The Hartford Senior Center recently welcomed Betsy Brumley Bernier, granddaughter of Albert E. Brumley, and her husband Kevin Bernier, of Powell, Missouri. Patrons of the center enjoyed the singing, reminiscent of the historic and famed songwriter.
Historian John Redwine recalled the gospel songwriter’s life:
On Saturday, September 13, 1975, internationally known gospel music writer Albert E. Brumley returned to Spiro for a special day of recognition from his hometown. The homecoming was held in the school’s Civic Center Gymnasium, starting at 4 p.m., concluding about 9:30 p.m. The event was organized by Spiro businessman Parks Harlan, a fan of gospel music, and promoted by the Spiro and Fort Smith Chambers of Commerce, gospel music organizations, local radio stations and news media.
In the afternoon the 70-year-year old Brumley and his wife Goldie were taken on a tour of the Tucker Bottoms, four miles northwest of Spiro, to see the area of his birthplace and early childhood home, followed by a stop at the rural Lone Dove School building were young Albert first attended school.
The event kicked off at 4 p.m. in the gym with three hours of gospel music performed by area groups from the two-state area. The afternoon program opened with The Ortlieb Family from Spiro. Other groups performing included the Horton Sisters, The Harmonettes, The King’s Sons, and The Shilohs. At 7:00 p.m. there was a 30-minute intermission. Each group of artists had tables in the lobby to sell their recordings.
After the break, the program resumed at 7:30 p.m. with Albert Brumley and wife Goldie appearing on stage. Senator James Hamilton gave a brief welcome and presented a proclamation from Oklahoma Governor David Boren declaring September 13, 1975, as Albert Brumley Gospel Music Day in Oklahoma. Parks Harland gave Brumley a plaque from the Town of Spiro.
Brumley gave a short talk, followed by a round table discussion along with a Q & A session. Then 87-year-old Flora Ryan Parks, a lifelong Spiro resident who taught Brumley in the first grade at Lone Dove was brought to the stage for the two to be reunited. Closing out the program was an hour of Southern Gospel music, performed by The Lester Family of St. Louis, MO.
Tickets for the event were $2.00 for adults and 50 cents for children.
Albert Brumley is credited with writing 800 songs, of which, 600, were published, including “I’ll Fly Away,” “Turn Your Radio On,” “If We Never Met Again (This Side of Heaven),” “Jesus Hold My Hand,” “The Blood That Stained the Old Rugged Cross,” “Rank Stranger,” and” “He Set Me Free.” “I’ll Fly Away” has been recorded by over 3,000 artist and is considered the most recorded gospel song in history.
He was born October 29, 1905, and passed away November 15, 1977, at the age of 72.
The gospel songbooks are full of songs he wrote and with songs from the Hartford Music Company. A journey through the small of Hartford today shows little of the bustling coal-mining town of the twenties. Many of the stores are closed, the school no longer open but a sign at the edge of town alerts you that it was once the Gospel Capital of the South.
