Today’s post was written by Paul.
Pap and Granny
“I Looked All Over Heaven” is a song that Granny and Pap used to sing together back in the day. Granny said they learned it from Wendy Bagwell and the Sunliters.
After Granny and I shot the video below, I found that group singing it on YouTube (from 1972). They sang it with a very slow, lavish style.
Pap and Granny sang it with a peppy tempo and in a style that was a little closer akin to bluegrass.
I always liked the sevens in the pitches of this song’s vocals, and I thought it was a cleverly written song that could make some listeners stop and think about their souls and eternity.
So many folks requested another song with Granny that we had to oblige, so we gave this one a try.
Granny has received many nice cards from folks. I took her to Walmart so she could spend a gift that card that someone generously gave, and she stocked up on more yarn. 🙂
In the month of September, I will share a song/video for Hank Sr.’s birthday, and a video or perhaps series of videos to mark the 50th anniversary of the Wilson Brothers’ first album.
The new cd’s I’ve been working on have arrived. If you missed the video Tipper and I did about it you can see it here. And you can pick up a copy of the cd “Live to Never Die” here.
Paul
I would loved to have the words I look over heaven for you I can’t fine the words to it I appreciate it if you could help me thank you very much
Goodness! That blessed me so! Reminds me of our ‘Friday night sings’ we used to have at my Grandmama & Papa’s house growing up with all our family. Precious memories. I’m so grateful I found this site! Keep singin’!❤️
My goodness Granny you have a beautiful voice, love hearing you and Paul sing that amazing family harmony!! Tipper you sure favor your mom when she was young and Paul looks just like his Pap.
Paul, please tell Granny thank you. Ya’ll touched my heart above and beyond measure. Great message in this song. Brought tears to my eyes. Prayers for all ya’ll. Thank you bunches.
Love hearing Granny sing and always enjoy hearing Paul sing too. Your family is blessed with so much talent. Pap was a wonderful and very spiritual song writer. His faith in God and desire to lead people to know Christ Jesus was a great calling in his life is very evident through his songs and his life. We all know this through your stories and videos you share with us on this blog and your YouTube channel, and by those that knew Pap, know Granny and all your family personally. Pap’s legacy of faith, as well as Granny and your family’s will be remembered for generations to come.
Beautiful songs. I love the CD and have listened to it several times.
I love the song, the message is great. Paul, you and Granny sound so good together❤ Thank you for sharing. I got your CD, love it. You have a great talent, blessed of God. God bless you and yours❤❤
A lot of Southern Gospel music from the Wendy Bagwell & the Sunliters era had an opulent style reflective of Country Music in general. Big hair and jackets with sequins were common on males, the ladies less so. Ornate guitars with names inlaid, for instance, were common. Violins and pedal steels provided backup. All this seemed pretentious to me.
I grew up listening to this genre for the most part. Daddy sang all the time, we sang in church and we had a radio. Daddy’s only extravagant apparel was a Stetson hat someone had given him that only came out for church and funerals. Church attendees wore there very best overhauls and feed sack dresses. The radio supplied only audio so I knew how singers looked from pictures in newspapers and magazines if at all. When along came TV and I was shocked.
TV had been around for quite a while but the signal hadn’t reached us. These Gospel musicians had had time to grow past dressing for an audience of blue denim and floweredy prints and onto a New York City or Hollywood stage regalia. What started out as maybe, a mother and son dressed in ordinary attire playing a guitar and singing for the glory of God, had morphed into a choreographed show fit for Carnegie Hall or Ryman Auditorium.
For many years I couldn’t bear to watch Gospel music. Listening was better but by much. I continued seeking out and singing the old fashioned (as if God’s work could ever fall out of fashion) songs of my childhood. Then one day about a decade ago, while searching online for family in Cherokee County, I stumbled across a website that had good old fashion singing and good old fashioned people that I love. They talk like I do. They garden and eat like I do. And they love the land where they live and I used to (not far away anyway). If you haven’t guessed yet it’s right here.
I was hoping to hear more songs sung by Granny. I just love her! She has a beautiful voice and the songs just seem to come naturally to her without any effort. She seems so calm and she’s sincere about what she’s singing, I can tell. Thank you Paul for sharing this with us. I have to admit that it made me very sad to think about searching all over for someone in Heaven and them not being there. Oh, if people could only realize their need of our dear Savior! It’s the most important event in our lives here and in eternity, to be saved and our names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Salvation is free to all, Jesus paid it in full on the cross of Calvary. Keep on singing and playing that guitar. It’s truly a blessing.
Thank you for sharing, it was wonderful and just what I needed to hear today.
Beautiful voices. Tipper, you look so much like your mother, just beautiful.
I hearing granny sing. She does such a wonderful job. I bet she enjoyed going to Walmart. Bless her heart. Love her so much.
Sadie Ledbetter, saying prayers for your loved one. God bless.
I have a dear friend who constantly states “ it is not what you acquire in this life that warms your soul it is what you give away that lights you soul on fire, Granny and Paul just gave their talent and love of God away to MANY. As my friend would say Amen and may your rewards be multiplied. Giving you a big Thaks Granny and Paul for giving your talents
Wonderful song and beautiful singing! Your mom’s voice is still strong and vibrant!
I have not heard that song since I was a little girl .. Granny has a beautiful voice .. she and Paul are a perfect pair .. also Katie and Kory truly look like the younger Granny ! All beautiful young ladies.. thanks for the wonderful memories!
So nice to hear granny singing! She has a lovely voice. And of course Paul sounds wonderful as always.
Such a blessing. I love to hear Granny’s sweet voice. The most important thing in this life, is to be ready to meet our Savior. Prayers for all. Take care and God bless ❣️
Thank you for posting such lovely tunes every Sunday. I go visit my love and play them. He left me 3 years ago I know he enjoys them as much as I do.
Hope everyone is doing ok. Stay safe and healthy.
We have just gone on water rationing. Need rain so BAD here in central Texas.
Beautiful song, done so well by Paul and Granny! I would love to see more of Granny singing, please let her know how much it is enjoyed!!!
You both did an amazing job singing (I Looked all Over Heaven). I pray that you can sing more songs together. So lovely. You certainly have brightened up my day. Thank you, Paul for posting the article and the video. Great picture of Granny and Pap. God bless your beautiful family.
Thank you for a beautiful song on a dreary Sunday morning here up north. Granny and Paul, you brought sunshine to my soul! I admire all the musicality in your family; it reminds me of my father picking away cowboy songs on the guitar when I was growing up on the farm. Sometimes I’d accompany him on the piano. I also the complexity of what seem to be such simple song with the chording and vocal harmonies (I can’t harmonize a note). Sweet Granny never ceases amaze me with her talents. She cooks, she crochets… and she sings so beautifully! I know God will keep this sweet lady close as she navigates her current health issues! Thanks again for all you all do to bring such positivity, light and joyous celebration of your roots to us all! God bless!
So beautiful!!! Paul, it has to be so special to get to sing with your mama. Thanks to Granny also. The talent and the love that comes from your family is a special gift that blesses my heart. Thank you for sharing this. Have a wonderful Sunday!!
Oh, how the Lord bless this family with angel voices! Granny, your soprano voice is so beautiful! And Paul, I could listen to your voice all day long as well. You both moved my soul this morning. God bless you. You are appreciated and much loved.
A great video and message in song. Can’t imagine what it would be like to have just some of the musical talent y’all have.
So very, very special. Granny has such a sweet voice. Thank you for sharing.
Paul, thanks to you and your Mom for a magic song, our God Bless.
A Wonderful blessing to start this Sunday morning. I hadn’t heard this song before, it is a powerful sermon in itself. Thank you.
I love to hear Granny sing, she has such a sweet voice. I pray for her healing.
Love this!
Thankyou for the song! It blessed me! This is the day the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!
Absolutely love the songs with Granny. This was beautiful! What a treasure Paul has to have recordings with him singing with each of his parents. More, please!
I must admit the Holy Spirit worked on me with the great sing! There’s a loved one of mine quite dear who’s living a life of sun and when I bring up getting saved, all I hear is later. There may not be a later, y’all. We are ALL one breath, one heart beat and one step away from death at any time. Pray for my loved one to be saved. If I looked all over heaven and they weren’t there, my heart would surely break. On the positive side, doesn’t granny look and sound amazingly wonderful? She has such a strong countenance of the Lord, it’s plain to see. God bless you all and especially thanks Granny and Paul. No wonder you all have talent, I mean the Apple can’t fall far from such a gifted tree! If the Lord can save me, He can SAVE ANYBODY!!! I was the worst of the worst and can’t deny it. Thank God I’m going to heaven (not by good works) but by MERCY and a sentence paid in full by Christ Jesus blood!!! Does it get any better than that? I don’t think so!
Sadie, amen to your message! We are not assured of our next breath! Jesus is calling & I pray your loved one answers to His call soon! What a beautiful song Paul & Granny!
John 3:16 ❤️
Amen, strengthening the weary in heart
I enjoyed listening to Granny and Paul singing this morning. Even now, Granny does not have to take a back seat to anyone when it comes to singing. Tipper your comment about making someone think about eternity and their souls, reminds me of a song I heard when I was a young boy back in the 60’s. The title of the song is “Sorry I Never Knew You” sung by Naomi and the Sego Brothers. When you love your family like I do, this song should make you think about eternity and your soul if nothing else will. We would always go spend Sunday afternoon after the morning church service with my grandparents. One of the adults favorite things to do was listening to Southern Gospel records after dinner played on a small tabletop record player. This song has stuck with me all of my life.
I found this video on you tube a couple days ago and listened to it again this morning. It is a beautiful and thought-provoking song. I just love to hear you two sing together. I am so happy Granny got to go shopping for her yarn. I can rarely pass up the yarn isle myself.
Thank you for the wonderful song! Loved “Keep on the Sunny Side” and after going to YouTube I found “I looked all over Heaven.”
The video posted is not of Granny & Paul.
Stephanie-thank you! Got it fixed now 🙂
Tipper was once a gleam in pap and granny’s eyes, God bless you Pressley family ✝️♥️
I will be singing Keep on the Sunny Side all day..that is such a catchy tune and done so well. Have a Beautiful Sunday it is the day the Lord has made. God Bless you guys.
What a beautiful song…!!! Your family is so talented and so very blessed to be able to play beautiful instruments and sing together.