Skylite
Encyclopedia
Skylite is a Memphis
based gospel music
label started by The Statesmen Quartet and The Blackwood Brothers
in 1959. Along with The Blackwood Brothers and The Statesmen Quartet, Skylite signed, among others, The Speer Family
and the Oak Ridge Quartet (later renamed The Oak Ridge Boys
). In 1966, the Statesmen-Blackwood team sold the record company to a group of investors led by Joel Gentry.
(specifically when they switched to country music and the hit Elvira), many compilations were made with some of the material from their Skylite recordings. Even though Oak's baritone, William Lee Golden only appeared on two Skylite recordings, and Oak's lead, Duane Allen only appeared on part of one, and Oak's bass, Richard Sterban and Oaks tenor, Joe Bonsall appeared on none of these, these covers often showed the current group. Nonetheless, often the same songs are rehashed over several recordings while many others from this era are ignored. The Ken Gaub family recorded with Skylite in the early 1970s, and as Christian Rock began Eternity Express (one of the early groups) also made several records with this label.
Eventually the Sing Music Company, owned by The LeFevres
, was bought and merged with Skylite as Skylite-Sing.
The original masters are rumored to have been destroyed in a fire.
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
based gospel music
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
label started by The Statesmen Quartet and The Blackwood Brothers
The Blackwood Brothers
The Blackwood Brothers Quartet are an eight-time Grammy award-winning American Southern Gospel group. They have been around for 76 years, and were pioneers in the Christian music industry.-Musical career:...
in 1959. Along with The Blackwood Brothers and The Statesmen Quartet, Skylite signed, among others, The Speer Family
Speer Family
The Speer Family, a Southern Gospel family group, was founded in 1921 by George Thomas Speer , his wife Lena Speer, and his sister and brother-in-law Pearl and Logan Claborn.-Early years:...
and the Oak Ridge Quartet (later renamed The Oak Ridge Boys
The Oak Ridge Boys
The Oak Ridge Boys are an American country and gospel vocal quartet.The group was founded in the 1940s as the Oak Ridge Quartet. They became popular in southern gospel during the 1950s...
). In 1966, the Statesmen-Blackwood team sold the record company to a group of investors led by Joel Gentry.
History
Amidst the popularity of The Oak Ridge BoysThe Oak Ridge Boys
The Oak Ridge Boys are an American country and gospel vocal quartet.The group was founded in the 1940s as the Oak Ridge Quartet. They became popular in southern gospel during the 1950s...
(specifically when they switched to country music and the hit Elvira), many compilations were made with some of the material from their Skylite recordings. Even though Oak's baritone, William Lee Golden only appeared on two Skylite recordings, and Oak's lead, Duane Allen only appeared on part of one, and Oak's bass, Richard Sterban and Oaks tenor, Joe Bonsall appeared on none of these, these covers often showed the current group. Nonetheless, often the same songs are rehashed over several recordings while many others from this era are ignored. The Ken Gaub family recorded with Skylite in the early 1970s, and as Christian Rock began Eternity Express (one of the early groups) also made several records with this label.
Eventually the Sing Music Company, owned by The LeFevres
The LeFevres
The LeFevres, or The Singing LeFevres, were an American Southern gospel singing group, active for nearly 50 years in the middle of the twentieth century....
, was bought and merged with Skylite as Skylite-Sing.
The original masters are rumored to have been destroyed in a fire.