SHOUT! Black Gospel Music Moments - “The Non-Violent Man,” by Bill Spivey and the Sons of Truth

Born in 1930, Bill Spivey was a legendary performer, songwriter and DJ in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, where he spent his entire life. In 1959, Spivey, then with the Friendly Brothers, had a mid-sized hit with the gospel song “Operator,” about a phone call to heaven. However, in 1975, the a cappella group Manhattan Transfer recorded their own version of “Operator” and it was a smash.

Spivey’s only other song to gain national recognition came in the late 1960s with the vibrant “The Non-Violent Man,” recorded by Bill Spivey and the Sons of Truth for the tiny Dee-Jay label. “Non-Violent Man,” a tribute to the late Dr. Martin Luther King, still pops up from time to time in R&B and gospel compilations.

I’m Robert Darden … “Shout! Black Gospel Music Moments” is produced by KWBU and the Black Gospel Music Preservation Program at Baylor University Libraries.

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