rechelle's lifelyrics

About 15 years ago, I started learning about obtaining print licensing for copywritten work so I could publish a custom compilation of favorite songs for my church. I was amazed at how difficult it was to identify the author and publisher for so many songs (especially if the song was performed by someone other than the author). I published “Songs We Love” after almost two years of diligent work researching song source information, communicating with large and small publishers across the United States, and then notating 231 songs in Sibelius music notation software.

The journey of obtaining publishing rights for the songs I wanted to include ended up being a source for some pretty sweet stories and keepsakes from people across the country I would have otherwise never met! A handful of artists gifted their permission to use their song in my little project of only 60 books. The most memorable and outstanding story was the day I made a phone call to a small publishing company to find out how to get a mechanical license for the song “Wings of a Dove.” The person who spoke with me was actually a previous wife of the author! She talked with me for quite a while, and shared what a blessing that song had been to his family. She said none of the other songs Bob wrote were anywhere near as successful as “Wings of a Dove,” but the proceeds from that one song were used to put some of his kids and even grandchildren through college! I don’t remember what she said about which kids or how long she was his wife, but I found a record that he was survived by a wife of a different name, four children, and six grandchildren. She told me about the early days when Bob Ferguson and Ferlin Husky worked together, and that half of the copyright for the song was still held by Husky. I wish I had a recording of that conversation, because I have forgotten most of what she shared with me, and I can’t find any supporting information online about Bob’s family life in those early days.

Another treasured memory I have from the work I did back then was getting to talk to, and correspond with, one of my favorite gospel songwriters, Dee Gaskin. She sent me official copies of several of her songs to use for my  data entry into Sibelius, including “Another Soldier Down,” “Come Morning,” and “The Sun’s Coming Up.” I have a handwritten note from her as well.

I’m just starting work on a new custom song book for my church called “Cherished Hymns.” I’m really hoping my “Gospel Hymns and Songs-Author Unknown” page on this website will serve as a platform to connect me to some of the unknown authors, and ultimately the copyright holders. The search capabilities online are far superior to what they were 15 years ago, but there are still about 30 songs on my list with “Author Unknown” listed as the writer. I’ll be posting titles and lyrics on that page for the songs I haven’t been able to find anywhere else.