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Tommy Fairchild
 
A Gospel Sing at a local church in Eagle Lake, Florida introduced six-year-old Tommy to the world of Gospel quartet music; but that night, as he watched, wide-eyed, the incomparable piano mastery of Wally Varner, Tommy knew his calling in life was to work toward emulating Varner's keyboard brilliance. After the concert, Tommy shared his newborn passion with his father, who bought Tommy a piano. In Fairchild's words, " . . . I sat down and picked out "Jingle Bells" one note at a time. It is obvious to anyone who knows me that I never learned to play as well as my hero who, incidentally, became a lifelong friend, but a career in music did develop for me."

And "develop" it did. In the early '50's, Fairchild played guitar and piano in a band with his father until his first shot at being a part of what he fell in love with at age six, Gospel quartet music. The group was the Happy Rhythm Boys, and included Harold Larrimore, Don Taylor, Pete Sumner (Donnie's brother), and Tommy Fairchild. Immediately following his high school graduation in 1954, he joined Clifford Thompson and the Travelers Quartet in Macon, GA as pianist and baritone singer, along with Don Taylor. But, later that year, and for about three years, Fairchild performed with the John Daniel Quartet in Nashville (tenor John Daniel, lead Troy Daniel, bass Tony Hunt, pianist Whit Curtis, and Fairchild-first singing baritone, then adding the responsibility of pianist when Curtis left the group).

In 1957, Fairchild became the baritone singer for the Florida Boys Quartet during Glen Allred's sabbatical; but 1958 became a milestone year in Fairchild's career. Tenor Smitty Gatlin, baritone Ron Page, bass Herman Harper, and Fairchild (covering both lead and piano) became the Oak Ridge Quartet. That name had been used earlier by Wally Fowler, but since the name had lain dormant for a few years, and with Fowler's sanction, the group assumed the name. The following year brought Willie Wynn as tenor, and Smitty Gatlin switched to lead, freeing Fairchild to concentrate his energies on honing his piano skills and arranging the group's music. In the '60's, the group changed its name to the Oak Ridge Boys, and rose to legendary status. While the Oak Ridge Boys continue to enjoy worldwide recognition, it is interesting to note that, for well over two and half decades, another Fairchild has been at the keyboard, Tommy's son Ron.

James Blackwood convinced Fairchild to assume the position of Pianist/Arranger/Musical Director for the world famous Blackwood Brothers Quartet in 1971. That era of the Blackwood Brothers' renowned contribution to Gospel quartet music is highly regarded as the group's most memorable. Many believe Fairchild's musical ingenuity and creativity were largely responsible for the group's numerous Grammy and Dove Awards during that time.

Fairchild appeared on several major television shows, including the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, the Merv Griffin Show, the Johnny Cash Show, the Dinah Shore Show, the Barbara Mandrell Show, the Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder, and Hee Haw. He also appeared in a movie. He played at the Billy Graham Calgary Crusade, and at the New York World's Fair. While a member of the groups with which he performed, Fairchild recorded on several major labels, including RCA, Warner Brothers, Chess/Checker, Cadence, and Starday. He also recorded on several other labels as a session musician playing piano and guitar with many Country and Gospel artists in Nashville.

Tommy Fairchild has won numerous Grammy and Dove Awards, has performed in 60 foreign countries, was twice inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, won the Singing News Fan Award, the Living Legend Award, and was inducted into the Piano Roll of Honor. He has played at the Presidential Prayer Breakfast, in both houses of Congress, and for the Supreme Court. He has received several "Keys to the City" and similar awards and recognitions from around the world, such as "Kentucky Colonel."

After so many years on the road, in 1989 Fairchild established himself as a hot property in the Ozarks. Fairchild recalls, "In the Eureka Springs, AR/Branson, MO area, I played six or seven days a week, but I was in my own bed every night for the first time in my professional career." October 15, 2004 began a new chapter in this already-full book; Fairchild married lifelong friend, Sandra Blackwood Goodyear, and with this wonderful new addition, they decided in 2005 to retire to Lynchburg, VA to be near their families.

Not long after the move to Virginia, an old health problem came back and eventually force the Fairchild's to return to their beloved Branson, Missouri where they could live without the mold problems which had nearly killed them. Today, Tommy continues his business interests and occasionally plays a few concerts. He is co-founder of American Heritage Music Foundation, Inc. along with his long time friend, Eldon Wright who produced Tommy's latest CD.
 

                                       

 
 
 
Eldon Wright
 
It was 1947, and a new radio station had just begun operation in Kennett, Missouri; the nearest town to Eldon’s small Arkansas hometown of Piggott, large enough to have a radio station in those days.

KBOA, 830 AM, had a live program on Saturday mornings by a Gospel quartet who lived in Kennett. Although at age 3 Eldon could not tell time, he knew enough to know when the McDonald Brothers came on and he was glued to the old radio.

July 4th is always a big day and especially for the small town of Piggott. A community
picnic had been going on for a number of years and who would be on the program? You guessed it, THE MCDONALD BROTHERS!!! Being the kind of little boy he was, Eldon made sure that HE got on the program just before the McDonald Brothers.

After belting out his song, Harold McDonald ran on stage, picked Eldon up in his arms, and asked where his Mom and Dad were. Pointing to Ralph and Mildred Wright, Eldon’s proud parents, an invitation was given that forever changed his life. The following Saturday, he appeared on the radio for the first time. That was 1948 and in the years that followed he appeared on numerous programs both radio and television.

In 1950 the Wright family moved to the Detroit, Michigan area so Ralph could make a better living for the family. While in Michigan, Eldon appeared on WOMC radio in Royal Oak on their Sunday night Old Time Gospel Hour as well as many of Lloyd Orrell’s big all-night sings featuring most of the top groups of that era. At various times groups such as Bobby Strickland’s Crusaders Quartet, Big Jim Waites, Revelators Quartet, Lee Roy Abernathy’s Happy Three, All-American Quartet, The Rangers, The Weatherfords as well as many of the Detroit area’s local talent sang into the early morning hours.

In 1954 the family moved back to Piggott, Arkansas and another chapter in Eldon’s life began. One night during a 2 week singing school at Cummin’s Chapel being taught by Henry Culver, a sweet little girl became Eldon’s first love. Her name was Sharon Holifield, and although their paths led in different directions for many years, they are now happily married. God certainly was in the middle of this reunion.

From the time in 1954 when the family moved back to Arkansas until 1963, Eldon not only attended numerous singing schools and conventions, but at the age of 14 began teaching basic music rudiments in churches all over northeast Arkansas and southeast Missouri. In 1956 he was elected an officer of the Clay county singing convention and, along with Henry Culver, built it to the largest in the state.

It was at the October, 1956 Saturday night quartet portion of the Clay county convention that he first met his friend and co-founder of American Heritage Music Foundation, Inc., Tommy Fairchild. Neither could have known that 50 years later they would be where they are today.

Over the years Eldon was blessed to meet and work with some of the legends of Gospel music. Luther G. Presley, who wrote more Gospel songs than any person in history, was one of his teachers and, to this day, many still see the effect Mr. Presley had on Eldon when he directs a choir. Besides the McDonald Brothers, a man by the name of Barney Barrow played a huge part in molding his life. Barney’s widow, Eva and her first husband Bill Middleton (who died leaving Eva a young widow) were among those who led the way for the young man from Arkansas.

After high school, Eldon joined Buddy Mann and Don DeMent and reorganized the Gospelaires in Paragould, Arkansas. Buddy had sung with the group before entering the military. This was Eldon’s first serious attempt in the quartet field. Later, after Don moved to California, Bob Byrd and Jerry Hobbs joined the group. It was with the Gospelaires that they recorded one of the only Gospel recordings ever done at Sam Phillips famous Sun Records in Memphis.

In the years that followed, Eldon was a member of the Wallace Quartet, the Victory Quartet, the Chapelaires, the Foggy River Boys, the Missourians, the Royals, the Journeymen, and along with Harold and LaWanda Broadway and Deloyd Edwards organized the Joymasters which became one of the most sought after groups in mid-America. In 1984 Eldon joined the staff of Blackwood Music in Memphis and it was there that he and Tommy Fairchild became extremely close friends. In 1999 they decided to form an old style quartet and do it their way! After a lot of prayer and work, REUNION, “true southern Gospel, the way it used to be” was introduced to a packed house in Granite City, Illinois. Since then, they have made three recordings and still play a few select dates.

It was in 2003 while returning home from a business trip, that Eldon’s life would make a drastic change. It seemed that everything he was working on ran into a roadblock. A business venture with so much potential just wasn’t going the way he thought it should. In desperation, Eldon, who was alone in the car as he was so often, was talking to God just as if He was next to him in the seat. Had anyone paid attention, they would probably have thought he was talking to himself! Somewhere between Marion and Mt. Vernon, Illinois, Eldon did something no one should ever do unless they are ready for the answer. In desperation he pounded the center of the steering wheel and demanded God tell him what to do! Be advised, God WILL tell you!

From that point on, there has not been one measure of doubt in his mind as to what God’s purpose was for all the years of experience in practically every field of Gospel music. The American Heritage Music Foundation, Inc. was founded for the express purpose of ONE GOAL...POINTING THE LOST TO A SAVING CHRIST THROUGH TRADITIONAL MUSIC! It is a well known fact there are many people who will attend a Gospel music program but would not darken the door of any church. It is the purpose of the Foundation to reach as many of these as possible in the limited time God allows the world to stand.

 

 

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