Grateful Dead Family Discography: Life's Railway To Heaven

Life's Railway To Heaven

Composer: Charles D. Tillman

Life's Railway To Heaven was performed by the Log Cabin Boys (Jerry Garcia, David Nelson, Sandy Rothman and Dan Healy) at the Grateful Dead Thanksgiving dinner in 1986.

Life's Railway To Heaven was probably adapted from an earlier poem by Charles Tillman who also wrote the music. Additional lyrics were written for the song by M.E. Abbey. On recordings credits are usually just Tillman or Tillman/Abbey. The song sometimes occurs with the title Life Is Like A Mountain Railroad.

Recordings

This list is not intended to be comprehensive.

no info Single (Life's Railway To Heaven / Somebody Bigger Than You And I), George Beverly Shea, 1953
no info Single (Life's Railway To Heaven / Will The Circle Be Unbroken), Jimmie Ballard, 1953
no info Single (Life's Railway To Heaven / Are You Facing The World Alone), Phyllis and Billy Holmes, 1955
no info Hour of Prayer, Jimmy Dean, 1957
I Saw The Light, Bill Monroe, 1958
no info A Friend We Have, Tennessee Ernie Ford With The Jordanaraires, 1959
no info Give The World A Smile, The Blackwood Brothers, 1959
no info Gospel Guitar, Billy Grammer, 1962
no info EP, Jimmie Williams, 1962
no info Blue Grass Gospel, Wear Family, 1963
no info EP (Dear God / He Will Do For You / Just A Closer Walk With Thee / Life's Railway To Heaven), Patsy Cline, 1963
no info Gospel Gems, Wesley Tuttle, 1963
no info Gospel Guitar, Billy Byrd With The Rangers, 1964
no info Mountain Ballads And Old Time Songs, Bradley Kincaid, 1964
no info Single (Fort Worth, Dallas Or Houston / Life's Railway To Heaven), George Hamilton IV, 1964
no info Preachin', Prayin', Singin': Gospel Revival Every Night, Various Artists (The Stoneman Family), 1964
no info Great Train Songs, Roy Acuff, 1965
no info Here's, Patsy Cline, 1965
no info The Sensational Oak Ridge Boys From Nashville Tennessee, 1965
no info We've Come This Far By Faith, J.T. Adams & the Men of Texas, 1966
no info My Altar, Jimmie Davis, 1966
no info I Do Believe, Burl Ives, 1967
no info EP, The Harmony Twins, 1967
no info With The Travelin' Blues, Mac Martin & the Dixie Travelers, 1968
no info Take Up Thy Cross, The Taylor Mountain Boys, 1968
no info The Deluxe Set, Tennessee Ernie Ford, 1968
no info A Profile of a Great Lady, Esther Ford, 1968
no info I'll Fly Away, Jean Shepard, 1969
no info The Ballad of Evergreen Blueshoes, Evergreen Blueshoes, 1969
no info Reach Out And Touch The Lord, Country Pardners, 1970
White Lightnin' Fresh Air, Ramsey and Ray, 1970
no info The Land Of Many Churches, Merle Haggard & The Strangers, 1971
no info The Folk Album, Tennessee Ernie Ford, 1971
no info A Dobro Dozen, Beverly King, 1971
no info Come One, Come All, The King's Countrymen, 1971
no info Singing On The Mountain, George Hamilton IV & Arthur Smith, 1973
no info Country Music Hall Of Fame, Patsy Cline, 1973
no info Country Sunday, Various Artists (Patsy Cline), 1973
no info Hymns By, Susan Raye, 1974
no info Family & Friends, Roy Clark & Family, 1974
no info Hey Mr. Daydreamer, Steve Eaton, 1974
no info Mother's Last Word, Carl Story & his Rambling Mountaineers, 1975
no info Stacked Deck, Amazing Rhythm Aces, 1975
no info Kentucky Bluegrass Preacher Man, Harold Austin, 1975
no info Absolutely Lewis, Lewis Family, 1975
no info King Of The 5-String Banjo, Raymond Fairchild, 1976
no info Harvest, Hubert Davis & the Season Travelers, 1977
no info Songs Of Inspiration, Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys, 1978
no info Single (Life's Railway To Heaven / If I Could See The World), Patsy Cline, 1978
no info When I Sing For Him, Porter Wagoner, 1979
no info Life's Railway To Heaven, Boyd Brothers, 1980
no info Super Pickin', Little Roy Lewis, 1980
no info The First Family In Country Music, The Stoneman Family, 1982
no info The Legend Goes On, The Statler brothers, 1982
no info He Took Your Place, First National Bluegrass, 1982
no info Sings Blueridge Bluegrass, Ricky Bryant, 1984
no info Favorite Old-Time Songs, Vol. 2, Bradley Kincaid, 1984
no info Jesus Makes Homecalls, Boxcar Willie, 1985
no info Fifty Years Of Bluegrass Hits 1, Various Artists (Donna Stoneman), 1985
no info The Sensational, Oak Ridge Boys, 1987
no info Family Bible, The Stonemans, 1988
Will The Circle Be Unbroken, Vol. 2, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, 1989
no info Hungry for Love: Her First Recordings, Vol 2, Patsy Cline, 1989
Bluegrass 1950-1958, Bill Monroe, 1990
no info The Best Of, Roy Acuff, 1991
no info The Patsy Cline Collection, Patsy Cline, 1991
no info Mercury Sessions: Unreleased Masters, Jerry Lee Lewis, 1991
no info Roadwork, Southern Rail, 1992
Jubilation: Great Gospel Performances, Vol. 3: Country Gospel, Various Artists (Patsy Cline), 1992
no info How Great Thou Art, Boxcar Willie, 1994
Mountain Music Collection, Vol. 3: Pictures from Life's Other Side, Various Artists (Donna Stoneman), 1994
Rhythm of the Mountains, Various Artists (Donna Stoneman), 1994
no info 1954-65, George Hamilton IV, 1995
no info Bluegrass From Heaven: The Essential Gospel Collection, Various Artists (Donna Stoneman), 1995
no info Family Bible, The Browns, 1996
no info On Radio, Vol. 4, Blue Sky Boys, 1997
Mystery Train: Classic Railroad Songs, Vol. 2, Various Artists (Patsy Cline), 1997
God Is Not Pleased, The Sensational Nightingales, 1998
no info Cross Picking, George Shuffler, 1998
no info Walkin' After Midnight: The Very Best of, Patsy Cline, 1998
The Old Dominion Masters, Jim & Jesse, 1999
Soul Dogfood, Blue Dogs, 1999
Live At the Dock St. Theatre, The Blue Dogs, 1999
no info Family Favorites, Duffin Family, 2000
no info Mercury Smashes, Jerry Lee Lewis, 2000
no info Stacked Deck/Too Stuffed to Jump, The Amazing Rhythm Aces, 2000
no info Synergia, Dan Crary, 2001
no info How Sweet The Sound, Charlie Daniels, 2001
no info Old Time Religion, Jerry Lee Lewis, 2001
no info Train Whistle Blues, Vol. 5: Classic Railroad Songs, Merle Haggard & the Strangers, 2001
no info God's Children, Randall Franks & David Davis, 2001
no info Cabin In The Hills, Merle Haggard, 2001
no info The Absolute Best Of Bluegrass Gospel, Various Artists (Donna Stoneman), 2001
no info Family Tradition, The Stoneman Legacy, 2002
Will The Circle Be Unbroken, Trilogy, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, 2003
no info The Gospel Spirit, Bill Monroe & his Blue Grass Boys, 2004
no info Oil In My Lamp, Byron Berline Band, 2004
no info Live, The King's Countrymen, 2004
no info Gospel Favorites, Roy Acuff, 2004
no info The Best Of Country Gospel, The Kendalls, 2004
no info Classic Country: Great Country Gospel, Various Artists (George Hamilton IV), 2004
no info 50 Years Of Bluegrass Hits. Vol. 1, Various Artists (Donna Stoneman), 2005
no info Complete Atteiram Collection, Carl Story, 2006
no info Sweet Dreams: The Four Star Recordings 1955-1960, Patsy Cline, 2006
no info Williams & Clark Expedition, Williams & Clark Expedition, 2006
no info Country Music Legends, Roy Acuff, 2006
no info Personal File, Johnny Cash, 2006
no info Before You Say Amen, Justin Trevino, 2006
no info This Old House, Allison Durham Speer, 2006
no info Play Their 100 Best, Nashville Fiddles, 2006
no info Homecoming Favorites, Johnny Staats & Robert Shafer, 2007
no info The Great Lost performances, Johnny cash, 2007
no info Old Tyme Gospel, Stew & Marge Clayton, 2007
no info Bluegrass Hymns, Wanda Vick, 2008
no info 28 classics, The Stoneman Family, 2008
Hag: The Capitol Recordings 1968-1976: Concepts, Live & the Strangers, Merle Haggard, 2008
1950-1958 (JSP box set), Bill Monroe And His Bluegrass Boys, 2009
no info Long Dusty Road, Locust Mountain Boys, 2009
no info Log Cabin Favorites: 25 Traditional Classics, Various Artists (Mac Martin & the Dixie Travelers), 2009
no info Jesus Loves Me ... The Bible Tells Me So, Various artists (J.D. Jarvis), 2009
no info One Day Closer, Jeff Bates, 2011
no info This Is Country Music, Brad Paisley, 2011
no info Pickin' On Baptists, Nixon, Blevins & Gage, 2011
no info 30 Favorite Bluegrass Hymns, Various Artists (Wanda Vick), 2011