GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame Member J Bazzel Mull passes away

GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame member Rev. J. (Jacob) Bazzel Mull (above, right) passed away on Sept. 5 while living at a nursing home in Knoxville, Tenn. He was 91. A preacher and southern gospel radio station owner, personality and promoter, Mull's career spans more than 60 years. He was inducted into the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1998.

Mull was born in Burke County, N.C., and as a child played the banjo in the Valdese Sacred Band, which was made up of his parents and siblings. He began preaching in 1939 and moved to Knoxville in 1942, where he began a radio program on radio station WROL-AM. He was later heard on WNOX-AM and produced his first gospel concert in 1943.

Mull and his wife, Elizabeth (above, left) went on to own several radio stations in east Tennessee and at the time of his death he was the owner of WJBZ Praise 96.3 in Knoxville. Mull and his wife also created the television program, "The Mull Singing Convention," which celebrated its 50th anniversary in August and is still broadcast in the Knoxville viewing area. On Sunday the couple would have celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary.

The funeral service will take place on Sept. 7 at 8 p.m. at Mortuary Mann Heritage Chapel in Knoxville. The family will receive friends earlier from 2-4 p.m. and 5-8 p.m. on Thursday at the chapel.