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March 2001 Table of Contents
Just A Little Talk With...
Mosie Lister
A Desire To Equip The Saints--
A Passion To Honor God
The Heart of Mosie Lister!
Suppose you were asked the question, "Who is the most significant contributor of songs to the field of Southern Gospel Music?"
The only way to continue that conversation for more than five seconds is to respond, "You mean other than Mosie Lister?"
For more than five decades the music of Mosie Lister has permeated the Church, providing meaningful expressions of praise, testimony and thanksgiving. Choirs too numerous to count have sung his anthems; soloists and congregations have brought to life the message of his heart; and countless quartets have made his compositions their own.
The songs themselves number in the hundreds and read like an anthology of Southern Gospel's best. Our heritage has been defined by the musical and textual qualities of The King and I, Then I Met the Master, His Hand in Mine, How Long Has It Been? , I'm Feeling Fine, 'Til the Storm Passes By, and Goodbye, World, Goodbye and Where No One Stands Alone.
Mosie is quick to credit those who, through their advice and wisdom, helped him find his way as a craftsman of meaningful songs. Speaking of Adger M. Pace, an early teacher, Mosie recalls, "I'll never forget what Mr. Pace said in class. His words were 'Be sure the tune can be whistled. Use a title people can remember. Start well and end well with something meaningful in the middle.' I had those words in mind when I wrote His Hand in Mine. "
More guidance came from none other than Jake Hess who passed on to Mosie this encouragement: "If you want your songs to live, write things that are eternally true and people will not forget them." That was the impetus behind the writing of Then I Met the Master.
Born in 1921 in the town of Cochran, GA, Mosie grew up in a musical home and his propensity toward music was evident in his early life. After studying violin, guitar, and piano for years, the theory of musical harmony and composition began to intrigue him. So did various musical styles. "One of my weaknesses," Mosie says, "And one of my strengths is that I've always listened to different types of music. I decided after a while that God made it all. It's not bad unless we make it bad."
After receiving Christ as his Savior at age 17, young Mr. Lister became enthralled with the spirit, and more importantly the message, of gospel music. The acquaintances he made at Sunday afternoon singing conventions soon led to invitations to sing with various quartets. In 1941 The Sunny South Quartet offered him a singing position, which he accepted. Though the experience was wonderful, Mosie readily admits that he would much rather have been writing than singing.
Active involvement with either was put on hold for a few years when the musician became the sailor and Mosie embarked on a Navy tour of duty in 1942. These few years did nothing to dampen his love and passion for gospel music, though. Shortly after his discharge Mosie was instrumental in forming The Melody Masters in 1946. Within two years his involvement as a singer then arranger for another quartet left an indelible mark on the future of gospel music. That quartet was the legendary Statesmen.
"I give him credit for molding the style and sound [of the Statesmen]", offers quartet leader Hovie Lister. (Ironically, there is no blood relation.) Whether as a singer or arranger, Mosie's interaction with the group from the beginning led to much of their identity through the years. And Mosie was writing new songs specifically for the Statesmen and even for particular soloists like Big Chief Weatherington and Jake Hess. This is how Jubilee's a-Coming and Sunday Meeting Time came to be written.
As if all this musical activity weren't enough, Mosie became a husband, marrying the lovely Wylene, and in a few years the couple became the proud parents of twin girls. 1953 saw the formation of Mosie Lister Publications and in 1955 all of Mosie's vocational efforts were directed toward composing, arranging and publishing. During this time and in the ensuing years, Mosie's goal was to create music that "moves the heart and stirs the soul. I'm trying to do something in God's Kingdom that will help someone and bring honor to God." In 1969 Mosie Lister Publications merged with Lillenas Publishing Company and administrative / distribution duties gave way to full concentration on creativity.
An admitted "non-speech maker", Mosie's Christian service has spoken more than mere words ever could. In 1970 he was ordained as a Southern Baptist minister and in 1976 the Gospel Music Hall of Fame had a new member in Mosie Lister.
As his creative output increased, solo artists of various styles and approaches began singing and recording Mosie's songs. This array of singers includes Elvis Presley, Jimmy Dean, George Beverly Shea, Loretta Lynn, Merle Haggard, B.J. Thomas and Floyd Cramer. In addition, virtually every Southern Gospel quartet past and present has in its repertoire something from the pen of Mosie Lister.
Lillenas Publishing Company has greatly enjoyed its association with Mosie through the years and is proud to represent his efforts by way of an impressive number of choral octavos, dozens of collections and musicals as well as a variety of songbooks. One recent publication that's creating an air of excitement is THEN I MET THE MASTER, a compilation of Mosie's songs arranged and orchestrated by Richard Kingsmore. Classic songs and newly composed gems make up this exciting and dynamic resource of SATB choirs.
For Christmas 2001, Mosie has written another highly accessible and extremely moving work, LIGHT OF THE WORLD. Presented in Lillenas' popular Easy 2 Excel Flexible format, it's an ideal choice for smaller choirs or those with limited rehearsal time ... typical work of a man seeking to serve others and honor God.
Experience, it's said, is the best teacher. Experience is also a fine starting point for expressing one's faith. That being said, Mosie Lister's songs are an accurate and genuine reflection of a vital and growing relationship with God Himself. A desire to equip the saints and a passion to honor God - that's the heart of Mosie Lister.
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