Common Bond lead singer’s ties to Nelons grew over 30 years

By John Herndon, KentuckySings.com

While the Southern Gospel music world was shocked at the tragic deaths of Jason and Kelly Nelon Clark, Amber and Nathan Kistler and three others, few could have been as devastated as Rick Melton.

When he got the news of the July 26 plane crash, Melton didn’t just lose a singing colleague. The ones lost were more than friends. They were like family. They were much, much more than professional colleagues, but had a bond that formed over 30 years ago and was continuing to grow at the time of the crash. 

“We were extremely close,” says Melton, the lead singer for Common Bond Quartet, which is based in Raceland, Ky. “Our relationship goes back many years. When the girls (Amber and Autumn Nelon) were just babies, the Nelons’ travel schedule was extremely busy. It became apparent they needed help with those kids. They hired my cousin, Dana Hall, from Richmond, Ky., to be their nanny. So you see, our families have been intertwined for over 30 years.”

And when Melton was putting Common Bond together in 2009, the connection with Jason Clark, singer-guitarist-bassist of the Nelons, grew even deeper.

“Jason has had a huge influence on the ministry of Common Bond Quartet,” Melton explains. “He has been the producer/arranger, songwriter and mentor for Common Bond Quartet. For me personally, he was one of my closest friends.”

Because of being so closely bonded with The Nelons, Melton wanted to have a tribute concert and fundraiser for Autumn Nelon Streetman, who was not on the plane when four members of her family were killed. Autumn and her husband, Jamie, are expecting their first child.

The concert will be held on Thursday, Sept. 19 at Sand Spring Baptist Church near Lawrenceburg. The Nelons had been scheduled to appear at Sand Spring that night and organizers had been expecting a large turnout. After the fatal crash, Common Bond stepped in to use the date as a way to support Autumn and other family members as they navigate life without Kelly, Jason, Amber, Nathan and friends.

Joining Common Bond on the billing will be the Barkley Family Reunion Band. The concert gets underway at 7 p.m. There is no admission charge but a love offering will be received. All proceeds will go to the Nelon family.

“I would have done anything for them,” Melton continues. “Many times, I would get a call from them, ‘Hey, bro, we are broke down. We need some help. Karen (Melton’s wife) and I would grab some tools to head out and get them up and running or take them my bus to get them to the next concert. (We had) many fun times together.”

Melton went to bed on July 26 not knowing that his close friends had gone to meet the Savior they unashamedly sang about. “I was in bed when the news broke that their plane went down and that there were no survivors,” Melton remembers. “I started to get texts around 3 a.m. from people saying, ‘Sorry for your loss.’ I had no idea what they were talking about.

“I soon saw the news release from Gaither (Music), and about the same time, I got a text from Jason’s dad confirming what I already knew. I woke my wife, we cried together and began to reminisce about all our good times together. 

“Jason and I had bi-weekly calls together just to chat and make plans for the next project that we wanted to do.”

Melton says he has stayed in touch with Autumn Nelon Streetman and the rest of the Nelon family and will continue to do so  However, he says she will not be able to be in attendance at Thursday’s benefit.

Over their legendary career, the Nelons filled a huge part of the lives of Southern Gospel fans. In fact, Kelly is to be inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame, joining her father, Rex, at the National Quartet Convention later this month.

Melton believes it is fitting that the Nelons’ single, released the day of the crash, is appropriate. “‘There’s a Hole in the Heart’ is their latest song,” Melton says, “and for me, there is a hole in our hearts.”