The Song Dolly Parton Chose for Her Funeral and What It Reveals – Details & Photos
Albert Brumley, the composer of “If We Never Meet Again,” was born in Oklahoma’s Choctaw Nation area yet became a widely known composer of so-called white gospel music. Some of his best-loved hymns include “I’ll Meet You in the Morning,” “Turn Your Radio On” and “Rank Strangers.”
But the popularity of his hymns crossed racial boundaries. His classic “I’ll Fly Away” quickly became a staple of black gospel groups, including the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi, the Five Blind Boys of Alabama, the Pilgrim Jubilees and the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. It was recorded as a duet by none other than Aretha Franklin and Jesse Jackson. Brumley’s lyrics, from 1929, became a civil-rights anthem, demonstrating the unifying power of music.
“When the shadows of this life have gone away, I’ll fly away, like a bird from prison bars has flown, I’ll fly away.”
The hymn Dolly chose for her memorial service has even been recorded by the All for Christ Singers, a group that melds American gospel hymns with the indigenous music of Zimbabwe. One can only wonder what Brumley, who learned his craft at a little school for musicians in small-town Arkansas, would make of that. Dolly would likely cheer and shout amen!
