Inducted 2008

Mr. Presley was particularly proud of the fact that he studied Hymnology with James Rowe, who was the author of 25,000 poems, including that great hymn, "Love Lifted Me". 

At the age of 18, he taught his first singing school and also wrote his first song. It was published by the Showalter-Patton Company in 1907. From the time he began teaching, evangelistic singing, and writing songs, he taught approximately 200 singing school and wrote approximately 1500 songs. Mr. Presley was associated with the Central Music Company of Little Rock, AR., for 14 years and the Hartford Music Company for two years. In 1930 he opened the Pangburn branch for the Stamps-Baxter Music and Printing Company of Dallas, Texas and served as the General Manager until shortly before his death in 1974 at the age of 87. In 1937,

Luther G. Presley penned the words and V.O. Stamps wrote the music to "When the Saints Go Marching In". This song was adopted by the New Orleans Saints football team as their theme song in the 1960s. The inspiration for his songs came from various experiences and events in his life. For instance Presley wrote "I’ll Have a New Life" after attending a Sunrise Easter Service in which the minister closed his resurrection message with the ringing declaration "I’ll have a new body, I’ll have a new life." Later that day he penned the song. He thought "I’d Rather Have Jesus" was his best song, however, several years after his death, "It’s Shouting Time In Heaven" has become one of the most popular songs heard on radio and TV and other media today having been used 4158 times in one quarter as reported by BMI.