Ain’t No Grave was written by Rev Claude Ely in 1934. Claude Daniel Ely was born on July 22, 1922 and was the first born child to Daniel and Daisy (Cooper) Ely in Puckett’s Creek, Lee County, Virginia. At the age of 12, Claude contracted tuberculosis and was not expected to live long. While sick in bed Claude’s uncle gave him a Sear’s catalog ordered guitar. Claude had stated that his uncle brought in the guitar and laid it across his chest while he was sick in bed. He said that it was by the hand of God that his fingers began to play the chords and that a voice came in his mouth to sing. His family gathered around him and prayed for his healing one day. God wasn’t done with this young man just yet. Claude told his family he wasn’t going to die and he began singing a song he wrote in response to his death sentence, Ain’t No Grace Gonna Hold My Body Down. Claude received a miracle that day and he never stopped playing his guitar and singing from that day forward.
Claude's great-grandparents moved their family to the Appalachian region from Ely, England. Claude's dad, Daniel meet and married Daisy Cooper in 1920. They attended the Pucketts Creek Baptist Church which was the only church at that time. There was a Pentecostal movement sweeping through the Appalachian Mountains by 1921 and it was Daisy who had also grown-up Baptist, started going to these gatherings. She had attended one of their prayer meetings when she stated that God had put fire in her bones and she began to speak in tongues and hollering and dancing that alarmed Daniel so bad that he locked her in the house afraid he might catch whatever got ahold of her. It was at an all night prayer meeting while Daisy was testifying what God had done for her when the spirit fell on her again this time Daniel was filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak in tongues. It was just a few months later that Daniel and Daisy had their first child who they named Claude.
Claude had been given his death sentence by a doctor who told him he would not survive. Bro Claude Ely would later tell his story that a week later he felt the pains as they left his chest and body and he turned on his side and went to sleep. It was during this time that he was introduced to music as he heard someone playing a harmonica, he asked for it when they gave it to him he began playing music on that harp. His uncle ordered a guitar and gave it to him, God gave him the ability to play and sing. His family gathered around him in prayer and not only did Claude survive his death sentence he was healed. This was seen as a miracle by everyone in their region. It was through this time that God had given a 12 year old sick boy the words to one of the greatest songs that still to this day impacts the lives of so many believers, There Ain't No Grave Gonna Hold My Body Down.
Growing up Claude did not go to high school, and it is said that he couldn’t read better than first grader. In his late teens he went to work in the coal mines of Harlan Kentucky the place where his father was born. He worked the coal mines until he voluntarily joined the military on December 11, 1942, during World War II and served until December 1, 1945. It was during the war he began exchanging letters with a redhead named Rosey who was a sister to one of his friends. After the war ended in 1945, Claude went back to the coal mines of Kentucky. He married Rosey and by 1946 they had their first child. Returning back home Claude had been baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire and had felt the call of God to go full-time in the ministry but was worried about his new family and how he would support them. However, an accident at the coal mine that caused a cave to collapse where God rescued Claude once again from the grip of death as he was rescued. This convinced Claude that his life had been spared once again and by the spring of 1947 he had become an ordained minister at the Holiness Church in Stoney Fork, Kentucky that would begin his 30-year career in the ministry of spreading the gospel. He would go on to preach and sing his heart out throughout the region, held tent revivals, in barns, on local radio stations, and hosted a Sunday show called the Gospel Ranger Show in 1953. It is probably how he earned his nickname as the Gospel Ranger.That was the same year the King records recorded "Ain't No Grave" and helped Bro Claude copyright the song making him known as the first Pentecostal Singer to be recorded on an album. They recorded his live tent revivals and later an album. Even though he pastored several churches, he is best known for his holding revivals throughout the South then later across the country. He pastored churches in Grundy, Virginia, Florence, Kentucky, and for the last 13 years of his life he would pastor a church in Newport, Kentucky called Charity Tabernacle Church. It was on a Sunday at Charity Tabernacle Church on May 7, 1978, Bro Ely held a revival with evangelist Bro. Maynard Banks. Bro Banks called on Bro Ely to sing "Where Could I Go but to the Lord". While playing the organ and singing this song Bro Ely had a major heart attack halfway through the song and passed away in front of the packed out church house. Although he was taken from this world that day he sure left a legacy that many have followed till this day. Many people came to know the Lord and was filled with the Holy Ghost and Fire that had called this man into the ministry. That song is still known throughout Pentecostal Church's across the country and beyond. It holds a promise that There Ain't No Grave Gonna Hold this Body Down when Jesus calls us out of here to be with him in the clouds.
Back in the 90’s I had a cassette recorder and every Sunday I would record songs so I could play them in my car throughout the week. This song was one of my favorite songs in church. I heard Karen Wheaton sing this in a different version where the beginning was slower at first but then all of a sudden the hand clappen and foot stompen version kicked in. I would sing and play my pre-recorded cassette tape of this song while driven my 1989 Chrysler Laser with all the windows open. I don’t know how many times I rewound that tape just to play it over again. Music and singing has been therapy for me while dealing with my unimaginable life during that period of time. I am so thankful that God hand picked me to be where I am today and to know who He is and to know that I am a Child of the King.
YouTube Video's of Ain't No Grave Gonna Hold My Body Down
Claude Ely singing Ain't No Grave during one of his tent revivals that was recorded live. The whole version of that service can also be found on YouTube.
This is more of our version of singing this older song today.
Karen Wheaton's version of Ain't No Grave that I would record to play in my car.
