Dottie Rambo
Encyclopedia
Dottie Rambo was an American
gospel singer and songwriter. She was a Grammy and multiple Dove Award-winning artist. Rambo, along with husband Buck and daughter Reba
, formed the award-winning southern Gospel group, The Rambos
. She penned more than twenty-five hundred songs, including her most notable "He Looked Beyond My Fault and Saw My Need," "We Shall Behold Him," and "I Go To the Rock".
In 2000, Rambo was awarded the ASCAP Lifetime Achievement Award. Her music is known for its poetic lyrics and cross genre reaching melodies
often dealing with themes such as heaven
, Christian
sacrifice, hurts, and the born-again Christian experience.
in 1934 to Jerald Vernon “Chick” and Elizabeth Luttrell. According to personal accounts, she grew up in poverty and developed an early affinity for country music
. She learned to play guitar
while listening at night to the Grand Ole Opry
on WSM
radio
in Nashville
. At eight years of age, she started writing songs while sitting on a creek bank near her Morganfield, Kentucky
home. She had the support of her mother and father, and by age ten she was singing and playing country music cover tunes
on a local radio program.
At twelve years old, she became a born-again Christian and made a commitment to write and sing Christian music
. The decision turned out to be pivotal in more than one way; it did not sit well with her father who gave her an ultimatum – give up Christian music or leave. She left home and went on the road, with her first engagement being at a church in Indianapolis, Indiana
. She formed a trio
called “The Gospel Echoes” and traveled throughout the midwestern and southern United States. "The Gospel Echoes" would consist of several members over the years including "Pat Green" and "Little Joe Hatfield".
In 1950, at age sixteen, she met Buck Rambo at a revival meeting she was holding with evangelist Jimmie Russell. They married shortly thereafter and began traveling and singing together after years of her traveling alone and living with pastors' families.
Through an introduction by another gospel group, the Happy Goodman Family, Rambo sang for the then-governor of Louisiana
, Jimmie Davis
, who was also a popular country and gospel music recording artist. Davis signed her to a writing contract with his publishing company, Jimmie Davis Music (BMI
).
She received a signing bonus of around $3,000, the most she had ever earned to that time. Though Jimmie Davis
appears as a co-writer on Rambo's compositions during this time period she publicly stated he did not write any music or lyrics to her compositions but required a writer's share upon the publishing agreement. Jimmie Davis Music is now owned by Peer Music.
Throughout the 1960s her star began to rise mostly as a songwriter but also as a soloist and as the leader of “The Singing Rambos” she traveled internationally, including a 1967 trip to Vietnam to perform for American troops. While in Vietnam Rambo ministered in field hospitals The Kittyhawk, and Ticonderoga. While in Vietnam the group was billed as the "Swinging Rambos" as the Government feared that a Christian singing group's safety could be at risk. US soldiers presented Dottie with a Viet Cong
flag and other personal mementos from the war.
Her songwriting break and Davis’ company’s promotion of Dottie’s songs resulted in a Warner Bros. Records
recording contract for her and The Gospel Echoes. After earning as little as $50 a week for years, often working day jobs to make ends meet, Rambo’s fortunes began to improve. Their records were selling and her songs were being noticed within the industry, with other gospel groups beginning to record them. In 1968 she won a Grammy Award
for Best Soul Gospel Performance for her album It’s The Soul Of Me. Poor record sales for the Gospel Echoes caused the Warner Bros. label to release the group.. Warner Bros. saw something special in Dottie as a solo artist and asked her to sign on with a recording contract for R&B music. Dottie signed instead with the Benson Records
.
Rambo worked with Billy Graham
, Oral Roberts
, Benny Hinn
, Kathryn Kuhlman
, John Hagee
, Jim Bakker
, Tammy Faye Bakker-Messner, Paul
and Jan Crouch, Paula White
, Reinhard Bonnke
, Pat Robertson
, T.D. Jakes and others.
Her Down By The Creekbank is one of the most successful Christian children's records in history, earning platinum record status. In addition to her solo and trio recordings, Rambo appeared on other artist's recordings including Jimmie Davis
, Barbara Mandrell
, Dickie Betts, The Dunaways, David Robertson, and Walt Mills.
upwards of 2,500 songs. ASCAP and BMI
show only several hundred registered titles attributed to Rambo in its online database. Rambo's best-known songs include "We Shall Behold Him", "Holy Spirit Thou Art Welcome (In This Place)", "I Go To The Rock", “Sheltered In The Arms Of God”, “I Will Glory In The Cross”, “He Looked Beyond My Fault”, “Tears Will Never Stain The Streets Of That City”, “For What Earthly Reason”, “If That Isn’t Love”, "To Much To Gain To Lose" and many more. She also wrote country music songs recorded by Jimmie Davis
, Charlie Louvin
, Rhonda Vincent
, and Hank Snow
, among others.
Rambo's songs have been recorded by a virtual "who's who" in the music world with her biggest songwriting cut being Whitney Houston
's version of "I Go To The Rock" that appeared on the motion picture soundtrack for The Preacher's Wife. The recording garnered Rambo and Houston the 1998 GMA Dove Award for Traditional Gospel Song of the Year.
In addition, other secular artists have recorded Dottie Rambo compositions including Elvis Presley
, Jerry Lee Lewis
, Wanda Jackson
, Johnny Cash
, Dolly Parton
, Dottie West
, Barbara Mandrell
, Vince Gill
, Alison Krauss
, Bill Monroe
, Rhonda Vincent
, Hank Snow
, Carol Channing
, Mel Tillis
, Porter Wagoner
, Crystal Gayle
, Larry Gatlin
, Connie Smith
, Jeannie C. Riley
, The Oak Ridge Boys
, Barbara Fairchild
.
Numerous Christian/Gospel artists have recorded her songs, such as: Aaron Jeoffrey
, Vanessa Bell Armstrong
, The Barrett Sisters
, The Blackwood Brothers
, The Booth Brothers
, Commissioned
, The Crabb Family
, Andrae Crouch
, Danniebelle Hall
, Jimmie Davis
, DC Talk
, Jeff and Sheri Easter, The Florida Boys, The Happy Goodmans, Steve Green, Nancy Harmon, Larnelle Harris
, The Hemphills, Jake Hess
, The Hoppers
, The Isaacs
, Bobby Jones
, Ron Kenoly
, Doyle Lawson
, Mark Lowry
, Walt Mills, Janet Paschal
, Sandi Patty
, Karen Peck, The Speer Family, Albertina Walker
, Karen Wheaton
.
, PAX, and GMT Women's Entertainment channels. She had her own series, "Dottie Rambo Magazine" in the 1980s on TBN
which was the No. 1 rated program on the network for six years and has rerun on and off since.
Dottie Rambo has performed on six of the Gaither Homecoming
video series (see her discography). Her last appearance was Nashville Homecoming (2009), in which she performed "I Just Came To Talk With You Lord."
Dottie Rambo has been the subject of many biographic television specials: TBN
's Portrait Of Grace, INSP's Inspirational Groundbreakers, BBC
's White Gospel, GMC
's Faith and Fame (her last interview aired on television).
in her left leg. She underwent a series of surgeries that eventually reinstated limited mobility. In 1992, Dottie and Buck separated; then divorced in 1994.
Although partially disabled, Rambo made major television appearances including the 700 Club, and as a regular guest performer on TBN. In 1994, TBN produced a Tribute Concert special that featured two hours of performances by Ricky Skaggs
, Ricky Van Shelton
, Vicki Winans, Jeannie C. Riley
, Lulu Roman
, and many others. In the late 1990s, Dottie again performed in concerts, evangelistic meetings and churches across the United States.
In 2002 Rambo reentered the studio to record her first solo album in eighteen years. The result was the award-winning hit ‘’Stand By The River’’. The title track a duet with Dolly Parton would go to the number one spot of the Christian Country Radio Chart as did it's follow up, "I'm Gonna Leave Here Shoutin".
In 2004 a major live concert dvd/cd project "We Shall Behold Him: A Tribute to Dottie Rambo" was released. The concert was hosted by Barbara Mandrell and included performances by Dolly Parton, Crystal Gayle, Larry Gatlin, The Isaacs, Jessy Dixon, Vestal Goodman, The Speers, The Crabb Family, Albertina Walker and others.
In 2007, she performed nationwide and appeared in concert at country singer Dolly Parton
’s Tennessee theme park, Dollywood
.
In November 2007, Rambo completed another studio album with the working title of "Sheltered". This album was released posthumously in September 2009 on Daywind Records. The project features 12 tracks including duets with Porter Wagoner
, Mel Tillis
, The Whites
and Lulu Roman
. Upon completing this project, Rambo started another project that was to feature new compositions and music for a 2009 release. A tribute CD due to be released in 2011 will feature artists from various genres of music is also being produced by her longtime manager, Larry Ferguson and former assistant Chris Barnes. In 2007, the Annalee Dolls
company released a limited edition collector's "Dottie Rambo Anniversary Doll".
. She had just finished a performance at Calvary Life Church in Granite City, Illinois
and was en route to a Mother's Day show in Texas when the 1997 Prévost bus she was traveling in ran off the road, struck a guard rail and hit an embankment. Rambo was pronounced dead at the scene. Rambo's manager Larry Ferguson and his family were injured in the crash.
Her funeral was held at Christ Church in Nashville, Tennessee
on May 19, 2008. She was interred at the Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery
in Nashville.
and three GMA
Dove Awards. She was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame
on two occasions; once with The Rambos and once as a solo artist. In 1994 the Christian Country Music Association awarded her with the Songwriter of the Century Award. She was given the "ASCAP Lifetime Achievement Award" in 2000, and two "Christian Country Music Association" (CCMA) awards; the “Pioneer Award” in 2003, and in 2004, “Songwriter of the Year”. She was inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame in 2006.
Her 2002 CD, Stand By The River won two "Christian Music Fan Awards", for “Song of The Year” and “Duo of The Year” (with Dolly Parton). The Nashville Songwriter's Hall Of Fame inducted Rambo in 2007. Rambo was inducted posthumously into the Christian Music Hall of Fame at the induction award ceremony on June 14, 2008. Rambo was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall Of Fame after her death. Her manager and granddaughter accepted on her behalf. In 2011 Rambo was honored with a star on Music City's Walk Of Fame which her daughter Reba accepted on her behalf.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
gospel singer and songwriter. She was a Grammy and multiple Dove Award-winning artist. Rambo, along with husband Buck and daughter Reba
Reba Rambo-McGuire
- Biography :At the age of 12, Reba started singing with her father and mother, Buck and Dottie Rambo, as the Southern Gospel family group, The Singing Rambos, which was later shortened to The Rambos...
, formed the award-winning southern Gospel group, The Rambos
The Rambos
The Rambos were an American Southern Gospel music group that was formed in the 1960s. They were one of the most successful Gospel trios of the 20th century. The group consisted of Buck and Dottie Rambo at first along with several various people singing with them and they were joined by their...
. She penned more than twenty-five hundred songs, including her most notable "He Looked Beyond My Fault and Saw My Need," "We Shall Behold Him," and "I Go To the Rock".
In 2000, Rambo was awarded the ASCAP Lifetime Achievement Award. Her music is known for its poetic lyrics and cross genre reaching melodies
Melody
A melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
often dealing with themes such as heaven
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
, Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
sacrifice, hurts, and the born-again Christian experience.
Early life
She was born Joyce Reba Luttrell in Madisonville, KentuckyMadisonville, Kentucky
Madisonville is a city in Hopkins County, Kentucky, United States of the Western Coal Field region, located along US 41 and The Pennyrile Parkway. The population was 19,307 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hopkins County. The city was named in honor of U.S...
in 1934 to Jerald Vernon “Chick” and Elizabeth Luttrell. According to personal accounts, she grew up in poverty and developed an early affinity for country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
. She learned to play guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
while listening at night to the Grand Ole Opry
Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
on WSM
WSM (AM)
WSM is the callsign of a 50,000 watt AM radio station located in Nashville, Tennessee. Operating at 650 kHz, its clear channel signal can reach much of North America and various countries, especially late at night...
radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. At eight years of age, she started writing songs while sitting on a creek bank near her Morganfield, Kentucky
Morganfield, Kentucky
Morganfield is a city in Union County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 3,494 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Union County...
home. She had the support of her mother and father, and by age ten she was singing and playing country music cover tunes
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
on a local radio program.
At twelve years old, she became a born-again Christian and made a commitment to write and sing Christian music
Christian music
Christian music is music that has been written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence, and lament, and its forms vary widely across the world....
. The decision turned out to be pivotal in more than one way; it did not sit well with her father who gave her an ultimatum – give up Christian music or leave. She left home and went on the road, with her first engagement being at a church in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. She formed a trio
Trio (music)
Trio is generally used in any of the following ways:* A group of three musicians playing the same or different musical instrument.* The performance of a piece of music by three people.* The contrasting section of a piece in ternary form...
called “The Gospel Echoes” and traveled throughout the midwestern and southern United States. "The Gospel Echoes" would consist of several members over the years including "Pat Green" and "Little Joe Hatfield".
In 1950, at age sixteen, she met Buck Rambo at a revival meeting she was holding with evangelist Jimmie Russell. They married shortly thereafter and began traveling and singing together after years of her traveling alone and living with pastors' families.
Music career
Finally they created a group "The Gospel Echoes" and later with their daughter, Reba as "The Singing Rambos" and "The Rambos".Through an introduction by another gospel group, the Happy Goodman Family, Rambo sang for the then-governor of Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, Jimmie Davis
Jimmie Davis
James Houston Davis , better known as Jimmie Davis, was a noted singer of both sacred and popular songs who served two nonconsecutive terms as the 47th Governor of Louisiana...
, who was also a popular country and gospel music recording artist. Davis signed her to a writing contract with his publishing company, Jimmie Davis Music (BMI
Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed...
).
She received a signing bonus of around $3,000, the most she had ever earned to that time. Though Jimmie Davis
Jimmie Davis
James Houston Davis , better known as Jimmie Davis, was a noted singer of both sacred and popular songs who served two nonconsecutive terms as the 47th Governor of Louisiana...
appears as a co-writer on Rambo's compositions during this time period she publicly stated he did not write any music or lyrics to her compositions but required a writer's share upon the publishing agreement. Jimmie Davis Music is now owned by Peer Music.
Throughout the 1960s her star began to rise mostly as a songwriter but also as a soloist and as the leader of “The Singing Rambos” she traveled internationally, including a 1967 trip to Vietnam to perform for American troops. While in Vietnam Rambo ministered in field hospitals The Kittyhawk, and Ticonderoga. While in Vietnam the group was billed as the "Swinging Rambos" as the Government feared that a Christian singing group's safety could be at risk. US soldiers presented Dottie with a Viet Cong
National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam
The Vietcong , or National Liberation Front , was a political organization and army in South Vietnam and Cambodia that fought the United States and South Vietnamese governments during the Vietnam War . It had both guerrilla and regular army units, as well as a network of cadres who organized...
flag and other personal mementos from the war.
Her songwriting break and Davis’ company’s promotion of Dottie’s songs resulted in a Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
recording contract for her and The Gospel Echoes. After earning as little as $50 a week for years, often working day jobs to make ends meet, Rambo’s fortunes began to improve. Their records were selling and her songs were being noticed within the industry, with other gospel groups beginning to record them. In 1968 she won a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best Soul Gospel Performance for her album It’s The Soul Of Me. Poor record sales for the Gospel Echoes caused the Warner Bros. label to release the group.. Warner Bros. saw something special in Dottie as a solo artist and asked her to sign on with a recording contract for R&B music. Dottie signed instead with the Benson Records
Benson Records
Benson Records was founded by Bob Benson & John T. Benson, beginning as the John T. Benson Music Publishing Company in 1902. The record label started out as Heart Warming Records and would come to house labels such as Impact Records, Greentree Records, RiverSong, StarSong and Home Sweet Home...
.
Rambo worked with Billy Graham
Billy Graham
William Franklin "Billy" Graham, Jr. is an American evangelical Christian evangelist. As of April 25, 2010, when he met with Barack Obama, Graham has spent personal time with twelve United States Presidents dating back to Harry S. Truman, and is number seven on Gallup's list of admired people for...
, Oral Roberts
Oral Roberts
Granville "Oral" Roberts was an American Pentecostal televangelist and a Christian charismatic. He founded the Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association and Oral Roberts University....
, Benny Hinn
Benny Hinn
Toufik Benedictus "Benny" Hinn הין; born December 3, 1952) is a televangelist, best known for his regular "Miracle Crusades" – revival meeting/faith healing summits that are usually held in large stadiums in major cities, which are later broadcast worldwide on his television program, This Is Your...
, Kathryn Kuhlman
Kathryn Kuhlman
Kathryn Johanna Kuhlman was an American faith healer and evangelist.-Early life:Kathryn Johanna Kuhlman was born in Concordia, Missouri, to German-American parents...
, John Hagee
John Hagee
John Charles Hagee is an American founder and senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas, a non-denominational charismatic megachurch with more than 19,000 active members...
, Jim Bakker
Jim Bakker
James Orsen "Jim" Bakker is an American televangelist, a former Assemblies of God minister, and a former host of The PTL Club, a popular evangelical Christian television program.A sex scandal led to his resignation from the ministry...
, Tammy Faye Bakker-Messner, Paul
Paul Crouch
Paul Franklin Crouch is a religious broadcaster and, along with his wife Jan, co-founder of the Trinity Broadcasting Network .-Biography:...
and Jan Crouch, Paula White
Paula White
Paula Michelle White is a Christian author, speaker, and church leader. She is co-founder of Without Walls International Church; a large, influential, non-denominational, charismatic church with two locations in Florida...
, Reinhard Bonnke
Reinhard Bonnke
Reinhard Bonnke is a German charismatic Christian evangelist, principally known for his Great Gospel Crusades throughout the Continent of Africa.-Early life:...
, Pat Robertson
Pat Robertson
Marion Gordon "Pat" Robertson is a media mogul, television evangelist, ex-Baptist minister and businessman who is politically aligned with the Christian Right in the United States....
, T.D. Jakes and others.
Her Down By The Creekbank is one of the most successful Christian children's records in history, earning platinum record status. In addition to her solo and trio recordings, Rambo appeared on other artist's recordings including Jimmie Davis
Jimmie Davis
James Houston Davis , better known as Jimmie Davis, was a noted singer of both sacred and popular songs who served two nonconsecutive terms as the 47th Governor of Louisiana...
, Barbara Mandrell
Barbara Mandrell
Barbara Ann Mandrell is an American country music singer best known for a 1970s–1980s series of Top 10 hits and TV shows that helped her become one of country's most successful female vocalists of the 1970s and 1980s...
, Dickie Betts, The Dunaways, David Robertson, and Walt Mills.
Composer
Rambo reportedly composedComposer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
upwards of 2,500 songs. ASCAP and BMI
Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed...
show only several hundred registered titles attributed to Rambo in its online database. Rambo's best-known songs include "We Shall Behold Him", "Holy Spirit Thou Art Welcome (In This Place)", "I Go To The Rock", “Sheltered In The Arms Of God”, “I Will Glory In The Cross”, “He Looked Beyond My Fault”, “Tears Will Never Stain The Streets Of That City”, “For What Earthly Reason”, “If That Isn’t Love”, "To Much To Gain To Lose" and many more. She also wrote country music songs recorded by Jimmie Davis
Jimmie Davis
James Houston Davis , better known as Jimmie Davis, was a noted singer of both sacred and popular songs who served two nonconsecutive terms as the 47th Governor of Louisiana...
, Charlie Louvin
Charlie Louvin
Charles Elzer Loudermilk , known professionally as Charlie Louvin, was an American country music singer and songwriter. He is best known as one of the Louvin Brothers, and was a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1955.-Biography:Born in Henagar, Alabama, Louvin was one of 7 children...
, Rhonda Vincent
Rhonda Vincent
Rhonda Lea Vincent is a bluegrass singer, songwriter, mandolin player, guitarist, and fiddle player.Her musical career started as a child in her family's band, The Sally Mountain Show, and has spanned almost four decades...
, and Hank Snow
Hank Snow
Clarence Eugene "Hank" Snow was a Canadian-American country music artist. He charted more than 70 singles on the Billboard country charts from 1950 until 1980...
, among others.
Rambo's songs have been recorded by a virtual "who's who" in the music world with her biggest songwriting cut being Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
's version of "I Go To The Rock" that appeared on the motion picture soundtrack for The Preacher's Wife. The recording garnered Rambo and Houston the 1998 GMA Dove Award for Traditional Gospel Song of the Year.
In addition, other secular artists have recorded Dottie Rambo compositions including Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis is an American rock and roll and country music singer-songwriter and pianist. An early pioneer of rock and roll music, Lewis's career faltered after he married his young cousin, and he afterwards made a career extension to country and western music. He is known by the nickname 'The...
, Wanda Jackson
Wanda Jackson
Wanda Lavonne Jackson is an American singer, songwriter, pianist and guitarist who had success in the mid-1950s and 60s as one of the first popular female rockabilly singers and a pioneering rock and roll artist...
, Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
, Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
, Dottie West
Dottie West
Dottie West was an American country music singer and songwriter. Along with her friends and co-recording artists Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn, she is considered one of the genre's most influential and groundbreaking female artists...
, Barbara Mandrell
Barbara Mandrell
Barbara Ann Mandrell is an American country music singer best known for a 1970s–1980s series of Top 10 hits and TV shows that helped her become one of country's most successful female vocalists of the 1970s and 1980s...
, Vince Gill
Vince Gill
Vincent Grant "Vince" Gill is an American neotraditional country singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman to the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s, and as a solo artist beginning in 1983, where his talents as a...
, Alison Krauss
Alison Krauss
Alison Maria Krauss is an American bluegrass-country singer, songwriter and fiddler. She entered the music industry at an early age, winning local contests by the age of ten and recording for the first time at fourteen. She signed with Rounder Records in 1985 and released her first solo album in...
, Bill Monroe
Bill Monroe
William Smith Monroe was an American musician who created the style of music known as bluegrass, which takes its name from his band, the "Blue Grass Boys," named for Monroe's home state of Kentucky. Monroe's performing career spanned 60 years as a singer, instrumentalist, composer and bandleader...
, Rhonda Vincent
Rhonda Vincent
Rhonda Lea Vincent is a bluegrass singer, songwriter, mandolin player, guitarist, and fiddle player.Her musical career started as a child in her family's band, The Sally Mountain Show, and has spanned almost four decades...
, Hank Snow
Hank Snow
Clarence Eugene "Hank" Snow was a Canadian-American country music artist. He charted more than 70 singles on the Billboard country charts from 1950 until 1980...
, Carol Channing
Carol Channing
Carol Elaine Channing is an American singer, actress, and comedienne. She is the recipient of three Tony Awards , a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination...
, Mel Tillis
Mel Tillis
Lonnie Melvin Tillis , known professionally as Mel Tillis, is an American country music singer. Although he recorded songs since the late 1950s, his biggest success occurred in the 1970s, with a long list of Top 10 hits....
, Porter Wagoner
Porter Wagoner
Porter Wayne Wagoner was a popular American country music singer known for his flashy Nudie and Manuel suits and blond pompadour. He introduced the young Dolly Parton near the beginning of her career on his long-running television show, and they were a well-known duet throughout the late 1960s and...
, Crystal Gayle
Crystal Gayle
Crystal Gayle is an American country music singer best known for her 1977 country-pop hit, "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue". An award-winning singer, she accumulated 18 number one country hits during the 1970s and 1980s...
, Larry Gatlin
Larry Gatlin
Larry Wayne Gatlin is an American country music singer/songwriter. He is perhaps best known for teaming up with his brothers Steve and Rudy in the late 1970s, becoming one of country music's most successful acts of the 1970s and 1980s. Gatlin has had a total of 33 Top 40 singles...
, Connie Smith
Connie Smith
Connie Smith is an American country music artist. She began her career in 1963 after winning a local talent contest near Columbus, Ohio, which attracted the attention of country songwriter Bill Anderson...
, Jeannie C. Riley
Jeannie C. Riley
Jeannie C. Riley is an American country music and gospel singer. She is best known for her 1968 country and pop hit "Harper Valley PTA" , which missed becoming the Billboard Country and Pop number one hit at the same time...
, The Oak Ridge Boys
The Oak Ridge Boys
The Oak Ridge Boys are an American country and gospel vocal quartet.The group was founded in the 1940s as the Oak Ridge Quartet. They became popular in southern gospel during the 1950s...
, Barbara Fairchild
Barbara Fairchild
Barbara Fairchild is an American Country Music/Gospel Music Singer, who is best known for her 1973 Country chart-topper "The Teddy Bear Song". After the success of the song, she continued to have success on the Country charts....
.
Numerous Christian/Gospel artists have recorded her songs, such as: Aaron Jeoffrey
Aaron Jeoffrey
Aaron Jeoffrey was a contemporary Christian music son/father duo that rose to popularity during the 1990s.-Group History:Father Jeoffrey Benward was already involved in Christian music since the '70s...
, Vanessa Bell Armstrong
Vanessa Bell Armstrong
Vanessa Bell Armstrong is a gospel singer who released her debut album Peace Be Still in 1983.-Musical career :...
, The Barrett Sisters
The Barrett Sisters
The Barrett Sisters are an American award-winning gospel trio from Chicago, Illinois. The trio consisted of sisters DeLois Barrett Campbell, Billie Barrett GreenBey and Rodessa Barrett Porter. They have been singing together for more than 40 years.-History:The Barrett Sisters grew up in poverty in...
, The Blackwood Brothers
The Blackwood Brothers
The Blackwood Brothers Quartet are an eight-time Grammy award-winning American Southern Gospel group. They have been around for 76 years, and were pioneers in the Christian music industry.-Musical career:...
, The Booth Brothers
The Booth Brothers
-Group history:The Booth Brothers was initially formed in the 1950s by Ron Booth, Sr. with his brothers Charles, James, and Wallace, after they moved to Detroit. However, Ron decided to disband the group in 1963 when he joined the Toney Brothers....
, Commissioned
Commissioned (gospel group)
Commissioned is an American Gospel group. The group recorded twelve albums over a period of seventeen years.-Group composition:Originally from Detroit, Michigan, the six original members were Fred Hammond, Mitchell Jones, Keith Staten, Karl Reid, Michael Brooks, and Michael Williams formed a...
, The Crabb Family
The Crabb Family
The Crabb Family was a Grammy-nominated, Dove Award-winning Southern Gospel group from Beaver Dam, Kentucky. They had sixteen No. 1 songs on the national radio charts.-Members:...
, Andrae Crouch
Andrae Crouch
Andraé Crouch is a seven-time Grammy Award-winning American gospel singer, songwriter, arranger, recording artist, record producer, and pastor.-Early years:Born Andraé Edward Crouch in San Francisco, California....
, Danniebelle Hall
Danniebelle Hall
Danniebelle Hall , gospel musician, recording artist, songwriter.-Early life:Danniebelle Hall was born in Pittsburgh, PA the fourth of eight children. She was born to William Butler Jones and Danniebell Jones. Danniebelle learned to play piano at the age of three. She played piano for her...
, Jimmie Davis
Jimmie Davis
James Houston Davis , better known as Jimmie Davis, was a noted singer of both sacred and popular songs who served two nonconsecutive terms as the 47th Governor of Louisiana...
, DC Talk
DC Talk
DC Talk is the first studio album released from vocal trio DC Talk. It is the most hip hop-oriented of all of their albums as each later album gradually progressed into a more rock-centered sound. Michael Tait stated that their original goal for the album was to sell 10,000 units. It sold 7,142...
, Jeff and Sheri Easter, The Florida Boys, The Happy Goodmans, Steve Green, Nancy Harmon, Larnelle Harris
Larnelle Harris
Larnelle Steward Harris is a gospel singer and songwriter. During his 30-plus years of ministry, Harris has recorded 18 albums, won five Grammy Awards and 18 Dove Awards, and has had several number one songs on the inspirational music charts.-Early life:A native of Danville, Kentucky, Harris...
, The Hemphills, Jake Hess
Jake Hess
Jake Hess was an American Grammy Award-winning southern gospel singer.-Life:Hess was born Manchild Hess December 24, 1927, in Limestone County, Alabama...
, The Hoppers
The Hoppers
The Hoppers are a Southern Gospel group from North Carolina.The Hoppers are a family ensemble which first began performing together in 1957. They appeared at the inauguration ceremony for Ronald Reagan in 1981...
, The Isaacs
The Isaacs
The Isaacs are a country and bluegrass gospel music group consisting of mother Lily Isaacs, and daughters Becky and Sonya Isaacs and son Ben Isaacs, along with John Bowman as an instrumentalist and songwriter. Joe Isaacs, formerly a singer and banjo player in the group, has left since his 1998...
, Bobby Jones
Bobby Jones (singer)
Bobby Jones is a Grammy Award–winning Gospel music singer and television host from Nashville, Tennessee and the host and executive producer of several cable television's gospel music program including Bobby Jones Gospel.-Career:Jones has produced programs for BET since 1980...
, Ron Kenoly
Ron Kenoly
Ron Kenoly is an American Christian worship leader, singer, and songwriter whose expressed mission is "to create an environment for the manifest presence of God". His musical style is one of jubilant praise and individual excellence on musical instruments...
, Doyle Lawson
Doyle Lawson
Doyle Lawson is an American bluegrass and gospel musician. Doyle is best known as an accomplished mandolin player, vocalist, producer, and leader of the 5-man group Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver.-Biography:...
, Mark Lowry
Mark Lowry
Mark Alan Lowry is a Christian comedian, songwriter, and singer, best known for co-writing the song “Mary, Did You Know?”. Lowry performed with the Gaither Vocal Band from 1988–2001 and, in January 2009, he re-joined the group along with other "GVB" alumni Michael English and David Phelps...
, Walt Mills, Janet Paschal
Janet Paschal
Janet Paschal is a Contemporary Christian and southern gospel vocalist and performer, often associated with Bill Gaither's Homecoming events.- Background :...
, Sandi Patty
Sandi Patty
Sandra Faye "Sandi" Patty is an American Christian music singer. For many years she was known as Sandi Patti. She has been dubbed "The Voice" by critics, because of her wide range and flexibility.-Early life:...
, Karen Peck, The Speer Family, Albertina Walker
Albertina Walker
-Early years:Walker was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Ruben and Camille Coleman Walker. Her mother was born in Houston County, Georgia, and her father in Bibb County, Georgia. They moved to Chicago between 1917-1920 where they lived out their lives. Albertina had four siblings born in Bibb County...
, Karen Wheaton
Karen Wheaton
Karen Harris Wheaton Towe is an American Pentecostal preacher, Gospel music singer and recording artist based in Hamilton, Alabama whose career has spanned the late 1970s until the present time. She has toured throughout the U.S. performing at events that also featured preachers and Christian...
.
Television appearances
Throughout her career, beginning with the 1960s "Gospel Singing Jubilee", Rambo appeared on numerous television programs on virtually every Christian network as well as the TNNThe Nashville Network
The Nashville Network, usually referred to as TNN, was an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming included music videos, taped concerts, movies, syndicated programs, and numerous talk shows...
, PAX, and GMT Women's Entertainment channels. She had her own series, "Dottie Rambo Magazine" in the 1980s on TBN
Trinity Broadcasting Network
The Trinity Broadcasting Network is a major American Christian television network. TBN is based in Costa Mesa, California, with auxiliary studio facilities in Irving, Texas; Hendersonville, Tennessee; Gadsden, Alabama; Decatur, Georgia; Miami, Florida; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Orlando, Florida; and New...
which was the No. 1 rated program on the network for six years and has rerun on and off since.
Dottie Rambo has performed on six of the Gaither Homecoming
Gaither Homecoming
Gaither Homecoming is the name applied to a series of videos, music recordings and concerts, which are organized, promoted and usually presented by Christian music songwriter and impresario Bill Gaither...
video series (see her discography). Her last appearance was Nashville Homecoming (2009), in which she performed "I Just Came To Talk With You Lord."
Dottie Rambo has been the subject of many biographic television specials: TBN
Trinity Broadcasting Network
The Trinity Broadcasting Network is a major American Christian television network. TBN is based in Costa Mesa, California, with auxiliary studio facilities in Irving, Texas; Hendersonville, Tennessee; Gadsden, Alabama; Decatur, Georgia; Miami, Florida; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Orlando, Florida; and New...
's Portrait Of Grace, INSP's Inspirational Groundbreakers, BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's White Gospel, GMC
Gospel Music Channel
gmc is an American satellite and cable television channel, known from its 2004 launch until February 1, 2010 as Gospel Music Channel. It is also available in high-definition as a separate channel called gmcHD ....
's Faith and Fame (her last interview aired on television).
Later years
In 1987, Rambo suffered a ruptured disk which led to paralysisParalysis
Paralysis is loss of muscle function for one or more muscles. Paralysis can be accompanied by a loss of feeling in the affected area if there is sensory damage as well as motor. A study conducted by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, suggests that about 1 in 50 people have been diagnosed...
in her left leg. She underwent a series of surgeries that eventually reinstated limited mobility. In 1992, Dottie and Buck separated; then divorced in 1994.
Although partially disabled, Rambo made major television appearances including the 700 Club, and as a regular guest performer on TBN. In 1994, TBN produced a Tribute Concert special that featured two hours of performances by Ricky Skaggs
Ricky Skaggs
Rickie Lee "Ricky" Skaggs is a country and bluegrass singer, musician, producer, and composer. He primarily plays mandolin; however, he also plays fiddle, guitar, and banjo.-Early career:...
, Ricky Van Shelton
Ricky Van Shelton
Ricky Van Shelton is a currently retired American country music artist. Active between 1986 and 2006, he has charted more than twenty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts...
, Vicki Winans, Jeannie C. Riley
Jeannie C. Riley
Jeannie C. Riley is an American country music and gospel singer. She is best known for her 1968 country and pop hit "Harper Valley PTA" , which missed becoming the Billboard Country and Pop number one hit at the same time...
, Lulu Roman
Lulu Roman
Lulu Roman is a former telephone operator and go-go dancer turned comedian and singer. She is probably best known as a regular on the comedy-music television series Hee Haw....
, and many others. In the late 1990s, Dottie again performed in concerts, evangelistic meetings and churches across the United States.
In 2002 Rambo reentered the studio to record her first solo album in eighteen years. The result was the award-winning hit ‘’Stand By The River’’. The title track a duet with Dolly Parton would go to the number one spot of the Christian Country Radio Chart as did it's follow up, "I'm Gonna Leave Here Shoutin".
In 2004 a major live concert dvd/cd project "We Shall Behold Him: A Tribute to Dottie Rambo" was released. The concert was hosted by Barbara Mandrell and included performances by Dolly Parton, Crystal Gayle, Larry Gatlin, The Isaacs, Jessy Dixon, Vestal Goodman, The Speers, The Crabb Family, Albertina Walker and others.
In 2007, she performed nationwide and appeared in concert at country singer Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
’s Tennessee theme park, Dollywood
Dollywood
Dollywood is a theme park owned by entertainer Dolly Parton and the Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation. It is located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Dollywood has 3,000 people on its payroll, making it the largest employer in that community....
.
In November 2007, Rambo completed another studio album with the working title of "Sheltered". This album was released posthumously in September 2009 on Daywind Records. The project features 12 tracks including duets with Porter Wagoner
Porter Wagoner
Porter Wayne Wagoner was a popular American country music singer known for his flashy Nudie and Manuel suits and blond pompadour. He introduced the young Dolly Parton near the beginning of her career on his long-running television show, and they were a well-known duet throughout the late 1960s and...
, Mel Tillis
Mel Tillis
Lonnie Melvin Tillis , known professionally as Mel Tillis, is an American country music singer. Although he recorded songs since the late 1950s, his biggest success occurred in the 1970s, with a long list of Top 10 hits....
, The Whites
The Whites
The Whites is an American country music vocal group consisting of lead singer Sharon White, her sister Cheryl , and their father Buck...
and Lulu Roman
Lulu Roman
Lulu Roman is a former telephone operator and go-go dancer turned comedian and singer. She is probably best known as a regular on the comedy-music television series Hee Haw....
. Upon completing this project, Rambo started another project that was to feature new compositions and music for a 2009 release. A tribute CD due to be released in 2011 will feature artists from various genres of music is also being produced by her longtime manager, Larry Ferguson and former assistant Chris Barnes. In 2007, the Annalee Dolls
Annalee Dolls
Annalee Dolls, Inc., also known as Annalee Mobilitee Dolls Inc., and AMD Holdings Inc., is a company located in Meredith, New Hampshire, that manufactures collectible dolls. The company was founded by Barbara Annalee Davis who died in 2002...
company released a limited edition collector's "Dottie Rambo Anniversary Doll".
Death
Rambo died on May 11, 2008, as a result of injuries sustained in a bus accident along Interstate 44 just outside of Mount Vernon, MissouriMount Vernon, Missouri
Mount Vernon is a city in Lawrence County, Missouri, United States. The population was 4,017 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lawrence County. It is regionally known for its annual Apple butter Makin' Days festival in October. The high school's athletic teams are known as the...
. She had just finished a performance at Calvary Life Church in Granite City, Illinois
Granite City, Illinois
Granite City is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States, part of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area. At the 2010 census, the population was 29,849, making it the third largest city in the Metro-East and Southern Illinois, behind Alton and Belleville...
and was en route to a Mother's Day show in Texas when the 1997 Prévost bus she was traveling in ran off the road, struck a guard rail and hit an embankment. Rambo was pronounced dead at the scene. Rambo's manager Larry Ferguson and his family were injured in the crash.
Her funeral was held at Christ Church in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
on May 19, 2008. She was interred at the Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery
Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery
Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery is located at 660 Thompson Lane in Nashville, Tennessee. It is one of the largest cemeteries in Nashville.Among those interred or entombed in the cemetery, there are many prominent members of the country music genre and their families.-List:Use the following...
in Nashville.
Awards and honors
Rambo received numerous awards and other honors over the years, including one GrammyGrammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
and three GMA
Gospel Music Association
The Gospel Music Association was founded in 1964 for the purpose of supporting and promoting the development of all forms of Gospel music. There are currently about 4,000 members worldwide...
Dove Awards. She was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame
Gospel Music Hall of Fame
The Gospel Music Hall of Fame, created in 1971 by the Gospel Music Association, is a Hall of Fame dedicated exclusively to recognizing meaningful contributions by individuals and groups in all forms of gospel music.-Inductees:...
on two occasions; once with The Rambos and once as a solo artist. In 1994 the Christian Country Music Association awarded her with the Songwriter of the Century Award. She was given the "ASCAP Lifetime Achievement Award" in 2000, and two "Christian Country Music Association" (CCMA) awards; the “Pioneer Award” in 2003, and in 2004, “Songwriter of the Year”. She was inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame in 2006.
Her 2002 CD, Stand By The River won two "Christian Music Fan Awards", for “Song of The Year” and “Duo of The Year” (with Dolly Parton). The Nashville Songwriter's Hall Of Fame inducted Rambo in 2007. Rambo was inducted posthumously into the Christian Music Hall of Fame at the induction award ceremony on June 14, 2008. Rambo was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall Of Fame after her death. Her manager and granddaughter accepted on her behalf. In 2011 Rambo was honored with a star on Music City's Walk Of Fame which her daughter Reba accepted on her behalf.