Richard & Gail Miller – “Richard & Gail Miller Sing the Gospel of Love”

The Sleeve:
 

The Liner/Sleeve Notes:
“Richard Miller and Gail Goodmon met the summer of 1967 at one of Richard’s personal appearances in an evangelistic service, in Memphis, Tennessee. Miss Goodmon did not say a word to Richard at that time; as a matter of fact, she was with another guy! However, the Lord had His hand in their meeting at the samce place, and brought Richard back to the same BAPTIST BIBLE FELLOWSHIP church for a week’s revival. Miss Goodmon and her family were faithful to services every night, and this time the Lord put them “on speaking terms.” They began to come to know eachother by writing and telephone conversations after Richard left the meeting, and it was during this time that Gail surrendered her life to the mission field. They only saw each other when Richard’s travels would take him through Memphis, and on one such occasion, May 3, 1968, Richard stuttered and stammered and asked Miss Goodmon to become Mrs. Richard Miller. He had a convertible as her personal car then (and a 24-foot WINNEBAGO Motor Home in which his travels were made), so Richard laughs and says his convertible was what persuaded Gail to marry him. Of course, it was quite a decision to make, but Gail says this was the man God wanted her to have, so “there was no decision to make.” A person does not always seek the Lord’s will in such matters, however, and the fact that Gail did so is evidence of her relationship with God. “We would like to thank Bill Monroe and Bobby Clarke on the staff of The Indianapolis Baptist Temple and Herman Morrison of BAPTIST BIBLE COLLEGE, Springfield, Missouri, for their background work on this album. All of the songs have the word “LOVE” in them. With so much love between Richard & Gail, how much more God must love the world to give His only begotten Son so man who believes in Him should not perish…”
 God is also a God of righteous judgement, as Hebrews 9:27 says “It is appointed unto man once to die, and then the judgement.” We will stand before this One who will not be a God of Love then, but God the Judge, and give an account of every idle word and deed – just what we’ve done with His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. At that moment we will be eternally seperated from God for our rejection of Christ, or we wiill “…enter into the joys of the Lord.”
These will be on seperate occasions, 1007 years apart. But no there would have been no substitute for our sins had it not been for this God of Love.

 Richard Dale Miller was born November 28, 1942 in Dallas County, Texas, without hands and feet. Yet he plays the organ and guitar, many songs on this album with the organ and a guitar instrumental. This is a God-given talent, as he has formal music or voice lessons. Richard has written many songs, putting the words to the verse of “IT WAS LOVE” on this album.
He is a 1966 graduate of The University of Texas, receiving a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree, training in Law School. Richard was saved while a Senior, at age of 20, using the guitar in country-western music. The government does not consider him handicapped for assistance.

 Wanda Gail Miller was born November 24, 1950 in Memphis Tennessee, normal both physically and mentally. She is 5’0″, weighing 85 lbs., formerly a happy Goodmon. Gail is a 1968 graudaute of Westwood High School in Memphis, saved when she was six years old. Richard and Gail were married August 10, 1968, and she travels with Richard to all his evangelistic meetings. They are the parents of a perfectly normal little girl born November 30, 1969.
“After graduation I planned to enter Business School as a 2nd-year student. However, in December of 1967 I felt the Lord was calling me to some type of mission work. Later Richard asked me to share his life, and with all my heart I believe his ministry is my mission field.””

Personal Review:
 So, Richard Miller, Little Richard Miller – Born Without Arms or Legs. Richard has recorded so many albums (Or so the Internet tells me, I’ve personally only seen a few, Most of which I own. I’m only missing two.) This is one of his two KNOWN duet albums, this one is recorded with his wife, Gail. (The other, recorded in 1973, with Glenda Lee Day “Dixie Echoes (’66)”)

 Anyways, onto the music. So, the A-Side opens with the Track “Because He Loves Me” which is him and his wife, singing, I find she doesn’t appear on the the LP as much as she should, but that is something I find quite common with well known Gospel singers who record duets with their wives, (Seen it on “Unity” by Ken & LuAnn Snyder, as well as “Chuck & Enid” by Chuck & Enid Olson.) Anyways, I do find this album to be a stronger vocal point for Richard as compared to “Jesus Use Me“, “Richard Miller Sings and Plays Gospel Favorites” (Which is basically ‘Jesus Use Me‘) and “The Assassination of JFK“. So, from what history tells us, Richard has a God-given talent to play instruments even with a lack of arms, legs and vocal/instrumental training, but yet he does both so very well. It can be heard in the instrumentals of this LP. I do enjoy the track on the A-Side called “Heavenly Love”, it’s an upbeat track which is just a solo by Richard, the song “For God So Loved” is mainly Gail singing, Richard is there, but not as prominent as in the other tracks, so you get to hear Gail’s vocal talents, now I’m unsure whether or not Gail had any vocal or music training, but I do know, she does have a great voice for Southern Gospel.
Flip that record baby, we’re on the B-Side now! The B-Side opens with some heavy organ playing and it goes into the traditional Southern Gospel tone. My Favorite track is Richard Miller’s rendition (and I do mean his rendition as he did re-write some of the lyrics) “A Crippled Boy’s Prayer (To a God of Love)”, I find that Richard really gets the song across on a meaningful level, and expresses his feelings well in the lyrics. It’s followed by the organ instrumental by Richard titled “Love Lifted Me” – which in my opinion is another strong point.
Anyways, time for personal reflection to the album! I saw this on eBay some time ago, and it was going for only $15.99! Wow! (Of course, with my poor luck – I didn’t get it for that) in the final moments of bidding I was outbid, but luckily for me, the buyer cut me a deal and sold me it for $70! 😀
Yaaaaay!~

Track Listing:
A1 – Because He Loves Me
A2 – It Was Love
A3 – All That I Am Because of God’s Love
A4 – When God Dips His Love In My Heart
A5 – Heavenly Love
A6 – For God So Loved

B1 – So Many Reasons Why I Love the Lord
B2 – Love is Why
B3 – A Crippled Boy’s Prayer to a God of Love
B4 – Love Lifted Me (Organ Instrumental)
B5 – Love Held Him to the Cross
B6 – The Love of God

Interesting Fact:

Gail Miller, wife of Richard. Beautiful.

Label:
MGN Records

Catalog Number:
TEI-1232

Studio Musicians & Other Album Credits:
None Listed.

Other Albums I Own by Richard & Gail Miller:
None.

Other Albums I Own That Richard Miller Appears On:
“Jesus is On My Side / The Assassination of John F. Kennedy”
“Jesus is On My Side / I Know the Lord Will Make a Way for Me”
“Jesus Use Me”
“The Many Voices of Richard Miller”
“Richard Miller Sings and Plays Gospel Favorites”

Released:
197?

Related Vinyls:

The Singing Post Family – “The Family Bible” S.W.G.M.A. Favorites Vol. I The Total Victory Trio – “He Must Have Loved Me” Ray Harris & the Crusaders of Illinois – “Moments to Remember”