Inducted 1985

J. R. “Pap” Baxter [1887 – 1960] was truly a pioneer in the development of Southern Gospel Music. Individually and through his partnership with V.O. Stamps, his impact on the growth of gospel music was far reaching. After an early career with the A. J. Showalter Company, he joined forces with fellow entrepreneur V. O. Stamps in 1926 and the pair created one of the most successful companies in the gospel music: the Stamps-Baxter Music Company in Dallas (Oak Cliff) Texas. The annualStamps-Baxter School of Music trained several generations of young people throughout the South in the fundamentals of composing and performing gospel music. Baxter helped to popularize gospel music across the country through the publication of shaped-note songbooks and by sponsoring Stamps-Baxter Quartets in many Southern states.