The Wilburns: A Gospel Music Legacy

The Wilburns: A Gospel Music Legacy is a blog about, you guessed it, the Wilburns! This legendary family has been making music for generations and their impact is still felt today.

The Wilburns: A Gospel Music Legacy

The Wilburns are a legendary gospel music family. patriarch Rev. Ike Wilburn was a gospel singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for his work with the Five Blind Boys of Alabama, with whom he toured and recorded for many years. Rev. Wilburn’s sons, Teddy and Doyle, were both members of the gospel group the Fairfield Four. Teddy was also a member of the legendary Soul Stirrers, with whom he recorded such classic gospel songs as “Touch the Hem of His Garment” and “Peace in the Valley.” Teddy’s son, Mark, is a noted gospel musician and recording artist in his own right. The Wilburns are truly a Gospel music legacy.

The Wilburn Brothers

The Wilburn Brothers were a popular gospel music duo in the 1950s and 1960s. Comprising brothers Virgil and Doyle Wilburn, the duo was known for their close harmony singing. They first gained attention as part of the nationally syndicated radio show, The Gospel Caravan.

The Wilburns were born in Hardy, Arkansas, in the Ozarks. They began singing together as children and first performed on a local radio station in Mountain View, Arkansas. In 1949, they relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, where they signed with Trinity Broadcasting Company and began appearing on The Gospel Caravan.

The Wilburns enjoyed a string of hits on the gospel music charts throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Among their most popular songs were “I’ll Serve Nobody But Jesus,” “Saved by Grace,” and “The Unclouded Day.” They also recorded a number of duets with other gospel music artists, including Shirley Caesar, Mahalia Jackson, and Vestal Goodman.

The Wilburn Brothers were Known for their close harmony singing
They recorded a number of duets with other gospel music artists throughout their careers

The Wilburn Family

The Wilburn family is a gospel music legacy. The family patriarch and matriarch, Dorse and Mae Wilburn, began their musical careers in the early 1940s. They met while singing with the Chuck Wagon Gang, one of the most popular gospel groups of all time. In 1948, the Wilburns formed their own group, The Wilburn Brothers. The group featured the brothers’ harmonies and became one of the most popular gospel groups of the 1950s and 1960s. The group’s popularity led to a television show, “The Wilburn Brothers Show,” which aired on country music stations across the United States.

The Wilburns were not only business-savvy, but they were also talented musicians. They wrote many of their own songs and provided backing vocals for some of country music’s biggest stars, including Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn. The group disbanded in the early 1970s, but reunited in the 1980s to record a new album and tour together.

The family legacy continues today with Dorse and Mae’s grandchildren, who are all involved in music in some way. One grandson, Bo Bice, was a contestant on “American Idol” in 2005. Another grandson, Danny Gokey, was a contestant on “The Voice” in 2013. And another grandson, Dakota Bradley, is a successful country music artist. The family’s musical legacy is sure to continue for many generations to come!

The Wilburn Sisters

The Wilburns were a popular gospel music trio in the 1950s and 1960s. The trio consisted of sisters Dorothy, Virgie, and Christine Wilburn. The sisters were born and raised in Boaz, Kentucky. They began singing together as children and first gained attention when they performed on the “Grand Ole Opry” radio show in 1949.

The Wilburns became regular cast members of the “Opry” in the early 1950s. They also hosted their own television show, “The Wilburn Brothers Show,” from 1963 to 1974. In addition to their work on television, the sisters recorded many albums of gospel music. They were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2002.