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Bad Boy of Gospel Music (The Calvin Newton Story) - Written by Russ Cheatham

While interesting would be an understatement when it comes to the information in this book, honest would be an accurate statement. Then again, shocking could be another word in describing this book. One of the most accurate books I've ever read about the history of Southern Gospel Music is "Close Harmony", by Dr James Goff; however this book, -Bad Boy of Gospel Music is no doubt the most realistic book about the lives of Southern Gospel singer in the 40s and 50s in general, and about Calvin Newton in particular.

Described by many in the Southern Gospel industry as the best Tenor to ever grace the stage, Calvin was hooked on singing. Though he tried other genres including the secular pop and rock and roll scenes, he couldn't get away from his desire to sing Gospel Music. If you are easily offended by fallen singers them this book may help you be a little more understanding of such singers and how they becom entangled in standards less than we expect from our favorite Gospel Singers. If you are looking for the bad side of Gospel Music then you will probably gloat in a little self-righteousness while reading these pages. However, if you have an open mind, you will gain some understanding of what the early singers went through. Beware though that you may see some of those heroes in Southern Gospel Music were not as lily white clean as you might have thought. In fact, the language used by some of those old Gospel singers could at times be very "colorful".

Calvin calls this a book of restoration, and in a sense it is, as it tells of his restoration back into Southern Gospel Music. I believe however, that this book is more about how God never gives up on us, following us no matter where we end up. It's also a beautiful love story of how a loving wife never gave up on her husband, even when his weaknesses took him to the bowels of the earth. Understanding how Calvin came from a preacher's home that was very strict, you can see and follow his life as he rebelled against everything that his Father represented. Though Calvin knew that his parents loved him, he totally rebelled against not only what his Father taught, but against what the church that he was raised in stood for.

Being taunted and teased mercilessly as a Pentecostal preachers son by schoolmates, Calvin learned early to fight, and that carried on over to his adult life also as he became a Golden Gloves champion, finding it as a relief valve to his pent up rebellion. Calvin Newton did hit the pits of this life in a big way and paid a high price for his foolishness and lawless behavior. You may even learn some solemn things about life in prison, and see how prison ministry really does have a life changing effect on men who have hit bottom.

The name of this book could just have easily been called "Wasted Years", which would have been especially fitting since "Wasted Years" was Calvin Newton's signature song. In this book you will see how God changed a man's life, brought him back into the family of God, restored his family, and gave this man, who had been given up my nearly everyone as "not worth saving", the joy of restoring a career that he thought had been thrown away forever.

You will also see that just as many of today's groups who are ahead of their times, ridiculed, run down and just not appreciated, so it was with the Sons of Song, the group that Calvin was so instrumental in forming and making a success.

If you are looking for a great Christmas present, or birthday present, this will make a great gift. If you know a Southern Gospel fanatic, they will absolutely LOVE this book.

You can get this book though Amazon.com. You can also get this book directly from Calvin and help support his work today.

Calvin can be reached at 706-398-2822 or by writing him at
PO Box 375, Lookout Mountain, TN 37350

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