Claude Ely

"Brother" Claude Ely (July 22, 1922 – May 7, 1978) was an American Appalachian religious singer-songwriter and a Holiness Pentecostal preacher.

Early life Brother Claude Daniel Ely, coined as the King Recording Label's "Gospel Ranger" of the Appalachian Mountains, was born in Pucketts Creek, Virginia. He was the first Holiness Pentecostal recording artist to be signed to a major recording label for strictly sacred music and songs.

Rise to fame as a musician Receiving fame for his song "There Ain’t No Grave (Gonna Hold My Body Down)", Ely's musical and spiritual style has influenced both secular and sacred music enthusiasts. Although Bozie Sturdivant was the first to record Ely's tune in 1941 with the help of the US Library of Congress' field recordings, Ely had written the song in 1934. King Records of Cincinnati helped Ely copyright the song in 1953. Many Hollywood entertainers and musical artists have acknowledged their admiration and fascination for Ely. Often music historians attest that other musical artists cite Ely as having been a positive influence on their works as well. Elvis' mother Gladys brought Elvis Presley to Ely's tent revivals.

Eddie Dean, writer for The Washington Post, stated:...and Holiness preachers such as Brother Claude Ely rave on like renegade rockabilly cats ... You have Brother Claude Ely doing radio broadcasts that sound like a tent revival ... I think his material is as strong as anything Sun Studio did. Even the wildest rockabilly rarely reached the unhinged delirium of "There Ain't No Grave Gonna Hold My Body Down," ... A Holiness preacher from Kentucky, Ely was a faith healer and a terrific guitarist, judging from the ferocious rockabilly rhythms on "Grave," a country hit in 1953. Ely and many others ... foreshadow the rock-and-soul explosion, when church-reared performers such as Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin fused sanctified and secular style to revolutionize pop music.

Dana Jennings, editor for The New York Times, wrote: