Prophet Omega
Encyclopedia
Prophet Omega was a weekly radio evangelist broadcasting in Nashville, Tennessee
on Music Row
’s WNAH
in the 1970s. He was founder of the Peaceway Temple then located at "Apartment Q-258 at 488 Lemont Drive" (the Kenmont Apartments). He has become most known for the recordings of his sermons which became popular among musicians in the 1980s. Prior to entering the "prophet circuit" Townsend was a carnival worker.
were among the many fans. Melissa Etheridge
and Adrian Belew
both have used his excerpts in their works. Al Kooper
contributed largely to the initial spreading of Prophet Omega recordings among musicians. He considers the recordings to be a form of folk art.
Musicians have noted Omega's sense of rhythm, soul artist sound (like James Brown
) and blues artist sound. Also, they noted a sense of 'knowing' in association with the ingroup that had heard his recordings. The following is an excerpt from one of his more popularized sermons:
A half-hour documentary about Prophet Omega entitled Friends Seen and Unseen was created by Kathy Conkwright, Demetria Kalodimos
and was edited by Bob F. Dowd. It was released by Genuine Human Productions in 2000. It was presented at the 2000 Nashville Independent Film Festival. The film won a Tennessee Spirit Award.
An excerpt from one of Prophet Omega's sermons can be heard in the background in a scene from the 2007 horror film
Side Sho
, directed by Nashville filmmaker Michael D'Anna
.
Upon his death the original reel to reel recordings of his show were disposed of by his family. However, in 2006 a 2-CD set of his recordings gathered from collectors was released entitled The Complete Sermons.
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 Music Row
Music Row
Music Row is an area just to the southwest of Downtown Nashville, Tennessee that is home to hundreds of businesses related to the country music, gospel music, and Contemporary Christian music industries...
’s WNAH
WNAH
WNAH is a radio station broadcasting a religious format. Licensed to Nashville, Tennessee, USA, the station is currently owned by Hermitage Broadcasting East....
in the 1970s. He was founder of the Peaceway Temple then located at "Apartment Q-258 at 488 Lemont Drive" (the Kenmont Apartments). He has become most known for the recordings of his sermons which became popular among musicians in the 1980s. Prior to entering the "prophet circuit" Townsend was a carnival worker.
Music subculture
By way of cassette recordings Prophet Omega's sermons developed a cult following among road musicians in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The cassettes were favorites on musician tour buses. Excerpts of his sermons have been sampled into rock music and quotes from his sermons have become the namesake of music projects. The Rolling Stones and David BowieDavid Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
were among the many fans. Melissa Etheridge
Melissa Etheridge
Melissa Lou Etheridge is an American rock singer-songwriter and musician.Etheridge is known for her mixture of confessional lyrics, pop-based folk-rock, and raspy, smoky vocals...
and Adrian Belew
Adrian Belew
Adrian Belew is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer...
both have used his excerpts in their works. Al Kooper
Al Kooper
Al Kooper is an American songwriter, record producer and musician, known for organizing Blood, Sweat & Tears , providing studio support for Bob Dylan when he went electric in 1965, and also bringing together guitarists Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills to...
contributed largely to the initial spreading of Prophet Omega recordings among musicians. He considers the recordings to be a form of folk art.
Musicians have noted Omega's sense of rhythm, soul artist sound (like James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
) and blues artist sound. Also, they noted a sense of 'knowing' in association with the ingroup that had heard his recordings. The following is an excerpt from one of his more popularized sermons:
A half-hour documentary about Prophet Omega entitled Friends Seen and Unseen was created by Kathy Conkwright, Demetria Kalodimos
Demetria Kalodimos
Demetria Kalodimos is an Emmy Award-winning anchorperson for WSMV-TV, an NBC affiliate based in Nashville in the U.S. state of Tennessee. She anchors the weeknight broadcasts at 5, 6 and 10 PM, and is the longest continuously-serving evening news anchor ever at WSMV.-Life and education:Kalodimos...
and was edited by Bob F. Dowd. It was released by Genuine Human Productions in 2000. It was presented at the 2000 Nashville Independent Film Festival. The film won a Tennessee Spirit Award.
An excerpt from one of Prophet Omega's sermons can be heard in the background in a scene from the 2007 horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
Side Sho
Side Sho
Side Sho is a 2007 horror film directed by Michael D'Anna. The film was shot in and around Savannah, Georgia, and won the awards for Best Feature Film and Best Original Score at the 2007 Terror Film Festival....
, directed by Nashville filmmaker Michael D'Anna
Michael D'Anna
Michael D'Anna is a film director, best known for his work in horror films.- Biography :D'Anna began his filmmaking career in the early 1990s editing commercials and documentaries for clients throughout the southeastern United States...
.
Upon his death the original reel to reel recordings of his show were disposed of by his family. However, in 2006 a 2-CD set of his recordings gathered from collectors was released entitled The Complete Sermons.