
(404) 294-5500

Home Going Service for Rev. Lawrence C. Roberts

Saturday, July 19, 2008 11:00am

Victory Church
www.victoryfortheworld.org

1170 N Hairston Rd
Stone Mountain, GA 30083
(678) 476-6000

Rev. Minatee also reports that a memorial service for Gospel Music Historian and Icon, Rev. Lawrence C. Roberts, will be held on Saturday, September 13th at 4 p.m. in Newark, NJ. Location TBD. Please save the date.

She added that an announcement with all pertinent information will appear in the Star Ledger as the date approaches.

On a personal note, I had the great fortune of interviewing Rev. Roberts on my radio program, “Gospel Memories,” some years ago and stayed in email touch with him since then. He was a friendly man and one of the most generous individuals with his time and knowledge. His loss weighs heavy on my heart.

Just two weeks ago, Rev. Roberts sent me an email remembering the late Ira Tucker. His comment was, “The old band keeps getting thinner and thinner.” And now he’s gone, too. They don’t make ’em like Rev. Roberts anymore, and we will all miss him greatly.

Here’s an obituary on Rev. Roberts, posted today on www.nj.com:

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/07/gospel_icon_newark_native_dead.html

Photo above: Matt Rainey/The Star-Ledger