Karen Peck and New River to be in concert at Versailles church

John Herndon
Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Famer Karen Peck Gooch sings during a concert at the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Ky., Aug. 4, 2026.

By John Herndon, KentuckySings.com

Karen Peck and New River, one of Southern Gospel music’s most-acclaimed artists, will be in concert at New Hope Baptist Church in Versailles on Sunday, Oct. 25. The concert begins at 5 p.m.

Tickets are available in advance by calling the church office.

Karen Peck Gooch has been recognized as Favorite Soprano in the Singing News Fan Awards 16 times since 1986, including the most recent award bestowed at the National Quartet Convention in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., last month.

Members of Karen Peck and New River perform at the Creation Museum on Aug. 4, 2026. They are, from left, Grant Gibson, Karen Peck Gooch, Gooch’s daughter Kari Baucom and her sister Susan Jackson. (All photos by John or Stephanie Herndon)

In addition, Karen Peck and New River’s “I Speak Jesus” was named the Favorite Song of 2026 in the same voting. According to sghistory.com, the group also received the honor in 2001 with “Four Days Late.”

The group earned the 2026 Dove Award for the Southern Gospel Album of the Year, Good Answers. It was the 11th Dove Award for the group, the most by any Southern Gospel artist.

New Hope Baptist worship director Deanna Boone says the concert is part of the church’s effort to “introduce others to the New Hope family and to open doors to our community. Music is a powerful way to share the gospel at the same time.”

Karen Peck Gooch’s son, Matthew, plays guitar for Karen Peck and New River. He is pictured at the Creation Museum on Aug. 4.

Boone, who has performed gospel music for many years, says she is a huge fan of KPNR. “I have been following Karen Peck and New River for as long as I can remember,. I have even performed her songs when I had concerts of my own. She has many songs that have touched my life personally over the years. ‘I Wanna Know How if Feels’ and ‘Four Days Late’ are just a few.”

The church has put many hours of work into the concert and believes attendees will be uplifted and challenged. “There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes to get a concert booked,” Boone says. “It starts with building a relationship with the artist and management. Then, building an internal team to make decisions and to recruit volunteers for the event. It takes quite an effort but it is well worth it.”

IF YOU GO …


New Hope Baptist Church is located at 3825 Tyrone Pike, Versailles, Ky.

Flyer provided.

“Our beautiful sanctuary holds up to 250 people comfortably and has wonderful acoustics,” Boone said.

Tickets for the concert are $25 each and are available by calling the church office at 859-873-1707. If available, tickets can also be purchased at the door.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m.

FUTURE CONCERTS AT NEW HOPE

The Hoppers will bring their Christmas concert to New Hope on Sunday, Dec. 6 at 6 p.m.

“We hope to continue this ministry in the upcoming year to bring people to New Hope and to the Lord. Each one can reach one,” Boone says.

Leave a Reply