Rex Nelon

by Bob Bilyeu

I have often been asked who my favorite singer or group was in Southern Gospel music. I have many favorites, so that is a hard question, but if I were asked who was the nicest person I knew, that answer was easy. He was Rex Nelon.

I first met Rex in the late fifties. He had just recently joined the legendary LeFevres as their bass singer. He was just a little older than I, but he was a young man in his mid to late twenties. I was a little jealous because the young ladies went wild over his wavy black hair and deep bass voice. While some gospel singers were stand-offish, he was just the opposite. Those of us who were just opening acts found that very endearing.

A few years later, Rex and the LeFevres would regularly do concerts for me at South Haven Baptist Church where I was the minister of music. We didn’t have a large budget for big nationally known groups, but that didn’t bother the Lefevres and Rex. They would come for a love offering on a Sunday evening when they were in our area for their normal Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening concerts. Later when Eva Mae, Urias, and Alphus quit traveling and the group became the Rex Nelon Singers that tradition continued.

I’m sure Rex could have gone to larger churches with guarantees, but for over twenty years, he kept coming back. I never asked why, but I think it was because he was a good man who was loyal to people. Because of him our church got to know not only the Lefevres, but also the young people with whom Rex surrounded himself over the years: Janet Paschal, Karen Peck, Kelly Nelon, Charlotte Penhollow Ritchie, Stan Whitmire, and Jeff Stice just to mention a few.

Rex left the road, when his wife, Shirley, died in 1993, but he then started traveling with Bill Gaither, so he is still seen daily in the Gaither videos all over the world. While on tour in

Ireland

with the Gaither group, Rex died of a massive heart attach in 2000.

The last time Rex and his group came to our church, Rex called the church to set up the concert. Rex had known me long enough that he always called me Bobby Joe, instead of Bob. Our church had just hired a new minister of childhood education. Her name was Bobby Jo Cranford. When Rex called, he asked for Bobby Joe. Nobody at the church called me that, so the secretary thought he was asking for Ms. Cranford. She said that when she answered the phone, there was a long silence. Finally Rex said, “wrong number” and hung up. Luckily we straightened things out and we once again heard one of the all-time premier groups in gospel music—and fellowshipped with my nomination for “World’s Nicest Gospel Singer.”