Mosrites in Gospel Music

[GattonFan]

Found some old vinyl albums that have some Mos pictured ...
A group out of Mexico called the Four Galilieans ..


2 from a Hemphill's album ...




1 Dottie Rambo ...



2 of Dwayne Friend - "Mr Gospel Guitar"


Note the guitar in the middle - has a Ventures logo on the neck ... Strange.


Dennis

[Veenture]

Nice Dennis!
There must definitely be a Semie connection here, considering the gospel type of genre of these musicians. The Four Galileans even use that jazzy font the Ventures often use for their logo!...

[dorkrockrecords]

[dubtrub]

Man! Those are some great album cover photo's. Love Hal Kennedy's 'big box' jazz style guitar and those Mosrite amps in the background. My mother and her siblings were really big into Gospel music. I recorded on a couple of local Gospel albums in the late sixties as a studio musician, just never was my thing.

[Strat-o-rama]

And let's not overlook that Daphne Blue Telecaster!
Actually, I've thought about this topic-Mosrite and Gospel music. After reading one of Danny's posts about the point of this forum: to gather info and exchange ideas and info, I began thinking about how there are still some big holes in the picture of all things Mosrite, one being the Gospel angle. Mosrites are typically associated with The Ventures (Mark 1), The Ramones (slab bodies) and Kurt Cobain (Gospel Model and others).
The genre most of us associate the Mark One with, style-wise, would be surf, psychedelic and garage--think of a time frame in Davie Allen's career, Iron Butterfly, even up to modern bands like MOAM, The Ghastly Ones. The Mark 1 design has became associated with a retro-hip 60s vibe that has found its own niche in the music scene.
Then there are those of us who have an association with the Joe Maphis/Larry Collins/Brian Lonbeck rockabilly blazers "as seen on TV". We even get a bit of Jimi Hendrix thrown in with his double neck and resonator (we could also include the Black Widow).
I know there are some peripherals I've left out, but most of the music talk around here is based on the above categories.
But, the gospel music is really in the background, and I have a feeling that Mosrite probably makes a bigger footprint in this genre that in any of the others. Semie was a motivated evangelist, and no doubt networked with many others while on tour. I would surmise we don't hear much about it because of the religious nature of the music and the Gospel scene-which could be a turn off to many musician types-and because these Christian musicians who still have their Mosrites are older now, and live in relative seclusion, and because most of them are located in rural communities in California, across the southern part of the US, and into the midwest.
I'm long winded enough here, but I think the point is made. There may be some real historic pieces of the Mosrite story hidden in little church bands, owned by the sons and daughters of the singing preacher, and perhaps even owned by the "brothers and sisters" of the Christian music scene.
Food for thought. Anyone care to discuss?

[Sarah93003]

Great photos and great topic!!

[dubtrub]

There may be some real historic pieces of the Mosrite story hidden in little church bands, owned by the sons and daughters of the singing preacher, and perhaps even owned by the "brothers and sisters" of the Christian music scene.
Food for thought. Anyone care to discuss?

Right on! I would venture to guess that most of the rare unusual and one of a kind Mosrites would be found in the Gospel community of Semies acquaintances he made while traveling.

When I first met Dana at Front Porch Music, a preacher and his wife from Texas were there to check out Artie's Mosrite collection only to learn Dana was in the back room assembling Mosrites. They had to meet her. I was overhearing him tell about an unusual Mosrite that Semie had given him back in the early sixties and still owned and played in church.

I have mentioned Doug Brewer in a couple topics. Dough is a Gospel musician and plays a double neck of the Joe Maphis Larry Collins type form around 59-60. Deke posted a picture of him and his Mosrite elsewhere on the forum. I would imagine that many guitars with some type of 'mistake' was given or sold cheaply to various Gospel musicians as I know Semie was always giving away guitars. What better person to give one to than a fellow Christian musician.

[Veenture]

Trent (Strat-O-Rama),
a very thoughtful response to the topic and well written. I know so little about this topic and still learning all the time from all of you guys. Thanks!

[dorkrockrecords]

My Gospel Brass Rail came from the estate of a pentecostal preacher who was originally from Bakersfield but moved to a Carolina, or so I'm told. One thing's for sure, he sure did like wrapping his thumb around the neck on those G chords!

Adam

[GattonFan]

I have an acquaintance (pastor) in Louisiana for whom Semie built a guitar in the mid-70s. I will try to contact him to see if he still has that axe, and if so, if we could get some pix.

Dennis