Billy Todd
Encyclopedia
Billy Todd was the bass singer for the Florida Boys
Quartet in the Southern Gospel
music industry from the 1950s to 1972. By the end of his tenure with the Florida Boys, he was one of the most popular performers in Southern Gospel music, winning the Singing News Fan Awards
for Favorite Bass Singer the first two years it was awarded (1971 and 1972).
Billy Todd was born on September 26, 1929. His parents are the late Cecil and Bessie Todd. He has one brother, Edward, and one sister, Gladys. Billy was saved in 1946 at the First Freewill Baptist Church in Sylacauga, Alabama. Then in Pensacola, he became a member of Berean Baptist Church, where he met the church pianist, Jane McWaters. On June 1, 1957, Billy and Jane celebrated their marriage. They have two children, David and Robin. Their son David and his wife Sandy live in Phoenix, Arizona. David and Sandy have three kids: Ben, Brandon, and Savannah. Robin resides in Pensacola. Billy is originally from Sylacauga, Alabama.
Billy started singing with his family at the age of eight. In 1942, he sang with a group from his church called the Freewill Four. He remembers that they opened a concert for the John Daniel Quartet and he made five dollars! In 1946, he started singing with a group in his hometown called the Sylacauga Melody Boys. Then he sang in a barbershop quartet along with Jim Nabors, who we all know as Gomer Pyle from the "Andy Griffith Show." The Florida Boys hired Billy in January 1959. Billy then left the Florida Boys in 1972 to become the principal at Berean Christian School in Pensacola (a school started by Billy's father-in-law, Dr. B.H. McWaters).
When the Dixie Echoes were looking for a bass singer in 1996, Randy Shelnut called Billy to see if he would fill in. Billy Todd joined the Dixie Echoes on May 11, 1996.
For many years, he was honored with a Billy Todd Day concert in his hometown of Sylacauga, Alabama. In addition to Billy winning the above mentioned Singing News Fan Awards for Favorite Bass Singer, in 1994 at the Grand Ole Gospel Reunion, Billy received the Living Legend Award. In 1999, he was inducted along with the Florida Boys Quartet into the Gospel Music Hall Of Fame.
He died the morning of November 30, 2008 after a long battle against Alzheimer's.
Florida Boys
The Florida Boys Quartet is a Southern Gospel vocal quartet founded in about 1946 by J. G. Whitfield. Originally named The Gospel Melody Quartet, the group was re-named in 1954.- History :...
Quartet in the Southern Gospel
Southern Gospel
Southern Gospel music—at one time also known as "quartet music"—is music whose lyrics are written to express either personal or a communal faith regarding biblical teachings and Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music...
music industry from the 1950s to 1972. By the end of his tenure with the Florida Boys, he was one of the most popular performers in Southern Gospel music, winning the Singing News Fan Awards
Singing News Fan Awards
The Singing News Fan Awards is an annual award ceremony held on the Saturday night program of the National Quartet Convention and honors the achievements of professional Southern Gospel artists, songwriters and DJ's.-Award Selection:...
for Favorite Bass Singer the first two years it was awarded (1971 and 1972).
Billy Todd was born on September 26, 1929. His parents are the late Cecil and Bessie Todd. He has one brother, Edward, and one sister, Gladys. Billy was saved in 1946 at the First Freewill Baptist Church in Sylacauga, Alabama. Then in Pensacola, he became a member of Berean Baptist Church, where he met the church pianist, Jane McWaters. On June 1, 1957, Billy and Jane celebrated their marriage. They have two children, David and Robin. Their son David and his wife Sandy live in Phoenix, Arizona. David and Sandy have three kids: Ben, Brandon, and Savannah. Robin resides in Pensacola. Billy is originally from Sylacauga, Alabama.
Billy started singing with his family at the age of eight. In 1942, he sang with a group from his church called the Freewill Four. He remembers that they opened a concert for the John Daniel Quartet and he made five dollars! In 1946, he started singing with a group in his hometown called the Sylacauga Melody Boys. Then he sang in a barbershop quartet along with Jim Nabors, who we all know as Gomer Pyle from the "Andy Griffith Show." The Florida Boys hired Billy in January 1959. Billy then left the Florida Boys in 1972 to become the principal at Berean Christian School in Pensacola (a school started by Billy's father-in-law, Dr. B.H. McWaters).
When the Dixie Echoes were looking for a bass singer in 1996, Randy Shelnut called Billy to see if he would fill in. Billy Todd joined the Dixie Echoes on May 11, 1996.
For many years, he was honored with a Billy Todd Day concert in his hometown of Sylacauga, Alabama. In addition to Billy winning the above mentioned Singing News Fan Awards for Favorite Bass Singer, in 1994 at the Grand Ole Gospel Reunion, Billy received the Living Legend Award. In 1999, he was inducted along with the Florida Boys Quartet into the Gospel Music Hall Of Fame.
He died the morning of November 30, 2008 after a long battle against Alzheimer's.