Harmonizer: Marion W. Easterling
Born: March 12, 1910, Clanton, Alabama.
Died: December 10, 1989, Birmingham, Alabama.
Buried: Martin Memorial Cemetery, Clanton, Alabama.
Marion W. Easterling, composed over 300 southern gospel songs. He received his music education in various singing schools, being taught by Ocie Lee DeVaughan, Dad Speer and others. In 1938, he was the youngest composer to sign a five year contract with the Stamps-Baxter Publishing Company. He has been listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for his long career as the programmer for the WKLF Radio stations's gospel program "America's Favorites". The program began in December 1947 and continued for 39 years, during which time, he broadcast over 20,000 shows.
--www.findagrave.com/
Go to person page >Composer: J. T. Ely
John Thomas (J.T.) Ely was born near Emory, Texas, in Rains County in the little town of Point. He lived on his family farm, and was a frequent teacher at a number of Baptist singing schools. He has numerous songs published in both R.E. Winsett and Stamps-Baxter Catalogues. This picture was taken from V.O. Stamps' “Radio Song Album,” of early 1937.
--Ely's great-granddaughter, July 2023, via D.J. Bulls, in an email to Tina Schneider
ELY, John Thomas ("Tommy")
born : 19 August 1882, Rains Co., TX
parents : Jefferson Isaac Ely & Mattie Cornelious Lennon
married : Annie Bell Coats, 1902
children : Helen Easter, Opa, Jefferson Isaac, Oscar, Inez, Tommy Jewell, Ollie Lee, Helen, Charles Henry, Willie Joseph
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