Southern Gospel Music Association

Meurice Eldon Lefevre (1937 - 2019)
Inducted in 2020

Born September 20, 1937, into the already-famous LeFevre Trio family, Meurice LeFevre dedicated his life to improving the world of Southern Gospel music.  The son of Urias and Eva Mae LeFevre, he took the opportunity on occasion to sing and play trombone with his famous parents and his Uncle Alphus LeFevre.  But in the final analysis, he discovered ways behind the scenes that greatly enhanced and advanced the world of Southern Gospel.  In 1959, he founded Atlanta’s Sing Record Company, one of the first state-of-the-art recording studios to emerge from within the gospel music world.  Sing Records and LeFevre Sound Studios both became primary vehicles for the production and distribution of gospel music products.  

In addition, Meurice was a champion advocate for promoting and preserving the history and the important impact of Southern Gospel on American music and culture.  He was actively involved in the inception of the Gospel Music Association in the early 1960s and served as the first Chairman of the Board of the GMA Hall of Fame.  Ultimately serving four terms on the Gospel Music Association Board of Directors, he was influential in securing a designated Grammy award for the field of Southern Gospel.  He also was a founding member and served as president of the Atlanta chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

Dorothy V. Leonard (1945 - 2024)
Inducted in 2020

Being a vessel for the Lord requires complete willingness to follow His will for your life instead of choosing your own path. Far from a passive journey, this life takes discipline, hard work, and determination.  Such has been the life of Dorothy (Dottie) V. Leonard. With a background of sales and promotion at Calvary Records and Windchime Records, she started New Day Christian Distributors (the name came courtesy of Dr. Jerry Goff) March 1, 1981. New Day’s offerings began with Christian and Gospel music and New Day remains true to music today by distributing to Christian retail great independent artists and major record labels.  Other products, like toys, films, books, and gifts have been added to the mix to best serve New Day’s Christian retail partners. 

The network of Christian retailers buying music from New Day grew rapidly and with it a demand for more product. This opportunity led to the creation of Daywind Soundtracks with veteran producer, Ronnie Drake, to provide individual accompaniment tracks for the most popular Gospel songs of the day.  A suggestion from Singing News editor, Jerry Kirksey, prompted Dottie to launch Daywind Records in 1987. Many of the top artists and songwriters in Southern Gospel music have found a home at Daywind over the years, impacting millions of people annually through live performances, music sales, and radio and television on a yearly basis 

Daywind Music Group now includes Daywind Records, Daywind Performance Tracks, Daywind Music Publishing, and Daywind Studios.  Millions have been reached with the Gospel through singer’s around the world performing Christian and Gospel songs using Daywind Soundtracks. In 2018, Dottie started the Daywind Music Foundation dedicated to spreading Southern Gospel music to the world, adding to her many philanthropic endeavors.