After serving in the U.S. Navy from November 1958- November 1963, getting married to my wonderful wife Dorcas in 1962, and our daughter Susan being born in September 1963, we moved back to Evansville, Indiana. Once again I sang with Ron Vibbert. We started a group in early 1964 and called it “The Trailsmen Quartet”. This group had Ron Vibbert,(lead), Ron’s Brother Dave (baritone), Dalton Welch (Bass), and myself as tenor. This group recorded several albums, at the time we were under contract with Zondervan records. By that time, Calvary Temple Church in Evansville, Indiana was having singings quite often. The pastor would invite in the named groups, like “The Stamps”, “The Oak Ridge Boys”,“The Blackwood Brothers” “The Weatherfords” and many others. Our group “The Trailsmen” would always open the concert for each one of these groups. The Trailsmen Quartet, was a very good quartet. If we would have stayed together, we could have become a premier group in Gospel Music.
This was about the same time that “The Singing Rambos” known then as “The Singing Echoes” were starting up in our same area. Also, some of the Goodman Family lived in Evansville. During this couple year span, I got to know singers in each of these groups. Ron, Bob Rich and I became good friends with Sam and Rusty Goodman, because they lived there in town. We would all get together on occasion and talk about singing. Rusty had already had his time with “The Plainsmen” and the Goodman family was reorganizing into what would become the great “Goodman Family” that most of us know today. They were starting up this time with Sam, Rusty, Vestal and Howard. They signed with Canaan records and started recording great songs, many of which Rusty wrote. At the same time that the Goodmans were getting back on the road, Buck and Dotty along with Joe Hatfield were rising in popularity. They signed with Heartwarming records, and as we all know Dotty wrote hundreds of wonderful songs.
To this day my two favorite songwriters are Dotty Rambo and Rusty Goodman. They wrote songs that said something and they were very, very singable. I haven’t heard any songs lately that will compare with the songs of those two fantastic writers. I have mentioned these different groups and singers because out of this group of singers would come the shaping of my life in music. Several of the people in these groups and singers have had major impacts on my life.
One of the persons that had a major impact on my life was Smitty Gatlin, the lead singer for “The Oak Ridge Boys” at that time. I would sing with “The Trailsmen” up into 1966.
When Smitty Gatlin left the Oak’s in 1966 to take a music minister’s position at “First Baptist Church” Ft. Worth, Texas, he called me and asked if I would like to move to Ft. Worth, and sing with him in his new group named “The Smitty Gatlin Trio”. I was overjoyed, and said sure. I moved my family to Ft. Worth and started singing with “The Smitty Gatlin Trio”. I payed for the move, and used my savings to get going . My wife went to work in Ft. Worth . I really thought I had made it. Then reality set in. Smitty had a job as music minister at The First Baptist Church, I had a job painting houses, for a while and then a job at a work clothes rental delivery company. I had joined the pro ranks of singers, but as many of us did back then, we had to build a group and a following. It hasn’t changed much today. All of that has to be done, when you start a new group, whether it is a group of people who have been pros, or people just starting to sing. I learned a real lesson there, that you never start at the top. You always start at the bottom, no matter where you were before you started this new group. The new group always starts at the bottom.
Smitty had bought a new 1966 Plymouth station wagon and a small trailer to carry sound and instruments in. That was what we traveled in. We would all work for three or four days at local jobs a week, then go out to sing on Thursday, Friday and some Saturdays. Smitty had to be back at the church by Sunday morning to lead the choir and congregation singing. I remember many times that Bill Monroe, (baritone and piano player) and myself would drive all the way back from the east coast to Ft. Worth starting on Saturday evening ,after singing , and we drove all day Sunday and would get into Ft. Worth late Sunday evening. In the mean time, since Smitty had to be back for the Sunday morning service, he would fly back from wherever we were. One of the things I learned in this situation ,that I didn’t know ahead of time, was that since Smitty was the group and Bill and I worked for him, that whatever money we would get in would have to pay his travel expenses for flying back to Ft Worth, as well as our travel expenses to drive the station wagon back, and the upkeep on the vehicle. Needless to say, there was never any money left over to receive a paycheck out of. Therefore, I had to work at painting and driving a delivery truck, as well as my wife had to work, just for us to survive.
I learned a lot from Smitty. I learned singing discipline. When I first started with Smitty, I was a lazy singer, especially when it came to pitches. Smitty taught me discipline in my own singing. Not only did he teach me by telling me things, but he was also a great teacher by his example. Smitty had to be one of the best lead singers ever to sing in Gospel Music. I have heard a lot of people try to sing “Walk With Me”, but NOONE has ever sung that song as well as Smitty Gatlin did. Not to long ago someone asked me to sing that song. I told them that I would rather not try to sing it, because after hearing Smitty Gatlin sing it so wonderfully, I didn’t think I could even start to sing the song well enough. Smitty went home to be with the Lord many years ago. He was only 37 years old when he passed. I can imagine the heavenly choir with his beautiful voice singing in it. When he left here he had lung cancer and couldn’t breathe very well. I venture to say that today he is singing with new lungs and singing that new song.
We also were privileged to be able to work with some of the very finest musicians and record producers that have ever been in Gospel music , THE GOSS BROTHERS. They produced every record that we made. They played instruments on our albums and helped with arrangements. They always have been some of the greatest talents God has ever placed in Gospel Music.
I mentioned “The Singing Rambos” earlier. They were huge influences in my life and music.
I will be writing more about them, Buck, Dottie, and Reba, and Kenny Parker next time. I will also write more about one of my favorites Rusty Goodman, who by the way was very instrumental in my getting the job with “The Stamps Quartet”. I will also talk some about the few dates that I did with Rosie Rozell and “The Searchers” Over the years, I have had many influences in my singing career. I have been a very privileged man to be able to work with some of the greatest gospel singers that have ever been.
By the way, please pray for my good friend, Sherrill Nielsen. As you probably already know that he has been diagnosed with stage III lung cancer. He needs our prayers. God Bless you Sherrill, you are a great one. No wonder when “The Imperials” started years ago, they chose you to be the very first tenor for that wonderful group.
Let’s all of us remember that Psalm 118:6 says “The Lord is on my side” May God richly bless each and every one of you who read this column. I pray that something that is said in it might bless you, inspire you or challenge you to stand strong for the Lord. HE IS EVERYTHING!
Your Brother in Christ,
Bill Baize
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Written: 04/01/2010
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Category: The Vocal Coach
Comments: 3
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Bill,
I used to be a pastor in Henderson Kentucky just across the Ohio river from Evansville. During that time I got to know and hear Dalton Welch sing bass and listen to Little Joe Hatfield play the piano and sing. Joe was also a good song writer. The Downings recorded at least one of his songs.
Thanks Garry for the kind words. I pray that God's richest blessings will be with you and yours. Keep on keeping on for the Lord. He is worthy of all praise, glory and honor.
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