Inducted 2004

Harvey Lester has been credited for the expansion of Southern Gospel Music west of the Mississippi through the avenue of concerts. 

He and his family owned the Kingsland Theater in St. Louis, Missouri. In the early 1950's this venue became a favorite place for the groups of that day to appear including the Blackwood Brothers, Statesmen, Speer Family, and others. 

Radio and television also played an important role in the promotion of Gospel Music in the mid-west. The Lesters were one of the first groups to have a weekly radio and TV show. Their TV show, "The Lester Family Sings" aired on the St. Louis NBC affiliate for an unprecedented 27 years, helping to introduce Southern Gospel Music to a whole new audience. 

Harvey Lester was a kind, gentle man who had no enemies. As patriarch of The Lester Family you can still see his influence on the family's singing career that spans more than 8 decades.