William H. Rayborn

William H. (Bill) Rayborn, is an American church music leader who lives in Grapevine, Texas.

Early life

William Howard (Bill) Rayborn was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on July 29, 1935 and attended Will Rogers High School where he was a member of the band and the choir, photographer for the yearbook, photographer and reporter for Tulsa School Life and the president of the school Photography Club. He participated in several MusicAL presentations as well as being in the junior class play.

He is the son of Jesse and Gertie Rayborn. Rayborn spent his early years on a small farm outside Tulsa at 1200 North Garnett Road. His father was Transportation Manager of Tidewater Oil Company in downtown Tulsa. After his father's heart attack the family moved closer to his father's work spending his high school years at their home at 734 South Oswego Avenue.

At age 8, he accepted Christ as his personal Savior shortly after his father had told him how Jesus wanted him to trust Him. A few weeks later he make his decision public at Calvary Baptist Mission (now Calvary Baptist Church) and was baptized shortly thereafter at First Baptist Church, Tulsa ...since the young "mission" church did not have a baptistry.

Rayborn's three sisters, Jewel, Marjorie and Wilma were considerably older than he and the younger sister, Wilma, used to brag that she had helped raise "Billy."

His father, Jesse, died in 1957 while Bill was in college and his mother, Gertie, died in 1980. All three of his sisters have also passed away.

University

Rayborn is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, Oklahoma with a BME (Bachelor of Music Education) Degree with a major in voice and minors in photography and journalism. He was a member of the nationally known Bison Glee Club for five years and was an officer in that organization for four of those years. He was a reporter and photographer for the university school paper and photographer for the year book, The Bison.

Church service

After college Bill served churches in MO, South Carolina, Texas, Kansas and California as Minister of Music. He was vice president and president-elect of South Carolina ministers of music. During his service at First Baptist Church, Nederland, Texas he had one of the largest choral programs in the state of Texas with a youth choir with an enrollment of over 130 young people. During that time he was asked to premiere several youth musicals at a time when they were extremely popular.

Church Music Industry

He was hired by Word Music of Waco, Texas, the nation's largest Christian record and music company, to be their first Director of Record Promotion. During that time his responsibilities led him to friendship with Andrae' Crouch, one of the top Christian artists at that time. Crouch was in need of leadership in his California office and Rayborn moved to Southern California to run the office of Andrae' Crouch & the Disciples.

His work with Crouch led him to organize The Rayborn Agency. He served as booking agent for such artists as Andrae Crouch, Walter Hawkins, Edwin Hawkins, Kathie Epstein (Kathie Lee Gifford), Billy Preston, Paul Johnson, Lympic and Rayburn and many others.

Bill then became Vice President of Christian Artists Corporation and was responsible for the planning and administration of the first three years of Christian Artists Music Seminar held each summer at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, Colorado.

Rayborn then served as Director of Music Publications for Tempo Music in Kansas City. While there he began the music review program Music in Review and was the Tempo Music leader in nationwide Church Music America Music Sessions involving 13 major Christian music publishers.

From Kansas City, he moved to the Dallas, Texas area where he was hired to serve as Vice President of MSI Press which owned Crescendo Music Service, Music in ReviewandMyriad Music Service, three discount music product buying services. At that time these three buying services were the largest discount music sales outlet in the nation.

Magazine Publisher

In 1984 he began 'The Church Music Report', a newsletter and later magazine for church musicians which is today one of the leading sources of information for church musicians and worship leaders.

Beginning in January, 2008 he is launching a new digitally Delivered on-line magazine to be known as JUBAL after the Old Testament character who invented the harp. (Genesis 4:21) http://www.jubalmagazine.com Jubal is a free publication for church music and worship leaders.

Family

Rayborn has two daughters; Gayle Reynolds of Colleyville, Texas and Brenda Anderson of Southlake, Texas.
Gayle is married to Duane Reynolds. They have two children; Alyson and Bethany.
Brenda is married to Scott Anderson. They have two children; Ian and Emma

External links

To learn more AbOUT TCMR Enterprises, Inc go to: *TCMR Enterprises To learn more about Jubal Music and Worship Magazine go to http://www.jubalmagazine.com