Doug Oldham

Doug Oldham (November 30, 1930 – July 21, 2010) was an American Southern Gospel singer and a member of the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

Early years

Oldham was the son of Dr. Dale Oldham, a minister in the Church of God. His grandfather was also a clergyman. He nearly died from pneumonia as a child.

Musical career

Oldham was a musical performer for more than 60 years, with 64 albums to his credit, often traveling and performing with his wife Laura Lee. The couple produced a CD and wrote three books together.

Early years

Oldham traveled with Fred Waring and Waring's Pennsylvanians in 1951 and sang as a member of that group's Glory Voices Quartet.

Radio

Beginning in 1950, Oldham was a soloist on the Christian Brotherhood Hour, after having served as soloist for several years on the broadcast of Cadle Tabernacle in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Television

Oldham was a regular performer on The Old Time Gospel Hour with Jerry Falwell, The PTL Club with Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker during the 1970s and 80s, and traveled with the Bill Gaither Trio and the Slaughters during the 1960s. In 1975, he sang with the Speer Family for Christian concerts. He was also a performer on several of Bill Gaither's Gaither Homecoming videos.

Influence

The trials that Oldham faced in his life were the basis for "a number of songs ... including Something Worth Living For and Thanks to Calvary (We Don't Live Here Anymore).

Ministry

Oldham was a minister of music, having been ordained in 1955. He served in that position in churches in High Point, North Carolina, Royal Oak, Michigan, Middletown, Ohio, and Indianapolis, Indiana.

In 1963, Oldham began ministering in evangelism through music. A newspaper article noted that he "served as song director and soloist for citywide preaching missions, camp meetings, youth conventions and concerts" across the United States and in other countries.

Awards and honors

Oldham's album, Something Worth Living For, was named the best gospel album of 1968 by the National Evangelical Film Foundation.

In the mid-1970s, Oldham was granted an honorary doctor of divinity degree from the California Graduate School of Theology. In 2006, he was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

He was the recipient of two GMA Dove Awards and an Angel Award.

In 2007, Liberty University named a campus recital hall at the Fine Arts Building, the "Oldham Recital Hall, in his honor and established the Liberty University Oldham Concert Hall Scholarship Fund at the Center for Worship.

Personal life

Oldham and his wife Laura Lee had three daughters, Paula, Karen, and DeeDee. He was the recipient of an honorary doctorate degree and was named an Honorary Colonel of Alabama.
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