Klaudt Indian Family
Encyclopedia
The Klaudt Indian Family was a professional southern gospel
group. They were noted as being one of the most diverse groups to ever travel the gospel music
circuits.
Reverend Reinhold Klaudt was a German
cattleman who married Lillian White Corn Little Soldier of the Arikara-Mandan
tribe of Indians. She was a direct descendant of one of General Custer's scouts at the Battle of Little Big Horn and also a descendant of Chief Sitting Bull. Their story began on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in North Dakota
. Together, they raised a family dedicated to spreading the gospel through song.
Originally from "the badlands of North Dakota," the Klaudt Indian Family traveled the countryside spreading the gospel. The Klaudts were members of the Church of God
, and the Klaudts desired for their children to be educated in that faith at the Bible Training School in Cleveland, Tennessee
. All of the children received their formal education there, where they expanded their musical abilities. The family consisted of Vernon, Melvin, Raymond, and Ken and their sister Ramona.
The Klaudt Indian Family began performing with Mom and Dad Klaudt, Vernon, Ramona, and Melvin. The other siblings joined the group as the years passed. Dad Klaudt left the performing group after several years to concentrate on being the business manager for the group.
The Klaudts settled in the Atlanta area and soon began traveling across the country holding revival services and singing in gospel concerts. The Klaudt Indian Family featured various instruments in their program including the upright bass, trumpet
, tenor saxophone
, baritone saxophone
, trombone
, and piano
. Their music had a jazz
flavor that helped open doors to the group previously unknown to the typical gospel quartet
. They were also one of the first gospel singing aggregations to use a custom designed motor coach in their travels and also used semi-trucks to haul tent equipment that would expand to a seating capacity of 3,000.
The gospel music audiences in the early years must have been taken aback at the performances of the Klaudt Indian Family. While all the other groups in gospel music were using only a piano for their accompaniment, the Klaudts would showcase their music with strings and horns. Not only did their instrumentation set them apart from the norm, but they often performed in elaborate Native American
costumes. This unique presentation allowed them to appear in many venues across the country. They quickly became a fixture on the Wally Fowler All Night Singing programs.
It has been said that the Klaudt Indian Family was the first nationally known gospel music group, due to their engagements throughout the country. In addition to gospel concerts and church venues, they played engagements in Las Vegas
, state fair
s, professional sports games, and theme parks. In their heyday, they would typically play more than 400 dates a year.
In addition to their singing, the Klaudt Indian Family also had their own recording label. They recorded several other gospel groups on their Family Tone label, and published sheet music and song folios to distribute to the gospel music community.
The Klaudt Indian Family demonstrated their versatility in their musical arrangements as they would perform in various aggregations including a male quartet, mixed trio, male trio, duets, solos, and instrumentals in their programs and on their recordings. Solos by Mom Klaudt backed by her boys highlighted each Klaudt Indian Family performance.
Television was a vital part in the growing popularity of the Klaudt Indian Family. They were fixtures on the syndicated program, Bob Poole's Gospel Favorites.
The Klaudt Indian Family traveled as a group for more than five decades before retiring in the early 1980s. The Klaudts came out of retirement to perform for the last time on the stage of the Grand Ole Gospel Reunion in 1996 which featured Mom Klaudt at age 90. Mom Klaudt died in March 2001 and Dad died about four months later. Mrs. Klaudt was inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame in 2004. Most of her family was there to share in this honor.
According to the website SoGospelNews.com, Vernon Klaudt, the oldest remaining member of the Klaudt Indian Family died September 9, 2006 At 4:45 PM. Vernon succumbed to the disease of cancer that wracked his body for over eight years. During his last months he found time to travel in and around Atlanta, Georgia. His last ministerial effort was to raise the necessary monies to pay the 2006-2007 winter heat bill for the Fort Berthold Reservation's Indian Mission. This mission was very close to the heart of Vernon, for many of his immediate and extended Indian family received their salvation experience in this little mission.
The siblings are all still living and involved in various business ventures. They continue to keep the ministry of the Klaudt Indian Family alive. They have established the Klaudt Indian Memorial Foundation to fund scholarships through Lee University
in Cleveland, Tennessee
and the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
in New Orleans, Louisiana. The purpose of the scholarships is to honor the heritage and legacy of Mom and Dad Klaudt and to promote the teaching of gospel music to a new generation.
On November 24, 2007, the Klaudt Indian Family was inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame and "Lillian Little Soldier Klaudt" was inducted into the Southern Gospel Museum and Hall of Fame
.
On August 24, 2008 the Klaudt Indian Family received the "Lifetime Achievement Award" presented by the Atlanta Society of Entertainers.
During the year of 2010, The Klaudt Indian Family, through their 501 (c) 3 Public Charity, the "Klaudt Indian Memorial Foundation" is producing a TV Ministry. The TV Ministry entitled, Just Keep Singing, is presently viewed through several TV outlets in Georgia. The TV program is produced in the studios of TV 57 WATC Atlanta Georgia. Melvin Klaudt, host of the program uses, not only the Klaudts videos, but also features many of the legendary groups of the past along with several of the present day Southern Gospel Groups.
Southern Gospel
Southern Gospel music—at one time also known as "quartet music"—is music whose lyrics are written to express either personal or a communal faith regarding biblical teachings and Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music...
group. They were noted as being one of the most diverse groups to ever travel the 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....
circuits.
Reverend Reinhold Klaudt was a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
cattleman who married Lillian White Corn Little Soldier of the Arikara-Mandan
Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation
Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation, also known as the Three Affiliated Tribes, are a Native American group comprising a union of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara peoples, whose native lands ranged across the Missouri River basin in the Dakotas...
tribe of Indians. She was a direct descendant of one of General Custer's scouts at the Battle of Little Big Horn and also a descendant of Chief Sitting Bull. Their story began on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
. Together, they raised a family dedicated to spreading the gospel through song.
Originally from "the badlands of North Dakota," the Klaudt Indian Family traveled the countryside spreading the gospel. The Klaudts were members of the Church of God
Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee)
The Church of God, with headquarters in Cleveland, Tennessee, is a Pentecostal Christian denomination. With over seven million members in over 170 countries, it is one of the largest Pentecostal denominations in the world...
, and the Klaudts desired for their children to be educated in that faith at the Bible Training School in Cleveland, Tennessee
Cleveland, Tennessee
Cleveland is a city in Bradley County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 41,285 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Bradley County...
. All of the children received their formal education there, where they expanded their musical abilities. The family consisted of Vernon, Melvin, Raymond, and Ken and their sister Ramona.
The Klaudt Indian Family began performing with Mom and Dad Klaudt, Vernon, Ramona, and Melvin. The other siblings joined the group as the years passed. Dad Klaudt left the performing group after several years to concentrate on being the business manager for the group.
The Klaudts settled in the Atlanta area and soon began traveling across the country holding revival services and singing in gospel concerts. The Klaudt Indian Family featured various instruments in their program including the upright bass, trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, tenor saxophone
Tenor saxophone
The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
, baritone saxophone
Baritone saxophone
The baritone saxophone, often called "bari sax" , is one of the largest and lowest pitched members of the saxophone family. It was invented by Adolphe Sax. The baritone is distinguished from smaller sizes of saxophone by the extra loop near its mouthpiece...
, trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
, and piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
. Their music had a jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
flavor that helped open doors to the group previously unknown to the typical gospel quartet
Quartet
In music, a quartet is a method of instrumentation , used to perform a musical composition, and consisting of four parts.-Western art music:...
. They were also one of the first gospel singing aggregations to use a custom designed motor coach in their travels and also used semi-trucks to haul tent equipment that would expand to a seating capacity of 3,000.
The gospel music audiences in the early years must have been taken aback at the performances of the Klaudt Indian Family. While all the other groups in gospel music were using only a piano for their accompaniment, the Klaudts would showcase their music with strings and horns. Not only did their instrumentation set them apart from the norm, but they often performed in elaborate Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
costumes. This unique presentation allowed them to appear in many venues across the country. They quickly became a fixture on the Wally Fowler All Night Singing programs.
It has been said that the Klaudt Indian Family was the first nationally known gospel music group, due to their engagements throughout the country. In addition to gospel concerts and church venues, they played engagements in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, state fair
State fair
A state fair is a competitive and recreational gathering of a U.S. state's population. It is a larger version of a county fair, often including only exhibits or competitors that have won in their categories at the more-local county fairs....
s, professional sports games, and theme parks. In their heyday, they would typically play more than 400 dates a year.
In addition to their singing, the Klaudt Indian Family also had their own recording label. They recorded several other gospel groups on their Family Tone label, and published sheet music and song folios to distribute to the gospel music community.
The Klaudt Indian Family demonstrated their versatility in their musical arrangements as they would perform in various aggregations including a male quartet, mixed trio, male trio, duets, solos, and instrumentals in their programs and on their recordings. Solos by Mom Klaudt backed by her boys highlighted each Klaudt Indian Family performance.
Television was a vital part in the growing popularity of the Klaudt Indian Family. They were fixtures on the syndicated program, Bob Poole's Gospel Favorites.
The Klaudt Indian Family traveled as a group for more than five decades before retiring in the early 1980s. The Klaudts came out of retirement to perform for the last time on the stage of the Grand Ole Gospel Reunion in 1996 which featured Mom Klaudt at age 90. Mom Klaudt died in March 2001 and Dad died about four months later. Mrs. Klaudt was inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame in 2004. Most of her family was there to share in this honor.
According to the website SoGospelNews.com, Vernon Klaudt, the oldest remaining member of the Klaudt Indian Family died September 9, 2006 At 4:45 PM. Vernon succumbed to the disease of cancer that wracked his body for over eight years. During his last months he found time to travel in and around Atlanta, Georgia. His last ministerial effort was to raise the necessary monies to pay the 2006-2007 winter heat bill for the Fort Berthold Reservation's Indian Mission. This mission was very close to the heart of Vernon, for many of his immediate and extended Indian family received their salvation experience in this little mission.
The siblings are all still living and involved in various business ventures. They continue to keep the ministry of the Klaudt Indian Family alive. They have established the Klaudt Indian Memorial Foundation to fund scholarships through Lee University
Lee University
Lee University is an American accredited, private, four-year liberal arts college located in Cleveland, Tennessee, United States. It is historically affiliated with the Church of God, a Pentecostal denomination, and was the denomination's Bible Training School from 1918 until 1947, when the name...
in Cleveland, Tennessee
Cleveland, Tennessee
Cleveland is a city in Bradley County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 41,285 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Bradley County...
and the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
The New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary is a private, non-profit institution of higher learning affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, located in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. It was the first institution created as a direct act of the Southern Baptist Convention. Missions...
in New Orleans, Louisiana. The purpose of the scholarships is to honor the heritage and legacy of Mom and Dad Klaudt and to promote the teaching of gospel music to a new generation.
On November 24, 2007, the Klaudt Indian Family was inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame and "Lillian Little Soldier Klaudt" was inducted into the Southern Gospel Museum and 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...
.
On August 24, 2008 the Klaudt Indian Family received the "Lifetime Achievement Award" presented by the Atlanta Society of Entertainers.
During the year of 2010, The Klaudt Indian Family, through their 501 (c) 3 Public Charity, the "Klaudt Indian Memorial Foundation" is producing a TV Ministry. The TV Ministry entitled, Just Keep Singing, is presently viewed through several TV outlets in Georgia. The TV program is produced in the studios of TV 57 WATC Atlanta Georgia. Melvin Klaudt, host of the program uses, not only the Klaudts videos, but also features many of the legendary groups of the past along with several of the present day Southern Gospel Groups.