I love this song because the Lord saved me from my sin. I remember being all hooked on drugs, in and out of mental hospitals, living in immorality and on my way to hell. But my Savior the Lord Jesus saved me, set me apart from that lifestyle and opened heaven for me. I'll never forget being baptized back in 1981. God has been faithful to me over the years and has brought me to Himself. BB
Written by Dallas Frazier and Sanger D. Shafer in 1973. First recorded by Russell and many more recorded it after. They used another name in the song as the real fellow didn't want to be remembered for his old ways. The name of his wife and son was also changed. This was on Cedar Creek in Franklin County, Alabama. I've been to the real fellow's grave. Got this info from credible sources in the music industry who also recorded the song.
Always loved this song, too. The only word for grace, is Amazing. Isn't it a miracle, how God can take the worst of us, and clean us up, and make us worthy of His kingdom?!!!
In the 1970s I worked for WTHI radio, 1480 am in Terre Haute, Indiana. It was a rock and roll station up until November 1973, and the format was switched to country. At 5 pm one afternoon, the last rock song aired. I think it was by Black Oak Arkansas, the legal ID played, and the country format came in with "The Baptism of Jesse Taylor" by Johnny Russell. After it aired, the program director took the 45, had it spray painted gold, and put on a plaque marking the format switch. (Another copy of the song was placed in the music rotation.) That 45 on its plaque hung in the hallway for years.
Great song!! Reminds me of my early upbringing . Sitting on a hard wooden bench in a very small very poor Baptist Church. It was so long ago the church used the Trinity River between Dallas and Irving for baptising. These days it might be a bit to polluted.
I really love this song!! I hate to see people put this talented guy down just with the words typed In the comments, I love both versions. Everyone who sang this song, including this fine fellow in the video, did a great job!! When I first heard this song in church, it made me cry. It doesn't matter who sings it, the lyrics is the thing that matters in this song.
This song only reached #14 in 1974. It's hard to believe except for the fact that there was so much good music back then. If this were recorded today it would have to make #1.
I remember listening to this song at like 7 with my dad and I ask Jesus for forgiveness and said that I can’t run my life by myself and he reached out to me and I’m a whole lot better person now I love this song ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
I LOVE YOUR SONGS♥ I grew up riding in my Dads cattle truck listening to these sons IM 56years old now♥ So brings back GOLDEN MEMORIES SINCERLY CINDY CACHE OKLA.
Johnny Russell was a good feller, he was good people, so nice , how could you not like him ? Good singer/entertainer also & almost always smiling & he took jokes about his weight in jest front show hosts which I'm not sure I could have done if I were him
@BigBob76331 There are Cedar Creeks in Missouri, Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick. I think it's a franchise, like McDonalds. So go to your friendly neighborhood Cedar Creek and get baptized. Tell 'em Jesus sent ya.
But this song refers to Franklin County.... probably in Alabama. There is a Cedar Creek in Franklin County, Alabama. I had a great uncle named Jesse Taylor who lived in Franklin County, Alabama. His wife was named Nancy!And from the stories I have heard he was a wild one...a real rounder!! Was Johnny writing about him? I have always wondered.
Joe Spencer there is a Franklin County Virginia too......Moonshine Capital of the World!! Google it. Anyway there are many , many, men like Jesse Taylor there and many, many mountain church's for the Lord Jesus to save a man like Jesse Taylor in......There's also a Cedar creek......It could be y'all....Or us!! Whichever it is its in the South (Bible Belt) and Its a great song!! Have a good un!!
By all accounts I have EVER heard,yes that would be the where and who,your great uncle was a real hell raiser at one time,,it started with everyone saying the name had actually been changed and then the true truth came out that it was him and that was where it was at...Jesse I reckon had really truly put his past behind him and gave himself whole heartedly to the LORD,,AMEN AMEN AMEN!!!!!!
That what I thought. That's a damn shame. There are less derserving people in there! It is sad that they couldnt have seen fit to honor him before he passed.
My Aunt always swore this was about a Jessie Taylor from Franklin Co., NC - baptized outside Louisburg in Cedar Creek - whether this is true or not I have no idea
TJ McDaniels The Gaither Vocal Band did it too. I hadn't realized that they weren't the first to do it until I found this recording. I like the Oak Ridge Boys version best however.
When I was growing up my family,friends and I went to Nashville every year to the Grand Ole Opry.A friend of my parents could pass as an identical twin to Johnny Russell.One time at Opryland someone wanted his autograph and called him a liar when he said that he wasn't Johnny Russell.We always tried to get him to go down front at the Opry and take Russell's picture.We couldn't talk him into it though.
Same happened to me 9 years ago. Satan lost a guy who openly laughed at Christians on the baseball teams I worked for, and told them they were all wasting their time when they could be drinking, cussing and having a rowdy good time. God saved my soul, worthless though it would be without his grace.
