Loved his music.He and Smitty Gatlin sang at our church in the 60'sFairoaks California. My husband was surprised to learn he was kin to Dwayne ..small world
Dwayne Grey Friend, son of the late Mont and Ina (Gaddis) Friend, was born September 16, 1936, near Dawson, Missouri, and departed this life July 17, 2019, in Willow Springs, Missouri. He was 82 years, 10 months, and 1 day of age. Dwayne grew up in the Dawson community and attended school in a one room schoolhouse. He was saved and called to preach at the age of seventeen and remained faithful to his calling in the gospel ministry throughout his life serving as an evangelist and pastor for many years. In the mid 60’s Dwayne joined the Happy Goodman Family and played guitar for them all across the country. Later, he was with the Blackwood Brothers Quartet. In 1969, Dwayne was the first instrumentalist to win the Dove Award. The following year, 1970, he became the first instrumentalist to win a second Dove Award. That same year he also won a third Dove Award for song of the year, “The Night Before Easter.” With his musical success, Dwayne became known as “Mister Gospel Guitar.” Later, Dwayne went back to preaching and was the evangelist of the “Area Wide Crusades” along with Harold Friend, David Gourley, and Ray Bradley. They ministered in auditoriums and on 43 television stations across the United States and Canada and witnessed thousands of people receiving the salvation of Jesus Christ. Dwayne loved playing sports and was a participator, not a spectator. He was a great golfer and baseball player. He loved quail hunting and was a great shot. The guitar was his greatest love secondly only to God and family. If you ever spent any amount of time with Dwayne you definitely would see him with a guitar in his hands at some point. Practicing and playing guitar was simply a huge part of his life to the very end. Besides his parents, Dwayne was preceded in death by an infant son, Donald Lane Friend, seven brothers, Chelmer, Don, Derrel, Rex, Bythel, Harold, and Gene Friend, and one sister, Melba Hudson. Dwayne is survived by five sons, Jonathan Dwayne Friend, Zane Friend, and Marty Friend, all of Nashville, Tennessee, Darren Friend of Alton, Missouri, and Dawson Friend of Gardner, Kansas, two daughters, Raini Ward and Sadie Friend, both of Warsaw, Missouri, eleven grandchildren, Shandy, Shay, Ashley, Casey, Zachary Dwayne, Isaac, Erin, Alex, Kendal, Rory Jo, and Jaxton, nine great-grandchildren, one brother, Terry Friend and wife, Joyce of Mountain Grove, Missouri, many nephews and nieces, and a host of relatives and friends who will miss him greatly.
I'm in the Ozarks and grew up here. My family and I were good friends with Dwayne's brother, Bythel Friend, who, for many years, was the pastor at Souls Harbor Church, located just south of Houston, MO. I also know Ray Bradley and Dave Gourley personally, both of whom are still living.
Thanks for posting this! I just reviewed this album today for Album of the Day--GREAT STUFF! Perhaps you could clear up some confusion from some of the fans and I. Information online says that Dwayne became known as Mister Gospel Guitar after winning his third Dove award in 1970; however, the album Mr. Gospel Guitar came out in 1964, according to my records. According to yours, it is 1968, but that still does not make sense with respect to the 1970 award and the nickname. Something does not add up here--I was wondering if you could possibly settle this snafu once and for all. Thank you and have a nice night
I was turned on to the sounds of Dwayne hearing of him doing session work for country-gospel out of Stockton back when. My info is from the discogs website, however I can check the vinyl to see if there is any exact information. I'm not sure how the nickname was created, by who, or when and would also LOVE to know any of this information as well. Perhaps you can contact Joe Sixpack at slipcue.com for more questions if you are trying to dig harder - or leave this comment up!
Great playing I have never heard of this man .
Loved his music.He and Smitty Gatlin sang at our church in the 60'sFairoaks California. My husband was surprised to learn he was kin to Dwayne ..small world
Dwayne Grey Friend, son of the late Mont and Ina (Gaddis) Friend, was born September 16, 1936, near Dawson, Missouri, and departed this life July 17, 2019, in Willow Springs, Missouri. He was 82 years, 10 months, and 1 day of age.
Dwayne grew up in the Dawson community and attended school in a one room schoolhouse. He was saved and called to preach at the age of seventeen and remained faithful to his calling in the gospel ministry throughout his life serving as an evangelist and pastor for many years.
In the mid 60’s Dwayne joined the Happy Goodman Family and played guitar for them all across the country. Later, he was with the Blackwood Brothers Quartet. In 1969, Dwayne was the first instrumentalist to win the Dove Award. The following year, 1970, he became the first instrumentalist to win a second Dove Award. That same year he also won a third Dove Award for song of the year, “The Night Before Easter.” With his musical success, Dwayne became known as “Mister Gospel Guitar.”
Later, Dwayne went back to preaching and was the evangelist of the “Area Wide Crusades” along with Harold Friend, David Gourley, and Ray Bradley. They ministered in auditoriums and on 43 television stations across the United States and Canada and witnessed thousands of people receiving the salvation of Jesus Christ.
Dwayne loved playing sports and was a participator, not a spectator. He was a great golfer and baseball player. He loved quail hunting and was a great shot. The guitar was his greatest love secondly only to God and family. If you ever spent any amount of time with Dwayne you definitely would see him with a guitar in his hands at some point. Practicing and playing guitar was simply a huge part of his life to the very end.
Besides his parents, Dwayne was preceded in death by an infant son, Donald Lane Friend, seven brothers, Chelmer, Don, Derrel, Rex, Bythel, Harold, and Gene Friend, and one sister, Melba Hudson.
Dwayne is survived by five sons, Jonathan Dwayne Friend, Zane Friend, and Marty Friend, all of Nashville, Tennessee, Darren Friend of Alton, Missouri, and Dawson Friend of Gardner, Kansas, two daughters, Raini Ward and Sadie Friend, both of Warsaw, Missouri, eleven grandchildren, Shandy, Shay, Ashley, Casey, Zachary Dwayne, Isaac, Erin, Alex, Kendal, Rory Jo, and Jaxton, nine great-grandchildren, one brother, Terry Friend and wife, Joyce of Mountain Grove, Missouri, many nephews and nieces, and a host of relatives and friends who will miss him greatly.
Very nice, detailed description
I'm in the Ozarks and grew up here. My family and I were good friends with Dwayne's brother, Bythel Friend, who, for many years, was the pastor at Souls Harbor Church, located just south of Houston, MO. I also know Ray Bradley and Dave Gourley personally, both of whom are still living.
This is very calming 😌 and upbeat. I have never heard this before.
Again, really nice man. We knew a Dwyane Fingers who was a good guitarist who might have had a gospei guitar album..all the best.
👋🏻👋🏿🙏🏻🙌🏿🤓
Lovely :) Is this Dwyane Fingers?
Thanks for posting this! I just reviewed this album today for Album of the Day--GREAT STUFF!
Perhaps you could clear up some confusion from some of the fans and I. Information online says that Dwayne became known as Mister Gospel Guitar after winning his third Dove award in 1970; however, the album Mr. Gospel Guitar came out in 1964, according to my records. According to yours, it is 1968, but that still does not make sense with respect to the 1970 award and the nickname. Something does not add up here--I was wondering if you could possibly settle this snafu once and for all. Thank you and have a nice night
I was turned on to the sounds of Dwayne hearing of him doing session work for country-gospel out of Stockton back when. My info is from the discogs website, however I can check the vinyl to see if there is any exact information.
I'm not sure how the nickname was created, by who, or when and would also LOVE to know any of this information as well. Perhaps you can contact Joe Sixpack at slipcue.com for more questions if you are trying to dig harder - or leave this comment up!