The Cathedral Quartet A Model Of Consistency

And so it is.  An era has ended.  Back in late 1999, Glen Payne went home to be with the Lord.  Just last week, George Younce, made that final journey as well.  Growing up throughout the 1970's and early 1980's you could say that the Cathedrals had a profound effect on me and my love for Southern Gospel Music.  In fact, they were my favorite group.  I liked several other groups but my favorite was always the Cathedrals.  Why?  It wasn't just one thing.  Sure it was various group members that came and went and of course, Glen Payne and George Younce were a big part of the reason.  It was also the music.  In my opinion the Cathedrals were the best to ever walk on stage.  It was also the fact that it never looked like they were working!  I never saw the Cathedrals when they didn't look like they were having the time of their life.  In fact, I think they were!

The Cathedrals really got their start as a trio in the Cathedral Of Tomorrow in Akron, OH.  In 1963 the Cathedral Trio consisted of Glen Payne, Danny Koker and Bobby Clark.  It was in 1964 that George Younce joined them as a bass singer and Southern Gospel Music was about to change forever.

Mr. Gospel Music 

James Blackwood

BORN: AUGUST 4, 1919; DECEASED: FEBRUARY 3, 2002

The year was 1934 and a fifteen year old James Blackwood joined with his brothers, Doyle and Roy and his nephew, R. W. to form a group named The Blackwood Brothers.  Certainly, that day in 1934, no one could have know the impact that the Blackwood Brothers and James Blackwood would have on a fledgling style of music called southern Gospel music.

James Blackwood's story is a story of courage, dedication, steadfastness and following the will of God for his life.  The Blackwood Brothers certainly enjoyed a lot of success in southern Gospel music but what many people are not aware of, is that the group actually disbanded in 1935.  Those were difficult days to make a living in America and Roy and R. W. had to move away from James' hometown of Ackerman, MS.  However, two years later, Roy and R. W. moved back home and the Blackwood Brothers were back singing again and determined to make it work.  Times were not always easy in the early days, but they stuck with it and the Lord blessed them greatly!

On May 4, 1939 James married the love of his life, Miriam (Mim) Grantham.  They had a double wedding ceremony that day as Doyle was also married.  James and Mim would spend the rest of their life together and Mim became the role model for many "quartet wives" and she stood by James and realized the calling that God had put on his life.