Inspirational Christian Music of the 50s and 60s
 ‘50s & 60s  •  ‘70s  •   ‘80s  •   ‘90s  •   ‘00s

timeline of events in ‘50s & ‘60s Christian music history.

1944
• Sacred Records is founded in Los Angeles by Earle Williams.
1948
• 12-inch 33-1/3 rpm vinyl Long-Play records are introduced.

1949
• The plastic 7-inch 45 rpm single debuts as the replacement for the 10" 78 rpm discs.

1951
• Cornerstone Records is founded.
1951
• Word Records is formed in Waco, Texas by a young sportscaster named Jarrell McCracken with the recording, The Game of Life, an imaginary football game between Christianity and the Forces of Evil.

The Game of Life as released on LP in 1963
1951
Bill Kenny’s rendition of the Stuart Hamblen song, It Is No Secret (What God Can Do) is on the 1951 Cashbox top 40 pop charts for 22 weeks.

1952
• The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is formed.
1953
• Crying In The Chapel by June Valli  goes to number 1 on the 1953 Cashbox top 40 pop music charts.

• Christian Faith Recordings, a division of Alma Records, is founded and headed by Hugh Edwards.
1954
This Ole House written by Stuart Hamblen is a big hit for Rosemary Clooney on the Cashbox top 40 pop charts.
1955
• The Music of Paul Mickelson: Orchestra with Singing Strings LP is released by RCA Victor.

• Capitol Records in Hollywood is acquired by EMI.

• Pop singles on the Cashbox top 40 pop charts include: He, The Bible Tells Me So , and Open Up Your Heart (and Let The Sunshine In).
1957
 • Tony Fontane [Wikipedia] — pop singer, Mercury recording artist and athiest— survives a near fatal auto accident, and makes a promise to God that if He lets him sing again, he’ll sing only for Him.

TonyFontane.jpg
1958
 • Stereo LPs introduced.

• Paul Mickelson — organist for the Billy Graham Crusades (1950-57) — is named Music Director at Word Records.
1960
• Ralph Carmichael is asked by Capitol Records to arrange a Christmas album for Nat King Cole and then gets named as his regular arranger /conductor.

• His Hand In Mine — the first of 3 Gospel albums by Elvis Presley — is released by RCA Victor.
His Hand In Mine - Elvis Presley
1961
• Supreme Recordings is formed in Glendale, California by former RCA and Word Records vice-president, arranger  /conductor /organist Paul Mickelson.

Paul Mickelson
1961
• Kurt Kaiser is named Music Director at Word Records, replacing Paul Mickelson.

1963
• The Tony Fontane Story  is released by Gospel Films.
1964
• The first compact audio cassette recorder is introduced by Philips in the USA under the Norelco name.

• Sacred Records is acquired by Word Records from Earle Williams, bringing Ralph Carmichael into the Word family of artists (Billboard Nov 2, 1963, Oct 14, 1972).

• The Gospel Music Association (GMA) is founded as a Southern Gospel music industry association.
1965
• Dave Boyer — professionally known as Joey Stevens, MC, and singer /entertainer at the famous 500 Club in Atlantic City, New Jersey — sets out one night to commit suicide, but instead has a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ.

Dave Boyer
1965
• Cornerstone Records is purchased by Supreme Recordings from President Russell Durham (Billboard Dec 4, 1965).
1966
• Cliff Richard — British pop music star — speaks openly on stage about his faith in Christ at a Billy Graham meeting at Earls Court in London.

Related Video:
Cliff Richard testimony at a Billy Graham Crusade in Birmingham, England, 1984

Related Biography:
Wikipedia: Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
1966
• 8-track stereo cartridges introduced in cars.
• Bob MacKenzie  joins Benson as creative director. MacKenzie produced almost every album released by Benson from 1966 until 1975 (GMA), and upped the quality by utilizing some of Nashville’s finest musicians, and taking masters to London to add orchestrations (BSNPubs.com).
1967
• Good News — a Christian folk musical written and compiled by Bob Oldenburg — is released by Broadman Records in Nashville.

• Ralph Carmichael and Kurt Kaiser collaborate to produce the youth musicals, Tell It Like It Is and Natural High.

Natural High LP
1967
• Christian Faith Recordings of Northridge, California is purchased from Hugh Edwards of Alma Records by the Sing Recording Co., Inc in Nashville (Billboard July 1, 1967).
1968
• Ralph Carmichael founds Light Records and Lexicon Music  as a joint venture with Jarrell McCracken’s Word Records. Light provides the music; Word, the distribution (Billboard Oct 14, 1972).

Ralph Carmichael
1968
• Billy Ray Hearn  begins his career with Word.

• Andraè Crouch & the Disciples  are signed by Ralph Carmichael’s Light Records.

Andrae Crouch and Ralph Carmichael
1969
• The Jesus Movement begins in Southern California at Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa.

• The first Dove Awards  are issued by the Gospel Music Association (GMA)  to Southern Gospel artists.
1969
• Upon This Rock by Larry Norman  is released by Capitol Records as the first Christian rock album.
Upon This Rock - Larry Norman
• some 50s and 60s Christian albums


• some 50s and 60s Christian artists & songs
Beverly Dixon Dunn
Orchestrated by Mark Davidson
 • FOR YOU
• FOLLOW ON
• TEACH ME LORD TO WAIT
• HOW BEAUTIFUL HEAVEN MUST BE
Cornerstone
Bill Carle
Orchestrated by Ralph Carmichael
 • A GLIMPSE OF JESUS
• THY WILL BE DONE
Sacred
Tony Fontane
 • IT MATTERS TO HIM ABOUT YOU
RCA Victor
Roy Rogers & Dale Evans
Orchestrated by Paul Mickelson
 • HE IS SO PRECIOUS TO ME
• LOVE LIFTED ME
RCA Victor

Beth Farnum
Orchestrated by Ralph Carmichael
 • AMAZING GRACE
• THE STRANGER OF GALILEE
• AN EVENING PRAYER
• WHY SHOULD HE LOVE ME SO
Sacred

Jim Bohi
Orchestrated by Paul Mickelson
 • JUST OVER IN THE GLORYLAND
• I’LL FLY AWAY
• COME AND DINE
Cornerstone/Supreme

Johnny Crawford
Orchestrated by Ralph Carmichael
 • JUST AS I AM
Supreme

Vangie Carmichael
Orchestrated by Ralph Carmichael
 • HE LEADETH ME
• FRIENDSHIP WITH JESUS
• I CANNOT HIDE FROM GOD
• I FOUND A FRIEND
Sacred

Bob Daniels
Orchestrated by Ralph Carmichael
 • IT IS SPRINGTIME
Sacred

Ralph Carmichael Orchestra
• IN THE GARDEN
• SWEET HOUR OF PRAYER
Word

Bill Pearce & Dick Anthony
Orchestrated by Paul Mickelson
 • THERE’S A NEW SONG IN MY HEART
• OVER THE SUNSET MOUNTAINS
• OH SAY BUT I’M GLAD
• THE LIGHTS OF HOME
Word

Helene Landrum & Joseph Belessi
Orchestrated by Paul Mickelson
 • I DISCOVERED THE WAY OF GLADNESS
 • DAY BY DAY
• MAKE ME A BLESSING
Supreme

Paul Mickelson Orchestra
• WHAT A FRIEND
• IN THE GARDEN
RCA Victor - Supreme

John Gustafson
Orchestrated by Ralph Carmichael
 • SHOW A LITTLE LOVE
Christian Faith

Ben & Beth Allen
Orchestrated by Paul Mickelson
 • SOONER OR LATER
• I FIND THEE SO PRECIOUS
Supreme

102 Strings, Ralph Carmichael
 • LOVE IS SURRENDER
Sacred

The Good Twins
Orchestrated by Ralph Carmichael
 • GOD FILLS THE WORLD
• THIS JESUS OF CALVARY
• GOD PROVED HIS LOVE ON CALVARY
• WHEN JESUS DIED
Supreme

Mary Jayne
Orchestrated by Ralph Carmichael
 • SURELY I CAN BELIEVE
• I’LL BE THERE
• TO BE USED OF GOD
Word - Capitol

Redd Harper
Orchestrated by Ralph Carmichael
 • EACH STEP OF THE WAY
• LORD KEEP YOUR HAND ON ME
Word

Georgia Lee
Orchestrated by Ralph Carmichael
 • I FOUND WHAT I WANTED
• RETURN
• THE HEART IS A REBEL
Word

Ronnie Avalone
Orchestrated by Paul Mickelson
 • ALL THAT THRILLS MY SOUL
Supreme


Ethel Waters
 Orchestrated by Paul Mickelson
 • HIS EYE IS ON THE SPARROW
• I DO, DON’T YOU? /PARTNERS WITH GOD
 Word

Norman Nelson
 Orchestrated by Ralph Carmichael
 • OH I NEVER SHALL FORGET THE DAY
Word

Paul Mickelson Orchestra
• TENDERLY HE WATCHES
• COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS
• MASTER CONTROL
 Word

Joseph Belessi
 Orchestrated by Paul Mickelson
 • I ASKED THE LORD
 Supreme

Helene Landrum
 Orchestrated by Paul Mickelson
 • HE’S ONLY A PRAYER AWAY
Supreme

Albie Pearson
 Orchestrated by Ralph Carmichael
 • THERE’S STILL A CHANCE
 Vibrant - Light

Flo Price
 Orchestrated by Ralph Carmichael
 • THIS IS MY FATHER’S WORLD
• UNTIL THEN
 Christian Faith

Anne Criswell Jackson
Orchestrated by Ralph Carmichael
 • AMAZING GRACE
• IT’S REAL
 Custom - Light

Ray Felton & Helen McAlerney Barth
 Orchestrated by Scott Douglass
 • BLESSED QUIETNESS
Zondervan

Doug Oldham
 Orchestrated by Rick Powell
 • SOMETHING WORTH LIVING FOR
 • REMIND ME
Impact/Benson

Bill Brown Orchestra & Chorus
• HE NEVER SLEEPS
• BEAU SOIR
Worlds Apart Soundtrack
 Orchestrated by Lyle Murphy
 • OF LOVE I SING
• SHEPHERD OF LOVE
• TOGETHER
Youth Films/Gospel Films

Dave Boyer
Orchestrated by Jonathan Tunick
 • OF LOVE I SING
• THE SOLID ROCK
• CALVARY COVERS IT ALL
Reverence

Anita Bryant
Orchestrated by Stan Applebaum
 • GREAT SOMEBODY
• TWO WONDERFUL HANDS
Columbia

Bill Carle
Orchestrated by Kurt Kaiser
 • HOW GREAT THOU ART
 Word

Ronnie Avalone
Orchestrated by Ralph Carmichael
 • I KNOW A NAME
• SING PRAISE TO HIS NAME
Word

Roy Rogers & Dale Evans
Orchestrated by Ralph Carmichael
 • THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO
Capitol

Flo Price
 Orchestrated by Ralph Carmichael
 • YOU’RE WALKING DOWN SUNSHINE LANE
 • BRIGHT NEW WORLD
 Word