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Rosa Nell Powell (née Speer; September 22, 1922[1] – May 16, 2017)[2] was an American southern gospel singer who sang with the well-known Speer Family. She was born in Double Springs, Alabama, the second child (and oldest daughter) of George Thomas "GT" Speer and Lena (née Brock) Speer[3] (known to most people in Southern gospel music as "Dad" and "Mom" Speer), who led and helped found the family group.
Rosa Nell Speer Powell | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Rosa Nell Speer |
| Born | September 22, 1922 Double Springs, Alabama, U.S. |
| Died | May 16, 2017 (aged 94) Winchester, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Genres | Christian, Southern Gospel |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, Piano |
| Years active | 1920s-1948 (as member of the Speer Family) 1980s-1997 (limited Speer Family appearances) 1991-2009 (singer with Gaither Homecoming Series) |
Speer began singing with the group at age 3, and eventually became the singing group's pianist. Along with her parents, she performed with her brothers, Jackson Brock and Ben Lacy, and sister, Mary Tom.[4][5] She continued to perform with the group/family until 1948, when she left to get married.[4] Eventually Speer-Powell would return decades later to perform sporadically with the group (till its end in 1997),[6] and sometimes with the Gaither Homecoming Series as well.[7] Speer was inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame in 2005.[8][9]
Personal life
editSpeer married Edwin Powell in 1948. He died in May, 1979.[10]
Death
editSpeer-Powell died on May 16, 2017. She was 94 years old. A pioneer of the Gaither homecoming, she left behind 3 kids and grandkids.[2][11]
References
edit- ^ BellaBayfield (25 September 2012). "Rosa Nell Speer Powell on the Piano at her 90th Birthday Party" – via YouTube.
- ^ a b Staff (16 May 2017). "Rosa Nell Speer Powell Passes Away". www.singingnews.com.
- ^ "United States Census, 1930" Familysearch.org. Retrieved June 19, 2017
- ^ a b "GOGR Music History - The Speer Family". www.grandolegospelreunion.com. Archived from the original on 2007-08-25. Retrieved 2017-06-19.
- ^ "Rosa Nell Speer". www.oocities.org.
- ^ "GOGR Music History - The Speer Family". www.grandolegospelreunion.com. Archived from the original on 2008-01-30. Retrieved 2017-06-19.
- ^ Gaither, Bill; Abraham, Ken It's More Than the Music: Life Lessons on Friends, Faith, and What Matters Most Faithworks
- ^ "GOGR Music History - The Speer Family". www.grandolegospelreunion.com. Archived from the original on 2008-01-30. Retrieved 2017-06-19.
- ^ "SGMA Hall of Fame and Museum - 2005 Inductees". sgma.org.
- ^ "Rosa Nell (Speer) Powell Obituary". Beyond the Dash. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
- ^ "Rosa Nell (Speer) Powell's Obituary on Tullahoma News". Tullahoma News.