Seth Greenlee, Thomas Worley, and Gage Gilbert (appearing from left to right) sing at 7800 Northside Drive, North Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.A. on 28 September 2014. The words and music to, “How Long Has It Been,” were written by T. Mosie Lister and published in 1956 by Lillenas Publishing Company.
Thomas Mosie Lister (September 8, 1921 – February 12, 2015) studied music at the Vaughan School of Music in Tennessee in 1939. He became the first lead member in The Statesmen Quartet in 1948. In 1949, he focused on writing, and in 1953 he formed the Mosie Lister Publishing Company which later merged into Lillenas Publishing Company of Kansas City, Missouri. In 1976, Lister was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Association in 1997.
As of 2022:
Seth is a Police and Sheriff Chaplain at the Ripley, West Virginia Police Department and Jackson County Sheriff’s Office in addition to his work with the Ripley Baptist Temple.
Thomas is Minister of Music at Temple Baptist Church in Ashville, North Carolina.
Gage is a Christian missionary to the Inuit people of Greenland.
The lyrics to, “How Long Has It Been,” are as follows:
Verse 1
How long has it been Since you talked with the Lord And told Him your heart's hidden secrets How long since you prayed How long since you stayed On your knees 'til the light shone through How long has it been Since your mind felt at ease How long since your heart knew no burden Can you call Him your Friend How long has it been Since you knew that He cares for you
Verse 2
How long has it been Since you knelt by your bed And prayed to the Lord up in heaven How long since you knew That He'd answer you and would Keep you the long night through How long has it been Since you woke with the dawn And felt that the day's worth the living Can you call Him your Friend how long has it been Since you knew that He cares for you
