Nobody Likes It But The People Bio – John Crenshaw

John Crenshaw hosts the "Remembering Gospel Music History" forum on the SGM Radio Message Board where he asks daily gospel music history questions about people and events in gospel music of the past. He also hosts a monthly segment, "Remembering Gospel Music History with John Crenshaw" on the "Southern Styles Show", a nationally syndicated weekly radio show featuring southern gospel music hosted by Rob Patz.

John is a staff writer for the Grand Ole Gospel Reunion and historian for the SGMA Hall of Fame. John has been a contributing writer to several gospel music magazines. He is currently writing two books about the history of gospel music.

http://www.sgmradio.com/

http://www.southernstylesshow.com/

http://www.grandolegospelreunion.com/

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I'll miss Eva Mae LeFevre.

I saw the LeFevres at one of the first gospel concerts I ever attended when I was almost ten years old. The instruments amazed me as did their versatility. However, Eva Mae's piano work and her ability to keep the audience in the palm of her hand made the show in my eyes.

It was about 20 years later when I really got to know Eva Mae. I suppose she was the first "star" of gospel music that ever rode in my car. She came up to me and asked me for a ride back to the hotel. She'd heard that I had a new BMW and wanted me to take her for a ride! What a lady.

Those of you that know of Eva Mae know that she loved to talk. She could bring laughter to your face one moment and tears to your eyes the next. Her stories about her precious daughter Monteia or her brother James would make you cry, but the next minute she would have you laughing. Eva Mae was the consummate gospel music entertainer.

Around 1997, Charlie Waller blessed me with a great honor. He asked me to emcee the Grand Ole Gospel Reunion Jam Sessions. At least I thought it to be an honor. Heck, it was HARD WORK! Eva Mae gave me some interesting moments to say the least.

You never knew when Eva Mae would want to take her place on the program. Being a good emcee, I did my best to plan a program that would move quickly and demonstrate variety, class, and dignity. It was also imperative to keep within Mr. Waller's time frame.

On Saturday afternoon, I got the word to start promptly at 1:30 and not go a minute beyond 3:00. I worked my program around that time frame, working all the groups into the program in a timely fashion. Things were going great! At 2:45, I had featured all of the groups except the Florida Boys and the Melody Boys Quartet. I thought I had saved the best for last and the show would end in splendid fashion. The Florida Boys were at their best in those days with their new lead singer Josh Garner, and the Melody Boys Quartet had the greatest harmony of anyone at the Reunion. They were newbies at the reunion and the crowd loved them. I couldn't think of a better way to close the concert. I didn't realize that Eva Mae had other plans.

Just as I'm getting ready to introduce the Florida Boys, Eva Mae walks up to me and says, "OK, I'm ready to go on now!" Folks, you don't turn down Eva Mae and I also learned that you don't give Eva Mae a time limit. It's fruitless.

I watched the minutes tick off my watch as Eva Mae continued to talk. At 3:04, she finally finished. I had to walk off stage and apologize to Gerald Williams and Jonathan Sawrie of the Melody Boys Quartet for not saving room for them on the program. Of course, they realized the predicament and were gracious gentlemen as they always are. I learned a lot about dealing with sweet Eva Mae that day (well, I probably already knew about her), and I also learned what fine and gracious gentlemen Mr. Sawrie and Mr. Williams are. I'm blessed to be friends with them as well as Mrs. LeFevre.

Nobody likes it but the people.