Brother Claude Ely :: There Ain’t No Grave Gonna Hold Me

brotherclaude
I was driving through my neighborhood in New Orleans one evening when Brother Claude Ely came on WWOZ. I had to pull over and shake the goosebumps off, then regain my composure. Known as the “Gospel Ranger”, Brother Claude was the walking archetype of Pentecostal Holiness. He spent most of his life on the road, giving sermons to the ones who needed it most and the ones who didn’t know needed them yet. Using his cowboy hat, department store guitar, Holy Bible, and starched white suits, he knew exactly what his mission was. Sometimes he influenced fellow gospel, rock ‘n rollers, like Elvis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash, who have recorded his songs and attended his tent revivals.

Brother Claude would advertise his sermons when first arriving into each town: “Later tonight at 7:00, I’ll have a tent set up in the middle of town, please come out and experience the fire and Holy Ghost”. I immediately picture the scene from Blues Brothers, when Jake and Elwood drive through town with the megaphone jerry-rigged to the Bluesmobile.

With the broken up rhythm and the help off his off beat congregation, Brother Claude Ely gives   the gospel you’ve been looking for, religious or not. The remarkable footnote of his life is the last sermon he gave. During “Where Could I Go But To The Lord”, Brother Claude fell backwards and died of a heart attack in front of his entire congregation. words / m norton

Brother Claude Ely :: There Ain’t No Grave Gonna Hold Me

9 thoughts on “Brother Claude Ely :: There Ain’t No Grave Gonna Hold Me

  1. Such a fantastic song. For a great recent version, check out the album Glory in the Meeting House by Charlie Parr with the Black Twig Pickers.

  2. I grew up in a Pentecostal church. The pastor’s wife and daughter played the honky tonk like one else. I only remember hearing this song one time during my youth and the harmonies I heard that night are seared in my mind. Thanks for sharing!

  3. Pretty sure I have this exact same guitar as the pic. I believe it’s an early 50s MayBell. Just got it restored and re-strung with some round wounds. Great campfire guitar. It was my father n law’s dad’s get up. Great read thanks for posting.

  4. I love to hear the old songs Bro. Claude Ely used to sing. He really has made an impact on my life as well as many peoples life today.
    Praise God someday he’s coming out of that grave 😄

Comments are closed.