The Kingsmen cure for what ails you

Last week I was at the Christian Book Warehouse on Merchants Rd. here in Knoxville, looking for some VBS supplies. Of course I couldn't skip past the CD racks without checking out the latest bargains. Boy, am I ever glad that I did! Read on...

If you keep up with this blog or any of my other blogs, then you are well aware that the Kingsmen Quartet is my favorite quartet of all times. I collect old Kingsmen albums and have got to attend several of their concerts. Anytime I am ever looking through CD's or albums, my eye is trained to look for anything Kingsmen. As I was browsing through the rather large rack of miscellaneous CDs that they have at the Book Warehouse, I came upon their Southern Gospel section. They had several good CD's but much to my delight they had a whole slew of The Kingsmen Live Singing in the Sun! Get this...the price was only $2.99!!! My right hand nearly beat myself silly reaching for that CD. It was one that, believe it or not, I didn't already have in my vast collection! I quickly flipped it around and read over the song list. Old News But Good News, I'm Saved, I've Been Waiting, Forever In Eternity, Anthony's Anthology, Healin' Stream, All The Good Things, The Cross Has Won Again, He's All I Need, and Testimony Meeting.

What a wealth of great Kingsmen songs on this album! Now normally I'm not a fan of Live albums but when it comes to the Kingsmen, I actually prefer the live ones. Hearing my old heroes give their testimonies on stage and hearing the crowd roar and applause, it makes me feel like I'm there with them. This CD also has all of the lyrics to each song included, making it twice as good for the price!

My very favorite cut from this CD is, "Healin' Stream." Of course my bass singing hero, Ray Dean Reese, has the lead on this one. He also gives a very powerful testimony of how God healed him from cancer. There have been a lot of people in my church that have been diagnosed with cancer this past year and we have seen them miraculously healed as well. In this 3-year old interview with the Kingsmen, the following was asked: "If the Kingsmen were forced to retire tomorrow, what would be the last two songs that the guys would agree to sing and why?" Jim Hamill - "Love Lifted Me” because of the words and the message of the song, also I feel it was written for me. Ray Reese - "Healing Stream” for the strong testimony in the song and because of what it means to me in my life."

The first verse which Ray handles in a way that no other singer could: "There's a healin' stream, that's flowing down, from a higher place above, a healin' stream where heartaches drown, it's the healing stream of love."

What a wonderful song that Larry Gatlin wrote about God's healing power! You can listen to a small sample of it here.

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I'm really excited!

I am continually amazed at how God works. It seems like when everything is just going against me and all is hopeless, He steps in and takes over. It is like that old McKamey's song, "God On the Mountain."

Lately I've just been so burdened down with things. I was depressed because I had just been accepted into Crown Seminary, to obtain my Masters of Ministry degree, and all of a sudden there was no money available for me to start my classes. I was at the point of giving up. Then, God lays it on someone's heart to help me out. I was able to pay my first semester fees, marticulatione fee, and get all of my required books yesterday. Just like I wrote in THIS post, I am intimidated, overwhelmed, and excited!

As if that wasn't enough, I received an email 2-days ago from David Hoskins (manager for Cross 4 Crowns) asking if I would be interested in hosting the quartet at Highland Baptist! He said they had a couple of available dates in May and he thought about our church. If you know me very well at all, then you know that 4-part quartet style music is my very favorite music of all. I've written many times about my early love for the Kingsmen and how those old quartet albums inspired me to sing. Well, Cross 4 Crowns just happens to be one of my very favorite groups of all. They are a throw back to those quartets that I grew up listening to. Perfect harmony, skillful musicians, great stage presence, gifted, and spiritual. Put all of those together and you are knocking on the gates of Heaven! My family and I attended a Cross 4 Crowns concert at Corryton Baptist last year and we were so blessed by them. You can read about that on THIS post.

The month of May is a tough month. There is Mother's Day, Memorial Day weekend, and it is leading into Vacation Bible School. Also, I already have another Southern Gospel group booked for the last Sunday in May. I wasn't about to let any of that stand in the way of perhaps one of the greatest blessings for our church. I chose Mother's Day evening worship service to have Cross 4 Crowns come out to worship with us. I realize it is a little risky crowd wise. Some people will no doubt have plans to lay out of church to do things with their mother. But, I figured, with enough prayer and preparation, God will take care of the details.

So, this coming Mother's Day, May 10th, at 6:00 PM, Highland Baptist church will be hosting Cross 4 Crowns in concert! It will be a special Mother's day event. I can't think of a better way to show your mother how much you love her than spending an evening in church with her, and treating her to the finest Southern gospel music this side of Heaven. We will also be having refreshments in the fellowship building immediately following the service. I truly think it will be one of the "Crowning" (pun intended) moments of the year for Highland Baptist. So, spread the word and let's come together as one body in Christ for a fantastic evening of music and worship!

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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 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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Turn your radio on!

I have to drive 28-miles, one way, to work. That's a lot of time spent on the road going back and forth from Corryton to Farragut and back. I hate the traffic but I treasure the alone time. Every morning I always tune in to Praise 96.3 WJBZ on my truck radio. Mike Clark, the D.J., plays the best Southern Gospel music this side of heaven. I am supposed to be in the office at 9:00 AM but I very rarely ever make it on time. I'm usually passing the Cedar Bluff Rd. exit about the time the Golden Gospel Hour comes on the radio. Of course I have to sing along with it every morning, matching George Younce's bass during the opening song.

This morning as I was driving, it seemed that God was speaking to me through the songs on the radio. I guess it started when I heard the beautiful voice of Vestal Goodman singing God Walks the Dark Hills. My eyes started misting over as I sang along and thought about how God has always watched over and protected me. I could feel those glory bumps running down my arms as I imagined hearing the Highland Baptist Church choir sing that song. I decided right then and there that we would work on it in our next practice. My plan is to either have a soloist or just the altos sing the verses and then the rest of the choir join in on the verses.

Then, my favorite group of all time (the mighty Kingsmen Quartet!) came on the air singing, Ready to Leave. I was singing to the top of my lungs with my hero, Ray Reese, on this old favorite; "Ready to leave in a twinkling of an eye, making investments in the bank up in the sky, happy preparations no reason to grieve, are you in that number getting ready to leave?" I got so excited I nearly ran off the road! It was then that I started wondering, "hmmm, I wonder what it would take to get the Kingsmen to come out to Highland Baptist to sing?" If I could get the Kingsmen to come to my church it would be the a crowning achievement for me. I could probably die and be satisfied. So... my next step is to dig deeper and try to make that happen. (not to die but to get the Kingsmen out!)

On my drive home, I usually listen to WVLT news which is simulcast live on WJBZ. But, tonight I stuck my earphones in (which might be illegal while driving) and I listened to a couple of new sermons that I had downloaded to my Mp3 player. It wasn't long before I began to feel God's spirit again. I started getting excited and my head filled with ideas for my next sermon (which happens to be this coming Sunday evening.) I was so thankful that God is able to work through such simple means and for the love and mercy that he shows me each day. I am one of the least significant and lowly of his children and to know that he knows me by name almost overwhelms me.

Well, I guess I've rattled on enough. It's already 11:15 PM and I probably should try to get some rest but I'm way too excited tonight to think about sleeping. I'll probably listen to some more sermons or maybe some Kingsmen Quartet music instead!

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Jim Hamill Passes Away

I received the sad news today via an email from Mike Kelly of WDVX radio. Jim Hamill passed away yesterday (11.29.207) around 5:30 in the morning.

Big Jim Hamill was the legendary lead singer and emcee for the Mighty Kingsmen Quartet. He was born in Memphis, TN in 1934. He is widely known for his funny stage antics and powerful vocals. He was inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2004. He will truly be missed.

A note from the Kingsmen's website: "A memorial service will be held on Monday, December 3 at 2:00 PM at the Jackson Funeral Home, 1101 Greenville Highway, Hendersonville, NC. We ask for your prayers for the Hamill family. Cards may be sent to the Kingsmen office at Post Office Box 599, Candler, NC 28715."

Here is a write up about Jim's passing from The Southern Gospel.com.

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Meeting My Bass Singing Hero Ray Dean Reese

I recently posted about my childhood hero Big John Tate, and in that article I mentioned that another one of my hero’s was Ray Dean Reese from the Kingsmen Quartet. This got me to thinking, hmmm, what could I post about Ray Reese that is related to Knoxville? Well duh, one of my most memorable moments is the night I met Ray Reese in the lobby of the Tennessee Theatre in Knoxville and had my picture taken with him!

Go back in time to 1998. I was only 31 years old then and about 40 lbs lighter! It was a Mulls Praise 96.3 concert event at the Tennessee Theatre. That was before the major restoration of course, but the Tennessee has always been a grand place to me. I was so excited to be attending the Kingsmen Quartet concert. On the line-up with the Kingsmen were Phil Cross & the Poet Voices, Greater Vision, Tony Gore & Majesty, and the Whisnants. Wow, what a concert event!

I arrived at the Tennessee early enough to see many of the performers as they unpacked their CD’s and merchandise to set up on tables just inside the front lobby. I browsed through the goods and talked briefly with some of the folks, when all of a sudden I saw my Southern Gospel music idol, Ray Reese! Man, was I excited. I had been listening to Ray Reese sing bass ever since I can remember. My favorite record in the whole wide world was the Kingsmen’s 1973 album “Big and Live.” I would play it over and over and over, singing every note with ol’ Ray. One of my favorites was “So High” “Well, I went down to the valley, but I didn’t go there to stay, but when my soul got happy in the valley boys, well I stayed down there all day. Don’t you know that it’s high, so high, you can’t get over it, wide, so wide you can’t get around it, low, so low, you can’t get under it, you gotta come in at the door.”

I nervously walked up to Ray and said, “Hi Ray, I’m Byron Chesney, and I’m so glad to meet you.” My face felt like it was on fire and I felt like a silly little kid or something, geesh. Anyways, Ray gave me a huge smile, stuck out his hand and nearly shook my arm off. I asked him if he would mind to have his picture taken with me and he grinned and wrapped his arm around me putting me in a headlock. I thought I had died and gone to Southern Gospel Heaven.

So my wife snapped a picture of me and Ray Reese standing in the lobby of the Tennessee Theatre. That was one of the happiest moments of my life. Yeah, go ahead and laugh, I’m a big guy and I can take it.

Oh yea, the concert was phenomenal, I laughed, sang, shouted, and cried that night. I also took a few pictures. I was sitting pretty far back and there was a 7 foot giant sitting in front of me but I managed to get a few shots in.

Btw… The Kingsmen Quartet will be having their 50^thAnniversary reunion concert this coming Monday, March 5, 2007, at the Memorial Auditorium in Chattanooga,TN at 7:00 pm. If you want to see a great concert, you need to be there! Go here for details.

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