Inspirations

The Inspirations are a Southern Gospel quartet whose ministry and music have left a steady mark on the genre. The group was formed in 1964 in Bryson City, North Carolina, by chemistry teacher Martin Cook and several of his students. Known for their distinctive Smoky Mountain style of quartet singing, the Inspirations became a full-time professional ensemble in 1969 and soon became regular cast members on the Gospel Singing Jubilee television program.

Founding members have been recognized for their contributions. Lead singer and tenor Archie Watkins was inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2007, while Martin Cook, who led the group until his retirement in 2017, received the same honor in 2003. Cook also received the Marvin Norcross Award in 2002. Over the course of their career, the Inspirations recorded more than sixty albums and sold over one million copies.

The Inspirations achieved their first number-one song on the Singing News chart in January 1970 with “Jesus Is Coming Soon.” That song joined a catalog that includes “Touring That City,” “When I Wake Up To Sleep No More,” “Jesus Is Mine,” “I’ll Not Turn My Back On Him Now,” “I Have Not Forgotten,” and “If You Only Knew.” The group has placed more songs on the Singing News Radio Top 40 Airplay Charts than any other gospel group and received twenty-three Singing News Fan Awards during the 1970s.

For over five decades, the Inspirations also hosted an annual festival known as “Singing in the Smokies,” drawing audiences to their mountain home. A retrospective collection titled Ageless Treasures captures key moments from their long recording history.