NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Spruce Street Baptist Church will honor the life and legacy of renowned gospel vocalist Sir J. Robert Bradley during a special “Songspiration” worship service Sunday, Sept. 13, at 11 a.m.
Presented by the church’s Music Department as part of Gospel Music Heritage Month, the service will recognize Bradley’s contributions to gospel music and officially dedicate the Sir J. Robert Bradley Choir Room in his honor.
The program will include special musical selections and video presentations highlighting Bradley’s life and career, followed by a reception. The guest minister will be the Rev. Dr. Harmon E. Stockdale Sr., who served as senior pastor of Spruce Street from 1975 to 1980. Area church leaders and members of the community are invited to attend.
“There have been so many incredible musicians and singers who have been a part of Spruce Street’s musical history and legacy, and Sir J. Robert Bradley is tops among them,” said Dr. Christopher A. Duke, the church’s director of music. “Bradley’s legacy in gospel music is undeniable, and during this month as we acknowledge the foundational roots and cultural significance of gospel music, there is no more fitting time than now to celebrate Bradley’s work and influence across the world.”
Born in Memphis in 1920, Bradley became known for his rich baritone voice and his ability to combine classical music with African American spirituals. Gospel legend Mahalia Jackson once praised Bradley’s rendition of “Amazing Grace,” describing his voice as among the greatest she had heard.
Bradley performed throughout Europe and the Americas during a career spanning nearly seven decades and served as director of music for the National Baptist Convention USA. He was also known as a favorite singer of civil rights leader the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Bradley began recording gospel music in 1950 with Apollo Records and eventually recorded dozens of songs. He earned the nickname “Mister Baptist” through his frequent appearances at Baptist conventions, performances with the Good Will Singers Quartet and appearances at gospel concerts and other events across the country.
His career also took him to Carnegie Hall and overseas. In 1955, Bradley performed for the king and queen of England. Twenty years later, he was knighted in Liberia by President William Tolbert.
Bradley also viewed his music as a way to cross racial barriers during segregation. He recalled that while some White audiences in the South would not listen to Black preachers, they would listen to him sing, giving him an opportunity to reach audiences that otherwise might have remained separated.
A longtime member of Spruce Street Baptist Church, Bradley died May 3, 2007.
The Sept. 13 service will celebrate both Bradley’s international impact on gospel music and his lasting connection to the Nashville church he called home.
