page_title: Garner Ted Armstrong
section_title: Personality
hierarchical_section_title: Garner Ted Armstrong / Brief biography / Personality
caption_attribution_description: English: Evangelist Garner Ted Armstrong playing guitar at Feast of Tabernacles, San Antonio, Texas 1979
context_page_description: Garner Ted Armstrong was an American evangelist and the son of Herbert W. Armstrong, founder of the Worldwide Church of God, at the time a Sabbatarian organization that taught observance of seventh-day Sabbath, and annual Sabbath days based on Leviticus 23.
  Armstrong initially became recognized when he succeeded his father as the voice of The World Tomorrow, the church's radio program that aired around the world. A television program of the same name followed, aired mostly in North America, eventually giving way to a Garner Ted Armstrong broadcast, a half-hour program that mixed news and biblical commentary. His polemical message was unlike that of most other religious broadcasters of his day.
context_section_description: Armstrong was described as "movie star handsome" and was noted for his broadcasting talents. In radio and TV programs he mixed political, economic, and social news of the day with religious commentary. He was noted for adding "wry humor" into sermons that preached about the biblical prophesied return of Jesus Christ to the Earth.
  In 1975, Garner Ted Armstrong arranged for his friend, Hee Haw co-host Buck Owens to entertain attendees on Family Night at the annual fall Feast of Tabernacles church convention.  Buck Owens, and his band the Buckaroos, traveled to five U.S. Feast of Tabernacles sites and performed before about 15 thousand people.  The concerts were attended by festival attendees and were also open to the general public.
  To reciprocate, in 1976 Owens asked Armstrong to guest star on the Hee Haw show that starred Buck Owens and Roy Clark. He popped up out of the "corn patch" on the show to say "Sa-loot" to his hometown of Eugene, Oregon. He sang a country western song he had written titled "Working Man’s Hall of Fame," and joined "the whole Hee Haw gang" to sing the popular Ocean gospel song Put Your Hand in the Hand.
  Country music star Merle Haggard said his most popular song "Okie From Muskogee" was inspired by listening to a Garner Ted Armstrong radio program of The World Tomorrow.
caption: Armstrong performing at the Feast of Tabernacles in San Antonio, Texas, 1979
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