Squire Parsons
Encyclopedia
Squire Enos Parsons, Jr. (born April 4, 1948), is a Southern Gospel
singer and songwriter
. He was born in Newton
, West Virginia
, to Squire and Maysel Parsons, and was introduced to music by his father, who was a choir director and deacon at Newton Baptist
Church. Squire's father taught him to sing using shaped notes.
in music from West Virginia University Institute of Technology
in Montgomery
, where he was trained on the piano
and bassoon
. Following graduation, he accepted a teaching position at Hannan High School in Mason county
, West Virginia, and served as music directors of various churches.
During this period he wrote "Sweet Beulah Land
," his signature song.
He joined the Kingsmen Quartet
as a baritone
in 1975 and toured with them for four years before embarking on a solo career.
In 1979, Squire Parsons was ordained as a minister at Trinity Baptist Church in Asheveille
, North Carolina
. He has written more than eight hundred Southern Gospel songs, with nearly five hundred being published and recorded.
Among his most popular compositions are "The Master of the Sea," "Walk On", "He Came to Me," "I Call it Home," "I Sing Because," and "I'm Not Giving Up."
He appeared in the Little Rock
Crusade
with Billy Graham
and performed with the Gaither Homecoming Choir
.
He currently performs as the lead singer of The Squire Parsons Trio, and lives in Leicester
, North Carolina, with his wife Linda.
His songs have been recorded by Brian Free, Gaither Vocal Band
, Gold City
, Ivan Parker
, Kingdom Heirs
, the Blackwood Brothers
, The Cathedrals, The Florida Boys, The Greenes, The Hoppers
, The Kingsmen Quartet
, The Statesmen, The Sugar Creek Quartet, among others.
.
He has won the Singing News Fan Award
for favorite male singer
in 1988. He won a Singing News Fan Award for Favorite Songwriter
in 1986, 1992, 1993, 1994, and 1995. He won the Singing News Fan Award for Favorite Baritone
in 1986 and 1987.
"Sweet Beulah Land" won the Singing News Fan Awards for song of the year
in 1981.
He has also been awarded an honorary doctorate from his alma mater
. He makes public appearances at churches across the country, both large and small.
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...
singer and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
. He was born in Newton
Newton, West Virginia
Newton is an unincorporated community in Roane County, West Virginia, United States. Newton is located on West Virginia Route 36 northeast of Clendenin. Newton has a post office with ZIP code 25266....
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, to Squire and Maysel Parsons, and was introduced to music by his father, who was a choir director and deacon at Newton Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Church. Squire's father taught him to sing using shaped notes.
Musical career
In 1970, Parsons earned a Bachelor of ScienceBachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in music from West Virginia University Institute of Technology
West Virginia University Institute of Technology
West Virginia University Institute of Technology is a four-year college located in Montgomery, West Virginia, United States. It is the largest regional campus of West Virginia University and is separately accredited from the main campus of WVU in Morgantown...
in Montgomery
Montgomery, West Virginia
Montgomery is a city in West Virginia, along the Kanawha River. Most of the city is in Fayette County, with the remainder in Kanawha County. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,942 ....
, where he was trained on the 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...
and bassoon
Bassoon
The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band and chamber music literature...
. Following graduation, he accepted a teaching position at Hannan High School in Mason county
Mason County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 25,957 people, 10,587 households, and 7,569 families residing in the county. The population density was 60 people per square mile . There were 12,056 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...
, West Virginia, and served as music directors of various churches.
During this period he wrote "Sweet Beulah Land
Sweet Beulah Land
The Southern gospel song Sweet Beulah Land, was written and composed by Squire Parsons in 1973. Parsons recorded it in 1979. It became the number one Southern Gospel single and received the Singing News Fan Awards for Song of the Year in 1981...
," his signature song.
He joined the Kingsmen Quartet
Kingsmen Quartet
The Kingsmen Quartet is an American Christian music group.-Musical career:The Kingsmen are a Southern Gospel vocal quartet based out of Asheville, North Carolina. Many legends of Southern Gospel have been members of The Kingsmen...
as a baritone
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
in 1975 and toured with them for four years before embarking on a solo career.
In 1979, Squire Parsons was ordained as a minister at Trinity Baptist Church in Asheveille
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 11th largest city in North Carolina. The City is home to the United States National Climatic Data Center , which is the world's largest active...
, 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...
. He has written more than eight hundred Southern Gospel songs, with nearly five hundred being published and recorded.
Among his most popular compositions are "The Master of the Sea," "Walk On", "He Came to Me," "I Call it Home," "I Sing Because," and "I'm Not Giving Up."
He appeared in the Little Rock
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
Crusade
Revival meeting
A revival meeting is a series of Christian religious services held in order to inspire active members of a church body, to raise funds and to gain new converts...
with Billy Graham
Billy Graham
William Franklin "Billy" Graham, Jr. is an American evangelical Christian evangelist. As of April 25, 2010, when he met with Barack Obama, Graham has spent personal time with twelve United States Presidents dating back to Harry S. Truman, and is number seven on Gallup's list of admired people for...
and performed with the Gaither Homecoming Choir
Gaither Homecoming
Gaither Homecoming is the name applied to a series of videos, music recordings and concerts, which are organized, promoted and usually presented by Christian music songwriter and impresario Bill Gaither...
.
He currently performs as the lead singer of The Squire Parsons Trio, and lives in Leicester
Leicester, North Carolina
Leicester is an unincorporated community in Buncombe County, North Carolina ; although incorporating was proposed in 2007, the proposal never passed. Leicester is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2007, Leicester population is 12,514 people...
, North Carolina, with his wife Linda.
His songs have been recorded by Brian Free, Gaither Vocal Band
Gaither Vocal Band
The Gaither Vocal Band is a Grammy award-winning Christian music vocal group, headed by Bill Gaither. They originally recorded contemporary Christian music, but after the popularity of the Gaither Homecoming videos, the group has become known for southern gospel.-Group history:The Gaither Vocal...
, Gold City
Gold City
Gold City is an American Christian music group that is based in Gadsden, Alabama.-Early years:The Mississippi-based Christianairs were renamed Gold City in Dahlonega, Georgia at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve to begin the year 1980 with bass Dallas Gilliland, tenor Bob Oliver, lead singer...
, Ivan Parker
Ivan Parker
-Musical career:Ivan Parker was raised in Sanford, North Carolina, where his father was a pastor in a Pentecostal church. In 1982, Parker joined the Singing Americans, and in 1983 he became lead vocalist of the Dove Award-winning group the Gold City Quartet...
, Kingdom Heirs
Kingdom Heirs
The Kingdom Heirs Quartet are a Southern Gospel quartet based at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.-Musical career:The Kingdom Heirs perform multiple shows daily at Dollywood during the months that the park is open. While the park is closed, they tour just like any other group. The group has...
, 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:...
, The Cathedrals, The Florida Boys, The Greenes, The Hoppers
The Hoppers
The Hoppers are a Southern Gospel group from North Carolina.The Hoppers are a family ensemble which first began performing together in 1957. They appeared at the inauguration ceremony for Ronald Reagan in 1981...
, The Kingsmen Quartet
The Kingsmen Quartet
The Kingsmen Quartet is an American Christian music group.-Musical career:The Kingsmen are a Southern Gospel vocal quartet based out of Asheville, North Carolina. Many legends of Southern Gospel have been members of The Kingsmen...
, The Statesmen, The Sugar Creek Quartet, among others.
Awards
Parsons was nominated for a Dove Award in 1999 for contributing to tribute album to Dottie RamboDottie Rambo
Dottie Rambo was an American gospel singer and songwriter. She was a Grammy and multiple Dove Award-winning artist. Rambo, along with husband Buck and daughter Reba, formed the award-winning southern Gospel group, The Rambos...
.
He has won the Singing News Fan Award
Singing News Fan Awards
The Singing News Fan Awards is an annual award ceremony held on the Saturday night program of the National Quartet Convention and honors the achievements of professional Southern Gospel artists, songwriters and DJ's.-Award Selection:...
for favorite male singer
Singing News Fan Awards for Favorite Male Singer
The Favorite Male Singer award is awarded yearly in the Singing News Fan Awards ceremony to honor the vocalist fans select as their favorite that year.-History:...
in 1988. He won a Singing News Fan Award for Favorite Songwriter
Singing News Fan Awards for Favorite Songwriter
The Favorite Songwriter award is given out during the annual Singing News Fan Awards to honor the fans' favorite songwriter who has written songs that have charted during the previous year on the Singing News Radio Airplay chart...
in 1986, 1992, 1993, 1994, and 1995. He won the Singing News Fan Award for Favorite Baritone
Singing News Fan Awards for Favorite Baritone
The Favorite Baritone award is awarded yearly in the Singing News Fan Awards ceremony to honor the singer Singing News magazine readers select as their favorite baritone that year.- Honorees :* 1971: Glen Allred, Florida Boys...
in 1986 and 1987.
"Sweet Beulah Land" won the Singing News Fan Awards for song of the year
Singing News Fan Awards for Song of the Year
The Song of the Year award is awarded yearly in the Singing News Fan Awards ceremony to honor the song Singing News magazine readers select as their favorite that year....
in 1981.
He has also been awarded an honorary doctorate from his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
. He makes public appearances at churches across the country, both large and small.
Selected discography
- Heavenly Country (1990)
- Christmas At Calvary: Christmas With Squire Parsons (1991)
- One Voice in the Wilderness (1992)
- High Country (1993)
- The Horizon Collection: Volume I (1993)
- 20 Favorites (1995)
- Dancing Shoes (1995)
- Come Let Us Worship
- He Found Me (1999)
- Silver Anniversary Collection (1999)
- Southern Gospel Soloists (1999)
- We Shall Get Home (2000)