October 20, 1908 to March 8, 1989
October 20, 1908 to March 8, 1989
Born October 20th, 1908, in Kellyville, Texas, the son of a traveling Methodist preacher, Stuart Hamblen's career as a Country Western Gospel singer, composer and radio-movie personality was simple... it was destiny. It all began in 1926 on radio KAYO in Abilene, Texas, where he became radio broadcasting's first singing cowboy. In 1929, he won a talent contest in Dallas, Texas and with the $100 cash prize in hand, he headed for Camden, New Jersey, to the Victor Talking Machine Company to seek his fortune. Recording four songs for the forerunner of RCA Victor, Stuart then set out for Hollywood, California, where he auditioned at KFI and went on the air as "Cowboy Joe". He also became a member of the original "Beverly Hillbillies", radio's first spectacularly popular western singing group.
In 1931, and for 21 years thereafter, Stuart stayed on top of the popularity charts on the West Coast with his radio programs: "King Cowboy and His Woolly West Review"; "Stuart Hamblen and His Lucky Stars"; and the "Covered Wagon Jubilee". During that time, his motion picture credits included: "In Old Monterey" with Gene Autry; "The Arizona Kid" and "King of the Cowboys" with Roy Rogers; "The Plainsman and the Lady" and "The Savage Hord" with Wild Bill Elliott; "Carson City Cyclone" and "The Sombrero Kid" with Don 'Red' Barry; "King of the Forest Rangers" with Larry Thompson; and "Flame of the Barbary Coast" with John Wayne. In 1979 he also narrated a gospel movie, "Mountain Lady".
During his long span on radio, Stuart composed western songs ... many of which are still being recorded today: "Texas Plains"; "My Mary"; "Golden River"; "Walkin' My Fortune"; and "Ridin' Old Paint". Later he wrote some of his greatest song classics: "It Is No Secret" (note: the original manuscript of which is buried in the cornerstone of one of the Copyright Buildings of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., and which has been translated into over 50 languages around the world and was the first song to 'cross-over' becoming #1 in Gospel/Country/and Pop categories and starting the trend for ballad style gospel songs) - SEE STORY BELOW; "This Ole House" (which was awarded 1954 Song of the Year, and was number one song hit in seven countries at the same time, and is currently on Brian Setzer's album, The Dirty Boogie, which has been on the Billboard's Top 100 for 36 weeks and counting!); "Remember Me, I'm the One Who Loves You"; "Teach Me, Lord, To Wait"; "Until Then"; "Open Up Your Heart (and Let the Sunshine In)"; "How Big Is God"; "His Hands"; plus over 225 other songs.
In 1945, Stuart became the first man to fly a horse when he flew his race horse, EL LOBO, from Los Angeles, California, to Bay Meadows on the Flying Tiger Airlines. EL LOBO won the Burlingame Handicap ... and they flew home the same day. The history of the race horse was forever changed. The Bay Meadows racing form, "War Horse" was called "The Flying Horse" the day after the race.
In 1949, he attended a prayer meeting in Los Angeles where a young man named Billy Graham was preaching. He gave up his radio and film work and publicly announced he was devoting his life to Christ.
In the early '50's, Stuart's radio show, "The Cowboy Church of the Air" was syndicated nationwide. This was also a time when commercials were done by the radio host. During this time, the syndicate sponsors wanted Stuart to do a commercial promoting alchohl, and when Stuart refused, due to the simple fact that his show was called The Cowboy Church of the Air, the sponsors told him they would pull the plug on his show. So, the last several shows, Stuart used them to let his nationwide-listening audience know why he would be leaving the air. Because of this, in 1952, the Prohibition Party asked Stuart to run for the President of the United States on their ticket. He did, and when the first returns came in he was actually ahead! When the final votes were counted, he had set a new record for votes for the Prohibition ticket, running 4th to Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Married to his wife, Suzy, for over 55 years, Stuart lived with her on their horse ranch in Canyon Country (Los Angeles), California, where he produced his weekly nationally syndicated "Cowboy Church of the Air" program. They also bred Peruvian Paso Horses, and their stallion, *AEV Oro Negro+, was 3 times U.S. National Champion of Champions.
Stuart Hamblen died on March 8, 1989. Besides his wife, Suzy, he leaves two daughters, Veeva and Lisa Obee, and 10 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.
It Is No
Secret
One night while at party, Stuart was cornered by John Wayne who
found his new-found religious zeal hard to believe. But during
a conversation with the actor, Stuart remarked off-handedly, "Well,
it's no secret what God can do."
As Stuart was leaving the actor's house that evening, John walked up to him and told him he should write a song about the comment he had made. That chance remark led to It Is No Secret (what God can do), a tune that provided a Top 10 country hit not only for Hamblen, but also proved successful for Red Foley with the Andrews Sisters, Jo Stafford, and Bill Kenny and the Song Spinners. Later, Elvis Presley and the Jordanaires recorded it and it became one of their best known Gospel hits.