Dr. Morgan Babb
From the Tennessean Newspaper
The Rev. Dr. Morgan Babb, a minister, singer and longtime gospel DJ in Nashville, died on Friday, February 7, 2014. He was 84.
Rev. Babb spent more than half a century on Nashville-area airwaves at longtime gospel station WVOL-AM and then WMDB-AM, a station he launched in 1983.
He came to Nashville in 1954 as part of The Radio Four, a gospel group he and his brothers started in the 1940s. By then, they had record deals with Republic and Nashboro Records.
Years later, he stopped traveling with the group and starting spinning records full time so he could spend more time with his family, said his daughter Celeste Babb-Laribo.
From there, he became a mainstay in the Nashville radio industry with his morning gospel shows at WVOL-AM, said John Heidelberg, the station’s owner. Known by his nickname, “Happy Jack,” Rev. Babb spent nearly three decades at the station.
In 1965, he founded King Solomon Missionary Baptist Church in North Nashville, where he preached for decades, nearly up to his death.
“Whatever you thought of him, you knew he was a sincere person,” Heidelberg said. “He touched a lot of lives here.”
In the 1980s, the Rev. Babb branched out on his own again and started WMDB-AM, a station widely known as “The Big Mouth.”
Rev. Babb’s faith was frequently intertwined with his radio work during his career, his family said. Through his radio shows, he would pray with callers and organize meals for the homeless.
“That was the first time we heard of anyone doing anything like that in those days,” his daughter Debra Rice said.
Rev. Babb was also considered one of the leading entrepreneurs in Nashville’s African-American community, said the Rev. Enoch Fuzz, who knew Rev. Babb for nearly 30 years.
“This is one of the No. 1 legends I have ever met in Nashville,” Fuzz said. “He was one of the most excellent men in Nashville’s black history.”
Preceded in death by wife, Lorall. Survived by children, Larry (Patricia), Prophetess Dr. Lanny, Gerry (Dora), Michael (Rochelle), Debra, Celeste (Shann) and Dale (Vanessa); eight (8) grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren; a host of nieces and nephews; other relatives and friends.
Public visitation Wednesday, February 12th, 1-6 p.m., the chapel @ Smith Brothers. Thursday, February 13th, 9-3 p.m., Lie in State at King Solomon MBC, 1417 – 10th Ave. N.
Family visitation 6-7 p.m., funeral service to follow, Baptist World Center, 1700 Baptist World Center Dr. Pastor Montagne McDonald, Officiate; Pastor George Brooks, Sr., Eulogist. Interment Hills of Calvary Friday, February 14th @ 10 a.m.
Filed under: Homegoing of a Saint
