Cross Connection coming to Highland Baptist

A Special Musical Worship Service With Cross Connection.

Highland Baptist church would like to welcome you to join them on Sunday, May 31 at 6:00 PM for a special musical worship service with the Southern Gospel group, Cross Connection. This group has been singing for the lord for over 15-years. It is their desire through the power and leadership of The Holy Spirit to be a witness and inspiration to all in their ministry of music as well as in their daily lives. This is a free worship event, a love offering will be taken.

For more information and directions to the church, just visit our website at http://www.hbcknox.org/

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Cross 4 Crowns concert review - Highland Baptist Church

I do not really like my post title for this because it wasn't really a "concert" it was a musical worship service!

Last night my church, Highland Baptist, hosted the Southern Gospel quartet, Cross 4 Crowns. I had booked them on pretty short notice and had to scramble to advertise to let folks know they were coming. I was worried with that, and the fact it was Mother's Day, that our crowd would be sparse. I shouldn't have worried so much! I didn't get a head count but the place was pretty full. The best part was that the people that were in attendance were apparently hungry for some good Southern gospel music!

Cross 4 Crowns arrived at the church right as scheduled, 2 hours before start time. They set up all of their equipment, did mic checks and warmed up. I always like this time because that is usually how I gauge folks and see them for how they really are when they aren't on the stage. I enjoyed seeing the camaraderie displayed between the group members. They are a close knit bunch of guys that like to cut up. I've been around some groups where you can tell one person feels like they have to be in charge and everyone else has to fear and tremble in their presence, not Cross 4 Crowns. I saw everyone in the group joking around and having a good time during setup, and right in the middle of it was the group owner/baritone, Allen Leath.

As the church began filling up, I could sense the excitement in the air. Folks were having fellowship and enjoying themselves right up to the start of the worship service. I opened up with 3-verses of "Power in the Blood" and folks were already feeling the Spirit. After a few announcements, fellowship, and altar prayer, our pastor invited the group to come up and start singing. Cross 4 Crowns immediately belted out 3 songs before ever saying a word. I knew we were in for a good service as people were lifting up their hands and shouting and hollering "Amen!"

After the first 3 songs, Allen Leath, paused long enough to welcome everyone and introduce the guys. As I mentioned before, this was the Knoxville debut for C4C's new tenor, Marcus Faulknor. Allen mentioned the group's past issues with keeping a tenor singer and said that they had always prayed for "a tenor singer." But, he said this time they prayed for "THE tenor singer," and that's exactly what God gave them. Marcus fits in perfectly with the group and he is a delight to be around and listen to. I hope he is with Cross 4 Crowns for many years to come. We were also treated to a special appearance by his father, Ray Faulknor, last night! Get this... his father is a bass that sang with the Trail Blazer Qt. for many years. Allen asked him to come to the stage to sing, "Have a Little Talk with Jesus." He did a fantastic job, in fact, his voice reminded me a lot of my very favorite bass singer, Ray Dean Reese.

Being a bass singer myself, I pay a lot of attention to that vocalists part. Justin Terry is outstanding. At just 25-years old, he is one of the best I have ever heard. He said that he had been struggling with some sinus issues (yeah, who hasn't!) this past week. I know how hard that is on bass singers. I suffer from it constantly. But, he did a fantastic job of rattling the sub woofers last night! Everything he sang was great but my very favorite was "Under Control." I used to love to hear Tim Riley sing that song with Gold City and I think Justin did just as good of a job on it.

Davis McCammon Jr. was superb, as usual, holding down the lead part. His range is remarkable and he has a very powerful voice. His part on "I Believe In A Hill Called Mount Calvary" ran glory bumps down my arms. He is also a hard worker, as he very nearly tore down the entire set by himself last night after the fellowship supper.

We were treated to another very special guest last night, Andy Stringfield, was in the congregation. You probably recognize that name as being the current pianist for the Kingdom Heirs. Andy used to play for Cross 4 Crowns a few years ago. He is a very talented pianist and a terrific baritone singer. Not only did he play several songs with the group and a few solos, he also got on stage and sang the baritone part on "Now I'm On My Way to Heaven." My kids were especially fond of Andy and they begged to have their picture taken with him last night. He was very gracious to comply.

Cross 4 Crowns sang for a good solid hour, only pausing briefly for a break and to give out carnations to all of the mother's in the congregation. It was a very nice added touch to the whole evening. After the concert we adjourned to the fellowship building for a great time of food and fellowship. A special thanks to my wife and daughter who missed the concert in order to prepare for the fellowship. We had tons of food and everything was homemade and delicious.

I heard from several church members last night who told me that Cross 4 Crowns was the best group we have ever had come out to our church and sing. I know I sure enjoyed it and felt both uplifted and blessed after it was all over with. If you ever have a chance to host Cross 4 Crowns at your church, be prepared for a wonderful time in the Lord! These guys know how to deliver the message of Jesus Christ through pure Southern Gospel quartet music.

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Cross 4 Crown's new tenor to debut in Knoxville, TN

For those wondering about the tenor position for Cross 4 Crowns, I've got good news! C4C's new tenor is Marcus Faulknor and he will be making his Knoxville, TN debut this Mother's Day evening -6:00 PM at Highland Baptist Church!

According to C4C manager, David Hoskins, "Marcus is going to knock your socks off!"

UPDATE: Click here and here for reviews of Marcus Faulknor's Knoxville debut performance.

Bio Info on the Cross 4 Crowns website:

Marcus Faulknor, from Cartersville, GA sings tenor for the group. Marcus joined C4C in April 2009 after singing 2 years with a Georgia based trio. With a stint as Choir Director at a large Dalton, GA based church in between, Marcus sang for some 7 years with Jericho, a progressive quartet under the direction of Dewayne Burke of Singing Americans notariety. Coming from a family of singers, his father was actually a professional bass singer! Marcus is the proud husband to wife, Dana. They live with their three daughters; Erin, 21, Lexi, 12 and London, 2.

Information about the special Mother's Day evening concert at Highland Baptist Church:

On Sunday, May 10th, at 6:00 pm, we will be hosting the Southern Gospel quartet, Cross 4 Crowns. These are 4 Godly men that exalt the name of Christ through Southern gospel music. We pray that God will richly bless this time of worship.

This will be a special Mother's day evening of worship and praise to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. What a great gift to give your mother for Mother's day.

Refreshments will be served in the fellowship building after the service. There is no charge to attend this special time of worship. A love offering will be taken. For more info or directions to the church visit http://www.hbcknox.org/

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Special Mother's Day Event with Cross 4 Crowns!

Have you been struggling with the perfect gift to give your mother for Mother's Day? Something that she will remember for years to come? Well struggle no more! Treat her to a special night of Southern Gospel music with Cross 4 Crowns!

On Sunday, May 10th, at 6:00 pm, Highland Baptist church , at 6014 Babelay Rd. in Knoxville, will be hosting the Southern Gospel quartet, Cross 4 Crowns, in concert. Cross 4 Crowns is one of the most talented and exciting quartets in Southern gospel music today.

What a special Mother's day evening of worship this will be! Show your mother how much you love and appreciate her by spending this evening with her in church.

Refreshments will be served in the fellowship building after the service. This is a free event, a love offering will be taken.

For more information and directions to the church, visit Highland's website at http://www.hbcknox.org/ or call/email Byron at 865-219-0996 email: Byron@hbcknox.org

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Rocky Flatts - Gospel Bluegrass at its finest

Last night we hosted the gospel/bluegrass group, Rocky Flatts, at our church. What a great bunch of talented guys! As I was moving the altar furniture off of the stage around 4:45, the guys started walking in. Dustin, Shaun, Jeff, Jason, and Rusty, each one carrying an instrument of some kind. I was so excited that they had brought all of their instruments, banjo, guitar, dobro, stand up bass, mandolin, they had them all. I knew we were going to be treated to some awesome music.

Our crowd was a little down last night. From what I understand several folks had some kind of prior commitment and wasn't able to attend. We had around 50 people in attendance. The guys in the group didn't seem to let that bother them. They said they were there to worship and spread the gospel through their music, and that's exactly what they did! I video taped the entire service and hopefully will get a song or two uploaded soon.

Rocky Flatts sang 11-songs all together last night. Kicking things off with Jason Miller on the banjo ripping into an exciting rendition of "Over in the the Gloryland." They then moved into the inspiring story of our Savior on the cross with, "Three Men on a Mountain." Their next song was one of my all-time favorite hymns, "The Unseen Hand," which lead into an instrumental version of everybody's favorite, "I'll Fly Away." Next up was one of my favorites of the night, "Soul Train." I loved the instrumental work that they did on that one. The imitation sounds of a train being played by Dustin Atkins on the dobro was fantastic. After that they performed another beautiful song "Rock Of My Soul," sang by the very talented Shaun Kirkland. This song had a haunting instrumental sound that just seemed to stir my soul.

Probably the most heart wrenching and thought provoking song of the night was, "Sorry I Never Knew You," superbly sang by Rusty Watson with Jeff Amburn showcasing his awesome guitar playing. I had heard this song before but I don't think I ever paid that much attention to it as I did last night. I think everyone in the congregation was choked up of hearing the story of a man's horrible dream of not being able to enter Heaven because his name was not written in the Lamb's Book of Life. When the song ended there was dead silence, no one even clapped. I'm sure they were all like me, wrapped up in thought about the song and not really sure that it ended. Wow, talk about a song being able to reach someone! After that they played a rendition of "Amazing Grace," to the tune of "House of the Rising Sun." It was wonderfully performed and I enjoyed singing along. One of my kids was talking in the car about how much they enjoyed that song.

Next up was a song written by Dustin's mother, titled, "I'm Saved Today." What a great song! After that they went into another of my all-time favorite hymns, "He'll Hold My Hand." They did an excellent job on this song and I even heard my buddy, Jerry Butler, who made a surprise visit last night, say, "nicely done," when the song ended. They ended the night by asking our pastor to come forward to give an invitation and they played, "Pass Me Not."

It was a great evening of gospel/bluegrass. I felt that Rocky Flatts was very sincere in their desire to spread the message. I enjoyed their testimonies of their Salvation experiences. After the concert my son insisted he have his picture made with the guys. They were gracious enough to take time away from their tear-down to accommodate us. We visited their product table and purchased their new CD, "In the Beginning," which you can sample on their website. My son also bought a Rocky Flatts baseball cap and said it was the best hat he has ever bought.

If you are a music minister or concert promoter for your church, and you are looking for groups to come and worship, I highly recommend Rocky Flatts.

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Rocky Flatts coming in concert - Highland Baptist

Highland Baptist Church is proud to be hosting the bluegrass/gospel group, Rocky Flatts, in concert, April 19, 2009 at 6:00 PM. This is a free concert, a love offering will be taken. For more information or directions to the church, visit our website at: http://www.hbcknox.org/.

Visit Rocky Flatt's website HERE.

Listen to some of their music HERE.

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No noise but a lot of joy!

Last night at church we were blessed with some of the finest bluegrass/gospel music this side of Heaven. I had been looking forward to hearing my pal Jerry Butler and his friends for quite some time. Of course I was already very familiar with their sound and expected that it was going to be awesome. My expectations were exceeded last night!

The definition for the word noise is: noise (noiz)
n: Sound or a sound that is loud, unpleasant, unexpected, or undesired. Well, the Bible says to "make a joyful noise unto the Lord." Let me tell you, there wasn't anything last night that would have fit the definition of "noise," at least not in the sense that we normally think of, but, there sure was a whole lot of Joyful sounds coming from 3 very talented men. Read on...

Jerry Butler has been a professional bluegrass musician his entire life. From the time he was able to hold a guitar in his hands he has been on the stage performing. Starting out in the 70's playing at Buddy's BBQ (back when they used to have live Bluegrass), Jerry and his longtime friend, Phil Leadbetter, shot straight to the top of the bluegrass circuit playing right along with the top names in the industry. Jerry has played with several groups and is currently singing lead and playing guitar with Carolina Road. You can learn a little more about Jerry in an interview I did with him a couple of years ago.

Josh Goforth has more musical talent in his left pinkie than I have in my entire body. That feller could get music out of a tree stump! He showcased many of his talents last night by playing the guitar, mandolin, and the fiddle. Oh, and he also tickled the ivory's on our grand piano before church started...WOW! Josh is also has a very pleasing tenor voice which blends in perfectly with everyone he sings with. Josh is also a member of Carolina Road. Get to know Josh a little better over on his website.

Matt Leadbetter is one of the world's top resonator guitarist. He also grew up knee-deep in bluegrass, going show-to-show with his famous father, Phil Leadbetter. Through the years Matt has honed his musical skills on several instruments and last night he delighted us with his bass playing talent. I guess some church folks wouldn't appreciate a resonator guitar (dobro) in a church setting but it would have fit in right nice at Highland Baptist. Maybe he can come back sometime and spread the gospel with his instrument of choice! Check out Matt's website.

Now that I've talked about how talented these guys all are, let me tell you about the worship experience. Whether you are a bluegrass fan or not, you couldn't help but be touched by the sincerity that emitted from the stage. They spoke of their past church experiences, family worship time, and how they give God the glory for their musical talents. All too often when you have a group of guys that posses such talent and skill as these men do, it all becomes about "them." That is not the case with these fine men. It was all about the music, the lyrics, and the worship. I found myself clapping along with the beat and crying my eyes out over songs.

My two favorite songs of the night were, "Fly Away," which was written by Jerry Butler, and "You Gotta Believe." I have written about both of these songs before, HERE, and HERE.

The cute moment of the night was after the service, looking out across the church, was Jerry's pretty little daughter, Sami, fast asleep in a church pew. I sure do remember those days.

I know it's always a gamble to have a concert on Sunday because it is hard for folks to leave their home church to visit somewhere else. I know I couldn't do that either. While the size of the crowd last night was a little disappointing, especially after all of the time and effort I put into advertising and talking about it, the Spirit was there in a mighty way. Even my 16-year old daughter made the comment that it was the best she has felt in a service in a long time. I hated it for the guys because I know they took time out of their very busy schedules to come to our church. They didn't ask for a single penny to come out either which is something very rare these days. We took up pretty decent love offering considering the low attendance. The size of the crowd didn't seem to effect how the guys performed, they played a full 50 minutes and poured their heart and souls into it.

One thing about our church is that it is so large inside. Unless you have over a hundred people it looks like there aren't many people there. It also doesn't help matters that everyone tends to sit in the very back of the church, which is something I'll NEVER understand. But, all of that is out of my hands and I shouldn't let it bother me. The important thing is that I was there to worship, praise God, and listen to some good music, and that is what I did.

If you are interested in having Jerry Butler come out to your church, send me and email and we'll get you hooked up.

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Like father like son

For weeks I have been so excited about going to the 5th annual SGM FanFair in Pigeon Forge. I bought 5-tickets in advanced so I could take my entire family. Like I mentioned in an earlier post, my wife and I were celebrating our 24th wedding anniversary this weekend. We spent the night in a hotel in Pigeon Forge and we were going to go to the SGM FanFair. Our plans changed when a church member passed away unexpectedly on Saturday. Her funeral was held at the same time the SGM concerts were being held tonight. So, my wife and I went to the funeral and I gave my parents our tickets and they took the kids to the singing instead.

Before the kids left, I told them to make sure they get plenty of pictures and to make certain they get one of Ray Reese. I jokingly told them to ask Ray if he remembered having his picture made with me at the Tennessee Theatre in 1998. Of course I was joking around, But, leave it to my son to track ol' Ray down at the singing and asked him if he knew me! Much to his (and my) surprise, Ray told him, yes, he knew me and then offered to pose alongside him for a picture! My son came through the door tonight just beaming and bragging about getting that picture. I would be bragging too because it is as nice of a picture as I have ever seen. The two pictures at the top of this post are side-by-side comparison of mine and my son's pictures with Ray Reese. They are 11-years apart.

There were several more pictures taken tonight but they were so far away that they all turned out very grainy and they aren't good enough to post. I sure would have liked to been there with my Canon. Oh well, maybe next time.

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An Evening With Jerry Butler at Highland Baptist Church

Come out to Highland Baptist and join us as we host Bluegrass-Gospel recording artist, Jerry Butler. This event will take place on Sunday, March 22nd, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. during our regular evening worship service.

Jerry is an anointed singer, songwriter, musician, and full-time Bluegrass artist who has a desire to share the gifts that God has given him in order to spread the Gospel message.

This is a free event, a love offering will be taken. For more information email Byron or call 865-219-0996.

Download printable flyer here.(.pdf 130Kb)

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An anniversary fit for a Triumphant Kingsmen!

My wife and I are celebrating our 24th wedding anniversary next Sunday, March 15th. Some folks dream of going to far away exotic places and eating at fancy restaurants. Well, whatever floats your boat I reckon. I could care less about that sort of thing. I can't think of a better place to spend our anniversary than at the 5th annual SGM FanFair in Pigeon Forge!

Yes Southern Gospel music lovers, the 2-finest quartets in all of SGM are coming to Pigeon Forge, TN on Monday, March 16th, to participate in the 5th annual SGM FanFair; The Kingsmen, and Triumphant Quartet!!! It's no secret that the Mighty Kingsmen Quartet is my favorite quartet of all time. And, of course, my second favorite quartet of all time is Triumphant Quartet. Wow, Ray Dean Reese, Eric Bennett, and myself, all in one place on the same night! I'm excited just thinking about it! I'm hoping to be able to take a vacation day off from work on that Monday and spend all day long at the FanFair.

Not only are the Kingsmen and Triumphant going to be there but so are Gold City, and Michael & Delilah Kitts! Here is the entire scheduled lineup for Monday: Darlene Chapman, Gold City, Goodwins, Jeff Treece Band, Kingsmen, Lauren King, Mattingly Family, Melody Trio, Michael & Delilah, Mike Southerland, Rod Burton, Samaritans, Susan Ketron, Tim Parton, Triumphant Quartet, Yielded Ministries. See the entire week's schedule HERE.

I'd sure like to be able to attend on Friday as well because more of my favorites will be there; the Dixie Echoes, Dixie Melody Boys, Jeff & Sheri Easter, and the awesome Tony Gore & Majesty!!! I seriously doubt I'll be able to take off 2-days from work that week though so I won't be able to be there. Hmmm, maybe I can leave a little early and make it to Pigeon Forge in time for the concerts though! I'll have to see...

Southern Gospel Music FanFair is March 16 - March 21, 2009 at the Smoky Mountain Convention Center in Pigeon Forge, TN. Directions HERE.

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Great Evening With the Chuck Wagon Gang Despite Odds

When I first booked the singing date with Penny Greene of the CWG, neither of us realized the odds that were stacked against us. At that time we didn't know that tonight was going to be Archie Watkins last night with the Inspirations and one of Carol Woodards last nights with the McKameys. For the past couple of months, Praise 96.3 has bombarded the Knoxville airwaves with advertising of their Mull's Singing Convention - Inspirations/McKamey's Friends and Family tour being held on the exact same night as our CWG concert. Many of the same folks that would come out to hear the Gang, are the same folks that enjoy the Inspirations and McKameys. So to say we were at great odds is an understatement! Add that to the tough economic conditions, Flu season, rainy weather and a forecast predicting 3-inches of snow for Knoxville tonight. So, I was really nervous when around 5:00, only one person had arrived at the church!

My mind was quickly relieved when around 6:00, folks started trickling in. By the time the 7:00 starting hour rolled around, we had a full house despite several of our regular members not showing up. I saw many of the same folks that came out for last year's concert including a long-distance winner from Clinton, S.C. I got to meet the CWG's former pianist and current marketing director, Harold Timmons.

Things were kicked off behind the scenes as the Pastor and I slipped into the choir room and got on our knees in prayer. I opened up the service with 3-verses of Power In the Blood and then handed it over to the Pastor. He read a few passages of Scripture, prayed, and then welcomed the Chuck Wagon Gang to the stage.

Of course the Chuck Wagon Gang were their usual outstanding selves. Perfect harmonies along with perfect songs made for a perfect night! They sang all of the old-time favorites that we all love and count on; Echoes from the Burning Bush, Looking For A City, Jericho Road, Suppertime, Little Brown Church in the Vale, and many, many others. A few of my very favorites tonight were, He Wrote My Name, and I'm Gonna See Heaven. I was hoping that they would sing my favorite from last year, He Said It All For Me, but I couldn't think of the name of it during the concert so I didn't request it. I did mention it to Penny after the concert and she said that it was one of her very favorites as well.

One of the things that I really enjoy about the CWG or any group, is how they share their testimony. Without the testimony the songs are just hollow and meaningless. It was wonderful to hear Penny and Julie both give their personal testimonies and praise the Lord Jesus Christ for allowing them to do what they do. I love to hear the wonderful singing but honestly, I would rather hear folks talk about their Salvation story than anything in the world. It's uplifting and inspiring.

The night ended way too soon but it was nice to feel the cool night air when we stepped out on the front porch of the church. My wife, son, and I, went to Burger King after the concert and while we were in the parking lot we saw the Chuck Wagon Gang's bus roll by on the road heading for the interstate. No doubt they were on their way to share the Gospel message with some other folks just like me.

Enjoy all of the pictures that I took of tonight's concert below:

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10 Steps for hosting a successful music event on a budget

I posted the below information on one of my other blogs but I thought I should add it to the Knoxville Gospel Blog as well.
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As I have mentioned in the past, Highland Baptist does not have a music budget. So, I have to be very creative and frugal when it comes for extra things such as concert promotions. Everyone loves a good gospel concert (especially me) but what they tend to forget is that everything costs money and involves a lot of time. Through my years of experience as a church Music Minister, I have learned how to successfully host musical events without breaking the budget. Below I have listed 10 steps for hosting a successful low/no budget musical event.

1. Use free print ads. If you are in the Knoxville, TN market, there are numerous weekly newspapers that allow you to post your church events for free. I ALWAYS turn to them for my number one resource. It takes a little bit of time and effort but it is well worth it. Here are the ones that I use:

*Shopper-News Now - this is a weekly newspaper that goes out to all of the Knoxville area. They also have an online edition. They will add your event to their "Church Notes" section free of charge. Just send an email to news@shoppernewsnow.com

*Fountain City Focus - this is also a weekly newspaper with an online edition. I always have people tell me, "I saw the add in the Focus and that's how I knew about it." This is a very family friendly newspaper that is run by a great group of local folks. Send your event information to staff@knoxfocus.com and they will run it in their "Church Happenings" section for free.

*Knoxville News Sentinel - The News Sentinel will add your church event in the "Religion" section in both their print newspaper and on their website. They have a special section just for Church events. Contact the News Sentinel to have your event posted.

2. On-line Advertising - Many newspaper, radio stations, and other media outlets, have websites that will let you post your community, church, entertainment events for free. Below are a few that I use:

*Knoxville News Sentinel Classifieds - If your event is a non-profit event, you can post a full color add with pictures, on the News Sentinel's website. Here is the one I posted for a recent Chuck Wagon Gang concert: http://knoxnews.kaango.com/feViewAd/13646558 to add your event start here: http://knoxnews.kaango.com/feChoosePostAd

*Knoxville.com - Website just for posting Knoxville related events. It is free. All you have to do is sign up and post your event. HERE is a recent one that I added. To get started just click this link: http://www.knoxville.com/events/submit/

*SoGoCity.com - This is a social network site, however, it is more of a Southern Gospel promotion tool. Lots of groups are signed up on this site and there are many resources for you to advertise your Southern Gospel event. They have a special section called "Events" that lists concerts all over the U.S. I recently added my Chuck Wagon Gang event to the site. To get started, just sign up: http://sogocity.ning.com/main/authorization/signUp?

*Love 89.1 FM - The Christian Hit Radio station in Knoxville. They have a community events listing where you add your own events and concerts. Start here: http://www.love89.org/default.asp?pid=3350&f=psa

*Joy 62 WRJZ FM - Christian radio station in Knoxville, TN. Also has a free community events calendar that you can add your event to. Start here: http://www.wrjz.com/default.asp?pid=3324&f=psa

3. Radio Stations - Some local stations will announce church events for free. You simply have to call them or if they have a website, many times you can email them. If you, your pastor, or a friend has a radio broadcast on stations such as, WKXV, this is an excellent place to announce your event. Other stations will also announce your events for free. Just call them up and ask. Of course you can always run paid ads on radio stations but I'm not covering that in this post. To find out more about radio stations in your area, just do a google search. Oh, and don't forget to use their free online community event pages that I mentioned in step 2.

4. Social Networking - Do not discount the power of social networking sites! MySpace, FaceBook, Ning, Twitter, Bebo, and MyChurch are all excellent places to advertise your events. Many people spend hours on these sites and as long as you put forth some effort to get your event out there, it will be seen. You can create an event on Facebook that allows you to send invitations to your network and also to folks outside of Facebook. Also, these are great sources to interact with gospel groups, soloist, and other Christians. I know there has been a lot of negative publicity about these types of networking sites but it is just like anything else, you can use it for good or bad, I choose to use them for good. If you are nervous about getting started, just add me as a friend and I'll be glad to help you out: http://www.facebook.com/people/Byron-Chesney/659141097

5. Your own website or Blog. If you frequently plan events for your church or your music ministry, you owe it to yourself to start your own website or Blog. I have been in cyber space for many, many years and have amassed tons of experience with both of these resources. I am the webmaster for my church, Highland Baptist, and I run the Knoxville Gospel Blog, as well as several others. It is not as hard as you think to get started. If you aren't very skilled at html or web authoring tools, then you should probably start out with a blog. It is free and easy to get started. Just visit Blogger, Wordpress, or Xanga, and sign up. I have tried several and I prefer Blogger, but that's just my preference. I know if my 12-year old son and my mother can run their own blogs, then you can too!

6. Flyers, handbills, posters, etc... If your budget allows, you should always try to print out something to announce your event. Most Southern Gospel groups, soloist, and performers, have readily available flyers for you to print out from their websites. See THIS .pdf example from the Chuck Wagon Gang's appearances page. Print them out, fill in the information, make copies and distribute. Your best resource for these are your church members. Print out several hundred and place them in the church where members can get them. Ask them to give them to their friends and neighbors. DO NOT place paper advertisements on vehicles in parking lots. Nobody likes this type of advertising and it will give you and your church a bad name. Many businesses, towns, cities, have rules against this and you just might be breaking the law! Always ask permission before placing your printed add in a public or private place. Many local stores have places to post ads. If you aren't sure if you can place one somewhere, chances are you can't.

7. Web Forums - Forums can be a good place to advertise your events. I will caution you however, be very careful of which forums you post on. Many that proclaim to be "Christian," "Southern Gospel," etc... are not very Christian. Posting your event may not cause any issues, but since you don't have control over what other people say, you are at the mercies of the forum admins. I have witnessed many un-Christian and negative comments being made in these so-called "Christian" forums. Visit the forum for a while and see what kind of people are frequenting. If they are using fake names, anonymous names, posting rude or derogatory comments, or negatively speaking of groups, singers, etc....STEER CLEAR! There's a lot of miserable people out there and they want you to be miserable too. So, use caution.

8. Word-of-Mouth - Probably the very best form of advertising and certainly the cheapest and easiest. If you are excited about your event then others will be too. Work it up when you are talking with your friends, neighbors, co-workers, fellow church members. Nobody wants to waste a day or hours out of a day to attend something that isn't worth their while. Let people know that your event is worth attending. Make sure you announce it during announcement time at your church. If your church prints a bulletin or newsletter, make sure you get your event published in them. Use the resources that you have at your disposal.

9. Email and letters - Everybody uses email these days. We forward stuff back and forth among our friends and family. Most of it is useless junk. Why not email everyone in your address book a friendly announcement about your upcoming event? Surely with all of the SPAM that people receive, they won't mind something legitimate! If you are afraid of email (yes, there are still those folks out there) then sit down and write your friends a letter. Tell them how much you love them and miss them and also invite them to your event. Might as well add one of the flyers to your letter before you lick that envelope too!

10. Prayer - I started to put this as Number 1 on the list but I reserved it for last so you wouldn't forget it. This is without a doubt the most important thing for your event. Ask God to be in the center of every activity. Ask for His blessing on your event. Let Him know that you are counting on Him to be there, remember Matthew 18:20! If you skip this last step, none of the other ones will matter. So, get on those knees and talk to the Lord. He died for you, He certainly wants to hear from you!

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I can tell you without any hesitation that the above information works! If you will just put forth a little bit of time and effort, you will have a successful event that you can be proud of and will be remembered for years to come, and the best part... it won't break your budget, even if you don't have one!

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Cross 4 Crowns in concert at New Beverly Baptist

On Saturday, Feburary 7th, at 7:00 PM, the Southern Gospel Quartet, Cross 4 Crowns, will be singing in concert at New Beverly Baptist Church in Knoxville.

Also scheduled to sing that night are the New Calvary Echoes.

For more information and directions to the church, visit New Beverly's website.

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Chuck Wagon Gang in concert - Highland Baptist

The Chuck Wagon Gang in concert Feb. 28, 2009 at 7pm at Highland Baptist Church in Knoxville, TN

The world famous Chuck Wagon Gang will be ministering in concert at Highland Baptist Church on Saturday, February 28, 2009 at 7:00 pm. Everyone is welcome. No admission charge. A love offering will be taken.

For the past 72 years, the Chuck Wagon Gang has continued to be one of the most popular and cherished gospel groups in the world. Today's group still stands by the tradition of singing the old gospel songs, the old time way, just the way Dad Carter taught.

We had a wonderful time last year when the CWG came to our church and we are excited about this year! You don't want to miss this glorious event! For more information about The Chuck Wagon Gang, visit their website: http://www.thechuckwagongang.net/

For directions to church, click here.

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Primitive Quartet coming to Rutledge Pike Baptist, Feb. 20

The Primitive Quartet will be singing at Rutledge Pike Missionary Baptist church in Corryton, TN on Friday, February 20, 2009, at 7:00 PM. No admission charge, a love offering will be taken. For more information and directions, please visit the church's website: http://www.rutledgepikebaptistchurch.com/

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McKameys in concert November 29th, 2008

The popular Southern Gospel group, the McKamey's, will once again be at Rutledge Pike Baptist Church in Corryton, TN. The concert starts at 7:00 PM. You might want to arrive early if you want an up front seat. It will be a packed house!

My family and I had an excellent time last year when we attended the McKamey's concert at Rutledge Pike Baptist. You can read about it here.

Visit the Church website for directions and more information.

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Kenny Bishop concert review - Union Baptist Church Knoxville

This is a review of my recent attendance of a live taping of the television show, Southern Style Praise, in which Kenny Bishop and the trio HisVoice was performing. It took place at Union Baptist Church in Knoxville, TN. I was honored to be their special guest Music Minister for the evening.

I've seen Kenny Bishop sing live several times in my life, mostly with his former family group, The Bishops. I met him one time, about 10-years ago, at the National Quartet Convention. I guess the thing that I've always liked about Kenny is his natural Kentucky country voice. I've always thought that he could probably have had a really successful career in Country Music. I'm glad he chose Southern Gospel instead.

I've seen more than my fair share of folks in the gospel music business that treat it as a job instead of a ministry. I can say first hand that Kenny Bishop is not one of those people. He appears to have an open and honest heart for the ministry. I watched him pretty closely because I was sitting just 2 rows behind him. He sat in the congregation with two older ladies in which he appeared to know. I saw and heard him shouting "amen" and praising God while HisVoice was on the stage. And, while he was on stage he spent more time talking about the grace and mercy of God than he did actually singing. He spent very little time talking about himself, he was fully focused on spreading the gospel message.

I enjoyed every song that Kenny sang, however, I've got to say that my very favorite was, 'The Prodigal's Dad.' It's track number 9 on his latest CD, simply titled, "Kenny Bishop." The parable of the Prodigal Son is one of my very favorite passages in the Bible. In fact, the next night after hearing Kenny sing that song, I preached a sermon on the Prodigal Son at my church. I also thoroughly enjoyed the Woody Wright penned, 'Under the Influence of Mercy,' which was a play on the old Buck Owens tune, 'Under the Influence of Love.' Another great tune was, 'More Than Amazing,' which was also written by Woody Wright, specifically for Kenny. According to Kenny, it is a song for everyone.

At the end of his performance, Kenny gave a very touching invitation for anyone that may have had a need. I could really feel God's presence during that time. Afterwards, I was privileged to get to meet and shake hands with Kenny. He said that he thought I looked very familiar and wanted to know if we had met before. I told him that we had but that it had been several years ago at NQC. I didn't hang around and bug him any because he was busy talking to other fans and selling his CD's and signing them.

My whole family enjoyed our evening of Southern Gospel and I left there an even bigger fan of Kenny Bishop than I was before I came. If you have yet to go to one of his concerts, you should make a point to do so. I know you will enjoy it as much as I did.

Read my separate review of the HisVoice portion of the evening HERE.

See all of the pictures that I took of the evening HERE.

Visit Kenny's Official Website HERE.

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HisVoice concert review - Union Baptist Church Knoxville

I was thrilled to receive an email from Allen Davenport of the trio HisVoice, asking if I would be their special guest music minister for their concert with Kenny Bishop, at Union Baptist. I gladly accepted the invitation and was really psyched up over it. HisVoice ministered at my church this past year so I was already familiar with them.

My family and I arrived at Union Baptist an hour before the concert. Dale Burress, owner of Ark Studios, was getting the stage prepared for the taping of the concert which will air on his TV show, Southern Style Praise. I have corresponded with Dale several times through email but this was the first time I had met him in person. He warmly greeted me and we briefly discussed what was going to unfold for the evening.

Finally, the 6:00 hour arrived. I opened up with a prayer and then led the congregation in all 3-verses of Victory in Jesus. Union Baptist's pianist, Gary Barnard, did an excellent job playing the music. Gary is the former member and pianist at my church, Highland Baptist, so I was already familiar with him. He is a very talented young man.

After the congregational, HisVoice, took to the stage. Since this was a live taping for a television show, things weren't as smooth as a regular concert but it wasn't distracting, even with the large cameras mounted to booms swinging back and forth. HisVoice was very professional with just the right amount of spiritualism. Allen does a great job with the emcee work and keeping things going. Once again my favorite songs of the night were, 'Stacking Stones,' and 'He Chose This Valley For Me.' Both of those songs brought tears to my eyes. They stuck strictly to the tracks from their latest CD, which I bought. I really enjoyed hearing them again but because of the live taping I don't think they felt as free to minister and they had to keep an eye on time. But, that's to be expected. They did an excellent job under the circumstances.

After HisVoice left the stage, I led the congregation in another hymn, 'At Calvary,' while we took up a love offering. After the offering, Gary, delighted the crowd by playing a beautiful hymn. Then Kenny Bishop took the stage. I'll write a separate post on Kenny's performance.

To see all pictures from this night visit THIS post.

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HisVoice & Kenny Bishop Concert Union Baptist

We attended a wonderful evening of Southern Gospel music last night at Union Baptist Church in Knoxville. The trio, HisVoice and soloist, Kenny Bishop were having a live taping for the television show, Southern Style Praise. I will write more about this great night, including CD reviews of their new projects. Meanwhile enjoy a few pictures from the event.

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HIsVoice - Special Event at Union Baptist

I received word from the Southern Gospel trio, HisVoice, that they will be hosting a very special event at Union Baptist Church on Saturday, November 1st, at 6:00 PM. The group will be hosting "The HisVoice CD Release Concert."

Also appearing will be very special guest, Kenny Bishop, formerly of the Bishops, one of Southern Gospel Music's Most Beloved Family Groups.

On top of that, there will also be a Live Recording of the Television Show, "Southern Style Praise" taking place that evening. So make it a point to show up...you might just be on TV!!

Please Come praying & expecting Great things from The Lord. Hope to see you there!!!

Read a review of a recent HisVoice concert at Highland Baptist.

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