Ernest Phipps (May 4, 1900[1] – April 17, 1963) was an American Old-time country musician and Southern gospel singer, best known for his recordings at the Bristol Sessions in 1928.
The Pentecostal Holiness musical style encouraged a rousing, emotional approach with group singing and a call and response led by a leader.
Phipps led the quartet with a clear voice and a broad mountain accent which can be heard in his pronouncing of words like "where" and "there" as "whaar" and "thaar".
Karnes was a fellow singing preacher, albeit from a different denomination as he was a Baptist, and should have been familiar with the songs which were at any rate simple enough in form being basic repeating riffs at mid-tempo.
Noted songs recorded by Phipps included "Old Ship Of Zion", "I Want to Go Where Jesus Is" and "If The Light Has Gone Out Of Your Soul" which sold well enough to stay in print into the 1930s.