Autrey Hayes

Autrey Hayes, a native of Marshall County, Alabama, was noted since his teen age years for an outstanding Bass voice. He began to sing in Southern Gospel Groups, and to be affiliated with the Stamps-Baxter Music Company. He taught music theory, song composition, and voice in various singing schools through out his life. He composed nearly 100 songs, many which were published by Stamps-Baxter Music Company.

His longest association was with the POWELL-HAYES Quartet, featuring Autrey, his son, and Edwin Powell and his wife, Rosa Nell Speer Powell, (of the famous Speer family). A long and lasting friendship developed between them over the years. Autrey keep the group going, and even after the Powells moved to Tennessee.

Later, he sang with the KEYTONE quartet. Autrey was always know for his deep bass voice, and his clear tonal enunciation of his words; something he always stressed to his voice students. Among his students of latter years was James E. Reid, who composed over 150 published songs and was a minister of music in the Southern Baptist Convention in Alabama for nearly 30 years. Another student was Dr. Byron L. Reid, who composed over 200 published songs, and is currently, (2005), a music editor for Leoma Music Company of Leoma, Tennessee. (Dr. Reid has been elected to serve as President of the National Gospel Singing Convention for 2006, which will meet in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. This is the home of the Vaughan Publishing Company and the James D. Vaughan Museum. Also, Dr. Adgar Pace, long time Music Editor of the Vaughan company, was the First President of the National Gospel Singing Convention.)

Autrey Hayes impact on Southern Gospel Music will be around for years to come, and his contribution shall live on through his songs, and through his students.