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Yahoo
09-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Gospel legend Parsons dies at 77
May 9—Evans hails 'remarkable' singer and songwriter Squire Parsons, a West Virginia native and member of the Southern Gospel Hall of Fame died Monday at age 77. Parsons, who was born in Newton, in Roane County, West Virginia, began his Gospel career in 1969, as a member of the Calvarymen Quartet in his home state. After graduating from West Virginia University Institute of Technology in 1970, Parsons served as music director for several churches. In 1975, he joined the famed the Kingsmen Quartet as a baritone. In 1979, he began a solo career, becoming best known for "Sweet Beulah Land," a song he penned for his debut album. The composition won him the Singing News Fan Awards for Song of the Year in 1981. Parsons, who was ordained as a minister at Trinity Baptist Church in Asheville, North Carolina, earned international acclaim as a singer and songwriter, appearing in the Little Rock Crusade with Billy Graham and performing with the Gaither Homecoming Choir. Parsons was one of the artists listed in the program for the 2025 West Virginia Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony, who have been approved for a future entry into the hall. Dr. Calvin Ray Evans, president and director or Evangelistic Outreach, based in New Boston, said Parsons frequently appeared on the minister's television program and performed at their annual Spring Jubilee event at the Scioto County Fairgrounds in Lucasville. Evans said Parsons' appearances at their events dated back to when his father, Calvin Evans, was alive and in charge of the ministry. "I couldn't even begin to count them," he said of Parsons' visits. "He was quite a remarkable man and a gifted songwriter. Parsons retired from touring and performing in 2019. Evans said because of Parsons' ties to the Tri-State, those at the ministry "always felt like he was one of us." In addition to "Sweet Beulah Land," Evans cited another Parsons' composition, "I Call It Home," from Parson's 1990 album, "Heavenly County." "Some call it paradise, somewhere beyond the skies / Some call it heaven, but I call it home," the chorus states. "And it couldn't be more fitting for him today," Evans said.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Gospel singer Squire Parsons dies at 77
ASHEVILLE, NC (WOWK) — Well-known southern gospel singer Squire Parsons, famous for writing the classic 'Sweet Beulah Land,' has died, as confirmed by personal friends. He was 77 years old. Parsons was born in West Virginia and after graduating from West Virginia Institute of Technology with a BS in music, he became the band director at Hannan Junior Senior High School, where he wrote 'Sweet Beulah Land.' A man with an open asylum case was deported. His lawyers want to know if there are others Dr. John. R. Carlisle, the principal at Hannan High School, told 13 News in an exclusive interview that he had been talking with Parsons by phone over the last few weeks because Parsons is going to be honored at the campus, along with other notable alumni. 'I called him, and he sent me the manuscript for 'Sweet Beulah Land' that he wrote on his way to work at the high school,' said Carlisle. 'He finished the first part of the song after he got to work. He told me he was driving into work and looked up at the sun, and it made him think of an old gospel hymn his dad used to sing, and that caused him to write 'Sweet Beulah Land.'' Squire Parsons photo from a 1970 WV Tech yearbook (Photo Courtesy: West Virginia State Archives) Carlisle said he had just sent Parsons a message recently and hadn't heard back from him, and then he got the sad news today that Parsons had died. 'I had invited him to come in for our celebration at Christmas and was hoping he'd get to sing 'Sweet Beulah Land' here for that,' Carlisle said. 'We will now make it a celebration of Squire Parsons.' Carlisle said a plaque with his sheet music and an autographed photo will go up on a wall in the school in Parsons' memory. ''Sweet Beulah Land' is such an inspiring and beautiful song,' Carlisle said. 'He is such a big part of Hannan history, and we want to honor his memory.' Robin Richardson, who now lives in Fraziers Bottom, was a student in Hannan's band under Parsons, and she said she and all of the band members loved him. 'He was just one of a kind,' Richardson told 13 News. 'He was a good, Christian man and an inspiration to all of us. He actually wrote a lot of his songs in our band building.' If penny production halts, could you cash yours in? Richardson's bandmate, Kathy Coleman-Tate, told 13 News that she kept in contact with Parsons and, just two days ago, he even liked a photo of her mother that she put up on Facebook for Mother's Day. 'He started at Hannan as the band director in 1970 and said he was only going to stay there one year, and he stayed until 1975 when I graduated,' Coleman-Tate said. 'He stayed until the Lord called him on to other things.' Coleman-Tate said Parsons lived not far from her in North Carolina, and she saw him once there and once in nearby Huntington. 'I was so proud. I would tell everybody that he was my band director, and they couldn't believe it because he was such a great singer,' Coleman-Tate said. 'They just loved him, too. They couldn't believe he was my band director. He was just a great man. He was so nice to everybody.' Coleman-Tate said she read on Facebook in the early morning hours that Parsons had died. 'I will love that song forever,' she said. The sheet music for 'Sweet Beulah Land' by Squire Parsons. (Photo Courtesy: Dr. John R. Carlisle, Hannan High School) Parsons composed many other well-known Gospel songs, including 'The Master of the Sea,' 'Walk On,' 'He Came To Me,' 'I Call It Home,' 'I Sing Because' and 'I'm Not Giving Up.' Parsons was ordained as a minister at Trinity Baptist Church in Asheville, NC. John Roberts, executive director of Mountain Mission in Charleston, said Parsons sang every year at the church's annual Christmas benefit. Smokey Robinson accused by former housekeepers of sexual assault and rape 'We had the privilege of having Squire Parsons sing every year for 40 years,' Roberts said. 'It was an event that helped feed nearly 1,000 families every Christmas, and he would come and sing for us, and sometimes his brothers would come up on stage and join him.' Roberts said he has fond memories of Parsons, whom he called 'the gentle giant.' 'He was about 6-feet-6, but he was the most gentle person,' Roberts said. 'He would sing 'Sweet Beulah Land' every year because that was his signature song, but he would change it a bit for Christmas.' Roberts said Mountain Mission sent a tractor-trailer load of flood relief supplies down to Parsons' church following Hurricane Helene and the severe flooding last year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
