The Kentucky Music Hall of Fame will be inducting seven new members Oct. 28. (Photo courtesy Kentucky Music Hall of Fame.)
Museum explores all Commonwealth’s roots in all genres
By John Herndon, KentuckySings.com
When Jessica Blankenship was named director of the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame earlier this year, we knew this little gem just off I-75 at Renfro Valley was in for some changes.
Some big changes. At least in getting the word out about what’s going on at the Hall of Fame.
Let’s just say if you haven’t heard about some of the goings on at the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame in the last few months, you haven’t been paying attention.
Greater Vision sings at Sand Spring Baptist Church on Oct. 6, 2022. From left are Gerald Wolfe, Jon Epley, Rodney Griffin and Chris Allman.
Early detours led Rodney Griffin on road to SGMA Hall of Fame
By John Herndon, KentuckySings.com
LAWRENCEBURG, Ky. – Once he tells his story, it’s hard to miss the irony of where the detours along career paths have led Rodney Griffin on his way to a place in the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame.
“I was trying to get into med school,” Griffin says, remembering his days as a student at Berea College. “As I got into my studies, I saw that my grades were not going to be the straight A’s that are required to get into medical school. Those people were brilliant that I was in class with. “I thought I had better find something else because that is just not my thing.”
Libbi Perry Stuffle, shown in a 2019 concert, has been singing with The Perrys from the group’s beginning in 1971,
By John Herndon, KentuckySings.com
If you need or want more gospel concerts the week after the National Quartet Convention, Mountain Gospel Radio could be the place for you this week.
The station, which is affiliated with Kentucky Mountain Bible College in Vancleve, Ky., is sponsoring a week-long “sharathon” featuring online concerts from some of the top regional southern gospel and bluegrass gospel artists from the Appalachian region. In addition, the station will be sponsoring a concert from The Perrys, one of the nation’s most popular and enduring Southern Gospel groups.
“We usually have a group of local artists that come in and at least one nationally known group,” says Seth Stevenson, the station’s general manager. “This year, our local group pool has been limited so we have groups that are further away than normal.”
Primitive Quartet at Sand Spring Baptist Church on September 23. From left are Reagan Riddle, Randy Fox, Jeff Tolbert, Mike Riddle and Larry Riddle.
Primitive Quartet in final months of amazing ministry, still giving God all the praise
By John Herndon, KentuckySings.com
LAWRENCEBURG, Ky. – Little did some fishing buddies know that a springtime camping trip would be the beginning of a career that has been reeling in accolades from almost every corner of the gospel music industry.
But that’s how God has worked through Primitive Quartet ever since April 1973.
The Primitives have cast their influence through a true-to-their-roots music and a faithful-to-their-Savior faith that has led them to touch more people than could have ever been imagined when the Riddle brothers and Wilson brothers were sitting around a campfire picking and singing.
Gospel music fans near Ashland, Ky., can experience a night of powerful worship when The Kingsmen, The Perrys and Karen Peck & New River come to town on Thursday, Oct. 6.
The stellar lineup of southern gospel greats will be at the Paramount Arts Center that night. The singing begins at 7 p.m.
“Ashland is a very special town,” promoter Paul Belcher says. “Folks come to worship. It’s totally different than any other market we come to promote. People rejoice and praise the Lord. It’s a church service.”
Belcher has put together a lineup full of southern gospel history but all three groups continue to receive accolades after decades in the business.
The Kingsmen in concert earlier this year at Crab Orchard, Kentucky. (File photo by John Herndon)
The Kingsmen, formed in 1956, features Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Famer Ray Dean Reese singing his distinctive bass. The group’s sound blends the best of traditional southern gospel with more contemporary sounds.
The Perrys first performed on Dec. 25, 1970 as a family trio that Libbi Perry Stuffle continues to lead today. She remains one of gospel music’s favorite altos and her late husband, Tracy Stuffle, who sang bass with the group for more than 30 years, was inducted into the SGMA Hall of Fame in 2018.
Karen Peck & New River. (Photo submitted)
Karen Peck and New River has been one of gospel music’s top groups since forming in 1991. Karen Peck Gooch is also one of gospel music’s beloved performers, being named to the SGMA Hall of Fame last year.
All of the groups have multiple No. 1 hits and have been awarded many times by the industry.
The Paramount Arts Center routinely brings high-quality acts to the Ashland-Huntington, W.Va.-Ironton, Ohio area and Belcher says it is a great venue for southern gospel. “The history of the Paramount is so rich,” he said. “We go to the Paramount because it’s a neutral location. We seldom go to a church for a ticketed event. Every denomination feels comfortable coming to a service there….Sonny and Barbara Sites promoted there for years. I love Ashland, Ky.”
The Perrys have been singing gospel music for more than 50 years. (Photo submitted)
Belcher said he has been promoting at The Paramount since 2019 when he booked the McKameys there for part of their farewell tour. Common Bond, based in Ashland, was also on the card that night. “It was special. Being there last year, folks responded very well,” Belcher said.
Belcher said tickets, which are priced at 20 and 25 dollars, are “going rather well.” He advised that even with tickets available less than two weeks before the concert, fans should not wait.
“The last week is always the busiest with ticket sales,” he said. “I believe we will have a great crowd.”
Steve Bridgmon sings during the Ichthus festival on Sept. 10.
Owensboro native enjoying success on several fronts
By John Herndon, KentuckySings.com
It’s hard to imagine anyone enjoying life more than Steve Bridgmon these days.
Not just any country music artist. Not just any Christian music artist. Not just anyone in Nashville, from Kentucky or any other designation.
Just anyone. It’s hard to imagine anyone having more reason to smile of late than Bridgmon, the Owensboro native who has built a successful career as a soloist in Inspirational Country music, sometimes called “Christian country.”
The Capital City Boys sing at Graefenburg Christian Church in July, 2019. From left are Alan Taylor, Kelly Briscoe, Josh Martin and Chris Woodyard. Taylor retired from the group last year and has been replaced by Jason Witten.
‘If they don’t like the old style Southern Gospel quartet style they would be bored with us’
By John Herndon, KentuckySings.com
The Capital City Boys have sung in many places and seen just about everything in over 20 years of performing gospel music.
They’ve sung in small country churches and opened for nationally-known gospel artists. But they’ve never forgotten their roots.
They’ve sung in nearly every kind of church found in central Kentucky and have even had a stint working as a barbershop quartet. But they’ve never forgotten why they sing.
They are enormously talented and could probably sing many more dates if they opened their calendar a bit more. But they’ve never forgotten their commitment to local ministry.
Wayne and Darlene Shirey sing at Sand Spring Baptist Church on August 18.
The Shireys are back on the road after a year of medical setbacks
By John Herndon, KentuckySings.com
LAWRENCEBURG, Ky. — You simply can’t spend time around Wayne and Darlene Shirey without being uplifted and reminded of God’s goodness.
It doesn’t matter if you are watching them on stage or interacting with the gospel music veterans at the product table or in a church lobby. Their lives and ministry is always about the wonderful nature of God.
They’ve sung about it for years. They’ve lived it up close and personal over the last 12 months or so.
And through it all, Darlene says, the devil tried to bring them down. “He ain’t going to win,” she says with that South Carolina accent.
Won Life, a trio based in Hardinsburg, Ky., sings during the Highway 62 Jubilee on August 20.
Louisville-area program features southern, country, bluegrass gospel from local and national artists
By John Herndon, KentuckySings.com
Putting together a night of gospel music that reaches across its varying sounds can be a difficult proposition, but the Highway 62 Jubilee seeks to bring them together each month.
Created by promoter Ray Lawrence, the Jubilee endeavors to bring together southern, bluegrass and country gospel one Saturday a month while serving as a vehicle for multiple ministries. It has been meeting since March 2021.
Victoria Shirey Bowlin sings during 11th Hour’s concert at Sand Spring Baptist Church on Aug. 18.
11th Hour’s Victoria Shirey Bowlin shares His power and providence through music
By John Herndon, KentuckySings.com
When Victoria Shirey Bowlin joined 11th Hour last summer, she could only see it as another way God worked in her life.
“Honestly, God threw it in my lap,” she says with a huge smile. “I had no intention of ever joining another group when I stopped singing with my family.”
Victoria had sung with her parents and sister for 20 years when she decided to concentrate on ministry with her husband, Aaron Bowlin, and do solo work in 2014. And she was happy in those roles when the opportunity to sing with 11th Hour presented itself.
Kentucky Sings! 