By his late teens he had been recruited by the Blackwood Brothers, the number-one gospel quartet in the world. In his mid-twenties while he was singing Christian songs with the Oak Ridge Quartet, Newton's mighty talent and movie-star looks took him deep into hedonism--reckless driving, heavy romancing, and addictive pill popping.

As 1950s rock 'n' roll began its invasion of gospel, he and two partners formed the Sons of Song, the first all-male gospel trio. Long before the pop sound claimed contemporary Christian music, the Sons of Song turned gospel upside down with histrionic harmony, high-styled tuxedos, and Hollywood verve. Their signature song, "Wasted Years," foreshadowed Newton's punishing fall.
This biography looks back at the destructive lifestyle that wrecked a sparkling career. When well into his sixties, Newton turned his life around and was able to confront his demons and discuss his prodigal days. He talked extensively with Russ Cheatham about his self- destruction and the great personal expense of his own bad-boy choices and late redemption.

In this candid biography, one of gospel's all-stars discloses a messed-up life that vacillated between achievement and failure, fame and infamy, happiness and grief.
Russ Cheatham is an associate professor and coordinator of the criminal justice program at Cumberland University. His work has been published in Bluegrass Unlimited and Music Row Magazine.
AUGUST, 6 x 9 inches, 16 b&w photographs, bibliography, index
ISBN 1-57806-552-6 unjacketed cloth, $50.00S
ISBN 1-57806-553-4, paper, $20.00T
American Made Music Series
BISAC BIO004000
MUS018000

Calvin Newton

" Bad Boy Of Gospel Music"

By: Russ Cheatham

         The Book / His Story

" The Book is out now,  and I could not be more excited about it !! "

I just wanted to add, I know I'm not alone when I tell you that Calvin made an impact on my life during the early 60s when my Dad, who sang in a gospel quartet in the hills of North Georgia / Tennessee, came home one day with an album by The Sons Of Song. I never got over it. When I tell you I know I'm not alone, I recently saw a hand written letter, unsolicited by Calvin from the President of MCA Records in Nashville, Tony Brown, who had a VERY similar experience at about the same time I did.

The Sons of Song were a special piece of music history. One of the best kept secrets of that era, they now seem to be RE-Discovered by a few people who will tell you in no uncertain terms just how great they were !! " You are working with Calvin Newton ?!!? " " Hes the Elvis Presley of Gospel Music !! " A comment made by a fan.  After my dad passed away in '84, I tried to find the album he'd brought home but it had somehow disappeared. I could not find another. I recently began to wonder just who these guys were, and began ( with the advent of the internet ), to try to locate any info I could about them. It was not as easy as you might think. However I did locate the founding member and lead vocalist of the group and called him up outta nowhere. We became instant friends.

Calvin is a special person, with a special gift, and I am honored to be his friend.

Danny Davenport

The Calvin Newton Story !!

"I messed up," Calvin Newton lamented, after wasting thirty years and doing time in both state and federal prisons for theft, counterfeiting, and drug violations.
"These were years of my life that I could have been singing gospel music."
During his prime, he was super-handsome, athletic, and charged with sexual charisma that attracted women to him like flies to honey. Atop this abundance was his astounding voice, "the voice of an angel."
This book is his prodigal-son story. Audacious, Newton never turned down a dare, even if it meant climbing on the roof of a speeding car or wading into a freezing ocean. As a boy boxer, he was a Kentucky Golden Gloves champ who k.o.'ed his opponent in twenty-three seconds.

University Press
Of Mississippi

" He's the ELVIS PRESLEY of Gospel Music !! "

Calvin Newton and his group the Sons of Song, in 1957 appeared with Mahalia Jackson in concert at East Tennessee State University.  This was the first racially integrated gospel concert ever in the state of Tennessee.  Mahalia Jackson never appeared with any other southern gospel group except the Sons of Song in her entire career.  She invited the Sons of Song to do a European tour with her, but her health failed and she was unable to make the trip.

Also, most of Calvins fans may not know about a "pop" record he did in 1961--"Just As You Are" and "Every Feeling I Have Is For You" on the flip side, which were recorded on the Scotty label, which was owned by Bill Lowery  in Atlanta.  Back-up singers included Ray Stevens and his wife.  Both songs were written by Cotton Carrier.  Carrier, Lowery and Stevens have all been inducted into the GA Music Hall of Fame where Calvin will surley be soon.

"Just As You Are" was sent to Dick Clark's American Bandstand by a DJ in Statesville, NC, Joe Price.  It was selected as one of the "regional hits" which Dick Clark played each week and had some of his "regulars" give scores to.  Cal's song got a 96 rating, one of the highest ratings they ever gave.