B.B. Stevens is one of my favorite people.  Has been for a long, long time.  Make that a LONG, LONG time.  Right at a half century ago, before I ever met the man, he was already a legend in my mind thanks to his sister Velta Lee Spruce.  My, she loved her brother!  Talked about him incessantly.  She was SO proud of him and his commitment to the Kingdom.  She also shared his love of gospel music.  I can't count the Sunday evenings that we gathered in Velta Lee's home after church services and sang until late in the evening.

Years later I met B.B. for myself and began a friendship that remained over the years.  I'll never forget that initial encounter. He must have been born with white hair.  He carried himself with great dignity.  It was difficult to be in his presence without respect permeating every pore.  He moved to the Central church in Cleburne, Texas, AGES ago and invested a lifetime in loving the people there.  He was a pastor's pastor.  Out of his Central connection was birthed the Gospelaires, perhaps one of the most distinguished quartets among churches of Christ.  Cliff Holden, Gaylord Sturgess, David Wallace, and B.B. subsequently devoted decades to traversing the nation blessing churches and gatherings of believers everywhere with melodies and harmonies they would all long remember.  Some of the names in the group changed from time to time, but the resonant bass harmony provided by B.B. Stevens, along with his wry wit, remained the group's constant.  My wife Joan and I became Gospelaire "groupies" of sorts over the years, traveling to hear them whenever and wherever we heard they were performing.  We were blessed to have them as guests at the Mansfield church where I ministered several years ago and then to hear them just weeks ago at the Lakewood Village Retirement Center.  As always, we were blessed beyond measure.  Their voices, while older, still resonated with the same beloved harmony that has characterized them throughout the years.

I have a special memory regarding B. B.- one of those kinds of memories that are born out of navigating difficulties together.  Years ago, B.B. called and asked if I'd be willing to accompany him and Becky Tallatta to southern Louisiana to conduct a VBS for a small church there.  We went in an old (emphasis on OLD) church bus because everywhere Becky went, she took a busload (literally) of visual aids to help her teach.  Just outside the city limits of the small town we were invited to, our bus broke down (emphasis on BROKE).  Keep in mind that this was well before cell phones or GPS systems.  WELL into the night, we finally were safe in the member's homes where we were staying for the week, not knowing if we'd ever see the old bus reborn again.  That uncertainty permeated the entire week, but no one would have ever guessed.  We sang with the people, studied with the people, laughed with them, cried with them, ate with them (a Louisiana fish fry from that trip still rattles my tastebuds!), and had opportunity to bless and be blessed.  Late on our final day there, the much-needed part arrived for the bus and the the trip home was made uneventfully.  That week together sealed our friendship for a lifetime.  B. B. Stevens is one of the finest men of God I have ever had the privilege to know and love.  And I DO love him.  God bless, you B.B.!  As you know well, it's a win-win for you- you've sung about that for years.  If you're allowed to remain here for a while, you win.  If Jesus comes to take you home, you win.  WOW!  What a life!!