Tag Archives: Wills Family

Bob L. Wills

Posted on by

Bob Wills & LouBob L. Wills was born November 24, 1938, in Hall County, Texas. Bob and his twin sister, Betty, were destined to sing gospel music as 1938 was the year Pop Wills founded the Wills Family Quartet with the older brothers and sisters – Rene, Calvin, and Lou. Bob & Betty (the twins) began singing as part of the Wills Family in 1948 with Pop, Calvin, Lou, and Bill. Baby sister, Norma Jo, joined the family in the early fifties, and the brothers and sisters became nationally known as the Singing Wills Family.

Bob L. Wills is the namesake of the famous country music fiddler, Bob Wills, first cousin to A. B. “Pop” Wills. Pop Wills chose to lead his family into gospel music, but he and his famous country fiddling cousin grew up together picking cotton in Hall County and remained loyal to each other throughout their lifetime.

In 2004, Bob was given an Honorary Doctorate Of Music/Theology by Trinity Valley Baptist Seminary in recognition for fifty-six years of singing gospel music. After his teenage years with the Singing Wills Family, Bob spent several years as owner and baritone for the Inspirationals, featured on the nationally syndicated TV series Wills Family Inspirational Time. Since 1976, Bob has been in full-time singing ministry with his wife, three sons, and daughter as the Bob Wills Family.

Inducted into the Texas Gospel Music Hall Of Fame & Museum in 1988, Bob L. Wills is a credit to gospel music – whether on a church platform or a “Southern Gospel” concert stage. Bob is extremely modest about his accomplishments and acknowledges his Christian faith for all of them–which include his wife, Betty Jo, songwriter son, Bobby Lee, Jr., Don, middle son and pastor of First Baptist Church, Ft. Worth, youngest son Ron, owner of Road Runner Bus Company, and daughter, Angel, who is helping carry on the singing tradition of “The Wills.”

A. B. “Pop” Wills

Posted on by

AB Pop WillsAaron Burr “Pop” Wills [1899 – 1971] was already involved in Gospel Music during the 1920’s and 30’s when he and his dear wife Leah began having children. By the time the first three siblings were old enough: Eva Rene, Calvin and Lou began to travel with A. B. and sing for Singing Conventions and churches throughout Texas.

As a first cousin to Bob, “The King of Western Swing”, A. B. had settled his young family in the cotton fields outside of Memphis, not too far from Bob’s family in Turkey, Texas. During those days of cotton picking and being a part-time auto mechanic, Aaron Burr Wills also “peddled” songbooks and promoted convention music for Stamps-Baxter Music Co.

For several years he was the President of the Oklahoma-Texas Singers Association and by the time Calvin entered the Navy during the end of W.W. II, the singing family had gained a popular following in Texas.

Although the Singing Wills Family, with just the bothers and sisters, began their extensive recording and traveling career during the 1940’s and 50’s, Pop joined up with his kids for their weekly TV program on the 60’s. He was featured every week on the Wills Family Inspirational Time, the first color television syndicated 30 minute program to originate in Texas. “Pop” inspired many through his love for his family and Gospel Music – he traveled on the family touring bus and sang with them until his death in 1971.

W. B. Nowlin

Posted on by

W B Nowlin3

W. B. Nowlin  [1905 – 1994] was one of the most successful promoters of gospel music concerts in America. As a native of Fort Worth, he worked closely with V. O. Stamps (in Dallas) and was very instrumental in booking gospel quartets on daily radio programs in the 1930’s and 40’s. After the end of W.W. II, he began promoting gospel sings throughout the United States, particularly in the southwestern states. He became known for a regular promotion billed as the “Battle of Songs,” an event which placed popular gospel quartets on stage in friendly head-to-head competition. Throughout his career of over four decades, W. B. expanded the influence of Southern Gospel Music and, in 1970, organized the first industry concert in Hawaii. His regular gospel music concert at Will Rogers Auditorium in Fort Worth drew overflow crowds from all across North Texas. He especially loved local Texas groups and became a close friend of Calvin Wills and the Singing Wills Family and was honored by Calvin by a special musical eulogy at his funeral service.