Physical description:

2 analog cassette audio tapes (TCA-0143A/B)

2 analog reel to reel tapes (TTA-0143A\B)
 

Date:

11 March 1991.
 

Provenance:

Audio cassette tape masters made by Center audio archivist Bruce Nemerov at the service. Reel to reel audio tape duplicates made later by Nemerov in the Center audio lab.
 

Biographical sketch:

Samuel McCrary was born in Christiana TN 27 October 1913 but later moved to Nashville TN where he attended the public schools. He joined the Fairfield Four, a gospel quartet organized by the Fairfield Baptist church in Nashville at the age of eight. He led the group throughout its heyday in the 1940's and was active again when the group reunitedin the 1980s. The reunited quartet was honored as National Heritage Fellows by the National Endowment for the Arts in 1989.

In the 1954 McCrary became pastor at Saint Mark Missionary Baptist Church in Nashville, a position he held until August 1990 when ill health sidelined him from his pulpit and from performing with the Fairfield Four.

--from obituary, Nashville Banner 8 March 1991.
 

Scope and content:

This collection consists of 2 audio cassette tapes and 2 reel to reel audio tape copies of the Going Home Celebration [funeral service] for Rev. Samuel McCrary held at the Baptist World Center, Nashville TN 11 March 1991. The recordings include performances by the Fairfield Four, the Fireside Singers and the combined choirs of Saint Mark's Missionary Baptist church as well as meditations and prayers by Rev. Michael Graves, Dr. Morgan Babb and others.

The audio log which follows provides a complete listing of the songs included in the service.
 

Location:

Audio visual materials are filed first by format, then by tape number in the audio visual archives.
 

Related materials:

A copy of the program of the service and a copy of Rev. McCrary's obituary from the Nashville Banner are filed in the biographical vertical file under "Fairfield Four".