SGNScoops is sad to bid farewell to a Gospel music pioneer, Ben Speer. Speer passed away April 7Â at age 86, leaving behind wife Rebekah Long and many other family members and close friends.
Ben Speer was an original member of The Speer Family and helped to form their sound with his distinctive voice and piano playing. He launched the Ben Speer Music Company in 1950. Speer also produced many hit records and revived the Stamps-Baxter School of music.
SGNScoops’ writer Justin Gilmore wrote recently: “The Speer Family was the first to receive the Gospel Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition to this, the group received 14 Dove Awards and was inducted into both the Gospel Music Hall of Fame and the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Later in the group’s career, Faye and Brock along with Ben, Mary Tom, and Rosa Nell Speer appeared frequently on Bill Gaither’s Homecoming videos and concerts. The family was instrumental in the development and popularity of the series as well.”
Wikipedia tells us: “Speer was inducted into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame in 1995,[2] the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame in 1998[8] and the Southern Gospel Piano Roll of Honor in 2002.[9]” (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Speer April 4,2017)
We don’t have room to share every way in which Ben Speer touched and enriched Gospel music, his family and friends.
SGNScoops extends their prayers and sympathy to Ben Speer’s family and friends and all who will miss this great man.
Funeral Arrangements are:
Visitation will be Monday, April 10th, from 4-7 p.m. at Woodlawn Funeral Home on Thompson Lane. Woodlawn Funeral Home is located at 660 Thompson Lane , Nashville, TN 37204.
Visitation prior to service at First Church of the Nazarene located on Woodland & Fifth starting at Tuesday, April 11th, 11 a.m.
Service will begin at 1:00 p.m. with burial at 3:30 p.m. at the Woodlawn Cemetery also on Thompson Lane.
First Church of the Nazarene is located at 510 Woodland Street, Nashville, TN 37206. The service will be live streamed for those who are unable to attend.
Cards may be sent to P.O. Box 40201, Nashville, TN 37204-0201,
