Formed in 1928 in Greenville, South Carolina, by James B. Davis and his classmates, they sang in local churches until they finished school, then started touring throughout the South.
Lead singer Ira Tucker joined the group in 1938 at age 13, and they signed with Decca Records. In addition to his formidable vocal skills, Tucker introduced the energetic showmanship - running through the aisles, jumping off stage, falling to his knees in prayer - copied by many quartets that followed. Tucker also took the lead in the stylistic innovations adopted by the group, combining gospel shouting and subtle melismas with the syncopated delivery made popular by The Golden Gate Quartet, as well as adventuresome harmonies, which the group called "trickeration", in which Paul Owens or another member of the group would pick up a note just as Tucker left off. The group relocated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the 1940s.
During the years, a number of talented singers starred in the group—their bass, William Bobo (known as Thunder), tenor Beachey Thompson, James Walker (who replaced Owens), and Claude Jeter, who went on to star for The Swan Silvertones. The Hummingbirds added a guitarist, Howard Carroll, who added even more propulsive force to their high-flying vocals.
The Hummingbirds absorbed much from other artists as well, performing with Lester Young in the 1940s and sharing Django Reinhardt records with B.B. King in the 1950s. Tucker and the Hummingbirds inspired a number of imitators, such as Jackie Wilson and James Brown, who adapted the shouting style and enthusiastic showmanship of hard gospel to secular themes to help create soul music in the 1960s.
The group recorded for a number of different labels over the years, while touring the circuit of black churches and gospel extravaganzas. They occasionally came to the attention of white listeners—at Café Society, the integrated New York nightclub favored by jazz cognoscenti, in 1942, at the Newport Folk Festival in 1966, and as backup for Paul Simon on the 1973 single "Loves Me Like a Rock". For a long time, the group was signed to Don Robey's Peacock Records, based in Houston, Texas. In 1973, Robey sold Peacock to ABC Records, which released a cover of "Loves Me Like a Rock," produced by Walter "Kandor" Kahn and the group's lead vocalist Ira Tucker, which reached #72 on Billboard Magazine's Top 100 R&B Singles chart. The single also won a Grammy for "Best Soul Gospel Performance". Kahn and Tucker produced an album for ABC entitled We Love You Like A Rock. The album contained Stevie Wonder's "Jesus Children", on which Wonder played keyboards.
At that time, the group consisted of five vocalists: Ira Tucker Sr., James Davis, Beachey Thompson, James Walker and William Bobo. Howard Carroll was the group's guitarist. The group now consists of William Bright (vocals), Carlton Lewis, III (vocals), Torrey Nettles (drums/vocals),) and Lyndon Baines Jones (guitar & vocals and Ira Tucker, Jr (vocals)
In 1973 The group sang the backup vocals on Paul Simon's "Loves Me Like a Rock", and "Tenderness", from his album "There Goes Rhymin' Simon".
In 2003, the Hummingbirds were the subject of an award-winning book about their 75-year career span, Great God A'Mighty! The Dixie Hummingbirds: Celebrating the Rise of Soul Gospel Music [Oxford University Press] by Jerry Zolten. The book was favorably reviewed in The New York Times. 2-26-2003.
In February 2008, the first feature-length documentary/concert film featuring the life and history of the Dixie Hummingbirds was released in commemoration of their extraordinary eighty years as performers. The Dixie Hummingbirds: Eighty Years Young has been shown on the Gospel Music Channel and has played at numerous film festivals. Produced and directed by award-winning filmmaker Jeff Scheftel, and executive produced by University of Hawaii musicologist Jay Junker, the film is now available on DVD, featuring extensive interviews with Ira Tucker, Sr., archival footage, and following the current group as they perform in numerous venues and rehearse under Mr. Tucker's spirited guidance, in their hometown of Philadelphia, and across the vast landscape of America.
Ira Tucker, Sr. died due to complications from heart disease on the morning of June 24, 2008, at the age of 83. The group will go on, thereby preserving the rich legacy left by Tucker, James Davis, William Bobo, Beachey Thompson, James Walker, Howard Carroll, et al., with possible new additions to their personnel down the road.
Howard Carroll, the guitarist, died in October 2017.
Awards and recognition
The Dixie Hummingbirds Grammy Award History
Year Category Title Genre Label Result
2007 Best Traditional Gospel Album Still Keeping It Real Gospel MCG Nominee
2000 Best Traditional Gospel Album Music In The Air Gospel House Of Blues Nominee
1994 Best Traditional Gospel Album In Good Health Gospel Atlanta International Nominee
1973 Best Soul Gospel Performance "Loves Me Like a Rock" Gospel MCG Winner
Grammy Hall of Fame[edit]
Recordings inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, which is a special Grammy award established in 1973 to honor recordings that are at least twenty-five years old, and that have "qualitative or historical significance."
Grammy Hall of Fame
Year Recorded Title Artist Genre Label Year Inducted
1946 "Amazing Grace" The Dixie Hummingbirds Gospel (Single) Apollo 2000
Inductions
Year Inducted Title
2007 Christian Music Hall of Fame and Museum
2000 Vocal Group Hall of Fame
Members: William Bright, Lyndon Jones, Torrey Nettles, Carlton Lewis, and Adebo Wali (Ira Tucker Jr)
Past members: James Davis (1916-2007) (founder), Ira Tucker (1925-2008) (lead singer), Willie Bobo, Jimmy Bryant, Barney Gipson, Claude Jeter (1914-2009), J.B. Matterson, Fred Owens, Paul Owens, Barney Parks, Beachy Thompson, James Walker, William Henry (bass) (1922-1997), Howard Carroll (1924-2017) guitarist, Willie Coleman, bass guitarist and vocals
Christian's Automobile
The Dixie Hummingbirds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Ev'ry child, ev'ry child of God)
Running for Jesus
(Just like an automobile)
Ev'ry child of God
(Ev'ry child, ev'ry child of God)
Running for Jesus
(Just like an automobile)
(Ev'ry child, ev'ry child of God)
Running for Jesus
(Just like an automobile)
You know prayer
(Prayer is your driver's license)
Faith
(Faith is your steering wheel)
When you get on
The road to glory
Satan is gonna try
To flag you down
But--- keep on driving
(Keep on driving)
Well if you
(Want your starry crown)
You gotta check on your tires
You got a rough road ahead
And when you are weary from your journey
God will put you to bed
You gotta check on your brakes
And stop your wicked ways
A man is born of a woman
It's only of a few days
You've gotta check on your lights
And see your own faults
Stop while you can see them, children
Or your soul will be lost
You gotta check on your generator
You need more strength and power
You can't do nothing without the man
You need him every hour
Christians
Oh, Christians
Press on your starters
And start your automobile
Put it in first gear
And go on up the hill
Drive on, children
If I never see you no more
I'll meet you when I pull in
On the other shore
And I'm not worried
About my parking space
I just want to see
See my Savior face to face
You know prayer
(Prayer is your driver's license)
Faith
(Faith is your steering wheel)
The Dixie Hummingbirds' song "Christian's Automobile" is a gospel song that draws an analogy between being a Christian and driving a car. The song opens with the repetition of "Every child of God" and "Running for Jesus" which refers to how as a Christian one is supposed to live. This also suggests that every Christian is on a mission towards a common goal or destination. The repeated phrase "just like an automobile" emphasizes how the Christian life is to be lived with such zeal, speed, and direction like driving a car.
The song goes on to explain what one needs to do to be ready for this journey or mission. The lyrics, "You gotta check on your tires. You got a rough road ahead. And when you are weary from your journey, God will put you to bed. You gotta check on your brakes and stop your wicked ways." emphasize how Christians must be prepared for the challenges that come with following Jesus Christ. The singer also reminds Christians to check on their generator, which represents the Holy Spirit, for strength and power to sustain their journey of faith. Lastly, the song concludes with the reminder that prayer and faith are essential tools for the Christian journey.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, you know that every
Every child of God
(Ev'ry child, ev'ry child of God)
is like a child of God
Running for Jesus
running towards Jesus
(Just like an automobile)
like driving an automobile
Ev'ry child of God
Every child of God
(Ev'ry child, ev'ry child of God)
is like a child of God
Running for Jesus
running towards Jesus
(Just like an automobile)
like driving an automobile
Ev'ry child
Every child of God
(Ev'ry child, ev'ry child of God)
is like a child of God
Running for Jesus
running towards Jesus
(Just like an automobile)
like driving an automobile
You know prayer
you know that prayer
(Prayer is your driver's license)
is like your driver's license
Faith
Faith
(Faith is your steering wheel)
is like your steering wheel
When you get on
When you start
The road to glory
the journey towards glory
Satan is gonna try
Satan will attempt
To flag you down
to stop you
But--- keep on driving
but keep driving
(Keep on driving)
keep driving
Well if you
If you
(Want your starry crown)
want to earn your crown in heaven
You gotta check on your tires
You have to inspect your tires
You got a rough road ahead
The journey ahead will be difficult
And when you are weary from your journey
And when you are tired from the journey
God will put you to bed
God will help you rest
You gotta check on your brakes
You have to inspect your brakes
And stop your wicked ways
And stop behaving badly
A man is born of a woman
Every person is born of a woman
It's only of a few days
Life is short
You've gotta check on your lights
You have to inspect your lights
And see your own faults
And recognize your own mistakes
Stop while you can see them, children
Stop while you can still recognize them, children
Or your soul will be lost
Or your soul will be lost forever
You gotta check on your generator
You have to inspect your generator
You need more strength and power
You need more strength and power from God
You can't do nothing without the man
You cannot do anything without God
You need him every hour
You need God every hour
Christians
Christians
Oh, Christians
Oh, Christians
Press on your starters
Start your engines
And start your automobile
And start driving
Put it in first gear
Start slowly
And go on up the hill
And continue on the difficult journey ahead
Drive on, children
Keep driving, children
If I never see you no more
If we never see each other again
I'll meet you when I pull in
We will meet again when we arrive
On the other shore
In heaven
And I'm not worried
And I am not concerned
About my parking space
About where I will park
I just want to see
I only want to see
See my Savior face to face
See Jesus face to face
You know prayer
You know that prayer
(Prayer is your driver's license)
is like your driver's license
Faith
Faith
(Faith is your steering wheel)
is like your steering wheel
Contributed by Madelyn G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.