Inspirational Christian Music of the 50s and 60s
• some 70s Christian songs to remember
  • The Hawaiians
    w/ the Paul Johnson Orchestra & Chorus
     • BLESSED SAVIOR (MAI POINA)
     Tempo Records
  • Doug Oldham
    Arranged & Conducted by Rick Powell
     • IF THAT ISN’T LOVE
     • REMIND ME
     Impact Records
  • Kim (Carol) Carmichael Parks
     Arranged & Conducted by Ralph Carmichael
     • I LOOKED FOR LOVE
    • LIKE A LAMB
    Light Records
  • Jimmy Owens Orchestra
    • TRAVELING MUSIC FOR THE SOUL
     Light Records

  • The Hawaiians
     Arranged & Conducted by Otis Skillings
     • THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD
     • HO, EVERYONE THAT IS THIRSTY
     Tempo Records

  • Evie
     Arranged & Conducted by Lennart Sjöholm
     • MY TRIBUTE
     • SAY “I DO”
     • WOULD YOU
     Word Records

  • Danny Lee & the Children of Truth
     • SPREAD A LITTLE LOVE AROUND
     RCA Victor

  • Anita Bryant
     Arranged & Conducted by Chuck Bird
     • THE OLD RUGGED CROSS
     • SOFTLY AND TENDERLY
     • I LOVE TO TELL THE STORY
     Word Records

  • Dave Boyer
     Arranged & Conducted by Ralph Carmichael
     • COME ON HOME
     • STEP INTO THE SUNSHINE
     Word Records

  • Vonda Kay Van Dyke
    Arranged & Conducted by Kurt Kaiser
     • PATCHES OF SUNLIGHT
    Word Records

  • Ben Markley
     Arranged & Conducted by Bob Krogstad
     • UNDYING LOVE
     Forever - Singcord /Zondervan

  • I Love America
     A Musical by John W. Peterson & Don Wyrtzen
     • IT’S TIME TO PRAY
     Singcord /Zondervan

  • The Imperials
     • DIDN’T HE SHINE
     Impact /Benson

  • Christine Wyrtzen
     Arranged by Christine Wyrtzen & Don Wyrtzen
     • THE LORD MAKES ME HAPPY
     • JESUS IS MY MUSIC
     • TO BE WHAT YOU WANT ME TO BE
     Singspiration /Zondervan

  • Andrew Culverwell
     Arranged & Conducted by Dwight Elrich
     • THE MAN OF GALILEE
     • WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM
     Manna Records

  • Cynthia Clawson
     • IT WAS HIS LOVE
     Triangle

  • 102 Strings, Ralph Carmichael
     • I LOOKED FOR LOVE
     • LOVE
     • LIKE A LAMB
     Light Records

  • Evie
     Arranged & Conducted by Lennart Sjöholm
     • MIRROR
     • BORN AGAIN
     • FOUR FEET ELEVEN
     Word Records

  • David Ingles
     • OASIS OF LOVE
     Impact Records

  • Kathie Lee Gifford
     With the Paul Johnson Orchestra & Chorus
     • I’M COMIN’ HOME
     • WHEREVER HE MAY LEAD
     Petra : Paul Johnson Music Productions

  • Paul Mickelson & The Supreme Strings
     • PRAISE THE LORD
     • BORN AGAIN
     • GENTLE SHEPHERD
     Supreme


  • Dave Boyer
     Orchestrated by Kurt Kaiser
     • JUST BECAUSE I ASKED
     • PUT JESUS FIRST IN YOUR LIFE
     Word

  • Kathie Lee & Michie Mader
     With the Paul Johnson Orchestra & Chorus
     • FRIENDSHIP WITH JESUS
     • IF YOU GOT THE LIGHT
     • SONG OF RUTH
     Petra : Paul Johnson Productions

  • Cliff Richard
     Arranged & Conducted by Ralph Carmichael
     • HIS LAND
     • KEEP ME WHERE LOVE IS
     Light Records

  • The Lang Sisters
     Arranged & Conducted by Paul Mickelson
     • THERE IS JOY IN THAT LAND
     • THE HAPPY SIDE OF LIFE
     Supreme Productions

  • Dino Kartsonakis
     Arranged & Conducted by Ralph Carmichael
     • PASS IT ON
     • NEW WINE
     Light Records

  • Evie
     Arranged & Conducted by Lennart Sjöholm
     • GIVE THEM ALL
     • PASS IT ON
     • PART THE WATERS
     Word Records 1976

  • Johnny Cook
     Arranged & Conducted by Lari Goss
     • LONG WINDING ROAD
     Life Stream

  • Sue Ellen Chenault Dodge
     • THE WAY OF THE CROSS LED ME HOME
     Tempo Records

  • B.J. Thomas
     Produced & Arranged by Archie P. Jordan
     • YOU GAVE ME LOVE
     • USING THINGS AND LOVING PEOPLE
     • JESUS ON MY MIND
     Myrrh /Word

  • Lee Robbins
     Arranged & Conducted by Paul Mickelson
     • LET ME TOUCH HIM
     • SWEETER THAN ALL
     • IT’S REAL
     Supreme Productions

  • 102 Strings, Ralph Carmichael
     • REACH OUT TO JESUS
     • LIKE A LAMB
     Light Records

  • Jimmy Durante
     Arranged & conducted by Ralph Carmichael
     • BEYOND THE SUNSET
     Warner Bros Records (1967) - Light Records (1971)

  • Evie
     Arranged/Conducted by Pelle Karlsson, Peter Sandwall
     • LIVE FOR JESUS
     • SHINE
     • NEVER THE SAME AGAIN
     Word Records

  • Paul Mickelson & The Supreme Strings
     • GIVE THEM ALL TO JESUS
     • HAPPINESS IS THE LORD
     • PRECIOUS MEMORIES
     Supreme


  • Johnny Hall
     Arranged & conducted by Bob Kogstad
     • WALK WITH ME
     • FINALLY HOME
     Singcord /Zondervan

  • Anita Bryant
     Arranged & Conducted by Bergen White, Bill Purcell, Archie Jordan
     • I’LL BE A FRIEND
     • LORD SEND THAT MORNING
     • CHILD
     Word Records

  • Andrew Culverwell
     Arranged & Conducted by Bergen White
     • LOVE IS WHAT YOU HAVE
     • HOME AGAIN
     • MAY THIS BE THE PLACE
     DaySpring /Word

  • Rick Powell Orchestra
     • I’LL FLY AWAY /WHEN THE ROLL..
     • THE OLD RUGGED CROSS
     • JESUS LOVES ME
     Tempo Records

  • The Hawaiians
     Arranged by Bill Purcell
     • WALKIN’ IN THE LIGHT OF HIS LOVE
     • GIVE THEM ALL TO JESUS
     • LOOKIN’ ALL AROUND
     Word Records

  • Larry Norman
     Orchestration by Anthony Harris
     • I WISH WE’D ALL BEEN READY
     Capitol Records - Impact Records

  • Pat Boone
     Arranged & Conducted by Fred Werner
     • THE MOMENT OF TRUTH
     • THE SWEETEST SONG
     Word

  • The Children of the Day
     • COME TO THE WATERS
     Maranatha!

  • Andraé Crouch & the Disciples
     • I DON’T KNOW WHY JESUS LOVED ME
     • SOON AND VERY SOON
     • MY TRIBUTE (TO GOD BE THE GLORY)
     Light

  • I Love America
     A Musical by John W. Peterson & Don Wyrtzen
     • IT’S TIME TO PRAY
     Singcord /Zondervan

  • The Imperials
     • SAIL ON
     • ONE MORE SONG FOR YOU
     • OH BUDDHA
     DaySpring /Word

  • Nancy Honeytree
     • MARANATHA MARATHON
     Myrrh /Word

 ‘50s & 60s  •  ‘70s  •   ‘80s  •   ‘90s  •   ‘00s


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80s Christian music timeline


  • 1970
    • The Rodeheaver Company  is acquired by Word.

    1971
    • The Everlastin’ Livin’ Jesus Music Concert  album is released by Maranatha! Music.
    The Everlastin'’ Livin’ Jesus Music Concert
  • 1972
    • Explo ‘72 —a Jesus Music festival in Dallas—attracts a crowd of 80,000. Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge, Danny Lee , and Dallas Cowboy’s quarterback Roger Staubach are among those appearing.
    Explo 72 Life Magazine Cover
  • 1972
    • Myrrh Records  is founded by Billy Ray Hearn as Word's Jesus Music label.

    • Tell It Like It Is , the musical by Ralph Carmichael and Kurt Kaiser, is aired by NBC-TV in prime time.

    • Word, Inc. , sales of records, music and books hits $10 million.
  • 1972
    • Lamb & Lion Records  is founded by Pat Boone   to specialize in the new songs of the Jesus People.
    Pat Boone
  • 1973
    • So Long Joey — the Dave Boyer Story — is released by Gospel Films, Inc.

    • Supreme Productions  is sold by Paul Mickelson to Zondervan.
  • 1974
    • Tony Fontane  — a former pop singer who received Christ into his life and became a Gospel singer after a near fatal car accident in 1957 — dies from prostate cancer at age 48.
  • 1975

    • Word Records  is sold to ABC.

    • Bob MacKenzie  leaves Benson to partner with Bill Gaither in a new venture (BSNPubs.com).

    • Paragon Associates  is formed by Bill Gaither and Bob MacKenzie.

    • NewPax  is formed by Gary S. Paxton (BSNPubs.com).
  • 1976
    • B.J. Thomas almost dies from a cocaine overdose, receives Christ, kicks the drug habit, and records his first Christian album, Home Where I Belong.
    Home Where I Belong - B.J. Thomas - LP
  • 1976
    • Billy Ray Hearn founds Sparrow Records in Los Angeles. Artists include Kieth Green, The 2nd Chapter of Acts, John Michael Talbot.

    1977
    • Elvis Presley  dies at age 42.
    Elvis Presley  Elvis Presley
  • 1978
    • Amy Grant’s self-titled debut album is released by Word/Myrrh.
    Amy Grant debut album
  • 1978
    • The Gospel Music Association (GMA) Dove Awards  begin to include contemporary Christian music genres, not just Southern Gospel.
    •   Dion DiMucci — the Wanderer — comes home as the Good News of God’s Grace becomes a reality in his life.
    Dion DiMucci
  • 1978
    • Evie Karlsson is immensely popular in the inspirational and adult contempoary Christian music categories in the decades of the 70s and early 80s and wins Dove awards in 1977 and 1978 for Female Vocalist of the Year.
    Evie
  • 1979
    • Bob Dylan’s Slow Train Coming album is released.
    Slow Train Coming - Bob Dylan
• • •
ARTIST PHOTOS TOP OF PAGE (L-R):
Andraé Crouch & the Disciples, arranger /conductor /composer Paul Johnson, Carol Lawrence, arranger /conductor /composer Ralph Carmichael,
the Hawaiians (Mark & Diane), Dion DiMucci, Evie Karlsson, B.J. Thomas, Debby Boone, Pat Boone, Cynthia Clawson, Dallas Holm,
Bill & Gloria Gaither, Cliff Richard, the Lang Sisters with Paul Mickelson, Dave Boyer, Jimmy & Carol Owens.
• • •
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