EDNA GALLMON COOKE
Edna Gallmon Cooke, also known as Edna Galmon Cook, Madame Edna Gallmon Cooke and also known by her second married name of Mrs Barney Parks, was born Edna Gallmon in Columbia, South Carolina on January 1, 1918 to Reverend Eddie J and Mrs Moriah Gallmon; Edna died unexpectedly on September 4, 1967 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Edna was married twice, she had two children to her first husband, Mr Cooke (first name unknown), he died in the 1940's and Edna raised her children by herself; Edna eventually married Barney Parks in the 1950's (Barney Parks used to perform with The Dixie Hummingbirds and formed The Sensational Nightingales in 1942). Having lived in The Washington D.C. area for many years Edna was referred to as “The Sweetheart Of The Potomac”. Edna’s parents were devout Baptists; Rev. Eddie J. Gallmon pastored at several churches in the Carolinas before moving on to Washington D.C, the last church Rev Gallmon pastored at in the Carolinas was Emmanuel Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, from 1927-1931 at which time Rev Gallmon moved his family to Washington D.C. In 1939 Rev Gallmon joined the congregation at the Springfield Baptist Church of Washington, DC as its first pastor. Edna grew up in the church, singing in and directing her father's church choir.
Edna admired and was inspired by gospel greats such as Mother Willie Mae Ford Smith. Edna was known to have said that Mother Smith encouraged her to record gospel music; Edna was heavily influenced by Mother Smith’s gospel-sermonette style; Edna became famous for her recordings regarding omens, the sickrooms, fables and death. Edna specialized in performing the song-sermonettes, which both Shirley Caesar and Dorothy Norwood would prove to be famed for, Dorothy as “The Storyteller”, for her dozens of famous story song-sermonettes, such as “The Denied Mother”, "The Faithful Daughter” and “The Soldier From Viet Nam” and Shirley for "Don't Drive Your Mama Away" and "Hold My Mule". Apart from being a gospel singer, Edna was also a proficient gospel song writer, writing many of the gospel songs she sang for Republic and Nashboro; Edna was a university graduate from Temple University in Philadelphia, becoming a school teacher. Edna sang as a mezzo-soprano, many people state that she sang in a mournful style. When I spoke to Dr Morgan Babb in 2005 in Nashville with my friend Ted Jarrett, Dr Babb told me that in the early 1950’s he and his gospel group, The Radio Four, recorded with Edna; although Dr Babb was younger than Edna, recognising her talent Dr Babb encouraged Edna to use the gospel-sermonette style with her own congregation when performing, to further connect with her audience. Most of Edna's Republic songs were published through Dr Babb directly, reflecting Edna's admiration for the assistance of Dr Babb.
Edna often performed with male background singers, the most famous was Tommy Ellison, famous gospel quartet singer, lead singer and founder of Tommy Ellison and The Singing Stars, himself a South Carolina native. The other famous background singer was Horace Thompson, one of the lead singers of The Sensational Nightingales, Horace sang with Edna until he joined The Sensational Nightingales in 1962. Edna also performed with The Radio Four, The Singing Sons, often referred to as Willie Banks and The Singing Son, The Sunset Harmonizers and The Mt. Vernon Men's Choir of Washington D.C. as well as The Sons Of Faith who were Edna's backing group and had Lamar C. Horne as a singer- he would later record with Rev Julius Cheeks, then with Tommy Ellison and The Singing Sons and eventually form The Gospel Serenadors. Edna recorded on several labels including De Luxe, Merit, Gospel Records (a Philadelphia label, a division of Palda Record Co, not the Savoy subsidiary), Regal (Regal appears to be a subsidiary of De Luxe), Essex (another division of Palda Record Co of Philadelphia), Republic Records and most extensively on Nashboro Records. Edna was eulogized at Springfield Baptist Church, Washington, D.C. and was then buried in Columbia, South Carolina, at The Bethlehem Baptist Church Cemetery. A big thank you to Donya Williams for her information on where Edna was eulogized and in maintaining her Baptist faith.
DISCOGRAPHY
Edna's 1st Single
DE LUXE Records (Linden, N.J.)
3222-: Edna Gallmon Cooke And The Mt. Vernon Men’s Choir- Angels, Angels, Angels/ Old Ship Of Zion
REGAL
3229-: Edna Gallmon Cooke and the Mt. Vernon Men’s Choir of Washington, D.C. - Handwriting On The Wall/ I Promised The Lord
MERIT (Washington D.C. label)
102-: Edna Gallmon Cooke With The Sunset Harmonizers, Pearline Morgan, Pianist- Just Hold On/ Going To That City (78)
GOSPEL RECORDS (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania label, not the Savoy subsidiary)
78's
123-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Glory To His Name/ I've Been Redeemed
127-: Edna Gallmon Cooke With Piano And Organ- I'd Rather Have Jesus/ Love Lifted Me
128-: Edna Gallmon Cooke With Young Peoples Choir- Angels, Angels, Angels/ God Be With You
131-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Face To Face/ You've Got The River Jordan To Cross
137-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Heaven Is Waiting/ Yes Lord I'll Follow Thee
139-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- The Old Landmark/ Loved Ones Are Waiting
143-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Where Could I Go/ No, Not One
149-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Angels From The Realms Of Glory/ Have You Got Room?
ESSEX RECORDS (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania label)
903-: Edna Gallmon Cooke At Springfield Baptist Church- Angels From The Realms Of Glory/ Have You Got Room?
904-: Edna Gallmon Cooke At Springfield Baptist Church- Angels, Angels, Angels/ God Be With You
REPUBLIC RECORDS (Nashville, Tennessee label) 1952-1954
7019-: Edna Galmon Cook- Nobody To Depend On (With The Radio Four, although they’re not listed on the label)/ Walk Through The Valley 1952 (issued as a 45 and a 78)
7040-: Edna Gallmon Cooke - He’s So Good/ Edna Gallmon Cooke with the Radio Four- Amen (78)
7048-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Build Me A Cabin (written by Edna on Babb Music)/ I’ve Got Religion (written by Edna on Babb Music)
7063-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Higher Ground (written by Cooke on Babb Music) / Evening Sun (written by Cooke on Babb Music)
7069-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Somebody Touched Me (written by Cooke on Babb Music) / Here Is One (written by Cooke on Babb Music)
7086-: Edna Gallmon Cooke - Child Of The King (written by Cooke on Babb Music)/ Come By Here (written by Cooke on Babb Music) (78)
NASHBORO RECORDS
45'S and 78'S
549-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Nobody But You Lord/ Somebody Help Me
553-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Who'll Be A Witness/ My Joy
561-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Said I Wouldn't Tell It/ Hide Me
574-: Edna Gallmon Cooke With The Singing Sons- My Journey Home/ Hallelujah
585-: Edna Gallmon Cooke And The Singing Sons- The Lord Blessed My Soul/ Up To Sweet Heaven
596-: Edna Gallmon Cooke And The Singing Sons- God Will Move/ God's Children
609-: Edna Gallmon Cooke With The Singing Sons- A Dedication/ You Ought've Been There
623-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- I Can't See Them Now/ Road Of No Returns
628-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Come Home/ Heavy Load
640-: Edna Gallmon Cooke With Radio Four- Nobody But You Lord/ Walk Through The Valley
652-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- He'll Fix It/ If You Don't Go
664-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- In My Heavenly Home/ It Could Be Jesus
675-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Wave That Train/ War Fare
697-: Edna Gallmon Cooke New Singing Sons- Walking On The Right Road/ The Lord Still Answers Prayer
705-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Stop Gambler/ The Hammer Rings
722-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Don't You Wanta Go? / Jesus Will Never Say No
745-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Leaking In This Building/ Lord When I Get Home
760-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Let's Praise God/ Mother's Looking For Me
781-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Jesus Is Mine/ Seven Steps To Hell
806-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- You Don't Know/ The Man's Alright
848-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- The Mule Talked/ Little Boy
883-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- At The Gate/ Poor Me
905-: Sister Edna Gallmon Cooke- When I Get Inside/ Down On Me
938-: Mme Edna Gallmon Cooke- Bottles Of Tears/ Shake My Mother's Hand
LP'S
7002-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- He'll Fix It
7009-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Stop Gambler
7013-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Songs My Mother Sang (Songs Of Inspiration)
7020-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Songs Of Comfort
7025-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Living Gospel Songs
7041-: Mme. Edna Gallmon Cooke- At The Gate
7049-: Mme. Edna Gallmon Cooke- Memorial Album
7068-: Mme. Edna Gallmon Cooke- Memories of Mme. Edna Gallmon Cooke
7154-: Madame Edna Gallmon Cooke- Evening Sun
Edna admired and was inspired by gospel greats such as Mother Willie Mae Ford Smith. Edna was known to have said that Mother Smith encouraged her to record gospel music; Edna was heavily influenced by Mother Smith’s gospel-sermonette style; Edna became famous for her recordings regarding omens, the sickrooms, fables and death. Edna specialized in performing the song-sermonettes, which both Shirley Caesar and Dorothy Norwood would prove to be famed for, Dorothy as “The Storyteller”, for her dozens of famous story song-sermonettes, such as “The Denied Mother”, "The Faithful Daughter” and “The Soldier From Viet Nam” and Shirley for "Don't Drive Your Mama Away" and "Hold My Mule". Apart from being a gospel singer, Edna was also a proficient gospel song writer, writing many of the gospel songs she sang for Republic and Nashboro; Edna was a university graduate from Temple University in Philadelphia, becoming a school teacher. Edna sang as a mezzo-soprano, many people state that she sang in a mournful style. When I spoke to Dr Morgan Babb in 2005 in Nashville with my friend Ted Jarrett, Dr Babb told me that in the early 1950’s he and his gospel group, The Radio Four, recorded with Edna; although Dr Babb was younger than Edna, recognising her talent Dr Babb encouraged Edna to use the gospel-sermonette style with her own congregation when performing, to further connect with her audience. Most of Edna's Republic songs were published through Dr Babb directly, reflecting Edna's admiration for the assistance of Dr Babb.
Edna often performed with male background singers, the most famous was Tommy Ellison, famous gospel quartet singer, lead singer and founder of Tommy Ellison and The Singing Stars, himself a South Carolina native. The other famous background singer was Horace Thompson, one of the lead singers of The Sensational Nightingales, Horace sang with Edna until he joined The Sensational Nightingales in 1962. Edna also performed with The Radio Four, The Singing Sons, often referred to as Willie Banks and The Singing Son, The Sunset Harmonizers and The Mt. Vernon Men's Choir of Washington D.C. as well as The Sons Of Faith who were Edna's backing group and had Lamar C. Horne as a singer- he would later record with Rev Julius Cheeks, then with Tommy Ellison and The Singing Sons and eventually form The Gospel Serenadors. Edna recorded on several labels including De Luxe, Merit, Gospel Records (a Philadelphia label, a division of Palda Record Co, not the Savoy subsidiary), Regal (Regal appears to be a subsidiary of De Luxe), Essex (another division of Palda Record Co of Philadelphia), Republic Records and most extensively on Nashboro Records. Edna was eulogized at Springfield Baptist Church, Washington, D.C. and was then buried in Columbia, South Carolina, at The Bethlehem Baptist Church Cemetery. A big thank you to Donya Williams for her information on where Edna was eulogized and in maintaining her Baptist faith.
DISCOGRAPHY
Edna's 1st Single
DE LUXE Records (Linden, N.J.)
3222-: Edna Gallmon Cooke And The Mt. Vernon Men’s Choir- Angels, Angels, Angels/ Old Ship Of Zion
REGAL
3229-: Edna Gallmon Cooke and the Mt. Vernon Men’s Choir of Washington, D.C. - Handwriting On The Wall/ I Promised The Lord
MERIT (Washington D.C. label)
102-: Edna Gallmon Cooke With The Sunset Harmonizers, Pearline Morgan, Pianist- Just Hold On/ Going To That City (78)
GOSPEL RECORDS (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania label, not the Savoy subsidiary)
78's
123-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Glory To His Name/ I've Been Redeemed
127-: Edna Gallmon Cooke With Piano And Organ- I'd Rather Have Jesus/ Love Lifted Me
128-: Edna Gallmon Cooke With Young Peoples Choir- Angels, Angels, Angels/ God Be With You
131-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Face To Face/ You've Got The River Jordan To Cross
137-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Heaven Is Waiting/ Yes Lord I'll Follow Thee
139-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- The Old Landmark/ Loved Ones Are Waiting
143-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Where Could I Go/ No, Not One
149-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Angels From The Realms Of Glory/ Have You Got Room?
ESSEX RECORDS (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania label)
903-: Edna Gallmon Cooke At Springfield Baptist Church- Angels From The Realms Of Glory/ Have You Got Room?
904-: Edna Gallmon Cooke At Springfield Baptist Church- Angels, Angels, Angels/ God Be With You
REPUBLIC RECORDS (Nashville, Tennessee label) 1952-1954
7019-: Edna Galmon Cook- Nobody To Depend On (With The Radio Four, although they’re not listed on the label)/ Walk Through The Valley 1952 (issued as a 45 and a 78)
7040-: Edna Gallmon Cooke - He’s So Good/ Edna Gallmon Cooke with the Radio Four- Amen (78)
7048-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Build Me A Cabin (written by Edna on Babb Music)/ I’ve Got Religion (written by Edna on Babb Music)
7063-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Higher Ground (written by Cooke on Babb Music) / Evening Sun (written by Cooke on Babb Music)
7069-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Somebody Touched Me (written by Cooke on Babb Music) / Here Is One (written by Cooke on Babb Music)
7086-: Edna Gallmon Cooke - Child Of The King (written by Cooke on Babb Music)/ Come By Here (written by Cooke on Babb Music) (78)
NASHBORO RECORDS
45'S and 78'S
549-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Nobody But You Lord/ Somebody Help Me
553-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Who'll Be A Witness/ My Joy
561-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Said I Wouldn't Tell It/ Hide Me
574-: Edna Gallmon Cooke With The Singing Sons- My Journey Home/ Hallelujah
585-: Edna Gallmon Cooke And The Singing Sons- The Lord Blessed My Soul/ Up To Sweet Heaven
596-: Edna Gallmon Cooke And The Singing Sons- God Will Move/ God's Children
609-: Edna Gallmon Cooke With The Singing Sons- A Dedication/ You Ought've Been There
623-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- I Can't See Them Now/ Road Of No Returns
628-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Come Home/ Heavy Load
640-: Edna Gallmon Cooke With Radio Four- Nobody But You Lord/ Walk Through The Valley
652-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- He'll Fix It/ If You Don't Go
664-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- In My Heavenly Home/ It Could Be Jesus
675-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Wave That Train/ War Fare
697-: Edna Gallmon Cooke New Singing Sons- Walking On The Right Road/ The Lord Still Answers Prayer
705-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Stop Gambler/ The Hammer Rings
722-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Don't You Wanta Go? / Jesus Will Never Say No
745-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Leaking In This Building/ Lord When I Get Home
760-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Let's Praise God/ Mother's Looking For Me
781-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Jesus Is Mine/ Seven Steps To Hell
806-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- You Don't Know/ The Man's Alright
848-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- The Mule Talked/ Little Boy
883-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- At The Gate/ Poor Me
905-: Sister Edna Gallmon Cooke- When I Get Inside/ Down On Me
938-: Mme Edna Gallmon Cooke- Bottles Of Tears/ Shake My Mother's Hand
LP'S
7002-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- He'll Fix It
7009-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Stop Gambler
7013-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Songs My Mother Sang (Songs Of Inspiration)
7020-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Songs Of Comfort
7025-: Edna Gallmon Cooke- Living Gospel Songs
7041-: Mme. Edna Gallmon Cooke- At The Gate
7049-: Mme. Edna Gallmon Cooke- Memorial Album
7068-: Mme. Edna Gallmon Cooke- Memories of Mme. Edna Gallmon Cooke
7154-: Madame Edna Gallmon Cooke- Evening Sun
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