Hubbry Logo
Ben SpeerBen SpeerMain
Open search
Ben Speer
Community hub
Ben Speer
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Ben Speer
Ben Speer
Ben Speer
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

Ben Lacy Speer (June 26, 1930 – April 7, 2017)[1] was a singer, musician, music publisher, and record company executive. He sang for The Speer Family for most of his career.[2] Speer later became the music director of the Gaither Homecoming programs. He was born in Double Springs, Alabama, the youngest child of Lena and G.T. Speer[3] (affectionately known as "Mom" and "Dad" Speer to most people in Southern gospel music), who originally led the group, with Speer's siblings Brock Speer, Mary Tom Speer, and Rosa Nell Speer also participating.[4] He died on April 7, 2017, after suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

Key Information

Performing career

[edit]

From starting to sing at age 2, Speer went on to a career that led to his being described on the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame website as "one of the most enduring and outstanding lead singers and piano performers in gospel music."[3] During his years with the Speer Family, the group recorded more than 75 albums.[3] In addition to singing and playing piano with the Speer Family, he arranged music for them. He retired from the group in 1993, but made some appearances with it until the group itself retired.[5]

Technical and business career

[edit]

Speer has contributed to both the technical and business aspects of Southern gospel music. Speer was the longtime music director for the Gaither Homecoming series.[6]

The Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame's website noted his technical accomplishments as follows: "Ben chose experimenting with sound equipment as a hobby. He has excelled in this field and is often used as a consultant for sound by his colleagues in gospel music."[3] As owner and chief engineer of Ben Speer Recording Studios,[3] he has produced albums by the Florida Boys, Ivan Parker, The Weatherfords and others.[7] Speer began publishing Southern Gospel music in 1950, founding the Ben Speer Music Company. Among songs published by the company are "What a Day That Will Be," "I'm Standing on the Solid Rock," and "Touring that City."

Ben Speer's Stamps Baxter School of Music

[edit]

In 1988, Speer revived the Stamps-Baxter School of Music, which for many years had been an institution for training people in Southern gospel music. Now known as Ben Speer's Stamps Baxter School of Music, the school attracts students from across the United States and from other countries.[8][9] James R. Goff Jr., in his Close Harmony: A History of Southern Gospel, wrote that a 1998 brochure summarized key elements of the school as follows: "theory, harmony, song writing, sight reading, ear training, performance training, conducting, voice, piano, guitar, bass and drums are taught."[10] The school continues to be operated by members of the Speer family following Speer's death with the school being hosted at Middle Tennessee State University in 2018.[11][12]

Honors

[edit]

Speer was inducted into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame in 1995,[3] the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame in 1998[6] and the Southern Gospel Piano Roll of Honor in 2002.[13]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Ben Speer

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Ben Lacy Speer (June 26, 1930 – April 7, 2017) was an American singer, musician, publisher, and record executive renowned for his decades-long tenure with the Speer Family gospel group and his pivotal role in shaping the genre through performance, production, and education. Born in Double Springs, , as the youngest child of Lena and George Thomas Speer, he began performing on stage at the age of two, joining the family act that his parents had founded in 1921 as a quartet traveling to singing conventions and local concerts across the South. The Speer Family became one of the most influential and visible ensembles in music, releasing over 75 albums during Ben's involvement, which spanned more than six decades until his retirement from the group in 1993. While studying at , from which he graduated in 1954, Speer founded the Ben Speer Music Company in 1950, publishing enduring standards such as "What a Day That Will Be" and establishing himself as a key figure in the industry's business side. In his later career, he served as for the video and concert series, producing recordings for artists including and , and he resumed the historic Stamps-Baxter School of Music in 1988 to train generations of musicians, drawing students from around the world. Speer's contributions earned him inductions into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame in 1995, the Hall of Fame in 1998, and the Southern Gospel Piano Roll of Honor in 2002, along with a Grammy nomination for Best Album for the Speer Family's 70th Anniversary Celebration in 1993. He was twice married, first to Mildred Aline Bradley Speer from 1953 until her death in 1993, and later to Rebekah Long Speer from 2014 until his passing in , after battling .

Early life and education

Family background

Ben Lacy Speer was born on June 26, 1930, in Double Springs, , as the youngest child of George Thomas "G.T." or "Dad" Speer (March 10, 1891 – September 7, 1966) and Lena Darling "Mom" Brock Speer (November 4, 1899 – October 6, 1967). The Speer musical group was founded in 1921 by G.T. and Lena Speer as a husband-and-wife duo, performing primarily at shape-note singing schools and rural church conventions across the South. G.T. Speer, who had developed his musical skills through early exposure to gospel songbooks and shape-note traditions, taught singing schools from a young age, laying the foundation for the family's eventual professional career in music. Ben's early infancy was marked by a severe health crisis when he contracted during a local , shortly after his birth; the family physician deemed his survival unlikely, but following a congregational during a revival service, Ben recovered fully in what the family regarded as a miraculous . His siblings—Mary Tom (June 13, 1925 – September 16, 2014), Brock (December 28, 1920 – March 29, 1999), and Rosa Nell (September 21, 1922 – May 16, 2017)—later joined their parents in the family act, contributing to its growth into a prominent . The Speers' early travels as a musical family emphasized close-knit dynamics rooted in faith and performance, setting the stage for Ben's lifelong involvement in .

Childhood and entry into music

Born on June 26, 1930, in Double Springs, Alabama, Ben Lacy Speer was the youngest child of George Thomas "Dad" Speer and Lena "Mom" Speer, both accomplished shape-note singing instructors who immersed their children in gospel music from infancy. As soon as he could talk, around age two, Ben began learning the rudiments of shape-note singing under his parents' guidance, a foundational element of Southern gospel music that emphasized sight-reading hymns through distinctive note shapes. This informal education, rooted in his parents' expertise from conducting singing schools and conventions, shaped Ben's early vocal techniques and musical intuition, fostering a deep-seated passion for harmony and performance. By the end of the , when Ben was approximately eight to ten years old, he had transitioned from family practice sessions to his first public performances with the Speer Family, joining siblings Brock, Rosa Nell, and Mary Tom on stage at local churches and conventions across and nearby states. These early appearances, often in modest venues, honed his skills as a young singer and integrated him fully into the family's evolving quartet, where he contributed to the group's tight-knit harmonies drawn from shape-note traditions. In 1941, the Speer Family relocated to , marking a pivotal step in their professional trajectory and Ben's entry into broader musical exposure. There, they became regulars on radio, hosting a daily 15-minute live gospel program at 6:15 a.m., which quickly gained popularity and introduced Ben's voice to a wider audience through broadcasts that blended shape-note hymns with family storytelling. This radio debut not only amplified the family's influence but also solidified Ben's foundational training in live performance under the pressure of scheduled airing.

Formal education

Ben Speer attended Trevecca Nazarene College (now Trevecca Nazarene University) in Nashville, Tennessee, enrolling after World War II in the late 1940s and graduating in 1954. The institution, affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene, offered higher education in a faith-based environment that aligned with his family's Southern Gospel background. While specific details on his major are not documented, his studies occurred during a period when the college emphasized programs supportive of musical and ministerial pursuits. Speer's time at Trevecca coincided with his youth and early adulthood, requiring him to balance formal academics with the Speer Family's demanding performance schedule. The family relocated from , to Nashville to accommodate his enrollment, enabling them to produce weekday radio programs on WSIX while he attended classes. This arrangement allowed Speer to continue singing and playing with the group on weekends and during breaks, integrating his with professional musical obligations without interruption. The structured academic setting at Trevecca complemented Speer's foundational musical training from his family's informal immersion during childhood, further honing his technical skills in piano proficiency and vocal performance. As the family's primary pianist and a key vocalist, he applied these enhanced abilities directly to their live shows and recordings, laying the groundwork for his lifelong contributions to music.

Performing career

With the Speer Family

Ben Speer joined the Speer Family group in the early as a young child, born in , and quickly became an integral part of the family act alongside his siblings Brock, Rosa Nell, and Mary Tom. By the early 1940s, he had assumed the role of lead singer and pianist, a position he held for most of the , contributing to the group's distinctive sound in music. His tenure spanned from the early until his retirement in , spanning over six decades of dedicated performance with the ensemble. A pivotal milestone came in 1941 when the Speer Family began broadcasting on radio in , which marked their transition to full-time national touring and elevated their profile beyond local conventions. Under Ben's lead vocals, the group evolved from its origins as a shape-note founded by his parents, G.T. "Dad" Speer and Lena "Mom" Speer, into a polished professional outfit, incorporating collaborations with siblings like Brock on bass and the Speer Sisters—Rosa Nell and Mary Tom—on harmonies. Lineup shifts occurred over the decades, notably with the addition of non-family members starting in , such as Joyce West, to expand the group's vocal and instrumental capabilities while maintaining its familial core. The Speer Family, with Ben as lead, recorded more than 75 albums during his time, capturing their energetic style and timeless arrangements that influenced Southern Gospel's emphasis on uplifting, quartet-driven harmonies. Key recordings included hits like "O the Glory Did Roll," a G.T. Speer composition where Ben's powerful lead vocals exemplified the genre's revivalist fervor and rhythmic drive. Notable performances highlighted their enduring appeal, such as appearances at the National Quartet Convention, where they delivered rousing sets that showcased Ben's commanding stage presence and the group's tight-knit dynamics. Through these efforts, Ben's contributions helped solidify the Speer Family as one of Southern Gospel's foundational acts, blending tradition with innovation over six decades.

Later performances and Gaither Homecoming

Following his retirement from full-time performances with the Speer Family in 1993, Ben Speer continued to make occasional appearances with the group until its official disbandment in 1998. He remained active in the scene, leveraging his extensive experience as a singer and musician to contribute to collaborative events and recordings. Speer's post-retirement work emphasized his versatility, including production roles and educational initiatives, while maintaining a presence on stage through guest spots that highlighted his voice and skills. In the early 1990s, Speer assumed the role of music director for the video series, a position he held for over two decades until 2017. In this capacity, he conducted choirs, led songs, and coordinated musical arrangements for the popular series, which featured reunions of veteran artists and live tours. Speer also performed frequently on the Homecoming stage, both in solo features and ensemble numbers, helping to preserve and promote classic repertoire to new audiences. His involvement began around the series' inception in 1991 and became integral to its format, blending his performance expertise with behind-the-scenes leadership. Speer extended his performing career through guest appearances at events like the Grand Ole Gospel Reunion and closing concerts for the Stamps-Baxter School of Music, which he revived in 1988 as its director. These engagements allowed him to perform into his 80s, often leading hymns and quartets that drew on his family's legacy. Despite emerging health challenges, including a diagnosis of in his later years, Speer maintained an enduring stage presence, delivering memorable solos such as "Sheltered in the Arms of God" in Gaither productions until shortly before his death in 2017.

Business and technical career

Music publishing and production

In 1950, Ben Speer founded the Ben Speer Music Company, a publishing venture dedicated to songs and . The company quickly gained prominence by releasing influential compositions, including "What a Day That Will Be," "I'm Standing on the Solid Rock," "Touring That City," and "I'll Walk Dem Golden Stairs," the latter famously recorded by . This initiative marked Speer's entry into the business side of , emphasizing accessible printed materials that supported the genre's growth among churches and performers during the post-World War II era. Speer expanded his role in the industry as a record company executive and producer, collaborating with labels such as Skylite Records to produce gospel albums. His production work encompassed a wide array of artists, including , The Homeland Quartet, The Speers, , Candy Christmas, Vern Jackson, Anthony Burger, and The Weatherfords. These efforts helped professionalize recordings, transitioning the genre from live performances to commercial releases that reached broader audiences through radio and vinyl in the 1950s and 1960s. In Nashville, Speer opened the Ben Speer Recording Studio, a facility that hosted sessions for numerous artists and contributed to the city's emerging role as a recording hub. Throughout the to , his multifaceted involvement as a publisher and executive played a key part in the commercialization of , fostering its evolution into a viable industry segment with structured distribution and professional production standards.

Revival of Stamps-Baxter School of Music

In the mid-1920s, V.O. Stamps and J.R. Baxter Jr. established the original Stamps-Baxter School of Music as part of their pioneering efforts in shape-note education and publishing, training thousands of aspiring musicians in traditions through annual sessions focused on sight-singing, harmony, and performance skills. Ben Speer revived this historic institution in 1988, serving as its general manager and renaming it Ben Speer's Stamps-Baxter School of Music to honor the legacy while adapting it to contemporary needs. Hired by Corporation executive to restart the program, Speer drew on his lifelong experience in shape-note singing—rooted in his family's musical heritage—to ensure the school's focus on practical gospel music training. Under Speer's leadership, the school operated annually as an intensive eight-day program, initially held at , then moving to in 2000 and (MTSU) in 2009, where it attracted students from across the and internationally. The curriculum emphasized core skills such as group singing in shape-note and styles, , , , piano accompaniment, and songwriting workshops, with private lessons available in voice, piano, guitar, and bass to foster well-rounded musicianship. Speer played a pivotal role in developing the curriculum to blend traditional shape-note techniques with modern gospel elements, while recruiting a distinguished faculty and guest artists, including pianist Tracey Phillips (who joined in 1986 and served as accompanist and theory instructor), songwriter Dave Clark for elective sessions, and performers like Joyce Martin Sanders for performance critiques. Guest artists such as Mike Allen, Johnny Minick, and Allison Durham Speer occasionally led concerts and workshops, enhancing the immersive experience for participants of all ages and faith backgrounds. The school thrived under Speer's management for nearly three decades, graduating thousands of students who went on to contribute to ministries and ensembles, until his death on April 7, 2017, at age 86. In tribute, the 2017 session at MTSU's Wright Music Building featured a dedicated Alumni on July 15, celebrating Speer's vision, with his son Stephen Speer assuming the presidency to sustain the program.

Honors and legacy

Awards and inductions

Ben Speer received numerous accolades throughout his career in music, recognizing his contributions as a performer, arranger, and with the Speer Family. In 1995, the Speer Family, including Ben Speer, was inducted into the Gospel Music Association (GMA) Hall of Fame for its pioneering role in the . This honor highlighted the group's lifelong dedication to , spanning over six decades. Speer's induction into the Southern Gospel Music Association (SGMA) Hall of Fame followed in 1998, specifically acknowledging his 62 years of service with the Speer Family, during which he served as pianist, arranger, and vocalist. As part of the Speer Family, he was also inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 1997, celebrating the group's origins in Double Springs, , and their barrier-breaking innovations in . The Speer Family, with Speer's integral involvement, amassed 14 Dove Awards from the GMA between the and , including eight for of the Year, two for Album of the Year, and four for Female Vocalist of the Year (awarded to family members Jeanne Johnson and Mary Tom Speer). These victories underscored the group's dominance in the Southern Gospel category during that era. The Speer Family, with Speer's involvement, received five Grammy nominations, including one in 1993 for Best Album for their 70th Anniversary Celebration. Additional honors included the Piano Roll of Honor from the Grand Ole Gospel Reunion in 2002, recognizing Speer's exceptional piano artistry in . In 2015, he received the Gospel Legends Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grand Ole Gospel Reunion, affirming his enduring legacy as a living legend in the field.

Influence on Southern Gospel music

Ben Speer's influence on music extended far beyond his performances, as he actively mentored younger artists through his roles in the series and the revival of the Stamps-Baxter School of Music. As for the videos, Speer guided emerging talents on stage and in production, helping artists like Williams secure record contracts and appear in over 20 projects, where he served as both bandmate and instructor in the music business. In 1988, Speer revived the Stamps-Baxter School of Music, an institution dedicated to training competent gospel musicians in music theory, singing techniques, and performance, thereby shaping generations of singers and instrumentalists who carried forward the genre's traditions. Through these efforts, Speer played a pivotal role in preserving shape-note singing traditions and elevating Southern Gospel's national profile. The Stamps-Baxter School emphasized convention-style shape-note music, a foundational element of the rooted in early 20th-century practices, ensuring its survival into the by teaching students to read and perform from traditional songbooks. Following Speer's death on April 7, 2017, in , at the age of 86 after battling , the community paid widespread tributes, recognizing him as a legendary figure whose work had profoundly impacted the industry. His legacy endured through the continued operation of the Stamps-Baxter School, now led by his son Stephen and hosted at since 2009, where a 2017 tribute concert by the school's alumni choir honored his contributions. Bill Gaither eulogized Speer as a colleague since 1962 whose "musicianship and dedication to our music is unparalleled," underscoring his status as a pillar who raised the genre's educational and artistic benchmarks for future generations.

References

  1. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/legacyremembers/ben-speer-obituary?id=17074589
  2. https://blog.trevecca.edu/news/trevecca-alumnus-ben-speer-passes-away
  3. https://www.stampsbaxterschool.com/history
  4. https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/the-speer-family/
  5. https://www.grammy.com/artists/ben-speer/17432
  6. https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/nashville-tn/ben-speer-7361932
  7. https://gaither.com/saying-goodbye-to-a-dear-friend-ben-speer/
  8. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/12118614/lena_darling-speer
  9. https://gospelmusichalloffame.org/hall-of-fame-inductees-and-honorees/g-t-dad-speer
  10. https://thespeerfamily.com/resources/PDFs/Let_The_Song_Go_On.pdf
  11. https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/nashville-tn/mary-reid-6124329
  12. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6949/brock-speer
  13. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/172935651/rosa_nell-powell
  14. https://www.absolutelygospel.com/2016/03/01/the-story-of-the-speer-ladies/
  15. https://musicrow.com/2017/04/lifenotes-gospel-legend-ben-speer-dies/
  16. https://thespeerfamily.com/
  17. https://blog.trevecca.edu/thehill/get-to-know-the-new-speer-family
  18. https://www.geni.com/people/Ben-Speer/6000000176844620911
  19. https://gospelmusichalloffame.org/hall-of-fame-inductees-and-honorees/lena-mom-brock-speer
  20. https://gospelmusic.org/news/ben-speer-passes-away
  21. http://gj.rcs-discography.com/search.php?type=artpk&key=1994
  22. https://singingnews.com/news/ben-speer-passes-away-updated/
  23. https://my.gaithertvplus.com/the-best-of-ben-speer
  24. https://www.sgnscoops.com/nqc-memories-charlie-griffin/
  25. https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/stamps-baxter-music-and-printing-company
  26. https://boropulse.com/2017/07/ben-speers-legacy-lives-on-at-stamps-baxter-school-of-music/
  27. https://www.stampsbaxterschool.com/
  28. https://www.stampsbaxterschool.com/faculty
  29. https://milespikemusic.com/stamps-baxter-2008
  30. https://gospelmusichalloffame.org/hall-of-fame-inductees-and-honorees/tag/1995
  31. https://sgma.org/1998-inductees
  32. https://www.alamhof.org/speerfamily
  33. https://musicrow.com/2014/09/gospels-speer-family-member-passes/
  34. https://www.dnj.com/story/life/2015/07/10/legend-brings-stamps-baxter-school-music-mtsu/29968675/
  35. https://www.absolutelygospel.com/2017/04/07/renowned-gospel-legend-ben-speer-passes-away/
  36. https://sogospelbackrow.wordpress.com/2017/04/08/in-honor-ben-speer/
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.