Southern Gospel Music Association

Clarke Beasley
Inducted in 2026

Clarke Beasley was the son of Gospel Music luminary, Les Beasley, and began traveling with his father and the Florida Boys when he was in grade school. When he was in high school, he started performing with the Florida Boys and did so until he left to join the staff of the Gospel Music Association. 

While at GMA, he was asked by the NQC Board to take over NQC as Executive Director, a position he held well over 30 years. During his tenure, NQC became the largest event in all of Gospel Music, drawing an annual crowd of over 40,000. 

Clarke also served as President of the Southern Gospel Music Guild and served on the boards of the Gospel Music Association and the Southern Gospel Music Association.

Conrad Cook
May 28, 1936 - June 29, 2004

Conrad D. Cook, born on May 28, 1936, in Logan County, West Virginia, dedicated his early years to gospel music. He sang and played piano for West Virginia’s Calvarymen Quartet, performing alongside another Hall of Famer, Squire Parsons. During his tenure with this singing group, Cook composed one of his earliest popular classics. In 1973, the Kingsmen Quartet included “Glory Road” on their Dove Award-winning album, Big and Live, propelling the song to widespread popularity. 

Cook continued to compose numerous legendary songs for the Kingsmen in the ensuing years, including “When My Feet Touch the Streets of Gold,” “Walking and Talking with Jesus,” “Beyond the Clouds,” and the 1984 chart-topping hit, “Saints Will Rise.” Cook asserted that his most popular song was “Is That the Old Ship of Zion,” recorded in 1977 on another Dove Award-winning album for the Kingsmen, Chattanooga Live. 

Cook spent the majority of his singing career with his wife Patricia, daughter Robyn, and son-in-law Cliff, in their family group, Conrad Cook and the Calvary Echoes. The Calvary Echoes achieved immense popularity through their appearances on the Gaither Homecoming Series, and Cook’s songwriting hit list continued with “Moses Take Your Shoes Off,” “Hallelujah to the Lamb,” “Standing on Holy Ground,” and others. 

His driving and soulful musical style, high-energy stage presence, and vivid creativity for interpreting Biblical truth in song made him an unforgettable figure from the moment he left the stage. At the age of 68, Conrad Cook passed away on June 29, 2004.

Phillip “Phil” Allen Cross

Inducted in 2026

Phillip (Phil) Allen Cross was born on December 16, 1957, in Ringgold, Georgia to Jet and Myrtle Cross, and was the oldest of three children. The family made their home in Chattanooga, TN. From an early age, he developed a deep love for Southern Gospel music, shaped by his parents’ passion for the genre and the rich heritage of the Red Back Church Hymnal tradition in which he was raised. His first opportunity to share that music came as the drummer for The Gospel Sounds, the family group led by his parents.

As a young man, Cross was invited to play bass guitar for a group led by the highly respected singer and songwriter Elmer Cole. Cole became a lifelong mentor and one of the most influential figures in Cross’s musical development, encouraging and helping him refine both his songwriting and vocal abilities. Inspired by Cole’s example, Cross pursued a calling that would ultimately establish him as one of the most honored and influential songwriters in Southern Gospel music.

Over the course of his distinguished career, Phil Cross wrote and co-wrote many of the genre’s most enduring and beloved songs. His catalog includes classics such as “Champion of Love,” a GMA Dove Awards-winning composition, along with “Saved to the Uttermost,” “When I Get Carried Away,” “Miracle in Me,” “Wedding Music,” “Yes I Am,” “Jesus Built a Bridge,” “One Holy Lamb,” and “I Am Redeemed.” Recorded by many of Southern Gospel music’s premier artists, these songs have become treasured standards that continue to inspire audiences around the world with their message of faith, hope, and redemption.

In 1991, Cross founded the acclaimed group Poet Voices with a vision of presenting his original songs through a unique artist ministry. Under his leadership, Poet Voices became one of the most respected and influential groups in Southern Gospel music, earning widespread recognition and numerous honors. Among its many achievements was “I Am Redeemed,” named Song of the Year in 1998 and widely regarded as one of the signature songs of the genre.

Throughout his remarkable career, Cross earned repeated recognition as a favorite songwriter among fans, artists, and industry peers alike. Yet beyond his personal accomplishments, he became equally admired for his servant’s heart and his unwavering commitment to encouraging others. Passionate about investing in future generations, he mentored aspiring songwriters and artists, believing it was both his privilege and responsibility to pass along the heritage and message of Southern Gospel music.

One of his most celebrated contributions beyond songwriting was The Song of a Lifetime, a highly popular showcase that brought together renowned artists and songwriters to share the stories, inspiration, and testimonies behind the songs that helped shape Southern Gospel music. Through these efforts, Cross not only preserved the legacy of the music he loved but also strengthened the community and fellowship within the industry.

Phil Cross’s legacy is defined not only by his extraordinary body of work, but also by his steadfast faith and devotion to the message behind the music. He firmly believes that “the Gospel” is more important than “the music,” and that when the Gospel and music is blended together, music reaches its highest purpose. Through his timeless songs, compassionate mentorship, and lifelong dedication to ministry through music, Phil Cross has made an enduring impact on Southern Gospel music and on countless lives touched by his work.