SG History 101

Jun

2007

SG History 101 - J. Bazzel Mull

This month is another installment illustrating the fact that not all the key figures in the development of gospel music as we know it are singers or performers. But whether they sang, made records, wrote songs,promoted concerts, or whatever, their love for gospel music and their desire to take it to as many people as possible made them all gospel music heroes to those of us who still love the music today.

Our subject this month is one of gospel music’s most beloved behind-the-scenes figures, and a leading figure in not just one part of gospel music, but several.

Way back on October 4, 1914, a young man was born in Burke County, North Caroilna, whose parents and siblings all enjoyed gospel music, as have many youngsters from the Tar Heel State. Jacob Bazzel Mull was also the grandson of what was known as a circuit-riding preacher, those itinerant ministers of the gospel who would ride from place to place on horseback, and preach (or sing) to whoever would gather.

The family gospel singing group was called the Valdese Sacred Band, and young Jacob would pitch in on the banjo. The youngster’s childhood was filled with the warm sounds of gospel music all around him.

ca 2000

Unfortunately, tragedy had already struck young Jacob early in his life. When he was but 11 months old, he fell into an open fireplace. From that day forward, Jacob was legally blind….and he never got any schooling past the third grade. Such a severe tragedy at that early an age would have permanently demoralized most normal youngsters.

But Jacob was not a normal youngster. All the while as he grew, he felt the love of his family and his God, and pressed on not only to learn how to play music and be a part of the family band, but as a part of a strong, God-loving family, he felt the call at a very young age to eventually become an evangelist.

Memorizing Bible verses read aloud to him for a period of many years, the young Mull began preaching at the age of 18, in 1932. His ministry slowly grew over the next several years, and by 1939, he had discovered the fast growing medium of radio as a place where he could broadcast his sermons, and with the power of that medium, his ministry began to expand beyond the borders of North Carolina.

By 1942, Mull had mastered the radio medium to the point where he got his first regular radio program on station WROL in Knoxville, TN. Mull had moved to Tennessee two years before with his very talented brother Romulus, who sang and played the guitar and piano. Romulus would assist his brother in his evangelistic meetings with his musical skills.

Soon, Mull had moved his radio program to a larger Knoxville station, WNOX (famous a few years later for featuring another fine young guitarist, Chet Atkins). The following year, Mull began promoting gospel concerts in the area, something he would do for many decades afterward.

About that same time, Mull met a young lady named Elizabeth Brown at a church revival, and after an extended courtship, they became man and wife on Sept. 11, 1944, sealing a partnership that would last for sixty more years. This joy no doubt helped him deal with the untimely death of Romulus that same year, who died in prisoner of war camp after joining the Air Force for World War II.

All the while, Mull encouraged and promoted gospel singers and their concerts. Elizabeth was very active in Mull’s ministry, as she not only supervised the business end of his activities, but she was his main pair of eyes for decades, reading the Bible and other books to her husband to add to his already formidable knowledge of Scripture and world events.

Elizabeth also became her husband’s broadcast partner as well, hosting his famous radio program, the “Mull Singing Convention of the Air”.

As the program grew and moved to bigger and more powerful radio stations, listeners who loved the sounds of gospel music tuned into it from far and wide. One such listener was a youngster from Alexandria, Indiana who fell in love with the gospel quartets the Mulls featured on their program. From that humble bit of inspiration, young Bill Gaither was inspired to one day make gospel music his life’s calling. No doubt, many other youngsters who would eventually become gospel singers and performers were similarly inspired to make gospel music their life’s work because of the Mulls and their radio program.

All the while, though, J. Bazzel Mull (as he was popularly known by this time) didn’t content himself with just spreading gospel music far and wide. First and foremost, Mull was an evangelist called to spread the gospel. To that end, Mull continued to organize churches all through North Carolina and Tennessee.

Mull’s power as a gospel promoter was never demonstrated more than it was in 1951, when he began to play the records of a gospel group from Texas who had never done concerts to that point in their careers. The simple, charming sound of the Chuck Wagon Gang touched Mull and his radio audiences…so much so that Mull was responsible for promoting that
group’s first concerts. Thanks to Mull’s radio programs and their association with Columbia Records, the Chuck Wagon Gang eventually became the top record-selling group in gospel music…another well-known gospel artist encouraged and inspired by J. Bazzel Mull.

About that same time(the early 1950s), Mull began to expand into the new field of television, starting in 1956 on Chattanooga’s WRGP-TV, later moving to WTVC-TV there in 1959.

Mull’s popularity preceded him, and he was able to secure sponsors for his TV shows quickly, among them JFG coffee and the Soddy’s Men’s Shop. The homespun, casual appeal of Mull and Elizabeth charmed viewers, and the ability of the show to draw many of the top singers of the day in gospel music to perform live on the shows no doubt added to the shows’ wide appeal.

While continuing his two radio shows, Mull continued to produce two weekly television shows, and promote fifteen to twenty gospel music concerts a year for many, many years. Eventually, he branched out into radio station ownership, his well known flagship station being WJBZ-FM in Knoxville, known as Praise 96.3.

Mull with his wife Elizabeth

Characteristic of Mull’s shows were his raspy voice(made so by years and years of itinerant preaching), and his constant references to Elizabeth as “Lady Mull”, which she is still known as to millions to this day. And after Mull would say something about a sponsor on his programs, he would try to get Elizabeth to second him by saying, “Ain’t that right, Lady Mull?”

On occasion, Mull’s programs would venture out of their studios to live settings, where a long list of top gospel singers would appear before those live audiences. Those shows would extend beyond their normal length, much like the All-Night Sings that were held in other venues.

In 1998, Mull was rewarded for his long years of service to gospel music by being inducted into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame, and in 2003, he was so honored by the Southern Gospel Music Association as well, joining their Hall of Fame.

On September 5, 2006, at the age of 91, J. Bazzel Mull passed away due to complications from a stroke. Being in poor health for some time by then, his family was by his side for his homegoing.

1998 GMA Hall of Fame ceremony, as Jerry Goff inducts
Mull into the GMA Hall of Fame. Mull's wife Elizabeth is in the picture
as well

J. Bazzel Mull is yet another example of a man who was determined to do what he did best for what he loved most. As an evangelist, he helped scores of people come to know a living Savior, overcoming a severe lifetime handicap to do so. He never let obstacles deter him from his calling in that area, and he did likewise for the field of gospel music, which he loved since his earliest memories, much like many of the people he helped make popular through his media calling.

It would be almost impossible to speculate as to the number of people blessed by gospel music or encouraged to enter it as a result of the work of J. Bazzel Mull….nevertheless, it’s sufficient to say that J. Bazzel Mull is one of the most important contributors to the history of gospel music during the 20th century, which is why we remember him so fondly today.

Reader Comments

John: Thanks for the article on J. Bazzel Mull. When I was a kid I used to try to get his program on my radio in Iowa. Then, after moving to Pennsylvania I again search for him and found that "voice" in the nighttime hours. His "raspy" voice was immediately recognized by me and I would listen for his wife Elizabeth to announce the next singers, in her sweet southern voice. What a contrast! Of course, usually it was announcing the next song by the Chuck Wagon Gang.

Little did I know that in the years to come I would be privildeged to be on stage of a concert promoted by J. Bazzel and be introduced by him.

We must honor and remember these pioneers of Gospel Music and I applaud your research, John, into the many unsung heros of our music. Keep searching for the "unusual" and the back bone of Gospel Music.

Duane Nicholson

Commented by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 06/01/2007

As you wel know, John, I can't say enough about the great concert promoters and their effect on gospel music. If it hadn't been for being a street-team member for a big promoter in the Golden State, I would have never got the chance to hang out with the Blackwood Brothers, the Statesmen, the Stamps, the Thrasher Brothers, etc. It was nice having that backstage pass!

Mr. Mull sounds like an amazing fellow. I love the fact that he was an evangelist, first and foremost.

That's what it's all about... keeping the "Gospel" in "Gospel Music."

Chris J. Becker
Cedar Rapids, IA

Commented by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 06/01/2007

John..........Boy, what memories that brought back. Not long after I started loving gospel music, I somehow found Brother Mull on a radio station, and I would listen to him every Sunday after church. Everything that you mentioned about his radio show.....was right on. I remember Lady Mull reading off the songs that were on some of the recordings of the groups that they were promoting.
The fondest memory that I have of J. Bazzel Mull........he announced on his radio show that a lot of people thought Jay Berry was the equal to Jake Hess, who was everyone's favorite lead singer back then. He loved the Prophets, who not coincidently, were also from Knoxville.....and he continuously sand their praises, much to my delight.
Thanks for an article about a man that definitely influenced many, many people for many decades.
Joe

Commented by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 06/11/2007

John,

Another great article. I have always heard much about Rev. Mull, but you have filled in many blanks for me. The story of his life and ministry encouraged me. I'm looking forward to next month's article.

Commented by Mike McIlwain On 06/28/2007

Page 1 of 1 Comment Pages

Add Comments

If you are seeing this form you are not a Member or have not logged in. Why not consider becoming a Member?

Membership allows you to have a prepared signature of your choice applied to every comment you make, as well as the ability to choose an avatar to display next to your name to help identify your posts. Members are also given opportunity to vote weekly in our Weekly Chart as well as special Members Only contests, polls and giveaways during the year. If you are already a member, login here, otherwise please register here.

**Note: Forums membership is a seperate membership.

By posting you agree to our Comments Policy

Name:
Email:
Location:
URL:
Comment:
	Remember my personal information
	Notify me of follow-up comments?
Please enter the word you see in the image below: