Today I’m not writing anything. Instead I’m posting a video of one of my favorite Southern Gospel groups the Le Fevres. The video is not the greatest quality, but I’d rather watch this than pretty much anything else that passes for popular music these day. I’m aware that Friday is over by now, but I had a lot of repairs to do today, and even more tomorrow. It’s annoying but somebody has to do it.
The LeFevres were a family from Smithville, Tennessee; their singing group centered on brothers Urias (1910–1979) and Alphus (1912–1988).
Though they had previously recorded transcription discs, their first commercial recordings were made in the 1940s and released on Bibletone Records. Later releases were issued on Word Records and their own label, Sing Music Company. As the new medium of television became more popular, the group started appearing on local stations like WAGA and traveled to other regional stations to appear on their programs as well. In the 1960s, the group’s Gospel Singing Caravan, a syndicated program was aired nationwide.
The LeFevres became instrumental in the gospel music industry in Atlanta; they owned and operated their own recording studio, LeFevre Sound and also published sheet music for the gospel market. Additionally, they produced syndicated television shows for gospel and country music singers and owned a booking agency with regional operations.
The LeFevres retired in 1977 and sold off their interests to group member Rex Nelon who formed the Rex Nelon Singers in 1977. Eva Mae and Urias LeFevre were inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1997; Alphus was inducted in 2002. Urias’ youngest son, Mylon later had a highly successful solo career. Popular LeFevre alumni including Big Jim Waits, Rex Nelon, and Jimmy Jones were inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1997, 1999, and 2007 respectively.
Eva Mae LeFevre (who plays piano in the video) died on May 18, 2009, in Atlanta, at the age of 91.
If you can’t be bothered watching the whole thing you can skip to the 45 minute mark where you will hear “Going Over Yonder” a great song that the Slaughtermen used to do all the time.
ps if you really want something to read, here’s a post from 2021