Marion Wesley Easterling (March 12, 1910 - December 10, 1989) was an American music composer in the genre of southern gospel who claimed he had written around 300 songs.^[1] His compositions include "When I Wake Up To Sleep No More", "Lord Lead Me On", "Standing By The River", "Rainbow Of Love", and "When He Reached Down His Hand For Me".^[1]

Biography

Marion Wesley Easterling was born in Chilton County, Alabama on March 12, 1910.^[1] He attended the public schools in Chilton County and then attended various music schools including the Vaughan School of Music.^[1] He also took correspondence courses from New York and Chicago to further his musical education.^[1] His first song to become a hit was "Lord Lead Me On" written in 1937.^[1] Other hit songs written by Easterling include "Standing By The River", "Rainbow Of Love", "When He Reached Down His Hand For Me", and "When I Wake Up To Sleep No More".^[1] In 1938, Easterling was the youngest composer to sign a five year contract with Stamps-Baxter Music Company.^[1]

Easterling also brought gospel music through the media of radio to Chilton County.^[1] He hosted a morning gospel show "America's Favorites" on WKLF radio station in Clanton, Alabama.^[2] His first broadcast was on December 2, 1947^[1] and it became the nation’s longest continuously-running daily Gospel radio program.^[2] He was awarded the Broadcast Media Gospel Award in 1976.^[1] On April 17, 1986 Easterling was recognized on the U.S. Senate floor in a tribute by Alabama Senator Jeremiah Denton.^[3] Easterling died December 10, 1989 in a Birmingham, Alabama hospital and is buried in Martin Memorial Cemetery in Clanton, Alabama.^[4]