born joseph may in macon, mississippi, he was raised as a member of the church of god denomination in which all males are referred to as "brother". he sang with the little church out on the hills' senior choir and then the church of god quartet, building a reputation on the southern gospel circuit. he worked as a laborer in macon, before moving in 1941 with his wife viola and their children to east st. louis, illinois, where he was employed in a chemical plant.