The Chuck Wagon Gang was formed in Lubbock, TX in 1935. Dave Carter and two of his children auditioned for a 15-minute program on a radio station known as KFYO to make money to afford medicine. They were signed on the spot and the Carter Quartet, composed of Dave Carter and his son Ernest and daughters Rosa Lola and Effie, became one of the most popular programs in the KFYO listening area.
In 1936, a year after they became a group, Carter moved the family to Fort Worth, TX. They auditioned at multiple radio stations until they were hired by WBAP, a 50,000-watt station. They got a Saturday morning program that was sponsored by Morton Salt. However, shortly after, the Quartet switched sponsors and names. Their new sponsor, Bewley Mills Flour, chose a new name, the Chuck Wagon Gang. Following this change, the group’s agent and announcer decided they needed stage names. Dave Carter became “Dad,” Ernest became “Jim,” Rosa Lola became “Rose,” and Effie became “Anna.”
Their gospel music caught the attention of many, which might mainly be due to the use of Rose as lead soprano which was closely supported by Anna’s alto since it was uncommon in the 1930s and 1940s for women to be the lead in a commercial quartet. By the late 1930s, the Chuck Wagon Gang sang gospel hymns during each of their five weekly broadcasts. After singing with WBAP for months, Dad secured a contract to record for ARC (American Record Corporation) that allowed them to broaden their audiences. It’s important to mention that ARC was later purchased by Columbia Broadcasting System, which used Columbia as its main label.
Their first record was recorded on November 25-26, 1936 on a portable unit in a San Antonio hotel room. This session was only the first of 61 sessions the group recorded with Columbia. The group remained signed with the label until 1977 and sold over 30 million copies of their recordings during that time.
The group’s repertoire came largely from the shape-note songbooks published by Stamps-Baxter Music and Printing Company in Dallas. Shape-note singing is a nineteenth-century style of American songbooks that utilized different shapes to aid teachers and singers in learning the songs. This was significant to the Chuck Wagon Gang because these divisions were made for soprano, alto, tenor, and bass, which covers each singer in the group. One composer in particular, Albert E. Brumley, piqued the group’s interest. They recorded about 24 of Brumley’s songs, even devoting an entire album to his music.
In 1950, the Chuck Wagon Gang signed off WBAP for the last time due to increased concert successes. In 1951, Jim retired and was replaced by his younger brother Roy Carter and Anna’s husband Howard Gordon joined as a guitarist. Dad Carter retired in 1955 after recording his final record in Dallas. Following this session, the group relocated to Knoxville, TN for touring purposes.
Despite continuous personal changes, the group has been together for almost 90 years. The original group was honored in the Texas Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2011. Each of the original members were individually inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame (Dad in 1997, Anna in 2005, Rose in 2006, and Roy in 2011). Dad Carter was also inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1984. Although the original members of the Chuck Wagon Gang have passed away, their legacy and group live on. The current members are Shaye Smith (Anna’s granddaughter), Melissa Kemper, Josh Garner, and Darrell Morris. The group, including current and past members, was inducted into the Gospel Music Association’s Hall of Fame in 1998.
In terms of Texan culture, the Chuck Wagon Gang holds great importance. In the 1920s, gospel music became widespread in the western parts of Texas. As a result, publishing companies began printing gospel music and it became a statewide movement. In the mid-1930s, when the Carter quartet originally emerged, their music suddenly became the audience’s favorite. They were a huge part in bringing songs, like the ones from Stamps-Baxter, to much broader audiences. The group also spanned country radios because of their usage of guitar instead of piano. Their influence was so significant because of the gospel music movement. The influence of the Chuck Wagon Gang spanned not only Texas but the American South and past that. Today, the group continues to perform their religious hymns, with shows in Texas coming up this March.
Style & Songs
The three songs below represent the style of the Chuck Wagon Gang within some of their most popular songs. The group has a unique four-part division with a female soprano lead, closely followed by a female alto. This was unique to the group because a female lead in a commercial quartet was very uncommon in the 1930s. They have an acoustic sound, usually because they’re only accompanied by an acoustic guitar. Their style has hints of country and folk in addition to gospel. The three songs below provide a good example of their style and how it fits into those genres.
“Echoes from the the Burning Bush” was recorded by the group in the late 1940s when they began recording music again after WWII. This song was recorded in their first session following the war in 1948.
“When The Saints Go Marching In” was recorded by the original group in their second post-WWII recording session in 1949.
“I’ll Fly Away” was another song recorded by the group in their first post-WWII recording session in 1948. This song was written by Albert E. Brumley, and performed by the band.
***BONUS SONG***
Although only 3 songs were required for this assignment, I thought it’d be fun to include a recent song recorded by the group. The song above was recorded in 2008 by the current members at the time. The influence of the group has lasted far past the original gang in the 1930s-1950s and continues to influence the gospel music community to this day.
Sources
“The Chuck Wagon Gang.” The Chuck Wagon Gang, https://thechuckwagongang.net/history. Accessed 26 February 2023.
“The Chuck Wagon Gang: Bios.” The Chuck Wagon Gang, https://thechuckwagongang.net/bio. Accessed 26 February 2023.
“Chuck Wagon Gang celebrates 80-year legacy.” The Tennessean, 26 November 2015, https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2015/11/26/chuck-wagon-gang-celebrates-80-year-legacy/76264502/. Accessed 26 February 2023.
Mason, Richard J., et al. “TSHA | Gospel Music.” Texas State Historical Association, https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/gospel-music. Accessed 19 March 2023.
Specht, Joe W. “TSHA | Chuck Wagon Gang.” Texas State Historical Association, 8 July 2014, https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/chuck-wagon-gang. Accessed 26 February 2023.
Warren, David. “Shape Note Singing | Ritual and Worship | Musical Styles | Articles and Essays | The Library of Congress Celebrates the Songs of America | Digital Collections.” Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/collections/songs-of-america/articles-and-essays/musical-styles/ritual-and-worship/shape-note-singing/. Accessed 19 March 2023.
