The 1950s and 60s were known for numerous family music groups all across Texas. One of the most talented family groups was the Ham Family from Fort Worth. Following those years with their family group, Martha and Neely eventually spent several years with the Singing Wills Family before Neely passed away in 1997.

Neely had a smooth bass voice that made him a favorite with the male quartets he sang with before he and Martha rounded up their three sons and started the family group. Martha is a very gifted pianist who has inspired many people (besides her sons) to learn music properly and develop the quality skills necessary to use ones God-given talent. An additional note is that two of their three sons went on to have very successful careers in music. The youngest, Warren, can be seen on a special YouTube Video: fflkjdfdshjdfkjhs

Pat Hoffmaster was inducted posthumously in 2011 at DBU. His widow, JoAnne, was there to accept his plaque and share some sweet stories about his life, cut too short by cancer. Many noted Gospel Singers at the time considered Pat to be one of the very best tenors in the business.

Larry Randall is very unique among all the TGMHF Hall of Famers. He began his career in the  music industry as a horn player. 

Following a dramatic conversion to Christianity, he began to use his amazing talents for sharing the Gospel through music.

Pictured here with founder Calvin Wills, Bill Mack (Billy Mack Smith) had possibly the most listeners during his famed radio career as the Midnight Cowboy than any other DJ in Texas.    He won numerous awards for his “late-night” – “long-haul” popularity with truckers all over the United States. He was inducted into the TGMHF at the Texas Opry in Weatherford in 1997.

He was friends with numerous Gospel quartets and singers and even though his show was primarily a Country Music show, he always featured some great Gospel Music. Bill Mack will be greatly missed by all his many fans.

Billy Grable was a much-loved Southern gentleman who also happened to be a really great piano player. He began playing piano for a male quartet while in his late teens and his talent led him to gain offers from some of the most popular groups of his time. Eventually, he would turn down most offers to travel full-time because he wanted to be with his family in Fort Worth.

In his later years, Billy hosted a very popular Gospel Concert Series at Travis Avenue Baptist Church in Fort Worth. Most of the better and most popular Texas groups would appear at these concerts. When possible, many of the “full-time” national groups who were touring through Texas would also stop by and “sing for Billy” – that was always a crowd pleaser!

Jack Taylor is a true Texas hero for Gospel Music. His name is seen on numerous songbooks through the years as a writer and publisher and editor. He ran the main office for Stamps Music in Oak Cliff for many years and continued his involvement after the Zondervan Company bought them out.

Jack began his career in music as a very talented pianists for many of the early quartets. He is seen in at least a dozen Stamps Quartet photos that are in the TGMHF archives. Since he had classical training as a young man, he bought a high-quality of piano playing “style” to the music and eventually became a favorite piano instructor for students all across North Texas.

Paul is mentioned here to as a group leader and soloist, representing the very popular Hispanic group: The Galileans. From the early 1960s this group of talented men inspired and entertained audiences across the country. They played guitars for accompaniment and would sing some arrangements in Spanish.

The Hall of Fame always gives special recognition to the great Gospel piano players who were literally the “one man band” for the popular quartets of a bye-gone era. ‘Smilin’ Joe Roper was one of the greats! His lanky frame and jovial spirit gave him the reputation of always being easy to work with, but he looked so “focused” and serious when he played – barely cracking a smile – that his nick-name stuck with him for decades: ‘Smilin’ Joe.

Growing up in the rural

Jim Brady is one of the most talented singers and songwriters to come out of Texas in a long time. He established himself first with the most popular trio in the quartet business: The Booth Brothers. They were featured at the National Quartet Convention and voted several Fan Awards in the Singing News publication.

By the time he was inducted in 2015, Jim and his talented wife, Melissa had been working together for nearly two years. They continue to gain more support for their ministry of Gospel Music as they travel full-time all across the United States.