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Mercy River Boys

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Mercy River Boys
GenresChristian country, southern gospel, progressive southern gospel
Years active1979 (1979)–1985 (1985)
LabelsCanaan
Past members

The Mercy River Boys were an American Christian country music band who performed from 1979 to 1985. They were nominated for a Grammy Award[1] for their first album, Breakout (Canaan Records, 1979).[2] The album was also a finalist for the Gospel Music Association's Dove Award for Album of the Year, 1979–80, and won a Dove Award for backliner notes, written by Merlin Littlefield.[3][4]

The group performed extensively in the United States and had multiple hits on Christian music radio. The band is also featured on the Canaan Recording Artists Christmas album and on a live recording from the Kerrville Folk Festival, recorded in Kerrville, Texas.[5]

The Mercy River Boys were created, in part, to challenge the status quo of the Christian radio market. Don Cusic (Billboard Magazine, Vol. 90, No 31) credits Canaan Records for creating a band to cross over into country music, improving "what is essentially a good product (gospel) and made it become commercially viable."[6] The eight original members of the band and the record executives at Canaan Records wanted to create a sound that would bridge the gap between country radio and more traditional southern gospel markets.[7] The result was the creation of a new genre, Christian country music; country lyrics with a positive moral message.

The Mercy River Boys were a hit in both radio markets and performed in both country and gospel venues and music festivals for many years. Terry Bradshaw, former NFL quarterback and TV personality, listed the Mercy River Boys as one of his favorite Christian country bands because of their crossover appeal.[8]

The Mercy River Boys toured for over five years, sharing the stage with many country music performers including the Oak Ridge Boys, Barbara Mandrell, Louise Mandrell,[9] Dolly Parton, Crystal Gayle, and Larry Gatlin. The Mercy River Boys became one of Canaan Records' most successful performing artists in 1979–80 when their Breakout album crossed over from Southern gospel into the country music radio market; the songs to cross over into country music radio included "You Needed Me", "Blow On Temptest", and the semi-biographical song "Flat Top Martin Guitar". The 1982 album In the Arms of My Best Friend was a complete crossover product with hit songs "Would They Love Him Down In Shreveport Today" and the title cut, "In the Arms of My Best Friend".[10]

The final Mercy River Boys lineup from April 15, 1983, to January 7, 1985, featured Emory Atkins (bass guitar and vocals), Danny Hollis (acoustic guitar and lead vocals), Ronny Ricks (drums and lead vocals), and Chuck Long (electric guitar and vocals).[11] They dropped the traditional quartet and band format, used by many southern gospel groups of the time, rebranding themselves as a band with each musician singing various lead and harmony vocals. In a visual perspective, this was the final departure from the southern gospel music stage. They performed their final concert in Oklahoma City in late October 1984. The band recorded a few final songs that winter, including their final song, 'You're So Good to Me.'

After the group disbanded in December, Emory Atkins, Ronny Ricks, and Danny Hollis formed the Christian music band Paradise. They recorded four albums together on Englewood Records from 1985 to 1991. Atkins moved to Nashville and built a twenty-four-track recording studio in the United Artist Tower on Music Row. He toured with Margaret Becker, Harvest, Ben Ketting, and several country music and CCM artists. Wayne Christian began a long and successful career in Texas politics,[12] serving in the state legislature and on the Texas Railroad Commission.[13] Gary Goss toured with Johnny Rodriguez for over three decades.[14] Ronny Ricks toured with a variety of artists including White River and the Penny Gilley band.

In May 2016, several original members of The Mercy River Boys performed a reunion concert at the Texas State Republican Convention, in Dallas, Texas, in support of Wayne Christian.[13] This is the last time any of original the members of the band have performed. A new book about the various members of the band is being published in June 2019, forty years after the band released its first album.

The final release of the Mercy River Boys came out on September 1, 2020. After thirty-six years of musical silence, a Greatest Hits LP was released on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Music, YouTube Music and most music streaming services by Englewood Records. The release includes one new song recorded in 1985 by the final four band members, Emory Atkins, Danny Hollis, Chuck Long, and Ronny Ricks. The song is entitled, 'You're So Good to Me.' A final video was released in support of the new album.[15]

Texas Gospel Music Hall of Fame

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In 2015, Wayne Christian, Emory Atkins, Danny Hollis, Ronny Ricks, Gary Goss, Chuck Long and all the band members of the Mercy River Boys were inducted into the Texas Gospel Music Hall of Fame.[16][17][18]

Controversy

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Since the band broke up in December 1985, at least three other groups have adopted or used some variation of the name Mercy River Boys, without permission. Emory Atkins owns the trademark and name The Mercy River Boys, Inc, a legal entity in the State of Texas;[citation needed] however, several groups continue to record and perform using the name.[11] Canaan Records is no longer in business and the original members of the band have not pursued legal action.

Band members

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  • John Aultman, 1981–1983
  • Emory Atkins, 1979–81, 1983–84
  • Kevin Bailey, 1979–81
  • Wayne Christian, 1979–83
  • Gary Goss, 1979–83
  • Danny Hollis, 1979–82, 1983–84
  • Chuck Long, 1980–81, 1983–84
  • Rusty Oxford, 1979–81
  • Ronny Ricks, 1979–84
  • Danny B. Smith, 1979–81

Discography

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Year Album Label
1979 Breakout (Mercy River Boys) Canaan Records[19][20][21][22]
1979 Kerrville Folk Life Festival, 1979. (Mercy River Boys) Kerrville Folk Festival
1981 A Canaan Country Christmas album, Oh Little Town of Bethlehem (Mercy River Boys) Canaan Records[23][24]
1982 Arms of my Best Friend (Mercy River Boys) Canaan Records[25][26][27][28][10]
1982 Canaan Classics, (Compilation Of Canaan Recording Artists) Canaan Records[29]
1983 Country Gospel Classics: A collection of gospel greats from the Canaan Record family Canaan Records[30]
1984 Grass Roots Gospel, (A compilation of Canaan Gospel Recording Artists) Canaan Records[31]
2003 The Early Years, Kerrville Folk Life Festival, Compilation, 1972-1981. (Mercy River Boys) Kerrville Folk Festival
2020 "The Mercy River Boys, Greatest Hits. (Mercy River Boys) Englewood Records[32]

References

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  1. ^ "Grammy Award Nominees 1980 - Grammy Award Winners 1980". Awardsandshows.com. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  2. ^ "Mercy River Boys". Grammy.com. November 19, 2019.
  3. ^ Cusic, Don (November 12, 2009). Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music: Pop, Rock, and Worship: Pop, Rock, and Worship. ISBN 9780313344268.
  4. ^ "Texas Gospel Music Hall of Fame Inducts The Singing Christians/Mercy River Boys". Shelby County Today. November 25, 2015. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  5. ^ "Mercy River Boys". Play.google.com. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  6. ^ "Billboard". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. July 28, 1979. Retrieved April 16, 2019 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ "Billboard". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. July 17, 1982. Retrieved April 16, 2019 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ Abrams, Brett L. (September 8, 2017). Terry Bradshaw: From Super Bowl Champion to Television Personality. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9781442277649. Retrieved April 16, 2019 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ "The Canyon News from Canyon, Texas on April 18, 1982 · Page 15". Newspapers.com. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  10. ^ a b "Archived copy". www.alanmesser.com. Archived from the original on November 22, 2015. Retrieved January 15, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. ^ a b "THE MERCY RIVER BOYS, INC. :: Texas (US) :: OpenCorporates". Archived from the original on April 12, 2019.
  12. ^ "Texas RRC - Commissioner Wayne Christian". Rrc.texas.gov. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  13. ^ a b Reynolds, John (May 13, 2016). "At the GOP Convention, a Lawmaker's Gospel Band Reunion". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  14. ^ "Band Members & Others". Johnnyrodriguezmusic.com. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  15. ^ URL= https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=share&v=TH9cou0g3jo
  16. ^ "Local musician to be inducted into Gospel Music Hall of Fame". October 28, 2015. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  17. ^ "The Singing Christians". Uniqware.com. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  18. ^ "The Singing Christians/Mercy River Boys in Tx Gospel Music Hall of Fame". East Texas Press. November 26, 2015. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  19. ^ Emerson Lee (February 28, 2019). "Blow On Tempest". Retrieved April 16, 2019 – via YouTube.
  20. ^ Emerson Lee (March 3, 2019). "You Needed Me". Retrieved April 16, 2019 – via YouTube.
  21. ^ Emerson Lee (March 3, 2019). "FLAT TOP MARTIN GUITAR". Retrieved April 16, 2019 – via YouTube.
  22. ^ "Grammy Award Nominees 1980 - Grammy Award Winners 1980". Awardsandshows.com. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  23. ^ "Various - Canaan Country Christmas". Discogs.com. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  24. ^ Various Artists - Topic (March 1, 2018). "O Little Town of Bethlehem". Retrieved April 16, 2019 – via YouTube.
  25. ^ Emerson Lee (March 1, 2019). "Would They Love Him Down in Shreveport". Retrieved April 16, 2019 – via YouTube.
  26. ^ Emerson Lee (February 27, 2019). "Arms of My Best Friend". Retrieved April 16, 2019 – via YouTube.
  27. ^ Emerson Lee (March 1, 2019). "A History of the Mercy River Boys". Retrieved April 16, 2019 – via YouTube.
  28. ^ "Mercy River Boys - In The Arms Of My Best Friend". Discogs.com. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  29. ^ "CANAAN CLASSICS cassette tape Mercy River Boys 1982 Wendy Bagwell gospel Nelon". eBay.com. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  30. ^ Country gospel classics: a collection of gospel greats from the Canaan Record family. April 3, 1983. OCLC 34257523.
  31. ^ Grass roots gospel. April 3, 1984. OCLC 12952592.
  32. ^ "Greatest Hits by Mercy River Boys". September 5, 2020.
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Photos

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