The Happy Goodman Family was a Southern Gospel group founded in the 1940s by Howard "Happy" Goodman. The Happy Goodman Family began to be known for their singing around 1950. During the 1940s and 1950s there were various combinations of all eight brothers and sisters, with Howard being constant. Brother Sam pulled a stint in the Air Force while Brother Bobby was a truck driver and played for some rock and roll bands. Brother Rusty pulled a stint in service as well as singing with the Plainsmen Quartet afterwards.