Precious memories, unseen angels

and
Precious memories, how they linger

I. Origins and Publication

The original gospel hymn “Precious memories, unseen angels” was written by Texas-based composer John Braselton Fillmore Wright (1877–1959). Wright was born in Tennessee but was raised and spent his adult life in Texas, marrying Fanny Jackson on 13 February 1898, and becoming a farmer as his primary source of income. His mother, Casandrea (Coley) Wright died 29 Sept. 1909, followed by his father, George Washington Wright III, on 26 October 1914. Their deaths affected John deeply. According to an interview given in 1952, “The now aging songwriter recounts that the loss of his parents had a ‘tremendous effect on my life’ and their memory has lingered through all these changing years.”[1]

By 1918, the Wrights had eight children at home, the last of whom was Everett Jackson Wright, born 15 July 1918. Everett became ill and succumbed to diphtheria on 23 January 1922. John sent a notice to the Hamlin Herald, which appeared in the 27 January 1922 issue:

The Herald is in receipt of the following expression from Mr. Wright, telling of the death of his little boy, who died at his home on the J.L. Keen farm east of town.

This evening at 5:25 we experienced the most trying ordeal of life, when the Angel of Death swooped down over our precious darling baby (Everett Jackson Wright) during an awful cold winter evening, and took his little soul away to realms of Eternal Glory and fairer climes than earth. He only suffered a brief period, with the awful disease Diphtheria or [Membranous] croup. He passed away as in a sweet sleep. All that human skill and living hands could do to minister to his needs was done. But God in his great wisdom saw best to take his precious little soul away to realms of Eternal day where there will be no more suffering and heart rendering scenes of life to separate loved ones, but eternal life and happiness, which each one will share in that glorious region over there.

He was 3 years, 6 months, and 8 days old. No sins of earth had stained his soul; as driven snow so white so pure forever more he will be secure.

’Tis true, Death rides upon the breeze
He is ever round about,
He goes right in where he my please
And none can keep him out.

The Doctors may defy his claim and
Tell him not today.
He fills his mission just the same
And takes the soul away.

He comes and takes the little child,
The mother pleads in tears
To keep it yet a little while
Altho’ he never hears.

He comes to boys in prime of life,
To girls in youthful bloom.
And cuts them down with his great knife
And plants them in the tomb.

He comes to Fathers of our land,
To mothers old and gray,
And takes them by their trembling hand,
And tells them come today.

Life only holds us here to time
Death takes us in the stream
To everlasting joys sublime
Of which we fondly dream.

Death only separates from time
We’ll live beyond the tomb
In yonders world, in fairer climes,
We’ll never know more gloom.

We’ll meet our lived ones some sweet morn—
Our God who cannot lie
Hath said, we’d know as we are known
In realms beyond the sky.

Oh, yes we’ll know our darling there
On that eternal strand,
In glorious regions fair;
Oh, won’t it then be grand.

J.B.F. Wright
Hamlin, Texas—Rt. A[2]

More than a year later, Wright composed the song “Precious memories.” He shared the story with a reporter in 1952:

But it was on the still autumn night of Oct. 23, 1923, that the scenes of home he had left 20 years before unfolded in the mind of John B.F. Wright and he was inspired to write his famous song. And, he recalls, when his thought turned to his own little son, whom he buried the year before, “I bathed my pillow in tears.” Thus, true to the line of the poem, it was actually in the stillness of midnight that J.B.F. Wright wrote: “Precious memories, unseen angels . . .[3]

Similarly, in 1937, he offered this account:

I write by inspiration, only when the mood comes on, the words and melody flow from my soul like the water from a babbling brook; without this inspiration I could not write; “Precious memories” was born in the midnight hours as I bathed my pillow in tears; likewise, all my songs came through life’s severest tests.[4]

Wright’s song was first published in Harbor Bells (Jacksonville, TX: V.O. Stamps Music Co., 1925) in four stanzas, 8.7.8.7 trochaic, with a refrain. The second stanza mentions his “Precious father, loving mother . . . And old home scenes of my childhood.” Another of Wright’s songs in that collection, “They Will Follow Me On,” also speaks of his mother, “How she counseled with us in tears,” and his father, who “Often plead with us, too, from all evils of life to flee”; “Their counsel so kind is always in mind, and will follow me on thru life.”

The song was not properly copyrighted in 1925, nor was the Harbor Bells collection copyrighted as a whole. The lack of a copyright, and a publishing system in which Wright was probably paid a flat fee for his song (see the deal Cleavant Derricks made with Stamps-Baxter for his song “Just a little talk with Jesus”—$5.00 worth of songbooks), probably left Wright with little income for the song, in spite of its enduring popularity. One unverified account describes this injustice:

According to Nellie Wright, a distant cousin, “a verbal agreement (was made) with Mr. Stamps that every time the song was recorded, he’d get a certain percentage royalty. He only got royalty from the first recording that amounted to $36.00. Then Mr. Stamps died and his heirs would not honor the agreement.”[5]

II. Analysis

The song has appeared in dozens of published collections, but not in denominational hymnals or in collections with commentary. Blogger and commentator Wayne S. Walker summarized the basic concept of the song:

We may not know precisely what they do or how they do it, but the Bible does teach that angels are ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation, so they may play a part in helping us to remember things from the past that could help us (Heb. 1:14). In any event, it is certain that God does want us to remember what we have been told by others about the history of God’s workings among mankind (Deut. 32:7). Thus, the sacred past can unfold as we remember all the marvelous works that God has done (Ps. 105:5).[6]

“Precious memories” fits well into the gospel hymn genre as a whole, with its common themes of heaven. Granted, the song does not specifically name heaven, nor does it directly reference Christianity. The phrase “that lovely land somewhere” carries a certain connotation, although it seems to refer to memories of the songwriter’s past rather than to his eternal future. The connection to heaven is more clear in “They Will Follow Me On,” where the prospect of reunification is given as a ray of hope: “Some sweet morning so fair, I shall meet them up there, and their faces I then shall see.” Wright’s belief in reunification is also evident in the poem he contributed to the Hamlin Herald in 1922: “We’ll meet our lived ones some sweet morn . . . Oh, yes we’ll know our darling there on that eternal strand, in glorious regions fair; oh, won’t it then be grand.”

A musical descendant of this genre, Bill Gaither, described the importance of heaven to southern gospel music:

I’m convinced that the songs that reach the heart are foremost about Jesus Himself, but also those that have lifetime perspective seem to make the most sense. Songs that “stick to the wall,” I like to say, have eternity in them.[7]

David Fillingim speaks more broadly about the appeal of home in this genre:

Significantly, songs about home occupy a prominent place in both country and Southern Gospel music. . . . [T]o listeners in marginalized communities—liminal communities—the longing for home is more eschatological than nostalgic. . . . The image of home as a permanent residence represents an end to the turmoil of a liminal existence at the economic margins. . . . The most popular gospel songs were songs about heaven, which promise an end to the turmoil of life in this world. . . . In this sense, heaven becomes a perfect home, while the virtues of home life (as opposed to the aggressive, competitive impulses of public life) become the Christian virtues. . . . The idea that life in this world doesn't matter offers some consolation for and explanation of the failure to find a place in this world. Songs about home, then, express a longing for a life that does matter, a longing for a place with some permanence.[8]

Musically, Wright’s song “Precious memories” is consistent with the gospel hymn genre’s limited harmonic scope, relying heavily on I, IV, and V. The first full phrase includes a circle-of-fifths progression with a secondary dominant leading to a half cadence, offering a recognizable setup of antecedent and consequent phrases. The melody spans an octave and ranges from E-flat at the bottom of the treble clef to a high E-flat. The repeated rhythmic motif of dotted quarter, eighth, eighth, dotted quarter adds some unity and predictability to the construction of the song.

III. Earliest Recordings

The earliest known recording of the song was made on 21 October 1928 by the Turkey Mountain Singers (Bud Landress, C. Ernest Moody, C. Philip Reeve, Bill Chitwood, accompanied by Ira Mashburn), also known as the Georgia Yellow Hammers, in Atlanta, Georgia, for Bluebird B-5542-B (RCA Victor), although the recording was reportedly not released until 1934.[9] Neither physical nor digital copies of this recording could be located for review.

A month later, 20 November 1928, the song was recorded by the Simmons Sacred Singers in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on OKeh 45299 and released soon after. In July 1929, the Hickory Daily Record gave their lineup as Hugh Simmons, Robert Johnson, Nora Short, Ethel Phillips, Beeler Short, Spurgeon Phillips, Turner Phillips, and Osborne Moffett, accompanied by Faye Phillips. An example of this disc could not be located for review.

The song was recorded twice by the McDonald Quartette (Louvelle McDonald, Harold McDonald, Ralph McDonald, Ancil Matthews) of Birmingham, Alabama, the first being 13 December 1930 for OKeh 45517 in Atlanta; the second being 15 September 1932 in New York City, which was issued on multiple brand labels, including Banner 32592, Melotone M12520, Oriole 8174, Perfect 12852-A, Romeo 5174, and Conqueror 8009-A.

IV. Adaptation by Jones & Martin

Wright’s song was adapted in the 1930s by gospel musicians Roberta Martin (1907–1969) and Georgia Jones (1894–1972). Martin was born in Arkansas but had moved with her family to Chicago ca. 1919–1920. In 1932, she became accompanist for the Junior Chorus of Ebenezer Baptist Church, assisting Theodore Frye (1899–1963). When Thomas A. Dorsey formed the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses (NCGCC) in 1933, Martin became the leader of its Junior Department. In 1934, she formed the Martin and Frye Quartette, utilizing young singers from the Ebenezer church; the following year, they were renamed the Roberta Martin Singers. Martin started her own publishing operation, the Roberta Martin Studio of Music, in 1938.

Georgia Jones directed choirs at the Metropolitan Community Center Church in Chicago, including the Joseph M. Evans Chorus and the Christian Endeavor Choir. Aside from being fellow choir directors in Chicago, the connection between Jones and Martin is unclear, but they are known to have both attended the NCGCC national meeting at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in Brooklyn, 2–6 May 1939, hosted by the Brooklyn chapter leader and national board member Mary Dorsey Gardner, with whom Thomas Dorsey wrote “Walking Up the King’s Highway.”[10]

Around this time, Jones and Martin wrote their version of “Precious Memories.” The song was included in a concert/recital Martin gave at Du Sable school auditorium in Chicago in June 1939, with singers from her ensemble.[11] The original copyright was registered on 6 November 1939 (renewed 19 Jan. 1967), words credited to Jones, music to Martin.[12] Martin published the song through her own company.

The original published version has a chorus and three stanzas, although the music for the stanzas is identical to the chorus. This adaptation of the original hymn borrows almost all of the language of Wright’s refrain, and Jones’ second stanza resembles Wright’s fourth; otherwise, the song is mostly new. Notice especially the more overt Christian language, invoking the name of Jesus in the first and third stanzas.

The Roberta Martin Singers recorded their version in 1947 in Detroit on Religious Recording R.R. 2000 (also released as Fidelity F 2000), featuring soloist Norsalus McKissick (1923–1997). Martin had recruited McKissick as a young boy to join her choir at Ebenezer, and he was a founding member of the Roberta Martin Singers. He left the group temporarily to serve in the U.S. Army (1943–1946). The recorded version only includes the chorus and the first verse. It differs from the official score in the way the song was performed in a compound time (triple time), and some of the harmonies are different.

To highlight the possible confusion between Wright’s original song and Martin’s adaptation, or at least the variety of interpretations, famed gospel singer Rosetta Tharpe (1915–1973) recorded the song at least four times in her career, starting with a session for Decca on 25 November 1947 in New York City, released as Decca 48070 B. Her first rendition of the song featured Marie Knight in a duet, backed by the Sam Price Trio (piano, guitars). This version has a melody similar to Martin’s, performed in a compound time, yet the words are clearly Wright’s. Also notice how, on the disc label, the song was credited only to her.

Not quite a decade later, she recorded the song again on 2 July 1956 for Mercury Records in New York City, released on the LP Gospel Train (MG-20201), backed by Ernie Hayes (piano), Harry “Doc” Bagby (organ), Ernest Richardson (guitar), Panama Francis (drums), and Lloyd Trotman (bass). Here again, Tharpe was credited as the sole songwriter on the album sleeve, and her musical approach was similar to what she had done in 1947, evoking a quick version of Martin’s arrangement, but with a different selection of words by Wright.

She recorded the song again on 12 May 1964 in Paris as part of the American Blues and Gospel Caravan Tour, backed by Otis Spann (piano), Willie Smith (drums), and Ransom Knowling (bass). This version was later released on an LP for France’s Concert (FC 118) in 1988, Live in Paris, 1964. As part of that tour, she also recorded the song for a television program on 25 July 1964, with Spann, Knowling, and Smith. This 1964 recording demonstrates a much clearer representation of Martin’s music, slower than what she had recorded in 1947 and 1956, but still relying on the words by Wright.

Finally, recording the song again for Savoy on Precious Memories (MG-14214) in 1968, she offered her slowest, most soulful version to date, again mixing Martin’s music with a different selection of words by Wright—not completely one or the other.

With Rosetta Tharpe being a soloist, gospel choirs have largely emulated the recording by Aretha Franklin and the Southern California Community Choir on the album Amazing Grace (Atlantic, 1972), accompanied by James Cleveland and directed by Alexander Hamilton. The album was recorded and filmed live 13–14 January 1972 at New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles. Owing to technical problems, the film version was not released until 2018. In the album’s liner notes, the arrangements are credited to Aretha Franklin in one place, but in John Hammond’s essay, he said playlist includes “arrangements of traditional material by James Cleveland.” The song “Precious Memories” was credited as “Traditional,” evading its constituent authors.

Cleveland’s and/or Franklin’s arrangement of “Precious Memories” is distinctive in the way the opening chord is a dominant seventh on the home chord, I7, creating tension and immediately pulling ears toward IV, except the resolution to IV does not happen until the fifth phrase, and when it happens, the resultant IV7 is equally striking. The arrangement is clearly based on Roberta Martin’s version, and here Franklin and Cleveland utilize excerpts from lyrics by Wright and Jones.

Hymnals published by GIA use a score arranged by Joseph Joubert for the African American Heritage Hymnal (2001). The score in Hymns & Devotions for Daily Worship: African American Edition (2025), edited by Chris Fenner, is based on the recording by Aretha Franklin.

by CHRIS FENNER
for Hymnology Archive
13 November 2025

Footnotes:

1. Clint Bonner, “Precious memories: A wandering Texan recalls scenes of his childhood,” The Montgomery Advertiser (Montgomery, AL: 10 May 1952), p. 2: JPG

2. “Little Boy Dies,” The Hamlin Herald (Hamlin, TX: 27 Jan. 1922), p. 6: JPG

3. Clint Bonner, The Montgomery Advertiser (10 May 1952), p. 2.

4. Ottis J. Knippers, Who’s Who Among Southern Singers and Composers, “John B.F. Wright,” (Lawrenceburg, TN: James D. Vaughan, 1937), p. 166.

5. Robert J. Taylor, “Precious Memories,” A Song Is Born (Taylor Publications, 2005):
   https://www.taylorpublications.com/image/catalog/html/hymnstory.html

6. Wayne S. Walker, “Precious memories,” Hymn Studies Blog (17 Oct. 2008):
   https://hymnstudiesblog.wordpress.com/2008/10/17/quotprecious-memoriesquot/

7. Bill Gaither (with Jerry Jenkins), Homecoming: The Story of Southern Gospel Music through the Eyes of Its Best-Loved Performers (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997), p. 23.

8. David Fillingim, “A flight from liminality: ‘Home’ in country and gospel music,” Studies in Popular Culture, vol. 20, no. 1 (Oct. 1997), pp. 77–78: JSTOR

9. Discogs puts the release date at 5 July 1934, without citation. This could not be independently confirmed.

10. “Conference is success,” The New York Age (13 May 1939), p. 5: PDF; In an email from Bob Marovich, 22 August 2025, he explains, “Coincidentally, there were two Georgia Joneses associated with Metropolitan Community Church—the lady you reference and the wife of famed choir conductor Prof. J. Wesley Jones, but I don't recall Jones’s wife having songwriting proclivities and she passed away in 1943. I can only imagine the confusion when both Georgias were active in the church!” Additionally, there was a Georgia Jones born 2 May 1894 and died Aug. 1969 in Cook County, different from the Georgia Jones born 29 April 1894 and died June 1972 in Cook County.

11. “Roberta Martin is featured in gospel singing,” The Chicago Defender (17 June 1939), p. 19.

12. Catalog of Copyright Entries, 3rd ser., pt. 5, vol. 21, no. 1 (Jan.–June 1967): https://archive.org/details/catalogofco1967321512lib/page/884/

Related Resources:

Michael P. Graves & David Fillingim, eds., More than Precious Memories: The Rhetoric of Southern Gospel Music (Macon, GA: Mercer University Press, 2004): Amazon

Tony Russell, ed., Country Music Records: A Discography, 1921–1942 (Oxford: University Press, 2004): Amazon

Cedric Hayes & Robert Laughton, Gospel Discography 1943–2000, 3rd ed., 2 vols. (Canada: Eyeball, 2014).

Robert M. Marovich, A City Called Heaven: Chicago and the Birth of Gospel Music (Urbana: University of Illinois, 2015): Amazon

“Precious Memories,” Hymnary.org: https://hymnary.org/text/precious_memories_how_i_prize_them

Discogs.com: https://www.discogs.com/