The Merells (I'm not sure of the spelling)
Dallas Holm recorded "He's a Friend of Mine" in the late 1960's. It was a play on the Byrd's song with the same name which lamented the assassination of JFK (on the Turn, Turn Turn album). The Dallas Holm gospel adaptation was on the album "Just the Way I Feel It" . ***Byrds: "HIs killing [i.e.JFK's] had no purpose, no reason or rhyme." ***Dallas Holm version: "His killing [i.e. Christ's] had a purpose for your life and mine." *** from The Maitland attorney