American Gospel Ministries

JAMES STANLEY HARKINS, SR.

CHRISTIAN BIBLIOGRAPHY

I accepted Jesus Christ as my Personal Savior at the age of fourteen in 1947 and became a member of Tharpe Memorial Baptist Church located eight miles north of Perry, Georgia on U.S. Highway 41. My first ministry was in witnessing for my Savior, Jesus Christ and singing in my church choir. From that early singing experience I learned to be a soloist.

On March 6, 1950 I joined the United States Air Force. After my initial training experiences at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas and Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Chryenne, Wyoming, I was assigned to Brize Norton Air Base near Oxford England where I regularly attended Chapel and sang in the Chapel Choir. In 1951 I joined three other young airmen, Ferbee Patterson (bass) from Raleigh, North Carolina, Clarence Clark (baritone) from North Carolina, and Tom Fisher (tenor) from St. Louis, Missouri to organize “The Blue Notes” quartet. The Blue Notes sang over most of England and its repertoire included many Spiritual songs. I left the group in 1952 just after Joe Tanner (later to become a music arranger in Nashville, Tennessee) joined the group. The Blue Notes later became the backup singers for the Jimmy Dean Television Show in the 1950’s.

My next Christian service was in Savannah, Georgia where I was stationed at Hunter Air Force Base. My first experience as a Gospel Quartet singer began there when I joined “Savannah’s Own Rhythmaires” quartet which had its own radio and television programs. While in Savannah, I became the Minister Of Music at Ardsley Park Baptist Church.

My Christian experience led me to music service in the Philippines, Harlingen, Texas where I became the Minister Of Music at Second Baptist Church, Tampa, Florida where I became Minister Of Music at Ballast Point Baptist Church, and finally to Fort Walton Beach, Florida where I served as Minister Of Music at First Baptist Church, Cinco Baptist Church, and First Baptist Church, Mary Esther, Florida.

My Christian Music experience and God’s influence upon my life led me to found American Gospel Ministries in 1973 and to charter it in 1975 as a national organization for the conduct of religious musical activities and the production and distribution of religious materials through the American Gospel Publishing Company. I currently teach Sunday School, sing in my church choir, write, do religious speaking, and sing with the music group Living Water.

Jim Harkins, Sr.
jharkins@americangospel.org
American Gospel Ministries
302 Briarwood Circle N.W.
Fort Walton Beach, Florida 32548-3904020

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