The Happy Goodman Family
Encyclopedia
The Happy Goodman Family was a Southern Gospel
group founded in the 1940s by Howard "Happy" Goodman.
The Happy Goodman Family began to be known for their singing around 1950. During the 1940s and 1950s there were various combinations of all eight brothers and sisters, with Howard being constant. Brother Sam pulled a stint in the Air Force while Brother Bobby was a truck driver and played for some rock and roll bands. Brother Rusty pulled a stint in service as well as singing with The Plainsmen Quartet afterwards. Howard married, and soon his wife Vestal joined the group as well. After all the sisters married, Howard and Vestal went into evangelistic work. Soon Sam joined them again followed by Rusty in 1962 and Bobby on bass guitar not long afterwards.
got them in front of promoters who in turn booked them across the country. In 1964, they were asked to become one of the flagship groups for a new Southern Gospel program called The Gospel Singing Jubilee along with The Florida Boys, Dixie Echoes
, and The Couriers Quartet. This program soon became one of the most popular gospel music programs and would run for over twenty years. The Goodmans would soon become one of the most popular groups on the program, and would remain so for ten years till they left to start their own TV program the Happy Goodman Family Hour. The Goodmans also had a short lived program called "Down Home with The Happy Goodman Family". The weekly TV exposure allowed The Happy Goodman Family to take the nation by storm. They quickly became America's favorite singing family.
Their first full length recording was "I’m Too Near Home", initially released in 1963 and later re-released on Canaan
/Word Records
in 1965. In 1968, they were honored with a Grammy Award
for their 1967 album "The Happy Gospel of the Happy Goodmans". Ten years later, they received another Grammy for "Refreshing".
The Goodmans had a list of hit songs a mile wide. Many of the songs they introduced to gospel music are now considered classics. Songs such as "I Wouldn't Take Nothing For My Journey Now", "Who Am I?", "God Walks The Dark Hills", "Had It Not Been", "What A Beautiful Day For The Lord To Come Again", and many others will forever be part of gospel music and synonymous with the Happy Goodman Family.
The Goodmans broke new ground in gospel music during the 1960s and 1970s by implementing a live band and creating their own unique sound. It was during these years that they developed their now classic "grab a note and hang on" endings. Sam's humorous emcee work, Howard's showmanship at the piano, Rusty's songwriting, and Vestal's hairdos,white handkerchiefs, and powerful singing voice all rose to a new prominence. Tenor Johnny Cook joined the group for a while in 1974 and Rusty's daughter Tanya was added in 1976.
.
events. Their last project was appropriately titled "The Final Stand (2001)". In 2002, a biographical video titled More Than The Music...Life Story chronicled the history of the Happy Goodmans. It is preceded by O Happy Day, a biography written by Jamie Buckingham (1973). O Happy Day is an early telling of the Happy Goodman Family in stories recalled by members of the Goodman family. Vestal wrote her autobiography titled "Vestal! Lord I Wouldn't Take Nothin' for My Journey Now"(1999) and released a number of solo projects before her death in 2003, including two "Vestal and Friends" CDs featuring duets with a diverse array of vocalists, including George Jones
, Sandi Patty
, Dolly Parton
, Andre` Crouch, Wynnona Judd, Bill and Gloria Gaither, Newsboys
and the love of her life Howard Goodman.
The group recorded 15 number-one singles and played over 3,500 shows. They were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame
in 1998.
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 founded in the 1940s by Howard "Happy" Goodman.
The Happy Goodman Family began to be known for their singing around 1950. During the 1940s and 1950s there were various combinations of all eight brothers and sisters, with Howard being constant. Brother Sam pulled a stint in the Air Force while Brother Bobby was a truck driver and played for some rock and roll bands. Brother Rusty pulled a stint in service as well as singing with The Plainsmen Quartet afterwards. Howard married, and soon his wife Vestal joined the group as well. After all the sisters married, Howard and Vestal went into evangelistic work. Soon Sam joined them again followed by Rusty in 1962 and Bobby on bass guitar not long afterwards.
History
The fame of the Happy Goodmans grew considerably in the early-1960s. Appearances at the National Quartet ConventionNational Quartet Convention
The National Quartet Convention is an annual gathering of Southern Gospel quartets and musicians. It is currently held at Freedom Hall on the grounds of the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky.-History:...
got them in front of promoters who in turn booked them across the country. In 1964, they were asked to become one of the flagship groups for a new Southern Gospel program called The Gospel Singing Jubilee along with The Florida Boys, Dixie Echoes
Dixie Echoes
The Dixie Echoes are a professional Southern Gospel quartet based in Pensacola, FL.-History:They got their start in 1960 by JG Whitfield. Whitfield, only just a couple of years earlier, had yielded his bass singing role of the Florida Boys to spend more time at home...
, and The Couriers Quartet. This program soon became one of the most popular gospel music programs and would run for over twenty years. The Goodmans would soon become one of the most popular groups on the program, and would remain so for ten years till they left to start their own TV program the Happy Goodman Family Hour. The Goodmans also had a short lived program called "Down Home with The Happy Goodman Family". The weekly TV exposure allowed The Happy Goodman Family to take the nation by storm. They quickly became America's favorite singing family.
Their first full length recording was "I’m Too Near Home", initially released in 1963 and later re-released on Canaan
Canaan Records
Canaan Records is a Christian record label and is a subsidiary of Word Entertainment. It started in 1965 by founder Marvin Norcross as a vehicle for the label's Southern Gospel quartets. Their biggest artist to date is that of the Legendary Happy Goodman Family...
/Word Records
Word Records
Word Records is a Christian record label based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a division of Word Entertainment , which, itself is co-owned by Warner Music Group and Curb Records...
in 1965. In 1968, they were honored with a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for their 1967 album "The Happy Gospel of the Happy Goodmans". Ten years later, they received another Grammy for "Refreshing".
The Goodmans had a list of hit songs a mile wide. Many of the songs they introduced to gospel music are now considered classics. Songs such as "I Wouldn't Take Nothing For My Journey Now", "Who Am I?", "God Walks The Dark Hills", "Had It Not Been", "What A Beautiful Day For The Lord To Come Again", and many others will forever be part of gospel music and synonymous with the Happy Goodman Family.
The Goodmans broke new ground in gospel music during the 1960s and 1970s by implementing a live band and creating their own unique sound. It was during these years that they developed their now classic "grab a note and hang on" endings. Sam's humorous emcee work, Howard's showmanship at the piano, Rusty's songwriting, and Vestal's hairdos,white handkerchiefs, and powerful singing voice all rose to a new prominence. Tenor Johnny Cook joined the group for a while in 1974 and Rusty's daughter Tanya was added in 1976.
Separate paths
Around 1980, creative differences about musical style caused a division in the family. The musical landscape of Christian music was expanding considerably at this time, and Howard and Vestal wanted to maintain their traditional sound. Rusty, Sam, and Tanya wanted to take the group in a more contemporary direction. Ultimately, Howard and Vestal decided to leave the group, making what would become one of their best albums. Rusty, Sam, and Tanya carried on with Johnny Cook returning at tenor. Michael English joined them a couple of years later singing lead. Michael left The Goodmans, a short time after joining, to sing with The Singing AmericansSinging Americans
The Singing Americans was a Southern Gospel group based in Maiden, North Carolina. They are best known for being a stepping stone to popular singers, such as Mark Flaker Ivan Parker , Danny Funderburk , Clayton Inman , David Sutton , Michael English The Singing Americans was a Southern Gospel...
.
Reunion
Aside from a one time performance at the 1984 National Quartet Convention by Sam, Rusty, Howard and Vestal, the Happy Goodmans did not sing together from 1984 to 1990. In 1990, news that Rusty had been diagnosed with cancer prompted the family to record a project together called "The Reunion". Although they initially planned to tour in support of the project, Rusty's health deteriorated rapidly. He died in November 1990. Sam followed his brother in death the next year. "The Reunion" was regarded as their best album ever.The final stand
In 1996, Howard and Vestal were joined on vocals by former Happy Goodman band member Johnny Minick. As a trio, they brought back the Happy Goodman name to the delight of fans. Several projects were released over the next five years and they were regular fixtures at Gaither HomecomingGaither 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...
events. Their last project was appropriately titled "The Final Stand (2001)". In 2002, a biographical video titled More Than The Music...Life Story chronicled the history of the Happy Goodmans. It is preceded by O Happy Day, a biography written by Jamie Buckingham (1973). O Happy Day is an early telling of the Happy Goodman Family in stories recalled by members of the Goodman family. Vestal wrote her autobiography titled "Vestal! Lord I Wouldn't Take Nothin' for My Journey Now"(1999) and released a number of solo projects before her death in 2003, including two "Vestal and Friends" CDs featuring duets with a diverse array of vocalists, including George Jones
George Jones
George Glenn Jones is an American country music singer known for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette....
, Sandi Patty
Sandi Patty
Sandra Faye "Sandi" Patty is an American Christian music singer. For many years she was known as Sandi Patti. She has been dubbed "The Voice" by critics, because of her wide range and flexibility.-Early life:...
, Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
, Andre` Crouch, Wynnona Judd, Bill and Gloria Gaither, Newsboys
Newsboys
Newsboys are a Christian pop rock band founded in 1985 in Mooloolaba, Australia. They have released 15 studio albums, six of which have been certified gold...
and the love of her life Howard Goodman.
The group recorded 15 number-one singles and played over 3,500 shows. They were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame
Gospel Music Hall of Fame
The Gospel Music Hall of Fame, created in 1971 by the Gospel Music Association, is a Hall of Fame dedicated exclusively to recognizing meaningful contributions by individuals and groups in all forms of gospel music.-Inductees:...
in 1998.
Awards
The Goodmans popularity grew so much that a category had to be created in the Grammy Awards for Gospel Music. In 1968 The Goodmans won the first Grammy for a Gospel album by a Gospel group, no other artist or group had garnered this achievement. The Goodmans also won the same award in 1978. In 1969 with the founding of the Gospel Music Association and the Dove Awards the Goodmans were honored that year too. Vestal was the first Female Vocalist of the Year for the 1969 Dove Awards; she set a standard that few can reach for that category. The Goodmans were remembered year after year when it came time to nominate for awards.Discography
| 1963–1964 (SIMS Records) |
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| 1965–1983
(Canaan Records) |
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| 1990
(WORD Records) |
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| 1997–2000
(Spring Hill Records) |
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| 2000
(Pamplin Entertainment) |
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| 2001
(Crowne/Spring Hill) |
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| 1985 (WORD Records) |
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|---|---|---|
| 1994
(Arrival/K-Tel) |
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| 1996
(Crowne Music Group) |
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| 2000
(WORD Records) |
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| 2003
(New Haven Records) |
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Complete list of group members
This list begins with the date of their first full length recording.- Howard Goodman 1963–1980, 1990, 1996–2002
- Vestal GoodmanVestal GoodmanVestal Goodman was a singer who performed in the Southern Gospel genre for more than half a century. She is known both as a solo performer and as a founding member of official The Happy Goodman Family, the first was actually her husband and his brothers and sisters, one of the pioneering groups in...
1963–1980, 1990, 1996–2002 - Sam Goodman 1963–1983, 1990
- Rusty Goodman 1963–1983, 1990
- Bobby Goodman 1965-1971
- Johnny Cook 1974–1975, 1978, 1980–1983
- Johnny Minick 1975-1977 (pianist/BGVs), 1996–2002 (vocalist)
- Tanya Goodman Sykes 1976–1977, 1980–1983
- Michael English 1982-1983
Band Members (By Category)
- Howard Goodman 1963-1971 (pianist, vocalist)
- Eddie Crook 1971–1975, 1978-1982 (pianist)
- Johnny Minick 1975-1977 (pianist)
- Aaron Wilburn 1972-1974 (rhythm guitar, soloist)
- Jack Smith 1971-1974 (steel guitar)
- Gary Dee 1975-1976 (steel guitar)
- Steve "Rabbit" Easter 1977–1979, 1981-1982 (steel guitar,banjo,and dobro)
- Benny Johnson 1980 (steel guitar)
- Ricky Goodman 1970s-1980 (drummer)
- Bruce Droit 1980-1982 (drummer)
- Dwayne Friend 1965 (guitarist)
- Ernie Maxwell 1966-1970 (guitarist)
- Jim "Duke" Dumas 1972-1974 (guitarist)
- Jeff Chambers 1975-1977 (guitarist)
- Bobby Goodman 1965-1971 (bass guitar, soloist)
- Larry Strzelecki 1972-1977 (bass guitar)
- Joey Maxwell 1977-1978 (bass guitar)
- Keith Moore 1978 (bass guitar)
- Jeff Ross 1980 (bass guitar)
- James Gordon Freeze 1980-1982 (bass guitar)