Founder of Premier Christian Music Label Dies
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‘THEY’RE PLAYING BASKETBALL. WE LOVE THAT BASKETBALL.’: Men’s previeW PAGE 6 ROUNDING UP CAMPUS NEWS SINCE 1900 THE BAYLOR LARIAT FRIDAY, NovEMBER 9, 2007 Founder of premier Christian music label dies BU alum McCracken and copies can still be found influenced the revival of young imagine.” 429, Mark Schultz, Diamond Rio ing Corporation in 1977 but brought fame to Waco today. people at the time. He also could persuade peo- and Randy Travis. remained president of the label But possibly what McCracken It was the first record label ple to make things happen, she “Word basically created an until 1986. through Word Records was most to release youth musicals and said. umbrella, or space, where con- McCracken also remained known for Darden said Baptist kids just “He had a great gift and he temporary Christian music was active in Seventh and James By Kelli Boesel was his flocked to them. really changed the Christian able to flourish,” said Randall Baptist Church throughout his Reporter p r e s e n c e “(McCracken) realized what music industry,” Ferguson said. Bradley, director of the Center life in Waco and later found- during the young people in the church Ferguson said McCracken for Christian Music Studies. ed Brentwood Farms, which Word Records Inc. founder emergence wanted to listen to,” Darden never intended to be a business- Word Records also put Waco was home to some of the most and Baylor alumnus Jarrell of con- said. man, but he backed into it. on the map. valuable Arabian horses in the McCracken died Wednesday temporary Word Records became the Even after Word became a “In the ’70s and ’80s lots world. night in Waco. Christian world’s largest religious record major corporation, McCracken of people knew about Waco “Whenever he became his In 1950 McCracken gradu- music. label. never forgot Baylor. She said he, because Waco was on every- wealthiest, he remained a hum- ated from Baylor, then in choos- “What- “Seventy percent of all Chris- with Word, financed a vocal thing that Word put out,” Brad- ble, gracious man,” Darden said. ing to continue his education, he ever peo- tian music, at one time, came scholarship at Baylor for several ley said. “I admired him a lot, as do many also received his Master’s degree ple think McCracken out of Waco,” he said. years in the ’70s and hired a lot However, Word didn’t only people still do to this day.” from Baylor in 1953. of Chris- McCracken was a vision- of Baylor graduates. focus on music. Beginning in the The record labels created by Soon after, McCracken tian music ary, said Lois Ferguson, Baylor “His first recording artist 1960s, Word Books published a Word Inc. still exist today, and worked as a sportscaster at today is owed largely to Jarrell facilities utilization planner was a Baylor student,” Ferguson lot of Christian authors, such the remnant of Word Records is KWTX, when he created a nov- McCracken,” Darden said. and assistant to the office of the said. as Rev. Billy Graham and James located in Nashville, Tenn. elty record that depicted salva- McCracken started Word provost. Ferguson worked as Word was different from other Dobson, producer of “Focus on McCracken’s funeral will be tion as a football game, called Records in 1951, and the com- McCracken’s assistant at Word Christian recording companies the Family.” held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Sev- “The Game of Life,” said Robert pany remained in Waco until for seven years. because it did not focus on one “The book-publishing arm of enth and James Baptist Church. Darden, associate professor of McCracken’s resignation in “He was able to see things genre of Christian music. Word was huge,” Bradley said. He is survived by his wife, journalism. 1986. that could be,” Ferguson said. Currently, Word Records McCracken sold Word Judy Murray McCracken, and The record was a major hit Darden said Word Records “That you and I couldn’t even boasts artists such as Building records to American Broadcast- two children. Students to ‘step out’ at New Hope Baptist Church By Anita Pere Staff writer Prior to 1866, only a short time after the Emancipation Proclamation, 18 blacks gath- ered in the balcony of the First Baptist Church of Waco for worship service, exercising for the first time their right to free- dom of religion as Americans. Then in 1866, with the help of some prominent Wacoans, the 18 started meeting in an old foundry as the first black church in Waco. They called themselves New Hope Baptist Church. In 1923, the congre- Stephanie JeterLariat staff gation finally built their own facility at 915 N. 6th St. in New Hope Baptist Church located at 915 N. 6th St. in Waco will be the latest Waco. service project of Baylor’s Steppin’ Out program. Saturday students will visit Steppin’ Out participants to help with beautification projects outside the church. will visit the church, lead by Minister Joseph Shilo, Satur- “He wanted to help with the rated by a Texas Historical day. Students will clear away cleanup, too,” she said. Society marker on the front brush and paint a fence, pull The building itself has fall- lawn. According to the mark- weeds out of the 80-year-old en into some disrepair over er, Dr. Rufus Burleson (then parking lot, and help with the years, but Warren said the Baylor president), Dr. Richard other “beautification” jobs, church plans to fix the building Burleson (local minister and said associate Minister Mar- little by little over the course brother of the president) and shall G. Warren Jr. of the next several years for the Rev. S. G. O’Bryan helped Pueblo, Colo. Sophomore financial reasons. The church the small assemblage take root Ashley Anderson, job recruiter aspires to join the National in Waco. for Steppin’ Out, said 200 stu- Historic Society, but these The church members didn’t dents, some of them in Zeta basic repairs must be squared name their haven New Hope Stephanie Jeter/Lariat staff Tau Alpha sorority and Kappa away first. Warren said church because it sounded cute or Sigma fraternity, will go to officials may look to historical pleasing. Alley cats New Hope. societies to grant some fund- Warren said God revealed According to Anderson, ing for the repairs. the name to the church’s first Sugar Land freshman Kristen Kij, and Orlando, Fla. freshman Brooke Bosserman are a couple of the stu- Warren has been very hand- The church is already recog- pastor, Stephen Cobb. dents who had a girls night out Thursday at Baylor’s bowling alley in the Den of the Bill Daniel Student Union on in organizing Steppin’ Out’s nized by the Texas Historical Building. help at the site. Commission and commemo- Please see CHURCH, page 4 Tynan: Success in life House Democrats to is collaborative effort approve Iraq funding was able to walk I heard those words.” By Jessica Reynolds Tynan’s father suggested riding if troops are withdrawn Reporter horses to help strengthen his legs. Thursday, after meeting with liberal Tynan competed in steeplechases, By Anne Flaherty Democrats who were concerned the Microphone difficulties didn’t stop which involved jumping fences. When The Associated Press bill was too soft, she decided to put Ronan Tynan from delivering his competing, Tynan said he used every off debate until next week. speech last night in Waco Hall, nor aspect of his physical, mental and spir- WASHINGTON — Under pressure In a private caucus meeting ear- have two prosthetic legs stopped him itual strength. to support the troops but end the lier in the day, Pelosi told rank-and- from achieving his dreams. His father built on his strengths war, House Democrats said Thurs- file Democrats that the bill was their At 47 years of age, Tynan has com- with him. Tynan said whenever he Abbie Rosen/Lariat staff day they would send President Bush best shot at challenging Bush on the peted in equestrian competitions, won would come to a fence his father would Ronan Tynan gives motivational speech to $50 billion for combat operations war. And if Bush rejected it, she said, 18 gold medals, set 14 world records, lift his leg, as if lifting him up. Then, students Thursday night in Waco Hall. on the condition that he begin with- she did not intend on sending him delivered 15 babies, performed in when Tynan landed, his father would drawing troops from Iraq. another war spending bill for the operas, recorded CDs and written an drop his leg back down, landing safely success in any shape or form, always The proposal, similar to one Bush rest of the year. autobiography. But Tynan credits those with him. Tynan said his father never remember the people who saw your tal- vetoed earlier this year, would iden- “This is not a blank check for around him for his success. gave up on him, and he heard the ents and willed you to win,” he said tify a goal of ending combat entirely the president,” she said at a Capitol “To succeed in whatever we do in words “you’re great” until the day his Tynan remembered when he first by December 2008. Hill news conference following the life, is not a solo flight,” he said. “We all father died. began throwing discus. While prac- It would require that troops caucus meeting. “This is providing need someone.” At the age of 20, Tynan decided to ticing in the middle of an open field, spend as much time at home as they funding for the troops limited to a Tynan was born May 14, 1960, in have his legs amputated after getting in a stranger asked him if he needed a do in combat, as well as effectively particular purpose, for a short time Dublin, with leg deformities below his a motorcycle accident.