J. Bazzel Mull
Encyclopedia
Jacob Bazzel Mull was a Christian
minister and religious broadcaster in East Tennessee
.
preacher in the 1800s. His parents and siblings had formed a Gospel music
group, The Valdese Sacred Band, and Mull played banjo
in the group as a child.
He had been legally blind since the age of 11 months, after an accidental fall into a fireplace
had damaged his eyesight. He memorized verses from the Bible
as someone read them aloud.
Mull began preaching in 1932. In 1939, Mull began preaching on radio stations in North Carolina
. In 1942 he began a Gospel music program on two AM radio stations in Knoxville, Tennessee
, WROL
and WNOX
. He later bought a FM station in Knoxville, WJBZ, which he nicknamed Praise 96.3. Mull syndicated the program on nighttime clear-channel megastation WWL 870 AM in New Orleans and consequently became known among nighttime truck drivers across the United States. Commonly he was master-of-ceremonies with his wife Elizabeth and used the familiar by-line "This is your old neighbour J. Bazzel [then her voice] and Mrs. Mull [back to his voice] with your Mull—M-U-L-L—Singing Convention." Recordings by The Chuck Wagon Gang were frequent. The Mulls also broadcast recordings by Jimmie Davis
, whom they habitually introduced as "twice Governor of the great State of Louisiana." Mull would solicit orders for the recordings, emphasizing that they were "pressed by Columbia
" and that his address was in KNOXville, Tennessee
, lest it be confused with the larger Nashville, which in the public mind was probably more identified with the musical style.
Mull branched into television in the 1950s. He hosted an hour-long Gospel music program, The Mull Singing Convention, on Knoxville television, first on WBIR-TV
and later on WVLT-TV
. Mull's Gospel music program was also broadcast in Chattanooga, Tennessee
, originally on WRGP-TV
when that station went on the air in 1956. Mull's show moved to WTVC
when it began broadcasting in 1959.
Mull was a staunch East Tennessee
Republican
who, in 1968, served as Tennessee media coordinator for Presidential candidate Richard Nixon. On 26 September 2006 Mull was eulogized on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives by John J. "Jimmy" Duncan Jr., who said that Mull's most famous line was "Ain't that right, Mrs. Mull?"
Mull was inducted into the Southern Gospel Hall of Fame
in 2003.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
minister and religious broadcaster in East Tennessee
East Tennessee
East Tennessee is a name given to approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee, one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. East Tennessee consists of 33 counties, 30 located within the Eastern Time Zone and three counties in the Central Time Zone, namely...
.
Biography
Mull was the grandson of Wallace B. Mull, a circuit ridingCircuit rider
Circuit rider is a term originating from the United States for any professional who travels a regular circuit of locations to provide services, and has several specific applications:...
preacher in the 1800s. His parents and siblings had formed a 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....
group, The Valdese Sacred Band, and Mull played banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
in the group as a child.
He had been legally blind since the age of 11 months, after an accidental fall into a fireplace
Fireplace
A fireplace is an architectural structure to contain a fire for heating and, especially historically, for cooking. A fire is contained in a firebox or firepit; a chimney or other flue allows gas and particulate exhaust to escape...
had damaged his eyesight. He memorized verses from the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
as someone read them aloud.
Mull began preaching in 1932. In 1939, Mull began preaching on radio stations in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. In 1942 he began a Gospel music program on two AM radio stations in Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
, WROL
WROL
-External links:*...
and WNOX
WNOX
WNOX is a radio station in the Knoxville, Tennessee area. It broadcasts a news-talk format.WNOX operates a 100,000-watt transmitter, located on Cross Mountain north of Briceville, Tennessee...
. He later bought a FM station in Knoxville, WJBZ, which he nicknamed Praise 96.3. Mull syndicated the program on nighttime clear-channel megastation WWL 870 AM in New Orleans and consequently became known among nighttime truck drivers across the United States. Commonly he was master-of-ceremonies with his wife Elizabeth and used the familiar by-line "This is your old neighbour J. Bazzel [then her voice] and Mrs. Mull [back to his voice] with your Mull—M-U-L-L—Singing Convention." Recordings by The Chuck Wagon Gang were frequent. The Mulls also broadcast recordings by Jimmie Davis
Jimmie Davis
James Houston Davis , better known as Jimmie Davis, was a noted singer of both sacred and popular songs who served two nonconsecutive terms as the 47th Governor of Louisiana...
, whom they habitually introduced as "twice Governor of the great State of Louisiana." Mull would solicit orders for the recordings, emphasizing that they were "pressed by Columbia
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
" and that his address was in KNOXville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
, lest it be confused with the larger Nashville, which in the public mind was probably more identified with the musical style.
Mull branched into television in the 1950s. He hosted an hour-long Gospel music program, The Mull Singing Convention, on Knoxville television, first on WBIR-TV
WBIR-TV
WBIR-TV, channel 10, is the NBC affiliate television station in Knoxville, Tennessee. The station is licensed to the Gannett Pacific Corporation, a subsidiary of the Gannett Company...
and later on WVLT-TV
WVLT-TV
WVLT-TV is the CBS television network affiliate station serving Knoxville, Tennessee, the 58th DMA in America according to Nielsen Media Research...
. Mull's Gospel music program was also broadcast in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
, originally on WRGP-TV
WRCB-TV
WRCB is an NBC affiliate television station based in Chattanooga, serving southeastern Tennessee, northwestern Georgia, northeastern Alabama, Southwestern North Carolina, and three Upstate South Carolina counties of Anderson, Oconee and Pickens...
when that station went on the air in 1956. Mull's show moved to WTVC
WTVC
WTVC is the ABC television affiliate in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 9 from a transmitter on Signal Mountain in the community of Walden...
when it began broadcasting in 1959.
Mull was a staunch East Tennessee
East Tennessee
East Tennessee is a name given to approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee, one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. East Tennessee consists of 33 counties, 30 located within the Eastern Time Zone and three counties in the Central Time Zone, namely...
Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
who, in 1968, served as Tennessee media coordinator for Presidential candidate Richard Nixon. On 26 September 2006 Mull was eulogized on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives by John J. "Jimmy" Duncan Jr., who said that Mull's most famous line was "Ain't that right, Mrs. Mull?"
Mull was inducted into the Southern Gospel Hall of Fame
Southern Gospel Museum and Hall of Fame
150px|right|thumb|Entrance.The Southern Gospel Museum and Hall of Fame is a site operated at Dollywood, in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, by the Southern Gospel Music Association. It was established in 1997...
in 2003.