top of page

The Gospel Ranger

This is the story of a song, “Ain’t No Grave Gonna Hold My Body Down.” It was written by a 12-year-old boy on what was supposed to be his deathbed. But the boy didn’t die. Instead, he went on to become a Pentecostal preacher, and later helped inspire the birth of rock & roll.

The boy’s name was Brother Claude Ely, and he was known as The Gospel Ranger.



We have generous support from The New York Council on the Arts, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, the Lily Auchincloss Foundation, the South Carolina Humanities Council, the Omer Foundation, and our community of listeners. Thank you. 

 

© 2025 by Radio Diaries. Powered and secured by Wix 

 

bottom of page