Review: Southern Gospel Hall of Fame and Museum
Anyone who has been there or driven by knows where this picture was taken even if they didn’t read the headline. Although it’s been a long time coming, I finally got to experience the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and I’m so glad I did.
Before you enter the building you will see what I believe was the original Blackwood Brothers’ bus. You may recall that in the early days of quartet music, the groups crammed into cars until J.D. Sumner got the idea to customize a bus which allowed them more space as well as a place to sleep so they could get places more quickly without having to stop. They did not have showers on the buses, however, and I remember reading where they would sometimes get out in the rain with a bar of soap and freshen up as best they could. I don’t know if anyone would call those the good ol’ days, but back then, they were high-tech.
Throughout the museum, you will find history. Whether news articles, plaques, or outdated items such as 45 LPs, it will be nostalgic for some and a time of learning for others. Long-time fans will enjoy seeing relics such as Vestal’s hanky, the original manuscript of “Because He Lives,” a shapenote typewriter (who know there was such a thing?!), and more. Plus the wall that everybody wants to see:
This wall lists members on the front and back. Each panel includes the date of induction, birth and death (if applicable), and a brief description of each members’ influence on Southern Gospel Music.
The museum is located in the back of the Biblical Times Theater, located on one of the main streets of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Also featured there are Christus Gardens (a program on the life of Christ) and The Shroud Museum, which discusses the Shroud of Turin and why they believe it to be Jesus’ burial cloth. They recommend setting aside two hours to see the whole thing. I didn’t have that much time the day I went, so I only saw the Southern Gospel museum and got a quick tour of the Shroud museum. Maybe I can catch Christus Gardens another day.
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