Boys recorded the song in 1973 and charted the song in the top 40. After Huffam’s release, “Gone” became a classic Southern Gospel song and has been recorded by countless groups. Huffam remained with Canaan Records through the end of 1981. It was during this time he returned to Skylite Records recording a between-contract project in 1978. With Canaan, his string of hit songs continued with “Gone,” “Heavenly News,” “I’m Rich,” “John the Revelator,” “Living In The Light Of God,” “Oh What a Sunrise,” and “Wait ‘Til You See My Brand New Home.” The Group’s recording of “John The Revelator” on the Cookin’ album became another of the group’s most popular songs. Their stage delivery of this song captivated Southern Gospel fans, young and old alike. The album also featured “He’s Everything To Me,” and “Just In Time.” Teddy was like the Kingsmen in many ways. His live recordings were stellar and captured the intensity of the concert and his relationship with the concert family. Teddy Huffam and the Gems recorded another live album in 1979 titled Standing Room Only. The listener was treated to rousing renditions of “Rock My Soul” and “Can’t Nobody Do Me Like Jesus.” The album also contained one of the best versions of the Southern Gospel classic, “Stepping on the Clouds.” During this time, it also became a tradition for Teddy Huffam and the Gems to close out the National Quartet Convention on Saturday night each year. Folks would stick around and in usual fashion, the group would bring the house down. It was Teddy’s night for sure.
Hallelujah Supper Club in Newton, NC. That Friday night performance sold out in just a few days of the announcement. Fans packed the supper club enjoying an up-close and intimate concert with Teddy and The Gems. People began asking for “Gone,” “John The Revelator,” “Stepping On the Clouds,” and “Wait ‘Til You See My Brand New Home,” when they came in the door. For over two hours, Teddy and the Gems delivered a soul-stirring concert that had people clapping; standing ovations woven with praise and heartfelt worship. Over the years, the fans’ demand required two nights of performances at the supper club. Both Friday and Saturday night would sell out several times each year. Those concerts continued until Teddy came off the road in 1990. In those 11 years, only a limited number of artists consistently had the draw power to fill as many as 10 yearly concerts in a supper club setting. Teddy was a first and held the benchmark for many years. In the ‘80’s through 1990, Huffam recorded for other labels including Bread of Life Records, New Dawn Records, Morningstar Records and Horizon/ Pinnacle Records. In 1990, he came off the road. It was a loss to his countless fans and friends. His death in 1991 was the end of a trend setter and true Southern Gospel artist, touched with a little soul. Teddy always had the Gems working the stage. All were friends and loved their music performances. William Anderson and Gary Shelton spent the most time with Teddy Huffam going back to the group’s start. Clyde Wilson, Jerome Jackson, James Jackson, Leon Brown, James Branch, Burton Lewis, Robert Cooper, Morgan Stevenson and Irvin Mayo toured with Huffam as The Gems over the years.
Teddy at the piano giving his rendition of “Gone.”
Gary Shelton and other former members of the Gems came together to record an album in 1994 titled Sail Away. The Gems even toured for a short time after Teddy’s passing.
In 1979, I booked Teddy Huffam to appear at the
In 1996, Horizon Records released a classic concert, originally recorded on video in 1990, titled Live Like