Short Name: | Ralph Carmichael |
Full Name: | Carmichael, Ralph, 1927- |
Birth Year: | 1927 |
Death Year: | 2021 |
Ralph Carmichael was born May 27, 1927, in Quincy, Ill. to Rev. Richard and Adelle Carmichael. A graduate of Southern California Bible College (now Vanguard University), he became head of the school’s music department in his early 20s. His “Campus Christian Hour” that aired on KHJ-TV in Los Angeles, featuring his college band and singers with big band treatments of hymns and gospel songs, won an Emmy in 1951. Other early work involved serving as minister of music for Temple Baptist and Calvary Assembly churches, arranging and conducting musical scores for religious radio shows as well as for numerous sacred artists.
Ralph’s musical talents have given us over 300 gospel songs, including such favorites as “The Savior Is Waiting,” “There Is a Quiet Place,” “Reach Out to Jesus,” and “He’s Everything to Me” to name a few. His songs have been recorded by Elvis Presley, The Carpenters, George Beverly Shea, Bill Gaither, and hundreds of other artists.
Ralph is recognized as the Father of Contemporary Christian Music because of his focus on creating religious music for the new generation of the 1960’s and beyond. In 1968 he founded Light Records and Lexicon Music Publishing to promote new Christian artists and composers in addition to his own music, including projects that were considered too risky for mainstream labels. He also served for several years as president of the Gospel Music Association. Ralph told his life story in his autobiography, “He’s Everything to Me,” that was published in 1986.
His creative arranging skills were quickly noticed by the pop world, and he recorded with numerous big-name artists including Frankie Laine, Rosemary Clooney, Bing Crosby, Clint Walker and Jack Jones. Ralph is well known for his many collaborations with Nat King Cole, including the Christmas album and Nat’s final sessions in 1964. Ralph also became a primary arranger & conductor for pianist Roger Williams, including 1965’s hit “Born Free.”
Ralph wrote numerous movie scores for such diverse classics as “The Blob,” “4D Man” and “The Cross and the Switchblade.” For many years he wrote film music for the Billy Graham organization including “Mr. Texas,” “Oiltown, U.S.A.,” “The Restless Ones,” “For Pete’s Sake” and “His Land” and many others.
For about 25 years, Ralph toured with his own big band. He received the Dove Award in 1994 for his CD “Strike Up the Band.” His last major studio project was to record his symphonic arrangements of 43 great hymns with the London Symphony and Choir. He was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1985 and the National Religious Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2001.
Ralph enjoyed his life to the fullest. He was passionate about the music that flowed from his soul and created it as the consummate professional. He cared deeply for his family and friends, and he lived out his cowboy dreams with the many horses that he owned along the way. He laughed easily, loved deeply, enjoyed a good joke or a prank, and charmed anyone who came across his path. Undergirding it all was his abiding faith in his Lord Jesus Christ.
Tunes by Ralph Carmichael (46) | As | Instances | Incipit |
---|---|---|---|
[All my life] (Carmichael) | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | |
ANTIOCH (Handel) | Ralph Carmichael (Arranger) | 4 | 17654 32156 67711 |
[At the close of day] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | 33333 44445 51117 |
THE NEW 23RD | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 8 | |
CARMICHAEL | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 31 | 53333 43323 42345 |
CONQUERORS | Ralph Carmichael, 1927- (Composer) | 5 | 53333 11123 12351 |
[En el firmamento veo a Dios] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 3 | |
[Ev'ryone says we are born to be free] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | 55554 33234 66665 |
[For all the tired and needy, For all the rich and proud] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | 33333 44455 54222 |
[God can see you, He can see me] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | 34562 34534 56567 |
[God love you and not let you out of His sight] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | |
[Great God of my salvation] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | 53323 54432 21243 |
[Help me, Lord, to do Thy will amid the conflict of this our] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | 54313 22721 16177 |
[I found what I wanted when I found the Lord] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 3 | |
[I looked about one morning, and through a misty sky] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 3 | 51111 11231 11151 |
[I rushed at life with hopes all burning] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | 53434 34525 45454 |
[If I were to tell you what someone told me] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | 51213 21232 13453 |
[I'm gonna go back and read the Bible] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | |
[Is there something missing? Is there more to life?] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | 33442 23344 21111 |
[It's like there was a miracle] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | 51131 55316 65535 |
[Just like a child I come to Him in joy or in despair] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | 15517 66217 73211 |
[Let's tell the truth about the world we live in] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | 53233 32123 55323 |
[Long, long ago in a far away place] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 3 | 55555 56711 44445 |
[March with us] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | 33333 21444 32444 |
[My Master is the King of glory] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | 51111 55315 11115 |
[Now, Dear Lord, as we pray] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 5 | 33345 44322 23433 |
[O I never shall forget the day] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | |
[Oh, have you heard the story] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | 55443 42665 55535 |
[Once I wander'd alone on the road of life] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | |
[One is for the wondrous land in which we live] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | 31216 13311 23121 |
[Over in Bethlehem one clear and shiv'ry night] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | 35545 63554 32355 |
[Praise and rejoicing fill every heart] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | 51232 51235 12356 |
[Precious the moments I spend with Him] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | 53212 34223 17671 |
REACH OUT TO JESUS | Ralph Richard Carmichael (Composer) | 12 | 55556 12132 32132 |
[Right there in the dust] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 3 | |
[Talk about love, how it makes life complete] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 5 | 33454 53345 45445 |
[The God that made the world out yonder] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | 56113 43211 35665 |
[There has never been a friend like Jesus] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 3 | 33324 32122 22213 |
[There is a quiet place] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 5 | 33332 23333 22166 |
[There's a Friend who is closer than a brother] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | 56535 17665 56523 |
[Thru the night of regret and sorrow] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | 17765 36653 66531 |
TRANSFORMAÇÃO | Ralph Richard Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | |
[When you find life unkind and there's nothing really left for you] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | 53553 55365 43544 |
[Where He leads me I must follow] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 7 | 12314 53213 45346 |
[With our hearts we give Thee praise] | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 2 | |
WOODLAND HILLS | Ralph Carmichael (Composer) | 17 | 33333 34553 33333 |