He said, “I wrote I’d Rather Have Jesus in 1933. As I sat one evening playing the piano, my mother brought to me a piece of paper on which was written a poem by Rhea Miller. She thought it to be a very wonderful poem and wanted me to read it. She then asked me to try my hand at writing a melody for the verses. I began to play as a melody came to me. It seemed to fit the lyrics and so I began to sing, for the first time, I’d Rather Have Jesus.”

I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold.
I’d rather be His than have riches untold.
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or land.
I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hands.

Than to be a king of a vast domain
And be held in sin’s dread sway.
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

Mr. Shea was born in Winchester, Ontario, Canada and had the advantage of good musical training early in life. In early years he had his share of the lucrative offers of this world, but he thoughtfully turned them down to become a singing servant for our Saviour.

Beginning with Billy Graham in 1944, George Beverly Shea carried the Gospel in song to every state in the Union and to every continent of our world. “I first met Bev Shea while in Chicago when he was on Moody Radio,” declared Mr. Graham. “As a young man starting my ministry, I asked Bev if he would join me. He said yes and for over 60 years we had the privilege of ministering together.”

When the rich voice of George Beverly Shea is but a memory, many happy Christians will still be singing, I’d Rather Have Jesus.

The name Blackwood Brothers, a group formed in 1934, is synonymous with Gospel Music. Their songs, by way of radio, recordings, television and personal appearances, have been heard around the world. Although during their tenure they have known happiness, success and acclaim, along the way sorrow and extreme loss have visited them, the likes of which is hard to describe in this limited space.

In June 1954, two of the Blackwood Brothers, R. W. Blackwood and Bill Lyles, were killed in a plane crash in Clanton, Alabama. The surviving members regrouped adding R. W.’s younger brother, Cecil, to sing baritone and J. D. Sumner to sing bass.

The original group enjoyed a musical journey like very few singers could imagine. Among their triumphs and successes were their guest appearances for the Billy Graham Crusades, the Liberty Bowl and the Presidential Prayer Breakfast. The Blackwood Brothers have recorded over two hundred albums, toured in forty-seven countries and won eight Grammy Awards and six Dove Awards. They were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1998.

James has formed The James Blackwood Quartet and continues to sing solos at special events and has been involved in the Bill Gaither Homecoming videos series. Other members of the quartet are Butch Owens, Wayne Little and Jonathan Mattingly.

Gina has been writing for approximately thirty-five years. She traveled for a number of years as a vocal artist, only writing songs for herself. In 2003 she branched out and began writing for other artists. Shortly thereafter she signed her first publishing deal. She recently teamed with the popular songwriter Sue C. Smith in the writing of a project entitled Adventures In Songwriting: A Guide For Kids – And Anyone Who Wants To Write Songs.

To date Gina has written approximately 500 to 600 songs and has a number of adult and children’s musicals published. She is a Dove Award winner and has written at least two “number one” songs.

Gina has been a regular co-writer with Lee Black for a number of years, composing in the Southern Gospel mode and in other genres. “He Will Carry You” was written during one of their sessions. The song was basically finished in one appointment, however there was a little tweaking at a later time. Gina and Lee are grateful that “He Will Carry You” found a home with Brian Free & Assurance

HE WILL CARRY YOU
Lee Black and Gina Boe

Do you ever find yourself asking God where He’s been?
Ever get up out of bed saying, “I can’t do this again”?
Have you ever been afraid of what tomorrow might bring?
And you’re facing it alone–at least, that’s what you think.
I can tell you after going through that valley
Even though I couldn’t see it at the time
It was in my weakest moments that He held me
And I know you’ll find. . .

He will carry you when you can’t go on
He will be your strength when your strength is gone
He will lift you up; He will be enough to get you through.
When the road is rough, and you wanna quit
‘Cause you think you’ve got nothing left to give
You can fall apart, fall into His arms
He will carry you.

When you get the kind of news that you hoped you’d never hear
When you’re chasing down a dream just to watch it disappear
When somebody that you love turns and walks away
And they leave you standing there with shattered faith
You don’t have to pick up all the broken pieces
You don’t have to try and cover up the scars
You are loved, and You can always run to Jesus
Just as you are

Mike related to me a most unusual story concerning another of his very popular songs:  “In 1983 our group was to release an album entitled, I’m a Jesus Fan. I was searching for a particular song, a slow ballad. I wanted to have a variety of songs on the project. I had thrown around many ideas, but nothing at all seemed to click.”

“The night before we were to record, my wife, Loreen, and I were in a Shoney’s restaurant and happened to see Ronny Hinson, along with a number of his friends and business associates. I mentioned to him that we were to go to a studio the following day to record a new album, and that I needed another song. He asked, ‘What are you working on?’ I said, ‘Well, I have an idea about the theme for a song — when He was on the cross He was thinking about me.’”

“As Ronny was giving thought to that phrase, I continued, ‘What I want to say in the song is, when Jesus was on the cross, He saw those standing around Him, with their need, but He also looked into the future and saw me, and was thinking about me and my need.’” Ronny said, “Instead of saying, ‘When He was on the cross He was thinking about me,’ why don’t you say, ‘When He was on the cross, I was on His mind.’” I said, ‘Oh boy, that sounds great!’ Ronny jokingly said to me, ‘I’m going home and write about that.’ And I said, ‘Oh no, you’re not!’”

“Ronny and I got together that night in my hotel room. While Loreen was trying to sleep — of course, she couldn’t sleep — Ronny and I were quietly writing a song which Loreen was to record the next day. Through the night we quietly exchanged ideas about the lyrics and softly hummed bits of the melody to each other. When the morning came we had finished our song. We both had expressed what was in our hearts and minds at the time. We had lyrics written on paper, but no melody—only in our minds.”

“We sang it to Loreen and asked, ‘What do you think?’ She said, ‘I like it, I really do!’ That same morning we went to the Hilltop Studios in a suburb of Nashville and recorded “When He Was On the Cross,” which was then included in the new album.”

Ronny was present in the studio when it was being recorded and decided straight away that he would ‘pitch’ the song to the Florida Boys. He did so and unabashedly told them, “This is your number one song and it will be the song of the year.”

Although the song helped The Payne’s family’s album, I’m A Jesus Fan, it went to greater heights as the predictions Ronny made to The Florida Boys came true. It became the number one song on the charts and was song of the year in 1985 and 1986. Payne said, “It was the first time I ever co-wrote a song, and it was a unique experience.” He later reported, “Writing with Ronny was truly a dream come true.”

Many unusual stories could be told about Mike Payne’s experiences with this Southern Gospel “classic.” He reported that, to date, he has written more than 280 songs with approximately 80% of them being recorded or published. He would be the first to give Christ all of the glory and praise for His goodness in allowing him to touch the lives of millions of people through his music.

(Verse One)
I’m not on an ego trip I’m nothing on my own
I made mistakes I often slip
Just common flesh and bones
But I’ll prove someday just why I say
I’m of a special kind
For when he was on the cross
I was on his mind.

(Verse Two)
The look of love was on his face
Thorns were on his head
The blood was on his scarlet robe
Stained a crimson red
Though his eyes were on the crowd that day
He looked ahead in time
For when he was on the cross
I was on his mind.

Chorus
He knew me, yet he loved me
He whose glory makes the heavens shine
So unworthy of such mercy
Yet when he was on the cross
I was on his mind.

Written by Ronald Michael Payne, Ronny     Hinson
Copyright © BMG Rights Management US, LLC

But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:8