MCP Directory

By randy rice McDonald County Directory Robert Bartlett "Bob" Brumley died peacefully in his sleep on Christmas Eve, at his home in Powell, an unincorporated community 10 miles east of Pineville. e people of Powell will miss its own world-famous songwriter and music publisher who wholeheartedly devoted himself to music and service to the community he loved. Bob was born Dec. 7, 1937, in Harrison, to Albert E. and Goldie Brumley. He and his family returned to Powell less than a year later, and Bob made Powell his life-long home. He began his career in the 1940s, working with his father and his brothers to print and publish more than 40 million songbooks, including books for e Grand Ole' Opry, Renfro Valley, Ozark Jubilee, and more. eir company is now one of the largest privately held music publishing companies in the world. Music was a part of Bob's life from the beginning. At the time of his birth, his father had been writing songs for 10 years. As Bob was growing up, his father opened his own publishing company across the street from the family home. Albert made sure that each of his children had the opportunity to learn a musical instrument. Bob mostly played the upright bass, but he can also play guitar, organ and enjoyed playing the piano until the end. When Bob was growing up, he and his brothers helped in his father's business assembling songbooks. Bob and his brothers Bill, Al and Tom formed the Brumley Brothers Band. Together, they played at local events such as Pie Suppers, Business Grand Openings and for Candidates running for local office. rough the years he remained a successful and influential figure within the country and gospel music community. In 1975, Bob and his brother Bill purchased Albert E. Brumley & Sons Music from their father. Bob and Bill continue to publish songbooks from the same office that their father built in the 1940s. In 1986, Bob purchased his brother's interest in the company and became the sole owner of Albert E. Brumley & Sons Music. Bob partnered with John Barker and founded Integrated Copyright Group (ICG) in 1990. ICG was a copyright administration company that worked with publishers to license and track their music. ICG also collected royalties and distributed the payments to the publishers and songwriters. Bob sold his interest in ICG to Evergreen in 2006. In 1994, Bob along with several leaders in the Southern Gospel Music Industry, founded the Southern Gospel Music Association (SGMA). e SGMA is a professional preservation association made up of artists, songwriters, industry workers and fans. It was founded to promote the history and heritage of Southern Gospel Music. Bob has served on the Board of Directors since it's inception and was president of the Board from 2007-2009. e SGMA awarded Bob with the James D. Vaughn Impact Award in 2006 and was inducted into the SGMA Hall of Fame in 2011. Despite his fame, Brumley was very unassuming, wore blue jeans and was extremely approachable. And community service was as important to him as his music. Bob served on the McDonald County School Board, the Crowder College Foundation and the Powell Historical Preservation Society. He was known for his down-to- earth personality and his love for the community he served. Bob married Deloris White (Tudy) on September 18, 1960 in Neosho, MO. ey had three children: Elaine, Robert and Betsy. ey celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2010. She died on April 15 of last year. A major talent and a kind and generous neighbor, Bob will be missed for a long time in his hometown of Powell. Pineville Remembering a local legend: Robert Bartlett "Bob" Brumley 2021 McDonald county Directory | 9 We offer professional legal counsel and representation for criminal and civil cases, family law, wills, trusts, probate and more. We can also help if you are facing bankruptcy. We are a debt relief agency, helping people to file under the bankrupcty code. 607 Main St., PO Box 128 • Pineville, MO 417-223-2890

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