Much has been written about the history of The Couriers and of Don Baldwin, the man who organized the group in 1955 and served as its first manager, baritone and emcee. When Deon Unthank asked me to write this tribute to Don's memory, he asked me to convey a sense of what Don was really like, from one who knew him well. An excellent comprehensive history of his life was written on this website by John Scheideman late last year and can be found here:
http://sogospelnews.com/index/history/comments/5968/
I first met Don Baldwin in the winter of 1963, when I was just a few months shy of my 12th birthday. The Couriers and The Blackwood Brothers were appearing at Dumont High School Auditorium in Dumont, New Jersey on that particular Saturday night, and I had never heard music like that before. I made sure I shook hands with Don and as many of those other Gospel Singers as I could, including James Blackwood and JD Sumner - for these were the men that had impressed me the most that night. Don had me laughing all through The Couriers' presentation and I can still remember some of the funny stories he told that night. I was impressed about how he took command of the audience when speaking, much like a polished preacher. I remember thinking to myself that I would like to hear him preach. He reminded me of a dynamic former pastor I once had who was both funny and stirring, and not at all boring. Years later, I got my wish and got to hear him preach about Elijah and the prophets of Baal, and I wasn't disappointed.
Don could do just about anything. In 1955, he re-organized a Bible College group in Springfield, MO, also using their old name, "The Couriers Quartet". By 1957, the other 3 singers he had chosen for the group were locked in place. Unbelievably, 50 years later, those same 3 men - Dave Kyllonen, Duane Nicholson and Neil Enloe - are still traveling across the US and Canada as "Dave, Duane and Neil". Don could really pick them! And, "The Couriers" are still traveling in full-time ministry in the capable hands of a new generation of singers - Tim Beitzel, Larry More and Brett Scarem. The dream that Don had is still living on in 2 excellent and viable ministry teams, still winning souls to the cause of Christ.
When talking to Neil Enloe just an hour after Don's passing, Neil said that the word that best sums up Don is "visionary". He not only was a man of vision - he knew how to impart that vision to others, get them all excited and, before long, they were dreaming right along with Don. And, Don and his Courier partners actually saw those dreams come true. The young group left Bible College in 1958 to enter the Gospel Music field full-time, moving to Harrisburg, PA. Gospel Music was relatively unknown in the Northeast, and the group felt that they would be more successful in pioneering their style of music in a region where there was no competition - rather than becoming "also-rans" if singing in the same areas as the more-popular groups in the South. This wise decision allowed them to establish a very strong fan base right in their backyard. And, they were the first major group to bring Gospel Music to Canada, and are still extremely popular there to this day.
Having heard the story about how Hovie Lister had brought his young "Statesmen Quartet" into a radio station and arranged a "time for talent" trade (Hovie offered to trade the talent of his group for free radio time), Don decided to try the same thing. He went into the local Harrisburg radio station and proposed the same thing to the station manager, who wasn't quick to jump aboard. He finally agreed to allow Don to bring his singers in from the car outside and sing a song for the staff. If the staff voted to allow the deal, he would go along. The young group sang "Give the World a Smile Each Day", which had some real booming bass parts. The staff voted "Yes" and The Couriers soon began what would become 12 years on the radio, eventually syndicated all across the state of Pennsylvania.
The Couriers had established their own record label, "Hymntone", and had recorded 6 albums on their label by early 1962. But, later that year, they took a bold leap and began recording at RCA Studio B in Nashville - the same studio where Elvis and many other top performers recorded. Their first album recorded there, "The Lord's Prayer", was also released on "Hymntone" and was several notches above their previous excellent recordings - and Don attracted much attention for his young group as a result. Then, in May 1963, Don had the group take an even bolder step, when recording their third album at RCA in Nashville - but this time with full string and horn accompaniment on many of the songs. This album, "Nothing But the Gospel Truth" (a sought-after collectors' item to this day) was the first Gospel album of its kind, and was picked up by Warner Brothers as the first of 2 albums that they released of the Couriers' music. The innovative and fresh music of these Nashville recordings improved the group's image at home and helped them catch the attention of the Industry.
Don and The Couriers also began promoting in the Harrisburg area and brought in the top groups from the South, instead of "playing it safe" and showcasing themselves only against lesser-known and lesser-proficient groups. This strategy rewarded them in at least 3 ways. First, they were able to get reciprocal dates in concerts promoted by the southern groups - thus broadening their exposure in the South. And, eventually, they had as many as 9000 people attending their Harrisburg concerts, providing added financial support to their ministry. But also, their fans got to hear The Couriers along side the very top groups in the nation, and soon realized that their own regional group was on a par with the best of the best. In fact, their image at home began to grow very quickly as some fans left the concerts realizing they had enjoyed The Couriers as much or more than the other major groups that were on the program.
In 1964, Don and The Couriers were invited to be one of the 4 founding groups of the new weekly Gospel Singing Jubilee TV program, along with The Florida Boys, Dixie Echoes and Happy Goodmans. This gave them further exposure in the South, as they were seen in homes by many gospel fans every week and, again, were showcased favorably with other top groups. They soon signed a contract with Marvin Norcross of the newly-formed Word label, "Canaan", which placed the group on what was soon to become one of the major labels in the Industry. Their first Canaan release, "The Sensational Sounding Couriers Quartet" was the last album Don would record with the group, and the 17th album he had appeared on with the Couriers in the 8 years since those 4 men (Don, Dave, Duane and Neil) had begun singing together in 1957.
Don left the road with The Couriers in June of 1965. Earlier that year,before leaving, he had formed a trio called "The Vicounts" with 3 singers that he brought to Harrisburg from the West Coast. Prior to his leaving The Couriers, the Vicounts began to be paired with The Couriers in concerts and became somewhat of a team, even as the Blackwoods and Statesmen had become a team years before. Another of the many bold risks Don had taken had paid off, and the Northeast quickly embraced this new young group. Fans would flock to the concerts, arguing among themselves as to which of the 2 groups sang better that night - and both groups ultimately won, as did the fans. There was excitement everywhere. Don was given the title "Promotions Coordinator" by The Couriers and he helped with promotions and the booking of The Vicounts.
A year after The Vicounts were formed, the baritone and piano player, Roger Kling, became very ill and had to leave the road for a period of time. Don, who had been visiting churches on the weekends singing and preaching, now filled in at the baritone spot for the group and traveled with them for several months. During this time, out of necessity, Don instituted a new practice. Up to this time, no professional Gospel Group had relied solely upon sound tracks for accompaniment during their program. The Goss Brothers had sung a few songs with tracks at the previous year's NQC, but this was not seen by most as the wave of the future. But, without a piano player, Don had the music tracks from The Vicounts' 2 recent albums mixed down and he played them through the sound system as he and the rest of the group sang along. So, the use of tracks for a full program started way back in the winter of 1966 when a visionary named Don Baldwin found an innovative way to solve a very real problem, and his solution has become the norm today for most professional groups.
Around the same time, Don was achieving another of his dreams. He had a building complex constructed that housed Hymntone Records (which he then solely owned), a recording studio, and the offices of several groups, including The Couriers, Vicounts, Christian Troubadours and Jacobs Brothers. Also, there was a print shop that manufactured album jackets, and a full graphics department. Later, the building would contain a full cassette duplication and manufacturing area. The building also was the home of "The Couriers Quartet House of Music" with a full windowed-showroom where churches and individuals could purchase pianos, organs and other musical instruments. Many of the major Gospel Groups recorded there over the years.
In the mid-60's, several years before the advent of The Singing News, Don published a magazine called "Hymnsing USA" that carried the news and schedules of the major regional groups. It was carried by the groups on their tables and was mailed to fans by subscription. Later, in the mid-70's, he followed this with an expanded full-color magazine named "Concert Life", which included news and schedules of national as well as regional groups.
There was also a side to Don that a few of us were privileged to see - that of "teacher". He loved to pass the things he had learned on to others. Shortly before leaving The Couriers, he turned some of the booking over to Courier bass, Dave Kyllonen, who, unknown to anyone at that time, would become the group's new manager and the person responsible for booking the group after Don left. Don worked closely with Dave, and Dave emerged as one of the greatest bookers, managers and emcees that this Industry has ever seen.
Though I had briefly shook hands with him at a concert in 1963, and then again in 1965, my real meaningful first-encounter with Don didn't happen until early 1966, when he was filling in for The Vicounts. I arrived at the church where they were appearing early and Don was standing behind the record rack, selling records and greeting the people as they entered the church. I went up to him - at almost 15 years old at the time - and asked if I could talk to him sometime before they left. He asked why, and I told him I wanted to know how to become a Gospel Singer someday. He immediately found another group member to man the records and table, and took me on a quest to find a Sunday School room where we could talk without his being interrupted. He had me tell of my experiences and background, up to that point, and then began to give me good solid advice and direction - step-by-step and line-by-line. I followed it to the letter in the days and years to come. I was amazed to look at my watch and realize he had spent more than 15 minutes with me. This was the "teacher" in Don showing through - so eager to impart to someone else the things he had learned.
Years later, when working for him, I reminded him of my first lesson from him. He had no remembrance of it at all. Then he explained, there were many young people he had sat down with over the years, offering the same advice. He did recognize the lesson when I told him what he had said - he just didn't remember the student.
Don's 3 boys were all given a strong work ethic by their Dad, as all 3 were put to work in the family business. Don had done some printing earlier in life and passed that knowledge on to his sons, giving them jobs (that they performed after they got home from school each day) in the album cover print shop, graphics department, recording studio and other areas of the operation, once they were old enough to do the work. Don felt that they should learn a trade and gain valuable experience, and gave his sons an opportunity to realize a good income while still in school.
Nick Bruno's old job as keyboard player, arranger and producer had been left vacant for several years after Nick left for The Kingsmen - until Don hired me for the position. He made it clear that, not only could I not fill Nick's shoes - I couldn't even polish them. But, he said that I needed to learn and that I would best learn by doing. This was a far better deal for me than for him, for sure, and the "teacher" in Don had found a very willing student. Though I had the best father a son could ever have had and my Dad and I hadalways been very close, we were separated by many miles and Don became a 2nd Dad to me at this time. He started it all by one day telling me he regarded me as a son and wanted to pass on to me that things he felt I needed to learn. I told Don once that I owed him a debt I could never repay, and he simply charged me with the responsibility of paying attention in life to those around me that were willing and hungry to learn things I could teach them - and to follow his example. Pretty soon, his Courier buddies (Dave, Duane and Neil) saw I was a willing student as a result of my work with Don and each of them, within their own areas of expertise, took me under their wings and became mentors to me. That all started with Don, and they are all much of the reason I am on the road today.
Don understood that this Industry and ministry of Gospel Music would only survive if the "powers that be" would unselfishly take others under their wings and bring them along, instead of concentrating on the furthering of their own careers, while keeping newcomers in the shadows. How interesting that Nick Bruno, one of the most gifted and talented people this Industry has ever seen - also having come up under Don's influence years earlier - is now devoting his life to the development of young emerging artists with the same passion and conviction that Don had. This is why these men have been and are the "giants" in our Industry.
Don sold the recording studio, building and equipment in the late 1980's and moved to Florida with a new mission. It was at this time that he began what eternity will undoubtedly reveal as the greatest accomplishment of his life. Don had hired young Dan Betzer to be a singer in The Vicounts in the late 60's. But years later, Dan was the speaker on the famous "Revivaltime" radio broadcast, which was heard on over 600 US stations weekly, as well as in 85 other countries. Years before, Dan had recorded a Hymntone record album for Baldwin, telling Bible stories for children with Dan's puppet friend, "Louie". Several additional albums were produced by Betzer later for children through the auspices of Revivaltime. But, around 1985, Dan and Don made plans to record and release a "Childrens Bible" with 101 major Bible stories on cassette - with "Dan and Louie" providing the comedy as well asthe telling of the stories. Louie could be naughty, even as "Alvin of The Chipmunks" before him and, with Don's production, the Childrens Bible became a real winner. The beautiful colorful binder, which held the 24 cassettes, was sent to the child whose parents or grandparents subscribed to the program along with the first month's 2 cassettes. Each month, the small bill was paid and 2 more cassettes came in the mail, until the album was full after a year. Don wisely new, in his marketing strategy, that the child would play those 2 cassettes over and over again that month (while waiting for the next new ones to arrive the following month) until he had learned the stories almost by heart. In this way, the children learned the major stories of the Bible within a year. Betzer often explained through the stories how the child could accept Jesus as their Savior, and his files were soon full of letters testifying to literally thousands of children who had accepted the Lord through the recordings. Now, more than 20 years later, those thousands of children have gone on to be adults, and they are now winning souls to Christ themselves. The Childrens Bible is still being marketed (now on CD's) and is winning a whole new generation of children to Jesus. Again, this is probably the greatest achievement of Don's life.
Don received other offers over the years that would have greatly increased his income, but he turned them down, in favor of keeping the recording and printing enterprises. Then later, he sold it all to pursue his work on The Childrens Bible. When I once asked him several years earlier why he turned down a very lucrative offer, he said that the profit from his business wasn't just measured in money. It was providing funding for quite a few families through their jobs. It was providing a place where musicians could record closer to home. His sons, myself and others were learning things that would be useful to them down the road in our careers. He told me to always remember that these kind of benefits couldn't be measured in monetary terms - but they were very real.
This "visionary" not only has 2 "Courier" teams still out in ministry, but scores of other groups and musicians are in the field today as a result of the work of Don and The Couriers. Many children have been won and are still being won to the Lord through The Childrens Bible. Many, like myself, have been taught, mentored and empowered to venture out and take risks of our own, as a result of his prodding and encouragement.
His lovely wife, Cheri, has helped him so much with his work over the years, especially with The Childrens Bible. And, their undying love and the way she so willingly and lovingly cared for him in his declining years have been an inspiration to all who have seen it.
He was the founder of one of the best Gospel Groups of all time, an excellent musician and group spokesman, a mentor and a teacher, a loving Dad and husband, an emcee of the National Quartet Convention in the 70's, a past Board Member of the Gospel Music Association, a successful businessman, a recording executive and producer, one of the first inductees into the Pennsylvania Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and the recipient of the "Living Legend" award at the Grand Old Gospel Reunion last year.
But, I'll always cherish the fact that I best knew him as my friend, and assomeone who treated me as a son. I will greatly miss him.
Cliff Cerce
http://www.thecerces.com
 Don Baldwin, 1961 |  Don Baldwin (Top Right) with Couriers Qt, 1964 |
 Don Baldwin the Soloist, 1965 |
Author: SGN
| Author's Website: http://sogospelnews.com/
Written: 03/01/2007
| 
Category: Feature Articles
Comments: 3
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Don was a dear friend and associate of mine in the ministry of music since 1957. The impact of a daily dose of his forward thinking set the tone for the rest of my life and I have continued to benefit from his perspective. I was a punk kid who had never left home before and he took me under his proverbial wing and believed in me. Along with the rest of the then members in the Couriers Quartet, Don saw something in me worth working with and I'll be forever grateful.
Don was a groomsman at my wedding to my beloved Ruth in 1964.
I had the honor of a private visit with him in the hospital room about a week before his passing. It was an opportunity for me to express my heartfelt appreciation for his input and leadership in my young life. Don was worshipping the Lord in the confines of the hospital bed with a deep sense of God's presence and care. That time with Don was a precious treasure that I'll cherish until I see him again in Glory someday.
Neil Enloe
I must say, Cliff, that you did an excellent job summarizing the essence of Don Baldwin, a man who was like a father to you. It's obvious that Don didn't reserve such love and care for just you. He loved and cared for many, including his Courier associates and those others he would later mentor as well.
And I have been told many times by Neil Enloe about Don's visionary nature, and of Don's influence in shaping his life. Neil also related the story of his final visit with Don to me, which he describes in part above. The whole story is touching and illustrates that Don never lost touch with "the things that matter"(as he sang with the Couriers on their very first album in 1958).
I'm glad Deon selected you to share your experience with Don...it is something worthwhile for all of us to know and read.
Morning glory and evening grace,
Giving the world a smile each day,
john.sogospelnews.com
It was a autumn night in 1961. I had just taken a job with a struggling Youth For Christ program, and was taking a group of "my kids" to hear the Couriers. Neil played the piano, while Duane, Don, and Dave hovered around one Shure mike, and the music was heavenly. I didn't have much money, but I bought their most recent LP and was hooked for life.
A couple of years ago I noticed old Courier recordings on CD offered by "blondie". I wrote an e-mail asking how ebay would allow her to offer those recordings. A very polite e-mail from Cherri informed me that her husband owned the Hymntone Company. With absolute shock, I wrote back "your husband is Don Baldwin"? Wow! I right away bid on Don's solo hymn CD.
I really liked Don's voice, because my voice is closer to baritone than anything else. I still sing his part when I play the old Courier LP's.
I played my first Courier LP over and over again during those years working with YFC. Their music, and God's grace, got me through!!
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