A cross America today there is one name that is almost synonomous with the phrase gospel chorus. The name: Phil Kerr. It is hardly likely that any young peoples’ sing would be complete without includ ing several of the more than 3,000 choruses and 200 gospel hymns com posed by Phil Kerr. The man who today is Mr. Gospel Chorus began his musical training at the age of six. His mother’s ex perience as a music teacher plus the regular music courses at school were the basis of Phil’s present musical success. His early years were spent traveling throughout Mexico with his missionary parents. Later the family returned to the states where they operated several gospel missions on the west coast. For a while Phil drifted away from his early faith apd it wasn’t until 1926 that he fully surrendered his life for full-time evangelistic work. An ordained minister, he spends most of -his time preaching when he isn’t busy with the famous Monday Musicals held each week for the past nine years in Pasadena, Calif. An un usual program filled with a variety of talent is presented to a capacity crowd in the civic auditorium. It may be a famous artist like Redd Harper or Tim Spencer who will sing or play. But it isn’t necessary that the artist be a “name” per former. The program is open to all who can present a musical testimony. The musicals aren’t just get-to gethers to entertain Christians. Big- name musical artists like Bill Carle and Arnie Hartman, along with a host of others, have found the Lord through the influence of the Monday Musicals. People who know Phil Kerr will say he’s the kind of Christian most other Christians would like to be. And he seems utterly devoid of de nominational prejudices. If it’s a Christ-honoring church then Phil Kerr is at home there. It doesn’t mat ter if the church is Four Square or Presbyterian. Phil Kerr shuns an ostentatious display of worldly possessions. If there is any money left over from his meetings that money is likely to find its way to some retired hymn writer. Once Phil scraped up enough money to give an aged song writer and his wife a trip from the east coast to California. The occasion was the couple’s golden wedding an niversary. Phil never worries about having money for himself. He and his attractive wife Iris live in a mod est one-bedroom duplex house in one MORE ►
— Paul Wolfe Photo The Pasadena, Calif. Civic Auditorium is always packed for Phil Kerr's Monday Musicals.
— Paul Wolfe Photo The Musicals feature a variety of talent with stars like Redd Harper and Tim Spencer.
— Paul Wolfe Photo Audrey Mieir and her Harmony Chorus help in making the Mon. Musicals highly popular. 9
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