TRACE FAMILY TRIO

TRACE, SYLVIA JUSTICE (1915-1989)
DeATLEY, DARLENE TRACE (1932-)
WESSEL, TEENA TRACE (1934-2016)

Proteges of deejay Tommy Sutton, the Trace Family Trio consisted of mother Sylvia and daughters Darlene and Teena, all natives of Scioto County, Ohio. They recorded three singles on their own Trace label, the best known of which was Trace 100, “The Lord Will Make a Way Somehow.” They got the record to Dayton deejay Tommy Sutton who promoted the record on his radio shows and was instrumental in securing a recording contract for the trio with King Records in Cincinnati. Between 1953 and 1959 they had sixteen sides released on King and Audio Lab which included “The Lord Will Make a Way Somehow”, “My Mother’s Tear-Stained Bible”, “I’ll Be No Stranger There”, “My Title To Heaven”, and “Heaven Will Surely be Worth It All.” They had a lasting influence on local and national gospel groups, including the three sisters in the Lewis Family, who admired their beautiful harmonies. Sylvia gained a reputation as a songwriter with many of her songs being recorded or performed by groups in the southern gospel tradition such as Howard and Vestal Goodman, Bill and Gloria Gaither, the Sego Brothers and Naomi, and the Speer Family. Unfortunately, Sylvia had a fall in 1962 which effectively ended their performing career.

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