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  Hollywood is mourning the death of television icon Johnny Carson, who hosted NBC's Tonight Show from 1962 to 1992. A lifelong smoker, the 79-year-old comedian died of emphysema at his Malibu home on Sunday morning, January 23, 2005, surrounded by his wife Alexis and other family members. Several Hollywood legends such as Ed McMahon, Dyan Cannon and Merv Griffin have surfaced on the talk circuit to remember Carson. Many people are remembering how many comedians such as Bill Cosby, Joan Rivers and Jerry Seinfeld got their start on Carson's Tonight Show. However, Carson also introduced some of our favorite gospel artists to a larger, mainstream audience.Among the dramatic gospel artists to appear on the show were Mahalia Jackson and The Clara Ward Singers, who both made frequent appearances in the 1960's and early 1970's. Carson enjoyed showcasing a diverse selection of people on the show. He had ministers such as the Rev. Billy Graham discussing faith, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. talking up civil rights and Rev. Howard Finster expounding upon gardening. Seventies siren Lola Falana, who is now an evangelist, appeared on the show 58 times back in the day and often talked of her faith during her appearances. Word Records artist Ethel Waters would reminisce about performing at Billy Graham crusades or her early career as a blues singer. Then, there would be Pat Boone on the couch reading Proverbs from the Bible while the host made humorous facial gestures. Gospel legend Edwin Hawkins first appeared on The Tonight Show on February 9, 1971 on the heels of the Edwin Hawkins Singers ' million-selling crossover smash, "Oh, Happy Day." The group was doing so much press in those days, everything from Dick Clark 's American Bandstand to network TV specials, that the whole period was a blur for the singer. "I was very shy then myself," Hawkins says of performing on the show and meeting Carson. "I remember sitting down on the sofa and talking with Johnny. It was brief. The bigger you were, the more time he spent talking to you. But, he was very pleasant and it helped expose us to a larger audience." It can be said that Carson's show basically picked gospel artists once they had achieved the apex of popularity within the gospel community. Virtually all of the gospel artists who had ever appeared on the show were already household names within the church community but the show was the conduit through which they were introduced to the society at large. Amy Grant was riding the wave of her breakthrough hit "El Shaddai" when she sang "Stay Awhile" on the show in 1986. Sandi Patty sang her anthemic gospel songs on three occasions in the late 1980s. Although, Al Green, had performed on the show as an R&B singer in the 1970s; many fans did not know that he had become a pastor and a gospel-recording artist until he started singing gospel tunes on the Carson show. After Michael W. Smith 's "Place in the World" hit the Billboard Hot 100, he performed the song on the show in 1991. One of the artists who was able to spend more relaxed time with Carson was the godfather of modern gospel, Andrae Crouch. He and his group, The Disciples, first performed on the Carson show on June 27, 1972. On that evening, the group sang "You Don't Know What You're Missing Until You've Met the Lord." It was a good night. "Johnny was very friendly and didn't make us feel uncomfortable at all," Crouch recalls. "He knew that gospel wasn't at the top of the charts but he could see that gospel was a fresh form of music that was beginning to get more notice. His people were very cordial and we got to know them all through the years. Johnny didn't hang out with you before you went on because he wanted that spontaneity of the moment to happen after you played. When we first met him, he seemed shy in a way but once you met him one to one, he was very friendly."  Where as most artists, gospel or pop, would jump hoops to have the chance to perform on The Tonight Show: Crouch was often invited; but rarely had the time to appear. "We were invited back many, many times," Crouch giggles. "Every time they called to book us, we were always on the road. We were just never around." Eventually, Crouch's schedule eased up enough for him to make two more appearances on the show in 1986 when he sang songs such as "Right Now" and "Got Me Some Angels." A high-profile spot on the program brought instant prestige. "It gave us clout but we still had to work for our reputation," Crouch recalls. "There were some people that said that they were upset that I didn't sing `Jesus is the Answer.' You still have people that think you need to hit people with Jesus, but I've always felt like I should be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove and just take a good message to the audience. In my mind, I didn't think I could go in and shoot everybody down that didn't love the Lord." Perhaps, the best gospel performances for a mainstream audience are those, which share the Good News without evangelizing. When people hear the words, they can understand the message behind the verses. One of Carson's favorite guests was Broadway star Linda Hopkins who sang for Carson at least 30 times. While she often sang standards, she also sang gospel tunes such as "Shake A Hand" and "It's My Belief." There were other gospel high-points on The Tonight Show during the Johnny Carson years. On March 10, 1989, The Winans and Thelma Houston sang, "Lean on Me" from the film of the same name. In October 1990, Take 6 sang "I L-O-V-E U" and "So Much 2 Say" to the utter delight of the crowd. Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Mavis Staples joined BeBe & CeCe Winans for their reprisal of The Staple Singers ' classic "I'll Take You There" on the September 24, 1991 episode. Crouch points out a Carson fact that many people don't know. "He owned the show Amen [that starred Sherman Hemsley and Clifton Davis and ran on NBC 1986-1991]," he says. "So, when it was suggested that I do the theme music for the show, Johnny was very pleased because of my past work. Contrary to some of the people who have tried to evaluate him, most of them would tell you that he would alienate you and be reclusive. But, at different functions we had for the `Amen' show, Johnny would drop in and be friendly with everybody. He didn't stay long but he would come around the set and he was always very conversational." That warm feeling is what endeared millions to Carson's shtick every night for three decades. "I loved Johnny Carson," says Neily Dickerson, owner of Church Howse Music and The ND Co.. "We shared the same birthday. I'm so devastated. You don't know how many nights I'd stay up watching that show and be all tired and late going to school." Dickerson never got to meet Carson, but she did get to visit the set where Carson once taped his show. It was when she was the radio promoter for Kirk Franklin & the Family 's groundbreaking crossover single "The Reason Why We Sing" in 1995. It was Franklin's first performance on the show under Carson's successor, Jay Leno. Just being in the building where Carson worked, gave Dickerson goose bumps. "I think the Tonight Show picked up where Arsenio Hall left off because they took a chance with Kirk Frankin and Yolanda Adams," she says. "There wasn't an outlet for gospel music when Arsenio went off. I know that Jay Leno was influenced by Johnny Carson to try new artists. They gave some good gospel artists respect. That's what Johnny Carson used to do. That's how I first saw Jim Carrey, Whitney Houston and many others there. He was always very encouraging. It was like I met them as they appeared on the show. I always felt l was right there with them." Email This To A Friend
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