It all began with a vision ...
The Texas Gospel Music Hall of Fame and Museum started with a
vision that began to develop in the early 1980s. Calvin Wills had been singing Gospel Music with
his sister, Lou Wills Hildreth, in the family group since 1938. He attended the G. I. School for
Gospel Music after WWII in the late forties – The Singing Wills Family
 performed at the very first
National Quartet Convention in 1957, and he co-founded the Southern Gospel Music Association of Texas
in 1972. Calvin’s passion for traditional Southern Gospel music had made him one of the most recognized names in all
of Texas. His distinguished career included a syndicated television program, a noted recording company and studio, a
weekly radio program (on air for over a decade), a printing and publishing company, and of course, the 32 record albums
he sang on before retiring the family singing group in 1998 after 60 years. Because Lou had been involved in the
development of the national Gospel Music Association in Nashville throughout the 60’s and 70’s, she had the
much needed experience and helpful insight about the music industry. So when she and Calvin began to discuss the
possibility of an organization in Texas that would feature the many talented musicians and music groups from the Lone
Star State - they called on the support of two other Texans who were also passionate about Gospel music: Tom Ellis and
James Fudge.
By early 1985 Calvin, Tom and James had filed all the paperwork necessary to form
a non-profit organization that would exist solely to promote and preserve the heritage of Gospel Music in Texas.
Through a Hall of Fame induction system modeled after the Country Music Association and the Gospel Music
Association they inducted their very first heroes of Texas Gospel Music: V. O. Stamps and J. R. Baxter. Since
that time nearly 100 individuals and groups have been inducted and recognized for their talent, service and contribution
to Gospel Music. Almost all of these heroes are native Texans and those few who aren’t “got here as fast as they could”
(to quote a famous bumper sticker!)
Please visit (click on) the
Inductees tab above to view the complete list – and
also take a moment to read about our 10 member Board of Directors who currently serve our organization by clicking on the
menu tab above marked: The Board
MISSION STATEMENT:
The purpose of the Texas Gospel Music Museum and Hall of Fame is to preserve the history and heritage of
the talented people from Texas who have made a significant contribution to Christian music. These inductees, living and deceased,
have had a lengthy and respectable career in music, or related professions in the arts or media. All criteria and historic
evaluation is determined by the Board of Directors of the TGMHF / TGMM&HF.
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