Born in Waxahachie, Texas, Sister Jessie Mae Renfro is an important figure in gospel music. When she signed with the powerful Peacock label in 1951, she was their first and only female gospel singer and remained that way until 1963. She recorded numerous hits for Peacock, most notably “He’s So Wonderful,” which stayed on the “Billboard” charts for three years and brought her to the attention of Mahalia Jackson... and the two often performed together.
Renfro was one of the many widely traveled “singing evangelists” of the Church of God in Christ until she married the Rev. J.R. Sapp in 1952 and moved to Oklahoma City, where she remained the most influential gospel singer in Oklahoma until her death in January 1996. “He’s So Wonderful” is a great example of Renfro’s gift for singing slow bluesy gospel songs with passion and conviction.
MUSIC: (2542) Sister Jessie Mae Renfro, “He’s So Wonderful,” 45 (Oct. 19, 2025) 3:09 minutes
I’m Robert Darden … “Shout! Black Gospel Music Moments” is produced by KWBU and the Black Gospel Music Preservation Program at Baylor University Libraries.