The Happy Goodman Family
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| The Happy Goodman Family | |
|---|---|
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| Origin |  United States |
| Years active | 1950s–2002 |
| Genres | Southern Gospel |
| Labels | SIMS Canaan Records Spring Hill Pamplin Music Crowne Music |
| Past members | Howard Goodman Vestal Goodman Sam Goodman Rusty Goodman Bobby Goodman Johnny Cook Johnny Minnick Tanya Goodman Sykes Ricky Goodman Steve Easter Eddie Crook Michael English |
| Website(s) | www.vestalandfriends.com |
The Happy Goodman Family was a Southern Gospel group founded in the 1940s by Howard "Happy" Goodman.
The Happy Goodman Family began to be known for their singing around 1950. During the 1940s and 1950s there were various combinations of all eight brothers and sisters, with Howard being constant. Brother Sam pulled a stint in the Air Force while Brother Bobby was a truck driver and played for some rock and roll bands. Brother Rusty pulled a stint in service as well as singing with the Plainsmen Quartet afterwards. Howard married, and soon his wife Vestal joined the group as well. After all the sisters married, Howard and Vestal went into evangelistic work. Soon Sam joined them again followed by Rusty in 1962 and Bobby on bass guitar not long afterwards.
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[edit] History
The fame of the Happy Goodmans grew considerably in the early-1960s. Appearances at the National Quartet Convention got them in front of promoters who in turn booked them across the country. Their first full length recording was I’m Too Near Home, initially released in 1963 and later re-released on Canaan/Word in 1965. In 1968, they were honored with a Grammy award for their 1967 album The Happy Gospel of the Happy Goodmans. Ten years later, they received another Grammy for Refreshing.
The Goodmans broke new ground in gospel music during the 1960s and 1970s by implementing a live band and creating their own unique sound. It was during these years that they developed their now classic "grab a note and hang on" endings. Sam's humorous emcee work, Howard's showmanship at the piano, Rusty's songwriting, and Vestal's hairdos and white handkerchiefs all rose to a new prominence. Tenor Johnny Cook joined the group for a while in 1974 and Rusty's daughter Tanya was added in 1976.
[edit] Separate paths
Around 1980, creative differences about musical style caused a division in the family. The musical landscape of Christian music was expanding considerably at this time, and Howard and Vestal wanted to maintain their traditional sound. Rusty, Sam, and Tanya wanted to take the group in a more contemporary direction. Ultimately, Howard and Vestal decided to leave the group. Rusty, Sam, and Tanya carried on with Johnny Cook returning at tenor. Michael English joined them a couple of years later.
[edit] Reunion
Aside from a one time performance at the 1984 National Quartet Convention by Sam, Rusty, Howard and Vestal, the Happy Goodmans did not sing together from 1984 to 1990. In 1990, news that Rusty had contracted cancer prompted the family to record a project together called The Reunion. Although they initially planned to tour in support of the project, Rusty's health deteriorated rapidly. He passed away in November of 1990. Sam followed his brother in death the next year.
[edit] The final stand
In 1996, Howard and Vestal were joined on vocals by former Happy Goodman band member Johnny Minick. As a trio, they brought back the Happy Goodman name to the delight of fans. Several projects were released over the next five years and they were regular fixtures at Gaither Homecoming events. Their last project was appropriately titled The Final Stand (2001). In 2002, a biographical video titled More Than The Music...Life Story chronicled the history of the Happy Goodmans. Vestal wrote her autobiography and released a number of solo projects before her death in 2003, including two Vestal and Friends CDs featuring duets with a diverse array of vocalists.
The group recorded 15 number-one singles and played over 3,500 shows. They were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1998.
[edit] Discography
[edit] On SIMS
| Year | Album | Featuring | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | I’m Too Near Home | Howard, Sam, Rusty, & Vestal | 1965 reissue on CANAAN |
| 1964 | The Best of… | Howard, Sam, Rusty, & Vestal | 1965 reissue on CANAAN |
| 1964 | It’s A Wonderful Feelin’ | Howard, Sam, Rusty, & Vestal | 1965 reissue on CANAAN |
[edit] On CANAAN
| Year | Album | Featuring | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | What a Happy Time! | Howard, Sam, Rusty, Vestal & Bobby | |
| 1965 | Bigger ‘N Better | Howard, Sam, Rusty, Vestal & Bobby | |
| 1966 | Good ‘N Happy | Howard, Sam, Rusty, Vestal & Bobby | |
| 1967 | The Happy Gospel of the Happy Goodmans | Howard, Sam, Rusty, Vestal & Bobby | 1968 Grammy Award Winner |
| 1968 | Portrait of Excitement | Howard, Sam, Rusty, Vestal & Bobby | |
| 1969 | This Happy House | Howard, Sam, Rusty, Vestal & Bobby | |
| 1970 | Good Times with the Happy Goodmans | Howard, Sam, Rusty, Vestal & Bobby | |
| 1971 | Wanted Live | Howard, Sam, Rusty, Vestal & Bobby | |
| 1972 | Leave Your Sorrows and Come Along | Howard, Sam, Rusty & Vestal | |
| 1973 | The Legendary Goodmans | Howard, Sam, Rusty & Vestal | |
| 1974 | The Happy Goodman Family Hour | Howard, Sam, Rusty, Vestal & Johnny Cook | Though Vestal is pictured on the cover, she does not sing on this album. |
| 1975 | Covered in Warmth | Howard, Sam, Rusty, Vestal & Johnny Cook | |
| 1976 | 99 44/100% | Howard, Sam, Rusty, Vestal & Tanya | |
| 1977 | The Very Best of the Happy Goodmans-In Concert…Live | Howard, Sam, Rusty, Vestal & Tanya | |
| 1978 | Refreshing | Howard, Sam, Rusty, Vestal & Johnny Cook | 1978 Grammy Award Winner |
| 1979 | Better Hurry Up | Howard, Sam, Rusty & Vestal | |
| 1981 | Goin’ Higher | Sam, Rusty, Tanya & Johnny Cook | |
| 1982 | Goodman Greats | Sam, Rusty, Tanya, Johnny Cook & Mike English) | |
| 1982 | Chosen | Sam, Rusty, Tanya & Mike English | |
| 1984 | Their Greatest Hits | Howard, Sam, Rusty & Vestal) | |
| 1990 | The Reunion | Howard, Sam, Rusty & Vestal |
[edit] On SPRING HILL
| Year | Album | Featuring |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Always | Howard, Vestal & Johnny Minick |
| 1998 | Joy for the Journey | Howard, Vestal & Johnny Minick |
| 2000 | 50 Years (Gaither) | Howard, Vestal & Johnny Minick |
[edit] On PAMPLIN
| Year | Album | Featuring |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Set Your Sails | Howard, Vestal & Johnny Minick |
[edit] On CROWNE MUSIC
| Year | Album | Featuring |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | The Final Stand | Howard, Vestal & Johnny Minick |
[edit] COMPILATIONS
| Year | Album | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | The Original Happy Goodman Family | On ARRIVAL/K-TEL |
| 1996 | The Collection, Vol. 1 | On CROWN MUSIC GROUP. Digitally remastered double CD. |
| 1996 | The Collection, Vol. 2 | On CROWN MUSIC GROUP. Digitally remastered double CD. |
| 2000 | Southern Gospel Treasury Series | On WORD |
| 2003 | Greatest Hits | On NEW HAVEN RECORDS |
[edit] Complete list of group members
This list begins with the date of their first full length recording.
- Howard Goodman 1963-1980, 1990, 1996-2002
- Vestal Goodman 1963-1980, 1990, 1996-2002
- Sam Goodman 1963-1983, 1990
- Rusty Goodman 1963-1983, 1990
- Bobby Goodman 1965-1971
- Johnny Cook 1974-1975, 1978, 1980-1983
- Johnny Minick 1975-1977 (pianist/BGVs), 1996-2002 (vocalist)
- Tanya Goodman Sykes 1976-1977, 1980-1983
- Michael English 1982-1983
- Eddie Crook 1972-1975 (pianist)
- Steve "Rabbit" Easter 1977-1982 (Steel Guitar,Banjo,and Dobro)
- Ricky Goodman 1970s-1980(drummer)
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