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This month I would like to talk a little about very good friend of mine, who helped me a lot in the early days of my ministry and throughout the years following that time. There is a brother that is one of the most accomplished pianists I have ever met. He has an ear for music as well as much, much formal training. This man actually has a Doctorate in music. I am talking about none other than Dr. Charles Novell.

I met Dr. Novell back many years ago when I was working with “The Stamps Quartet” back in the 1970's . He was involved with the music school that J.D. Sumner ran each year called at that time “The Stamps Music School” because it was owned and operated by “J.D. Sumner and The Stamps Quartet”

Dr. Novell has played piano for such groups as “The Blackwood Brothers”. He is one of the most accomplished pianists that I have ever known. He was an educator in the Cincinnati, Ohio school system for many, many years until his retirement a few years back. During many of those years he also was a part of the music school.

There was a period of time that “The Blackwood Brothers” took over the music school and during that time Dr. Novell became even more involved in the school. Then after several years, Dr. Novell took the school over himself, and has run it very successfully for many years. From the time that I went with “The Stamps” in 1971, and for over 30 years after that, I was privileged to be able to teach there during the summer at that school. During much of this time the school was owned and operated by Dr. Novell. What a leader he is. I am proud to be able to say that I worked for him in that school. Over the years the school changed names a few times. Eventually it would become known as “The Christian Music Conference”. It still meets every summer in July at Murray State University in Murray, Ky. Today the name of the school is “Charles Novell School of Music”, in 2011 it will meet from July 10 - 16. In the past, such people as Dr. Bobby Clark, Danny Funderburk, Garry Sheppard, Ann Downing, and many other well know gospel singers have taught there.

From 1976, when I resigned from “The Stamps Quartet”, I taught vocal technique at “The Charles Novell School of music” . I remember when I first resigned from “The Stamps” to go into full time evangelistic ministry, Dr. Novell still had me to come and teach in the school every summer.
I thought , at the time, that since I was no longer involved directly in the quartet business, that I might not be wanted there to teach any more. However, Dr. Novell kept using me year after year to teach young people how to sing. This two weeks (at the time) every summer was a highlight of my year. I would travel and preach and sing all year long, then during this school every year I could reconnect to my roots of Southern Gospel Music. What a blessing it was to me over the years. Thank you Charles for being such a blessing to my life and to my family’s life.

My daughter Susan went to the school with Dorcas and I many times, then, after she was married for several years, she brought her youngest son, my grandson Mark, to the school.
They both ended up in ministry in their church. Susan became the worship leader, and when Mark was 6 years old, he started singing in the worship team, in just a few years after that he became proficient on the keyboards and played the keyboards and sang as a part of the worship team in their church. Today, Mark is a freshman at “Oral Roberts University”. He called his mom a few days ago and told her that he auditioned for one of the worship teams and was selected to be a part of one of the worship teams there at ORU. Mark is studying theology and has a call on his life to be a minister of the gospel. The music that he learned at “The Charles Novell School of Music”, has helped him tremendously, and I know from my experience it will help him for the rest of his life, I also know that God has his hand on my grandson’s life and that the time he spent at the music school was extremely valuable to him, inspiring to him to continue following God with the music ability that God has talented him with. I credit Dr. Novell, his wife Barbara, and son Robbie with a lot of inspiration and help to my family as well as myself during the years that I was a part of the music school.

During those years we also recorded at “Counterpoint Studios” most all of the songs that Susan and Mark wrote. We made several albums there. The music that Dr. Novell and Robbie ,along with their band, put on these albums was superb. They are all so talented and such a blessing to be around and work with. By the way , “Counterpoint Studios” is still going strong. If you are thinking about attending a music school in 2011 or later, I would sure recommend contacting “Charles Novell School of Music” at www. charlesnovellschoolofmusic.com . I would also recommend making contact with the Novells about recording your next album. They are all dedicated to helping folks in the ministry of music and preaching to reach more people with the message of Jesus Christ.

I want to say one other thing about what kind of a Christian man Charles Novell is. I remember when I first started out as a soloist and evangelist, I was struggling a little financially. I had not told anyone at all. I went to the school one year and ,during the school, Dr. Novell came to me and gave me something. I later checked to see what it was. When I checked I found that he had given me a rather generous offering for my ministry. He didn’t know it at the time, but that was sorely needed, and I know God had spoke to him to help us out. Dorcas and I were then and will remain eternally grateful to Dr. Novell for his generosity and most of all for his ear for hearing and heart for feeling how to help out brothers in the Lord who are struggling. I have been so blessed ,over the years, to know the Novells. They are all wonderful Christian people who love God with all of their hearts, and God has placed them in this ministry of teaching others how to minister in music to the Church.

GOD BLESS YOU NOVELL FAMILY, AND SPECIFICALLY MY BROTHER IN THE LORD
DR. CHARLES NOVELL. YOU ARE ALL SPECIAL PEOPLE. (GOD’S PEOPLE)

IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE “CHARLES NOVELL SCHOOL OF MUSIC” VISIT http://www.charlesnovellschoolof music.com

May God richly bless all of you that read this column. Remember Psalm 118:6 “The Lord is on my side” He is on your side too.

In Christian Love, Bill Baize

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