Here is a run down of what happened at the funeral but since I am not a big fan of Southern Gospel someone else will have to post who all of the fabulous soloists and groups were that paid tribute to Dottie singing her songs.
As pianoman had mentioned Larry Dalton played Dottie Rambo songs on the Grand Piano before the funeral started. It was a full house at Christ Church and I was lucky to get a seat in the balcony as I arrived just before the funeral started.
Notables at the funeral or involved in it that I did see were;
Barbara Mandrell
Andre Crouch
The Crabb Family
2 of The Oak Ridge Boys
Russ Taff
Bill & Gloria Gaither
Dino
Sandi Patti
The Choir of The Artists (200 member choir of Gospel Music artists)
ORDER OF SERVICE:
Holy Spirit Thou Art Welcome - Landy & Joy Gardner and Ncole Binion
Opening Remarks - Dony McGuire
Time of Prayer (for the hospitalized survivors of the bus crash that killed Dottie, etc) - Rev. Charles Green.
I Will Lift You There - Destiny Rambo McGuire & Dionne Dismuke (Granddaughers)
The Oibtuary - Bishop Jim Swilley
Behold The Lamb
Setting The Stage - Remarks by Barbara Mandrell
The Choir of The Artists - Directed by Bill & Gloria Gaither;
Sheltered In The Arms of God
Remind Me Dear Lord
If That Isn't Love
He Looked Beyond My Faults and Saw My Need
I Go To The Rock - There were black male and female soloists on this. I think the guy was Jesse Dixon and I don't know who the woman was. They tore it up. Three encores.
Mamma's Teaching Angels How To Sing
Words of Honor - Remarks by Pastor L.H. Hardwick Jr.
A Video Tribute - Dottie singing a little and being interviewed.
We've Weathered Storms Before
A Special Word About Mothers - poem / story read by Michael Langston
Stand By The River - Christian Ferguson (little bitty boy singing)
Special Messages - Carlton Pearson reading a few greetings to the family. One by Lily Tomlin, One by T.D. Jakes, and then President Bush and Laura's condolences to Reba and Dony. The President sent Reba the US flag that was hanging over the White House on Mothers Day, the day Dottie died.
The Choir of The Artists;
I Will Glory In The Cross
I've Never Been This Homesick Before
I Call Him Lord
Lamb of Glory
Too Much To Gain To Lose
There Has To Be A Song - Remarks by Gloria Gaither
The Holy Hills of Heaven
The Final Word - Remarks by Bishop David Huskins
We Shall Behold Him - Sandi Patti
CC, I am thinking that as it was a Gaither type choir, it probably was indeed JD, and the female soloist may have been: if younger than JD, Linda Randle...older, maybe Lillie Knauls...just guessing.
CC, I am thinking that as it was a Gaither type choir, it probably was indeed JD, and the female soloist may have been: if younger than JD, Linda Randle...older, maybe Lillie Knauls...just guessing.
Wish I could have been there...
I think you are probably right. I couldn't really see the woman well enough to gauge her age.
I had not seen Jesse Dixon for many years (he featured the World of Pentecost Choir on an album back in the 8o's) but I am pretty certain it was him.
My day started out crazy and it looked like or awhile I would not be able to go but I did and I am really glad. It brought back so many memories of my childhood and teen years and was also such a blessing to hear those great songs sung by some of the best singers in the world.
I think you are probably right. I couldn't really see the woman well enough to gauge her age.
I had not seen Jesse Dixon for many years (he featured the World of Pentecost Choir on an album back in the 8o's) but I am pretty certain it was him.
My day started out crazy and it looked like or awhile I would not be able to go but I did and I am really glad. It brought back so many memories of my childhood and teen years and was also such a blessing to hear those great songs sung by some of the best singers in the world.
Well, Linda Randle is kinda short, or appears that way, and her voice is rather deep (lower in range than Lillie Knauls), and LK always wears a hat...
I figured that funeral would be jam packed with the who's who in Gospel music, and you got in????
Seriously though, thanks for sharing about the funeral.
LOL!!! I was one of "nobodies" there. I think there was a good representation of those of us who are not musicaly talented ourselves but were blessed by Dottie's music over the years.
Really? That is very interesting, I had no idea. I wonder how that connection was made, Lily Tomlin never struck me as a Gospel music aficionado. Of course, I don't know that much about her, but that is still very interesting to me.
I love Lily Tomlin.
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