Oak Ridge Boys w/ Smitty Gatlin - There's A Light Guiding Me

[MissVickie65]

Praise the Lord!!!! What a beautiful song!!! Sung with so much dedication!!

[england670]

I got to come here, listen to this song and get my Smitty Gatlin fix

[CadillacL]

@england670 I never knew that. That is interesting cause Elvire WAS the height

of their career.

[bigmrclean]

WOW!!! Man the harmony is tight! The bass is impecible!! This may be the best lineup right here!! I tell ya...This is hard to beat.

[GeorgeVreelandHill]

Wow!

Love it.

[baldwinplayer]

Really like this selection, Dean. Can you post some more of Smitty Gatlin and Herman Harper?

[GospelPhil]

We have a 5' 2" bass in our choir that can do a G1 without a mike and it is awesome...I get cold chills singing beside him!

[TheCross4Me]

I can't tell you how many times I went to sleep with this playing from a tape player under my pillow when I was a kid. " I talked with the Lord, many nights at my bedside, and asked His forgiveness as I knelt to pray..for He died on the Cross just to save us from sin". Hallelujah!

[TheRacarden]

WOW!!! Beautiful song. Smitty Gatlin really puts his heart in it. Herman Harper's low note at the end is incredible; made the whole house shake like a big truck was rumbling by. Thanks much for the posting.

[GospelPhil]

The only other person singing bass who would be as good as Herman and London would be Will Adkins!

[GospelPhil]

Here I am listening to it again!

[GospelPhil]

I listened again tonight and felt good when Herman made good on the low notes! Thrills me to hear such clean and clear sounds!

[steverino47]

No relation, SueBea. Smitty died young, and would only be in his mid-70's today.

[SueBeaWho]

Maybe someone already answered this but was Smitty Gatlin the dad of the Gatlin Brothers?

[dcompton]

I love it!

[unc7480]

I dont understand the adulation for JD as a singer (I understand that he was a wonderful man). He could hit some impossibly low stuff, its true, but he did not have a large voice, was lost without a mike and had frequent tone control problems. Can any of these things be said about Herman Harper?

[miltmonkey]

Herman Harper, London Paris and The Immortal J.D.Sumner stand alone in breath and scope. Deep,smooth and strong , Only time will tell about the new boys on the block. In the meanwhile let them fetch J.D. a glass on water to cool his monsterous pipes.

[moproducer]

@miltmonkey Don't leave George Younce out of that lineup...

[GospelPhil]

When I see the bickering over Tim Riley, JD, and Richard Sterban, I just remember listening to this song in person and know that Herman was one of the elite basses of all time.

[ramey58]

Don't forget George Younce, Phil.

[GospelPhil]

I loved George too! He and Glen were personal friends of mine...we did Social Security together when I was still working!

[unc7480]

I've watched this many times and my mouth drops at what Herman Harper repeatedly does with the bass line here. Never showy, always restrained and technically irreproachable.

[HymnTimeGospelSongs]

5**** just a great song done at it's best.

[GospelPhil]

Herman had the ability to take those low notes and make them heard....not too loud, but deep and smooth.

[usetobe727]

IMO Herman Harper was one of the top Bass voices to ever grace the gospel music stage. Deep and extremely smooth voice. RIP Herman!

[bigmrclean]

@usetobe727 I agree!!

[TinneyBBS]

its a beautiful song but i cant help but laugh when its over because of what Mr. Harper does with that last chord.

HA.

[england670]

This song is just wonderful to listen to. You cannot help to be totally mesmerized with their beautiful quiet harmonies. You can hear every note just blending into another....I cannot believe that I am listening to something from quite a long time ago! This is just an amazing quartet. Thanks to all of the people who post a story to tell about these great groups.

[moproducer]

This is one of my two all-time favorites by the ORB, not to mention, the best linup the group ever had in its history: Smitty Gatlin; Willie Wynn -- best tenor ever; Bill Golden (having just joined the group in '65); and Herman Harper at bass (just listen to him nail that low 'A' at the end!). I got see them once when I was a kid. It would be fantastic to have a reunion, but sadly, Gatlin and Harper are gone singin' to the Lord.

[GospelPhil]

Is it an A or G?

[moproducer]

You're right, G.

[knowMusicMan]

Sorry, that last note was a G1.

[moproducer]

Even better!

[militarychief]

Brings back a lot of memories. My mom and dad were in a trio and used to sing this song.

[CadillacL]

William Lee was sure lookin sharp back in the day, I remember my first country concert was the Oaks during the Elvira tour, he was just letting his hair/beard grow. Anyhow, This is some of the most beautiful harmonies I've EVER heard. Not too familiar w/this version of the group unfortuntely.

[Losteryt]

i dont think Lee is in this video

[CadillacL]

Actually, goin from left to riht William Lee is the third.

[Losteryt]

oh cause the vid info says that is tommy fairchild or bill golden

[brendakasten]

The man you're talking about is the same Bill Golden who is with the Oak Ridge Boys now. Clean cut and handsome...

[moproducer]

CadillacL, what's ironic is that Bill Golden was the member who insisted on the group doing clothes and hairstyles. He had been an ORB 'hanger-on' for years before joning the group in '65, and came in with ideas for improving the look of the group. Guess that all changed with success, years later.

[pharmgirl1008]

WONDRUL...WONDERFUL...!!..Than­k you sooo much for the memories!!

[jowox]

smokin G1 at the end by Herman!

[in2stuff2006]

I last saw this group in person in 1962 in Memphis.....always loved Little Willie and Herman Harper....two of the best!

[seancoxen]

Herman Harper -- one the most underrated basses in business. Beautiful and smoothe voice. Middle and top registers like Rex Nelon and low register like London Parris. Immaculate voice production like Aycel Soward. Asking for more is pure gluttony.

[Sandraz1634]

How great to see the Original Oak Ridge Boys with Little Willie, Bill Golden, Herman Harper and Smitty Gatlin and Tommy Fairchild. This really brings back alot of memories. When Little Willie would sing, you could hear a pin drop. Thanks again for posting your wonderful material.

[ekua1966]

Smitty Gatlin along with Glen Payne, Toney, were the finest lead-singers ever to grace the Gospelmusic-stage!

Very controlled, filled with finesse, and sincerity..beautiful!

Ekua

[Losteryt]

well idk if anyone is listening through speakers that pick up background noise, but there is a lot of bass in this song haha, and smitty gatlin is a wonderful singer

[MoJoPiano]

Thank you so, so much for another great "blast from the past". I have several old recordings by the Smitty Gatlin Trio and they are treasures for sure! One of the best lead singers ever to step up to the mic, and I'm almost 57 and have been following Southern Gospel religiously since I was six years old. Thanks for putting these "oldies" out here. God Bless You! MoJoPiano

[lonemapper]

Fantastic! Herman Harper is dragging the bottom on the end and William Golden was a sharp cat in those days. Thanks for posting.

[arvinwynn]

another true old classic video...you are worth a million ..thank you so much for this blessing .

[jetrec]

A great song by one of the greatest lead singers of all time.

[adkinsda]

Jeff,

I meant to add to the information that I consider Smitty Gatlin one of the great lead singers in gospel music.

[cstanfield0333]

Is Smitty related to Larry? Probably a "duh" question, but I didn't know.

[adkinsda]

No, he isn't.

[rparker0]

Dean, you make me feel old! I remember most of these. Maybe because I AM getting old!