With the first inductees in 1985 of V. O. Stamps and J. R. Baxter, Calvin Wills began the Texas Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Calvin knew that The Singing Wills Family of Arlington was headed into the final decade of it's 60-year career - from 1938 through 1998. The passion he had for traditional Southern Gospel music made him on of the most recognized names in all of Texas and most of the southwestern United States. A distinguished career that included numerous record albums, a syndicated television program, noted recording company and studio, a weekly radio program spanning a decade, also included his being a founding member of the Southern Gospel Music Association of Texas.

Because he knew that with the many changing trends in Christian music there was the possibility that much of the valuable and rich heritage of Gospel Music history might be lost -- the vision began! Using the model of the national Gospel Music Association and Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame, Calvin dreamed of a way to acknowledge the many great singers and musicians who were native Texans. This Hall of Fame would begin with a public presentation to the artist and end with a permanent display in a museum setting. After 10 years of numerous public presentations all around the state, a fixed location for the museum was established in 1996 near the downtown square in Granbury, Texas. Following a successful run of three years there in Granbury, Calvin moved many of the primary displays of memorabilia into a customized bus and began to "take the museum to the people"! Calvin drove the bus to many concerts and churches all around North Texas to raise funding for the museum and promote the Texas Gospel Music Hall of Fame and Museum. After 15 years of passionate promotion, the Lord of the Gospel he sang about called him home to glory. Calvin was 75 years old. His faithful friends and co-founders, Tom Ellis and James Fudge, have committed to continuing the work of the TGMHF&M along with Calvin's son, Randy.

Upon Calvin's home going, the Board of Directors elected his son, Randy, to be the president of the Texas Gospel Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Randy had served on the board for 5 years prior to this current position and has been intimately involved with this vision since its beginning.

In order to continue the work, Randy established the Calvin Wills Memorial Concert Series as a fund-raising source for the TGMHF. The first concert was in June, 2003 at the Johnnie High Country Music Revue Theater in Arlington. This successful program featured Rudy Gatlin, The Southern Charm Trio, Bob Wills and the Inspirationals, The Huckaba Family, and all former members of the Singing Wills Family.

Next he initiated the official tgmhf.org web site of the organization with the careful use of resources guided by the Board of Directors. There are currently plans to open a facility in Dallas that will include office space with some designated areas for museum display, as well as a recording studio - digital and analog. This includes an ongoing project of converting classic gospel music phonograph records and analog television programs to all new digital formats.

Also, beginning in 2005, there will be an annual Gala Event Banquet and Induction Ceremony to induct new Hall of Fame members, both living and deceased.

Finally, as hundreds of photographs and album covers are being digitally processed, and museum memorabilia is being documented, there are plans to complete a high quality preservation photo book in the next two years.

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