When Vestal Goodman passed away of complications from the flu in late 2003, one of the last vestiges of a great dynasty of inspirational music was gone. Her husband, Howard, longtime singing partner and founder of the Happy Goodman Family, had died two years earlier. The Goodman pair, often joined by Howard's brothers and sisters, carried the message to the multitudes for well over 50 years. However, it was when they were taken into the gargantuan gospel universe of Bill and Gloria Gaither that Howard and Vestal Goodman's music reached millions.
In 2004, Bill and Gloria Gaither commemorated the duo's life's work in A TRIBUTE TO HOWARD & VESTAL GOODMAN, a collection of some of the Goodmans' greatest moments on the Gaithers' stage. Included on this record are the Happy Goodman classics "I Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey" and "I Believe He's Coming Back." The love between the Goodman couple and their mutual love for the Lord shines through throughout the album; they shared a passion for music of salvation, and this tribute captures their spirit.
