Henry Slaughter
| Henry Slaughter | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Henry Thaxton Slaughter |
| Born |
January 9, 1927 Roxboro, North Carolina |
| Genres | Southern gospel |
| Occupation(s) | pianist, singer, songwriter |
| Associated acts | The Weatherford Quartet, The Imperials, Bill Gaither |
Henry Thaxton Slaughter (born January 9, 1927) is an American southern gospel pianist, singer and songwriter. He has won five Dove Awards.
Since the 1940s with such memorable groups as the Stamps-Ozark Quartet, The Weatherford Quartet (1958–61), The Imperials (1964–66), and since the 1970s as Henry and Hazel Slaughter, including numerous appearances with Bill Gaither, the Gaither Praise Gatherings, and the Gaither Homecoming series.
Slaughter was born on a tobacco farm near Roxboro, North Carolina, to parents Moses "Chummie" and Lila Slaughter. At the age of seven Slaughter was able to take piano lessons. Until then, he had health issues, including a heart murmur and scarlet fever. After graduating from high school with honors, he attended the Stamps-Baxter School of Music in Chattanooga, Tennessee. After a few months there, he was called to join the Army in World War II.
In the 1940s, soon after being released from the Army, he was asked to join the Ozark Quartet as a singer. Six months later, he became the piano player for the group.
Along the way, he wrote numerous songs that are considered gospel classics, including "What a Precious Friend is He," “Lonely Mile”, “If The Lord Wasn't Walking By My Side” (recorded by Elvis Presley, on How Great Thou Art), and “I’ve Never Loved Him Better Than Today.” In 1965, the Imperials released a full album of his songs, called Slaughter Writes - Imperials Sing.
Slaughter married Hazel Myers in Laurel, Mississippi on December 22, 1952. Today, he and Hazel live in Tennessee. He continues to write his internationally acclaimed "I Remember" column for MyBestYears.com, featuring precious memories of the people and places during the past seven decades on the road as one of Gospel music's premier keyboard artists.
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