GOSPEL MUSIC National Talent Agency TheyMadeSwiích-- Be gins Gospel Promotion Country to Gospel By ELTON WHISENHUNT The Purcell firm has offices concert last week (26) at the NASHVILLE -Gerard Pur- in New York, Hollywood and Taft Auditorium in Cincinnati, cell Associates, Ltd., a top tal- Nashville, represents many big four groups were on the show: ent management agency operat- name stars and stages dozens Jake Hess and ; ing nationwide, has expanded in- of music shows each year, both Stamps Quartet with J. D. Sum- to promotion of gospel concerts pop and country. The firm rep- ner; Frost Brothers, and the and staged its first sings last resents many top artists for TV Landmark Trio of Cincinnati. week. appearances. When the Nash- The next night (27) at a sing Eddie Cummings, manager of ville office was opened several at the War Memorial Building Purcell's Nashville office, said months ago, it was mainly to in Nashville, talent consisted of concerts are being planned establish closer contact for buy- the Stamps, Imperials and Frost around the country for next ing country talent for shows and groups. Theory behind the move year. to build a clientele of country is twofold: Cummings said "one of the artists for network TV repre- It will mean more profit main reasons we are interested sentation. and less chance for the promot- in gospel promotion is because The firm's expansion into the er to risk losing money. of the lead Billboard has taken gospel field could mean the next Fans will have a chance to in the gospel music field." step might be top gospel groups hear their favorites for longer Cummings said his firm was on network TV. periods. also impressed by Billboard's Cummings also announced a "With fewer groups, each will first annual "World of Religi- trend the Purcell office is fol- have ample time to be at their ous Music." He said, "It is cer- lowing in staging gospel con- best," Cummings said. "They tainly an excellent book. We certs. They will use fewer groups will be relaxed and not rushed. hope it will expand in each corn- on a concert. This trend really comes at the For example, in a Purcell request of gospel music fans." ing year." CHUCK WAGON GANG -The ladies are, from left: Rose and Anna Car- ter. Back row, from left: James Wesson, Roy Carter, Howard Gordon. The LeFevres The Chuck Wagon Gang, Earnest and daughters Anna and Rangers Sign With Light which will next year celebrate Rose. their 30th year on Columbia When they were starting out, Records, started out as a coun- they went from their Lubbock, Discontinue try music group and made a Tex., home to Dallas and the highly successful switch to gos- office of Columbia's Don Law, pel music. then Dallas branch manager. It happened when they were The girls were in their early Caravan Show country music favorites on teens and he informed them - The Gospel WBAP, Fort Worth, their home their voices were too immature Singing Caravan, hour -long TV base. They closed their shows and they should come back in show produced by Program- with a hymn. a year or two. ming, Inc., and featuring the They kept getting more and They began singing on sta- LeFevres, Blue Ridge Quartet, more mail from gospel music tion WBAP at Fort Worth and the Prophets and the Johnson fans, who requested certain met with great success. They Sisters, has been discontinued. hymns and gospel songs. The returned to Dallas and were Programming, Inc., is owned Chuck Wagon Gang began de- signed by Columbia. by the LeFevre Enterprises. voting one show a week to all The present group is com- Programming, Inc., has begun religious music. posed of Anna, Rose and Roy -hour TV producing a new half They had Carter; James Wesson; and starring the Le- recorded several color show country music albums, which William Gordon, who plays gui- Title is "The LeFevre Fevres. had met with good success. They tar accompaniment. Anna Car- Family." ter is married to Gordon. by decided to record a gospel al- The new show, directed bum. general manager of They did and the public Jerry Goff, acceptance was so is taped at great they Programming, Inc., decided GMA Meeting WBAP -TV studios in Fort to become full -time gos- the first half -hour pel performers. That was years NASHVILLE -First meeting Worth. It is ago and gospel TV show in color. they have remained of the great favorites with gospel fans in 1966 will be at 6 p.m., Jan. since. 3, at the Capitol Park Inn here, RANGERS SIGN -The Rangers signed last week with the Don Light Wagon Talent Agency for bookings, bringing the number of groups Light books The Chuck Gang was James Blackwood, first vice - to four. The Chuck Wagon Gang had signed with Light two weeks ago. Benson Begins founded by the late D. P. Car- president, announced last week. Light also books the Happy Goodman Family and Oak Ridge Boys. ter, who headed the group for He urged all officers and direc- Seated are Ronnie Page (left) and Light. Standing, from left: David DJ Newsletter years. The original group was tors to attend the dinner meet- Reece and Darrell Johnson. Promotion composed of Carter, his son ing. NASHVILLE -Bob Benson, vice -president of Heart Warming Records, has begun a monthly A newsletter to gospel deejays and Great New Album by is enclosing promotional singles of new Heart Warming product. The newsletter tells deejays they may get the albums which THE STAMPS QUARTET the singles were taken from at no cost. A form is provided for D. deejays to check the albums they with J. Sumner want and return. The first newsletter, mailed last month, offers five new al- bums: "The Speer Family on Sales Concert Tour,' "Talent Times Five -Jake Hess and the Im- perials,' "The Plainsmen Quar- Dynamite tet - Little Is Much," " - Big Voice, Warm for the Heart," and "The Gospel Echoes -Cross Country Tour." Astute Darol Rice Directs NASHVILLE -Darol Rice of Dealer Hollywood, gospel music pro- ducer for RCA Victor, directed ... with Hovie Lister sessions with in Nashville last week One of America's All -Time Gospel Greats! Concert Dates Available: (22 -23) for a new album for April 1 release. FOR CONCERT AVAILABILITIES: J. D. Sumner, 386 N. Highland, Memphis, Tenn. The Blackwoods had back -up HOVIE LISTER music by the Goss Brothers of Suite 109, Briarcliff Hotel, Atlanta, Ca. Area Code 901; Phone: 323 -4206 Atlanta. It is the first Blackwood Brothers album with their new Phones: 873 -2139 - 874 -9711 bass singer, John Hall. 48 December 4, 1965, BILLBOARD

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