If you are interested in the history of gospel music, you might have come across the name of Homer Rodeheaver, a trombonist and composer who was one of the pioneers of this genre in the early 20th century. Personally, I was not familiar with him at all until a number of his records and songs came into my possession.
A lot of them.
| Label | Song | Artist | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brunswick | Shall We Gather At the River | Homer Rodeheaver | 1925 |
| Brunswick | Mothers Prayers Have Followed Me | Homer Rodeheaver | 1925 |
| Columbia | Mothers Prayers have Followed Me | Homer A Rodeheaver | 1916 |
| Columbia | Since Jesus Came Into My Heart | Homer A Rodeheaver | 1916 |
| Columbia | Somebody Cares | Homer A Rodeheaver | 1917 |
| Columbia | Rainbow on the Cloud | Homer A Rodeheaver | 1917 |
| Columbia | Since Jesus Came Into My Heart | Homer A ROdeheaver | 1917 |
| Columbia | Mothers Prayers Have Followed Me | Homer A ROdeheaver | 1917 |
| Columbia | In The Garden | Homer Rodeheaver | 1918 |
| Columbia | In The Garden | Virginia Asher and Homor A Rodeheaver | 1919 |
| Columbia | When I Look In His Face | Virginia Asher and Homer A ROdeheaver | 1920 |
| Columbia | Still Undecided | Virginia Asher and Homer A Rodeheaver | 1920 |
| Columbia | When I Look in HIs Face | Homer A Rodeheaver | 1920 |
| Columbia | Still Undecided | Virginia Asher and Homor A Rodeheaver | 1920 |
| Columbia | When I Look in his Face | Virginia Asher and Homor A Rodeheaver | 1920 |
| Columbia | Still Undecided | Virginia Asher and Homer A Rodeheaver | 1920 |
| Rainbow | Lifes Railway to Heaven | Homer ROdeheaver with Orchestra | 1921 |
| Rainbow | Carry Your Cross WIth A Smile | Homer ROdeheaver with Orchestra | 1921 |
| Rainbow | Carry Your Cross WIth A Smile | Homer ROdeheaver with Orchestra | 1921 |
| Rainbow | Lifes Railway to Heaven | Homer ROdeheaver with Orchestra | 1921 |
| Rainbow | Only the Childlike | Homer Rodeheaver and John Young | 1922 |
| Rainbow | God Will Take Care Of You | Homer Rodeheaver | 1922 |
| Rainbow | The SLightest Stranger | Mrs Asher and Homer Rodeheaver | 1922 |
| Rainbow | CHrist Died | Homer Rodeheaver | 1922 |
| Rainbow | Jesus Loves You | Homer Rodeheaver | 1923 |
| Rainbow | Somebody Cares | Homer Rodeheaver | 1923 |
| Rainbow | KeepOn Singing | Homer Rodeheaver | 1923 |
| Rainbow | A Song of Triumph | Homer Rodeheaver | 1923 |
| Rainbow | No Disappointment in Heaven | Mrs Asher and Homer Rodeheaver | 1923 |
| Rainbow | Take Up Thy Cross | Mrs Asher and Homer Rodeheaver | 1923 |
| Rainbow | Glorious City | Homer Rodeheaver | 1924 |
| Rainbow | Does Jesus Care | Homer Rodeheaver | 1924 |
| Silvertone | Since Jesus Came Into My Heart | Homer Rodeheaver | 0 |
| Silvertone | I Love to Tell the Story | Homer Rodeheaver | 0 |
| Silvertone | Lily of the Valley | Homer Rodeheaver | 0 |
| Silvertone | Can The World See Jesus In You | Homer Rodeheaver | 0 |
| Victor | De Brewers Big Hosses | Homer Rodeheaver | 1913 |
| Victor | MOthers Prayers Have Followed Me | Homer Rodeheaver | 1913 |
| Victor | The Great Judgement Morning | Homer Rodeheaver | 1913 |
| Victor | An Evening Prayer | Homer Rodeheaver | 1913 |
| Victor | The Old Fashioned Faith | Homer Rodeheaver | 1913 |
| Victor | De Brewers Big Hosses | Homer Rodeheaver | 1913 |
| Victor | How Sweet Is His Love | Homer Rodeheaver | 1913 |
| Victor | The Old Fashioned Faith | Homer Rodeheaver | 1913 |
| Victor | Brighten the Corner Where You Are | Homer Rodeheaver | 1915 |
| Victor | I Am Coming Home | Homer Rodeheaver | 1915 |
| Victor | He Knows the Way | Homer Rodeheaver | 1915 |
| Victor | He Knows the Way | Homer Rodeheaver | 1915 |
| Victor | I Am Coming Home | Homer Rodeheaver | 1915 |
| Victor | Sweeter as the Years Go By | Homer Rodeheaver | 1915 |
| Victor | I Walk With the King | Homer Rodeheaver | 1915 |
| Victor | Sweeter As the Years Go By | Homer Rodeheaver | 1915 |
| Victor | Since Jesus Came Into My Heart | Homer Rodeheaver | 1915 |
| Victor | Sweeter as the Years Go By | Homer Rodeheaver | 1915 |
| Victor | Since Jesus Came Into My Heart | Homer Rodeheaver | 1915 |
| Victor | Since Jesus Came into My Heart | Homer Rodeheaver | 1915 |
| Victor | Molly and the Baby Dont You Know | Homer Rodeheaver | 1916 |
| Victor | When THe World Forgets | Homer Rodeheaver | 1916 |
| Victor | In the Garden | Mrs Wm Asher Homer Rodeheaver | 1916 |
| Victor | In the Garden | Mrs Wm Asher Homer Rodeheaver | 1916 |
| Victor | My Wonderful Dream | Homer Rodeheaver | 1916 |
| Victor | My Wonderful Dream | Homer Rodeheaver | 1916 |
| Victor | Molly and the Baby Dont You Know | Homer Rodeheaver | 1916 |
| Victor | My Wonderful Dream | Homer Rodeheaver | 1916 |
| Victor | When The World Forgets | Homer Rodeheaver | 1916 |
| Victor | Molly and the Baby Dont You KNow | Homer Rodeheaver | 1916 |
| Victor | Drifting | HomerRodeheaver George Brewster | 1917 |
| Victor | Tell It ToDay | Homer Rodeheaver | 1917 |
| Victor | Make Somebody Happy Today | Homer Rodeheaver | 1917 |
| Victor | Make Somebody Happy Today | Homer Rodeheaver | 1917 |
| Victor | Closer to Jesus | Homer Rodeheaver George Brewster | 1917 |
| Victor | Tell It ToDay | Homer Rodeheaver | 1917 |
| Victor | Tell It Today | Homer Rodeheaver | 1917 |
| Victor | Make Somebody Happy ToDay | Homer Rodeheaver | 1917 |
| Victor | All the Way to Calvary | Homer Rodeheaver | 1920 |
| Victor | All the Way to Calvary | Homer Rodeheaver | 1920 |
| Victor | Where the Gates Swing Outward Never | Mrs William Asher Homer Rodeheaver | 1920 |
| Victor | Forgive Me Lord | Homer Rodeheaver | 1920 |
| Victor | Where the Gates Swing Outward Never | Mrs William Asher Homer Rodeheaver | 1920 |
| Victor | Tell Me the Story of Jesus | Homer Rodeheaver | 1920 |
| Victor | Carry Your Cross with a Smile | Homer Rodeheaver | 1920 |
| Victor | Old Rugged Cross | Mrs William Asher Homer Rodeheaver | 1920 |
| Victor | Forgive Me Lord | Homer Rodeheaver | 1920 |
| Victor | Old Rugged Cross | Mrs William Asher Homer Rodeheaver | 1920 |
| Victor | Forgive Me Lord | Homer Rodeheaver | 1920 |
| Victor | Old Rugged Cross | Mrs William Asher Homer Rodeheaver | 1920 |
| Victor | The Old Rugged Cross | Mrs William Asher Homer Rodeheaver | 1926 |
| Victor | Forgive Me Lord | Homer Rodeheaver | 1926 |
| Victor | When I Look in His Face | Mrs William Asher Homer Rodeheaver | 1926 |
| Victor | Calling Thee | Mrs William Asher Homer Rodeheaver | 1926 |
I became curious.
Homer Rodeheaver was a gospel singer who worked with evangelist Billy Sunday in the early 20th century. He was known for his booming voice and his use of trombone as a musical instrument.
Rainbow Records was established in 1920 by Rodeheaver, who wanted to produce and distribute recordings of Christian gospel music, hymns, and spirituals. He had gained popularity while travelling with Billy Sunday and began to record his songs to sell as records. He was one of the first gospel singers to use radio and film as media for spreading his message. He also wrote many songs himself, such as "The Old Rugged Cross" and "Since Jesus Came Into My Heart".
Rainbow Records was based in Chicago, Illinois, and later moved to Winona Lake, Indiana, where Rodeheaver had his headquarters. The label featured recordings by Rodeheaver himself, as well as other singers and groups that he worked with or promoted, such as Virginia Asher, Charles Alexander, Homer Hallman Quartet, and The Gospel Singers. Rainbow Records also recorded some secular music, such as jazz and blues, but its main focus was on gospel.
Rainbow Records were standard lateral-cut "78" double-sided disc records. The audio quality was not very high, as they were all acoustically recorded. Some of them seem to have been recorded and pressed by Gennett Records, another independent label that operated in Indiana. Rainbow Records lasted until 1955, when Rodeheaver retired from the music business.
Rainbow Records is an important part of the history of gospel music, as it captured some of the earliest and most influential recordings of this genre. It also reflects the vision and passion of Homer Rodeheaver, who dedicated his life to spreading the gospel through music.
Previous Record Labels:
(c) All images and photographs, unless otherwise specified, are created and owned by me.
(c) Victor Wiebe
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