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Collection 130 Ephemera of Homer Rodeheaver

 Collection
Identifier: CN 130

Scope and Contents

Audio tapes, newspaper clippings, phonograph records and photographs relating to the musical career and ministry of Homer Rodeheaver. This collection consists mostly of materials from the Homer A. Rodeheaver Company, a publisher of gospel music. There are several different types of order blanks and promotional materials. One newspaper clipping from 1937 refers to his appearance on a CBS radio affiliate playing his trombone. Other items include two issues of Rodeheaver's Musical News which includes a biography of Rodeheaver, various hymns, song lyrics, and articles pertaining to the religious music community. Also included are two audio tapes of selected hymns and nine phonograph records. The phonograph records are listed alphabetically by the title of the song on side A of the record.

Dates

  • Created: 1916-1939

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on the use of this collection.

Biographical Information

Full Name: Homer Alvan Rodeheaver

Birth: October 4, 1880, in Union Furnace, Ohio

Death: December 18, 1955 at his home in Winona Lake, IN

Education:

? Attended Ohio Wesleyan University, but did not graduate

1942 Honorary Doctorate of Sacred Music from Bob Jones University

Career:

1890s Trombonist for Fourth Tennessee Regimental Band, including during the Spanish-American War

1909-1931 Soloist, musical director and master of ceremonies for Billy Sunday's evangelistic campaigns (also worked with other evangelists)

1909-1955 Published around 80 different religious song books through his publishing company, known at various times as the Rodeheaver-Ackley Co., the Rodeheaver Hall-Mack Co. and the Rodeheaver Co. Owned copyrights to hundreds of religious songs.

1913-1942 Musical recording artist

1920-1955 Founded and headed the Rodeheaver Record Co. with the Rainbow record label.

1923 Accompanied evangelist William E. Biederwolf on a world-wide evangelistic tour

1940s Music leader at Bob Jones University

1950s Sung, played trombone and preached at evangelistic sacred concerts

Other significant information:

Involved with a disparate array of groups and organizations. Rodeheaver was a Mason, worked with the Y.M.C.A. in France, founded Rodeheaver's Boys Ranch, Inc., and started the Summer School of Sacred Music at Winona Lake, Indiana.

Extent

1 Box

2 Audio Tapes

9 Phonograph Records

1 Photograph File

Language of Materials

English

Accruals and Additions

The materials in this collection were received by the Billy Graham Center Archives from September 1977 to September 1997.

Accession: 77-18, 79-15, 80-27, 80-31 June 27, 1980

Mary Ann Buffington

S. Kouns

September 25, 1981, revised

Frances L. Brocker

M. Buffington

J. Nasgowitz

Accession: 82-73, 84-52, 84-64, 97-76

July 28, 2004, updated

Christian Sawyer

Title
Collection 130 Ephemera of Homer Rodeheaver
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Roman Script

Repository Details

Part of the Evangelism & Missions Archives Repository

Contact:
501 College Avenue
Wheaton IL 60187 US
630-752-5910