Jesse Randall "J R" Baxter Jr. (December 8, 1887 - January 29, 1960)

(Also known as "Pap" Baxter)

Biography

J R Baxter was one of the pioneers of modern Southern Gospel music. In 1926 he partnered with V O Stamps to form the Stamps-Baxter Music And Printing Company. This company had an office in Chattanooga, Tennessee headed by Baxter and another office in Dallas, Texas headed by V O Stamps. The company published some of the most beloved songs in Southern Gospel music. Several quartets arose to sell the company's songbooks including "house" quartets made up of company employees. Many more affiliated groups used some variation of Stamps-Baxter in their name. He himself performed with the Baxter Quartet.

The Stamps-Baxter School Of Music was also a product of the Stamps-Baxter partnership, and it's still going on today. In recent years, the school has been branded as Ben Speer's Stamps-Baxter School Of Music, meeting annually at Middle Tennessee State University.

After the death of V O Stamps in 1940, Baxter relocated to Dallas to run the main office.

In addition to his business acumen, J R Baxter was also an accomplished songwriter. His compositions have been recorded by everyone from the Chuck Wagon Gang and the Cathedral Quartet to Legacy Five and Sandi Patty.

Baxter was part of the first group of inductees enshrined in the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall Of Fame in 1997.

Baxter was the husband of Clarice "Ma" Baxter.

Awards

GMA Hall Of Fame (1973)
SGMA Hall Of Fame (1997)

Songwriter's Résumé

(Partial List)

After Awhile
After The Sunrise
Coming
Farther Along
God Shall Wipe Away All Tears
He Bore It All
I Love My Savior Too
I'm Living In Canaan Now
Jordan Is Calling
Living In Canaan Now
Praise The Lamb Of God
We Shall Have Glory Afterwhile
When He Blessed My Soul
When We Meet To Part No More
Won't We Be Happy

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