Book excerpt: Ain't No Grave: The Life and Legacy of Brother Claude Ely is written as an oral, biographical history taken from the recorded interviews of over 1,000 people in the Appalachian Mountains who personally knew Brother Claude Ely in various phases of his life. Brother Claude Ely, coined as the King Recording Label's "Gospel Ranger" of the Appalachian Mountains, was well-known and loved by many in the earlier part of the twentieth century as both a religious singer/songwriter and a Pentecostal-Holiness preacher. Few people, however, knew the personal details of his childhood, military service, and years of hard work in the coal fields of Southwestern Virginia. Now, decades after his legendary death, many fans still seem mesmerized and touched by this humble man's quick wit and sincere desire to share the Gospel's "Good News" with everyone who would listen to his message of hope and love. - Jacket flap.