 In 1953 , Mainer and his wife settled in Flint , Michigan , where he found work at a General Motors factory . Although renouncing both the music industry and his trademark instrument , the banjo , he and Julia did continue to sing at gospel revival meetings . In the early 1960s , Molly O 'Day convinced him that he could use the banjo in gospel recordings , which spurred a series of religiously themed banjo albums beginning in 1961 . He also began to record and tour with his wife . 
