Promises
Prisoner of Love
I've Learned to Lean on the Lord
Dottie Rambo Speaks About Former Governor Jimmie Davis
During the early 1960's Dottie and Buck along with the Gospel Echoes were singing and traveling to churches across the country. Dottie wrote songs, sang and played her guitar. However, she hadn't gained national prominence yet in the gospel music field, not until then Louisiana governor Jimmie Davis began to learn about Dottie. It was sometime in the early 60's that governor Jimmie Davis was in a concert with the Happy Goodman Family. They were singing some of Dottie's songs entitled, "There's Nothing That My God Can't Do." Governor Davis inquired of the Goodmans about the songs they were singing. He was wondering where they learned those songs. It was there that the Goodmans proceeded to tell her of Dottie Rambo, who at the time was living around Dawson Springs, Kentucky. The Goodmans at the time were living in Madisonville. They lived not too far a distance from the Rambos. It was through that exchange that governor Davis had his secretary Chris to call Dottie at the Rambo's house one Sunday afternoon. Chris, the governor's secretary asked for Dottie Rambo. She said, "This is Dottie." He stated that he was calling because governor Davis wanted to speak to Dottie about some of the songs she had been writing. Following that introduction Dottie replied, "And I'm the first lady." Chris said he could tell she wasn't believing him. He persuaded Dottie that the governor really wanted to speak with Dottie over the phone. So he asked her where she would be at 8:00 p.m. that evening. She told them she would be at the Rambo's house. She gave them their number and she also gave them her pastor's number, Bro. Jimmy Russell. A few hours later on a nice summer evening, governor Davis called Dottie at 8:00 p.m. on the dot. He told her that he was interested in her songs and that he would like to arrange for her to fly to the governor's mansion in Louisiana. Governor Davis wanted to know where the closest airport was located and that he would arrange for her flight to Louisiana. This would be the first airplane trip for the Rambo family. Little did Dottie recognize that in years to come she would fly to a number of other places.
As Dottie made preparations to fly to Louisiana she bought herself a $12 dollar dress and $12 dollar shoes. She wanted to make a great impression for the governor since this trip was a chance in the lifetime for the Rambos. She felt it was of the utmost importance that Dottie give her best in front of the governor. Dottie said she told the Lord if what's taking place is true she would play whatever part she could concerning her gift and she prayed the Lord would use it in a special way. She said she never tried to promote or push her songs because she didn't know where to push it to. However, she was willing to be used in the capacity the Lord was willing to use her. I don't know the year that they flew to the governor's mansion in Louisiana but I do know it was in the early 60's. The Rambo family arrived at the governor's mansion. She played her guitar for the governor and he made an agreement to publish her songs. He gave her $3000 dollars to publish her songs, more money than what she had seen in her life. She and Buck didn't own much to their name in those days. They worked day jobs to make ends meet. They lived in a run-down trailer. As a part of the agreement that governor Davis made with Dottie in publishing her songs he obtained a writer's share in the songs that was published. In other words, both of their names were on the published songs on the sheet music. However, Dottie admitted that the governor didn't write any of the songs that was published. It was part of a writer's share agreement. One of Dottie's published songs that governor Davis would eventually sing was "One More Valley."
When Dottie songs started to be published, others in the gospel music industry began taking notice. They took an interest in her songs. They wanted to record an entire album of the songs she had written. To many of the musicians in the southern gospel music field back then, the difference between recording a good album vs. a great album depended upon how many of Rambo's songs were recorded on that album. It was during the early 1960's that Warner Brothers had approached the Gospel Echoes to record a couple of albums for them. The Gospel Echoes recorded two albums with them, but it wasn't very successful. Warner Brothers liked Dottie and asked would she be willing to record a different type of music such as folk music (like Peter Paul and Mary did), for example. They also wanted Dottie to sing rhythmn and blues. The Warner Brothers didn't have any experience much with gospel music. The Rambos declined because gospel was their first love. On part 8 next Sunday I'll speak about how Reba, their daughter started singing with the family.
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