Victory Road will be hosting its second Gospel Hymn Sing and Concert Friday at Spencer Christian Church in Fisherville, Ky. Members are, front row, from left: Larry Dennison, David Jones, David Stevens and Carroll Ingram. Back row: Tim Edwards, Freddie Sharp and Jerry Franklin.

By John Herndon, KentuckySings.com

The old hymns will be alive and well Friday night as Victory Road, a popular Southern Gospel music group, will be hosting its second annual Gospel Hymn Sing on Friday, Aug. 16. The hymn sing will be held at Spencer Christian Church, located at 5720 Taylorsville Road, Fisherville, and will get underway with well-known gospel pianist Jaydee Miller leading an instrumental concert at 6:30 p.m.

The Hymn Sing and concert get underway at 7 p.m.

The Hymn Sing is modeled somewhat after the popular series put together by renowned pianist Gerald Wolfe of Greater Vision. Wolfe said in a recent interview he got the idea in 2014 during a request portion of a Greater Vision concert. Several fans requested some of the old hymns and sang along with enthusiasm. The concept was born and Wolfe hosts numerous Hymn Sings across the country with some of gospel music’s biggest names.

The idea caught on across the country and has been popular in several areas of Kentucky. Victory Road hosted its first Hymn Sing last October. “This will be our second annual Gospel Hymn Sing with hopefully many more to come,” says David Stevens, lead singer and rhythm guitarist for Victory Road. “We have them at Spencer Christian because it is the largest church in the community and can accommodate larger crowds.”

Last October, an estimated 600 people packed into the church to hear Victory Road and several other groups, along with a choir, lead in the hymn sing.

“The format will be a little different than last year,” Stevens says. “We will have fewer groups which will allow each group more time to sing.”

Acclaimed gospel pianist Jaydee Miller will be leading an instrumental prelude to the Hymn Sing.

Victory Road will be joined by The Noblemen, from Shelbyville, Ky., and Miller, who played with The Gospel Couriers, The Gaithers and others before returning to located music ministries and production in central Kentucky.

Stevens says the concert is being billed as a Gospel Hymn Sing and Concert as each group will perform some of its Southern Gospel repertoire.

“We will also have a community choir that will help lead the congregation in singing many of the beloved old favorites of the church,” Stevens says. “We are finding as we travel around singing that many churches have abandoned the old hymns and some no longer even use their hymn books. Don’t get me wrong, I love contemporary music, but I fear that we are slowly losing the older hymns. Many folks are starving to hear the hymns that we were brought up singing.”

The Noblemen will be singing. They are, from left, Chris Daniel, Garry Polston and Tracy Bertram. In front is David Martin. (All photos furnished)

Stevens says after Miller leads the instrumental prelude, the singing of the hymns will get underway at 7. At 7:30, The Noblemen will perform followed by Victory Road. “We’ll conclude the evening with both groups performing together and ending with a rousing version of ‘I’ll Fly Away,’” Stevens says.

There is no charge to attend the Hymn Sing and Concert but a love offering will be received.