Duane Allen sings with the Oak Ridge Boys at the Kentucky State Fair in 2024. He has been the group’s lead singer since 1966 and will be inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame on Sept. 23. (All photos by John Herndon.)
Legendary Oak Ridge Boy to be celebrated by the music he loves most
By John Herndon, KentuckySings.com
The last time Duane Allen attended the National Quartet Convention one certain guest was causing quite a stir with his presence.
“I remember Elvis was there and that was quite a commotion he was causing,” Allen said from his home in Hendersonville, Tenn., last week.
When Allen steps into the LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge Monday, there won’t be a commotion or an uproar – Allen would never want that – but there will be an excitement as one of gospel music’s greats of 50-60 years ago returns to his roots to be inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame.
Kentucky native Brady Jones delivers low notes, high hopes for Kingsmen
Morgantown, Ky. native Brady Jones sings bass during a Kingsmen concert at Sand Spring Baptist Church in June. (All photos by John Herndon.)
By John Herndon, KentuckySings.com
Brady Jones’ first appearance with The Kingsmen Quartet was one of those nights where everyone in attendance knew something special was happening.
What they didn’t know was how long the wheels would turn before the Kentucky teenager would be hitting the low notes every time the legendary gospel group stepped up to the microphones.
“He just blew the roof off the place,” remembers Kingsmen baritone Alan Kendall.
Full day of gospel music to benefit Project Hero for the Elderly
From staff reports
Acclaimed gospel music artists Jeff and Sheri Easter are scheduled to appear at the Strawberry Festival and Gospel Homecoming Singing on Saturday, May 17. The all-day concert is to be held on the Festival Grounds of Schwartz’s Family Restaurant in Eckerty, Ind., about an hour from Louisville, Ky.
Six other gospel groups will be appearing at the homecoming beginning at 11:30 a.m., EDT. The Easters are set to take the stage at 6:30 p.m,
The family-friendly event is sponsored by Highway 62 Jubilee and Schwartz’s Family Restaurant and is being organized as a benefit for Project Hero 62.
According to a news release, Project Hero 62 is designed to benefit people over 60, many of whom live alone and depend on various social services to maintain their quality of life. “With the generosity and support of our corporate and individual sponsors, we work year round to collect clothing, birthday and Christmas gifts, inspirational reading materials and music and personally deliver these items,” the release said.
In addition to the concerts, the Homecoming Singing will feature a silent auction and other activities for the entire family. Attendees will also be able to pick strawberries during the day.
There is no admission charge but a $20 gate donation is appreciated, according to the release. Love offerings will also be taken during the day.
IF YOU GO …
The Third Annual Strawberry Festival and Gospel Homecoming Singing will be held on Saturday, May 17 at the Festival Grounds of Schwartz’s Family Restaurant, 6738 W. Governor’s Trace, Eckerty, Ind. Activities begin at 11:30 a.m. and are scheduled to last into the evening.
Joshua Tomlin is happy serving as Joseph Habedank’s keyboardist.
A decade after saying he would work with Joseph Habedank, Joshua Tomlin is doing just that
By John Herndon, KentuckySings.com
Editor’s Note: The concert at the Cathedral of Glory, Mt. Sterling was canceled because of flooding at the church building. A rescheduled date has not been released.
It’s been more than 10 years since Joshua Tomlin told his girlfriend he was going to work with Joseph Habedank some day.
And now Josh is coming home for three central Kentucky concerts over the next four months, reminding him of those dreams and the path on which God led him before taking his vast musical talent on the road with one of gospel music’s most beloved artists.
The first of the upcoming appearances by Habedank and his band will be on Saturday, March 15 at the Cathedral of Glory in Mt. Sterling. The concert, which was originally set for January before a snowstorm forced rescheduling, begins at 7 p.m.
Joshua Tomlin has been playing keyboards for Joseph Habedank since last May. He is shown during a concert at Bardstown in February.(All photos by John Herndon.)
Tomlin is also looking forward to an appearance in Danville in May and Lawrenceburg in July. A date at Symsonia Baptist Church in far western Kentucky is also on the schedule for Sunday night, March 16 at 6 p.m., Central Time.
Between his stops in Mt. Sterling and Lawrenceburg, Joseph Habedank’s Autobiography Tour is scheduled to stop in 13 other states. Later in the summer, the tour will also stop at the Ark Encounter as part of the 40 Days and 40 Nights of Christian Music.
But for Joshua Tomlin, who mans the keyboard and provides background vocals, it is a bit of an ironic trip home.
“When Joseph first came out with the ‘Welcome Home’ album, his first solo album, I wasn’t married yet, but Abby, my wife now, and I, we were dating,” Tomlin said before another central Kentucky stop at Bardstown Baptist Church in February. “We were going to get something to eat and I popped a CD in. I was a fan of Joseph before that – he was so good with The Perrys. When I heard that music, I looked at her and said, ‘I am going to work with this guy.'”
Tomlin knew the dream was improbable. Abby knew it was not impossible.
“She had the wisdom to say, ‘If you want to and it’s God’s will, you will,'” Tomlin smiled. “That was 10 or 11 years ago.”
Abby and Joshua Tomlin sing with Cumberland Thunder at Sand Spring Baptist Church in 2022. (File photo.)
The road to traveling as a full-time professional musician had varied stops, including time as guitarist for Cumberland Thunder, a progressive Southern Gospel group based in Russell Springs, where Josh and Abby Tomlin now live. The band combined elements of traditional gospel with country, rock and bluegrass to create a unique sound.
“Cumberland Thunder started almost nine years ago. It was a passion project, really. We just wanted to make music that we enjoyed,” Tomlin said. “If we enjoyed it, we knew that somebody out there would.”
But the dream was still to be a full-time professional musician. “I have had it since I was a teenager,” Tomlin says. “There were a lot of doors that I tried to kick down myself.”
He would find out that approach doesn’t work and decided to serve in local churches, learning to grow spiritually..
Along the way, Josh helped his parents, Richard and Reesie Tomlin, by teaching at Imparting Wisdom Christian Academy in Hustonville. Tomlin continues to work there when he’s home from touring.
Joshua Tomlin.
Eventually, Tomlin accepted a call from Flat Lick Baptist Church, near Somerset, to serve as the pastor. “They are some very dear friends we worked with for a couple of years. When you are pastoring a church, you have to have something prepared for every time you meet. You get into the Word!” he laughed.
But when the opportunity to pursue the dream arrived, the laughter turned to tears. “When we got the call, we cried on each other’s shoulders. I still love those people very much and I go back to fellowship with them when I can,” Tomlin said of Flat Lick.
Tomlin had always waited for the call, THAT call. It came last spring. And Joshua Tomlin was the only person Joseph Habedank called to fill the keyboard position when he decided to take some live musicians on his tour.
“We had been friends for a long time,” Tomlin said. “I used to work in Christian radio. I worked at WDFB in Danville. I worked there as a teenager. I got hired there as a summer job when I was 15 and did it for several years. When Joseph announced his solo career, he came by and we did an interview. Because of that interview, we exchanged phone numbers, developed a friendship. We didn’t talk often, but we would communicate every few months or so.
“I had no idea I would ever be considered or thought of in that way. When he called, I had been praying.”
And Tomlin says there is no doubt that the circumstances of getting the invitation to tour left no doubt that God was working. “I remember getting in the car, we were on the way home from church and I was a little discouraged. I felt like something was supposed to happen but I didn’t know what it was,” he said.
What Tomlin knew was that he longed to travel, yet he was content to serve as pastor of a small church.
Joseph Habedank in concert at Bardstown Baptist Church, Feb. 7.
“I looked at (Abby) and I said, ‘I wish God would just drop this in my lap because I am not smart enough to know what to do,'” Josh continued. “The words had barely gotten out of my mouth and in the same minute, I got a text message from Joseph. It said, ‘Can you start May 6?’ And I said, ‘OK, God, that’s dropping it in my lap. Message received.”
For almost a year, Tomlin has been on stage with guitarist Anthony Rogers every time Habedank brings one of his powerful concerts. The 90 minutes of music focus on God’s grace and forgiveness and offer hope for the downtrodden. There is a constant reminder of hope for those who have battled addiction, like Habedank’s much-publicized escape from addiction’s chains.
“When we get on the bus, there is something (Habedank) says to us on a weekly, sometimes a daily basis. He says, ‘Be real. Be real. If you are real, people will respond to it,'” Tomlin says.
And, as expected, there’s music. LOTS of music. While Habedank is considered a Southern Gospel singer, he’s sometimes paired with contemporary artists in concerts. The selections on the bus reflect that variety
“My influences are all over the place. His influences are all over the place,” Tomlin says. “We have two televisions in the lounge of the bus. We might be sitting there and pull up YouTube and we might watch a Michael English video and Russ Taff. Then we might go to something like Crowder to an old Cathedrals video.
“There’s an old cliche, ‘If it’s written about God, I like it.’ And that’s true.”
Joseph Habedank in concert with band members Anthony Rogers and Josh Tomlin at Bardstown Baptist Church, Feb. 7.
Tomlin says that traveling with Habedank has brought a special blessing that few can enjoy. “He has had life experiences that I have never had,” Josh said. “He has a lot of wisdom to offer, more than people realize. He’s very humble about it but what you see on stage is what you get on the bus. There have been moments where we have been going down the road and he will be driving the bus. I will be up there in the seat next to him and will be just the two of us up there at one or two o’clock in the morning and we will just start talking about spiritual things. He’s very empathetic with us.”
And there are undoubtedly times when Joshua Tomlin has to pinch himself to see if the last 10 months have been real. And Saturday is the first of three concerts close to home.
On May 18, Habedank will be at Hedgeville Baptist Church in Tomlin’s hometown of Danville. Then on July 10, the tour will stop at one of Kentucky’s premier venues, Sand Spring Baptist Church in Lawrenceburg.
“I am really excited about going to Sand Spring this summer because when Abby and I were dating, our date nights were concerts at Sand Spring,” Tomlin said with a huge smile. “We would go to Fazoli’s in Danville, then drive over to Lawrenceburg, go to a concert, then go to McDonalds afterwards. Then we would go our separate ways. I remember that so vividly.
“Somebody I knew said, ‘It’s a really good feeling to stand in a place where you used to dream, having realized the dream. Sand Spring would be that place.”
Bob Sellers performs at Sand Spring Baptist Church, Lawrenceburg, Ky., in 2023. (File photo by John Herndon)
Bob Sellers looking forward to weekend with Mercy’s Won
By John Herndon, KentuckySings.com
Bob Sellers is Alabama-born and bleeds Crimson but Kentucky has long been part of his gospel music family.
Sellers will be back in the Bluegrass Friday and Saturday, teaming up with Mercy’s Won for concerts in the southwest-central part of the state. They will be at Community Church at Cedar Springs in Brownsville Saturday night, Feb. 1, then at Faith Church in Glasgow the following evening.
We caught up with Sellers, who has had stints with The Kingsmen and the Old Time Preachers Quartet, earlier this week on Facebook Messenger. He’s excited to be making the trip from his home near Tuscaloosa to the Bluegrass.
Rodney Griffin, of Greater Vision, sings “Faces” during the Class of 2024 induction ceremony at the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame.
Hall of Fame and Museum offers something for all music lovers, including gospel
By John Herndon, KentuckySings.com
Are you looking for a great day trip during the holidays? Why not make the drive to Mt. Vernon, Ky., for a visit to the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and Museum?
This little gem, located just off Interstate 75 at Exit 62, is a wealth of information and displays chronicling the deep roots of the music industry in the Commonwealth. The Hall of Fame offers something for music lovers, regardless of genre.
The Nelons perform at First Baptist Church of Cold Spring, Sept. 10, 2020. From left are Kelly Nelon Clark, Autumn Nelon Streetman, Amber Nelon Kistler and Nathan Kistler, who was filling in for Jason Clark that night.(Photo by John Herndon)
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.
Firm Foundation Quartet sings during the 2023 Reunion Tour at Taylor County High School, Campbellsville, Ky. From left are Jericho McCoy, Steve Bridgmon, Josh Teasley and Anthony Davis.
Group gets together for weekend of fun and Southern Gospel
By John Herndon, KentuckySings.com
It can be amazing to reminisce about the circles of life and the people involved that become an integral part of one’s journey.
Rodney Griffin, who will be inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame in October, sings during a Greater Vision concert at Bible Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon, Ky., May 12, 2024. Griffin sings the lead on many of Greater Vision’s songs and has written 21 songs that climbed to the top of the Southern Gospel charts.
Mt. Vernon resident shares deep truths in simple manner during stellar singing, songwriting career
By John Herndon, KentuckySings.com
MOUNT VERNON, Ky. – There’s a sense of amazement surrounding Rodney Griffin these days. It’s an amazement of where God has led him as one of gospel music’s most recognized artists and the innumerable blessings popping up in his journey.
And, Griffin might wonder, what’s next?
Before a May appearance with Greater Vision at his home church, Bible Baptist in Mt. Vernon, Griffin still seemed overwhelmed about his induction into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame coming October 26 at Renfro Valley. Those in the Southern Gospel world believe Griffin is more than deserving, given his membership in the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame the 21 No. 1 hits he’s penned.
But Griffin does not see himself on par with gospel greats like Howard and Vestal Goodman, Dottie Rambo or Steven Curtis Chapman, all members of the Hall of Fame. “Those are my heroes,” Griffin quietly smiled. “I know how incredibly grateful and incredibly blessed I feel to be a part of this class.”
Rodney Griffin makes a point during one of Greater Vision’s songs at Bible Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon. (All photos by John Herndon)
Like thousands of others in the 1960s, ‘70s and early ‘80s, Griffin knew The Happy Goodmans almost as family members. “Oh yes! On Sunday mornings, we’d be getting ready for church and it would be ‘Jubilee, Jubilee.’ You could hear that,” he said before breaking into the familiar theme song for the Gospel Singing Jubilee.
And Griffin is simultaneously awed and thankful to be honored with artists from all forms of music.
“Steve Wariner from up the road in Russell Springs. Larnelle Harris is one of my all-time favorites,” Griffin said, naming other Hall of Fame members. “I grew up listening to Crystal Gayle. Jon Conlee, back when I was in high school, he was a top country singer. Of course Vestal and Howard Goodman, Ricky Skaggs.
“Rosemary Clooney, what a vocalist she was! My goodness! Think of all those Christmas songs I listened to. Norah Lee Allen sang at the Grand Ole Opry all those years. Grandpa Jones, I used to see him on Saturday nights on ‘Hee Haw.’ Steven Curtis Chapman, what a consistent performer he has been down through the years. Exile, I listened to them in high school. Jason Crabb, what an incredible singer and songwriter and artist and what a great friend he is. There are some really quality people there.”
While Griffin’s appearances with Greater Vision are largely found in churches and smaller concert venues, his impact on gospel music has been enormous. He’s written over 500 songs and with many spending time on the Southern Gospel charts.
“He is so deserving,” said Griffin’s Greater Vision mate Jon Epley. “He has lived in Kentucky for a lot of years but he has had an impact all over this nation with his songwriting and his singing. It’s such a great thing and I am very excited for him.”
Greater Vision performs during a concert at Bible Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon, Ky., May 12, 2024. From left are Gerald Wolfe, Jon Epley, Rodney Griffin and Chris Allman.
Griffin is beloved for his ability to uncover truths in overlooked places. “I Remember the Fish,” part of Greater Vision’s 2019 album, You’ve Arrived, is a prime example. Told from the perspective of a Jewish man looking back on his childhood, he recalls giving Jesus his lunch of five loaves and two fish and seeing 5,000 people fed.
“Rodney can write as deep and complicated as anybody, but he has a knack for taking a very complicated idea and breaking it down where just the average guy in his pickup, who doesn’t care about all of that complicated stuff, where that guy can understand it,” Epley continued. “He has that ability to make things just right down where you live.”
Griffin believes God leads him during those times of successful writing. “If I have ever been able to put a few lines together and make a song and come up with a melody, it’s just the Lord giving me the ability to do that,” he said.
God blessed Griffin with considerable writing abilities as he has Southern Gospel fans have named him their favorite songwriter 24 out of the last 25 years.
The one other writer honored in that time frame? The legendary Bill Gaither.
And Griffin is often reminded of that ability to make biblical truths personal through music, especially through a song he wrote more than 20 years ago, “Faces.”
The song focuses on those who serve God behind the scenes and ends with the powerful lyric,
And for those years you thought
Nobody saw as you labored in lowly places
One day he’ll smile and show you all the faces.
… the faces… you’ll see their faces.
– “Faces,” by Rodney Griffin, recorded by Greater Vision. Words and music by Rodney Griffin, @2003, Songs of Greater Vision (BMI)
Rodney Griffin sings during Greater Vision’s concert at Bible Baptist Church, Mt. Vernon, Ky.
“It seems every week I get requests to use that song in a funeral, at a pastor’s retirement service, at a pastor appreciation day, at a missionary send off, so anyone who is doing anything for the Kingdom, they absolutely do not need to be on a platform to do that,” Griffin recalled.
“Most of God’s kingdom work is done off the platform, so that song was written to remind each of us, even if we are just changing diapers in the nursery, that someday we are all part of God’s program to see the gospel spread and you will see the faces of those your life influenced and brought to Calvary and knelt at the cross because of your faithfulness to do the little thing that God asked you to do.”
Not only do the lyrics speak, but Griffin’s songs are written in such a manner that churches across America use them as a part of their music ministries. Epley says that Griffin keeps the musical score “simple enough that the average church group and church piano player can sit down and play it and the church quartet can sing it. Because of that, his songs have been sung for years and years. He writes in a way that anybody can sing them, anybody can play them. Again, that is a great compliment to him.”
Songs like “Faces,” “I Remember the Fish” and “My Name Is Lazarus” have lifted Griffin to a place of honor amongst Kentucky artists. And like Griffin’s humble manner, the news was delivered rather quietly.
“I was checking my email and saw an email had been forwarded by the Greater Vision office to me,” remembers Griffin, who grew up in Somerset and graduated from Pulaski County High School. “It had been sent by Jessica Blankenship, the director of the Hall of Fame.
Rodney Griffin says his desire is to point people to Jesus through his songs.
“We were actually available that night (Oct. 26), which is very unusual. I couldn’t believe that I looked at the calendar and we were not scheduled to be anywhere.”
Griffin is thrilled that the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame continues to recognize the many branches of gospel music. “The Kentucky Hall, just by including gospel possibilities, it means they see our genre as legitimate musically. We know how legitimate it is spiritually. It reaches people. To be taken as a medium musically serious is really, really a neat thought.”
And Griffin, who has sung at Renfro Valley as a member of the Dixie Melody Boys as well as Greater Vision, is eager to sing the message he loves before a different audience. While Greater Vision’s tour schedule is filled with stops at churches and smaller venues full of gospel music fans, the induction ceremony audience will likely include people who have not been touched or challenged by Griffin’s music.
“Oh, man, that is the best ever,” Griffin said with a big smile. “You get to sing to people, some of whom may have never even heard the gospel. If we sing a song like ‘Faces,’ maybe we will stir them to thinking, ‘What about my soul? What about eternity? Am I just living for the here and now? Maybe I should think about what happiness to me after I die.’”
But for now, Rodney Griffin will just keep on singing and writing.
And he will be recognized for his efforts in his hometown. “It’s probably about seven miles from my house,” Griffin says. “And Renfro Valley has such a rich history with gospel music. Of course, all genres have sung there but gospel music has been represented here.
“It’s hard to believe our little town holds the place where Kentucky musicians are recognized.
“If you ask me a reason why I should be in the Hall of Fame, I can’t think of any. It’s just an unbelievable thing and I will take it gracefully and thank the Lord.”
Gospel great says Griffin ‘lives his life with genuine purpose’
Rodney Griffin is not only one of gospel music’s most recognized artists and songwriters but those in the industry say he’s a true friend.
“Communicator, wordsmith, giver, master of his craft, hero, a true friend. All of these terms, and then some, aptly describe Rodney Griffin,” says Alan Kendall, who sings baritone for The Kingsmen Quartet and is very active in promoting Southern Gospel music in America. “I’ve never seen him when he wasn’t working for the greater good. He lives his life with genuine purpose.
“He blesses those who haven’t even had the privilege of knowing him personally. Imagine getting to meet someone you admire from afar and realizing that they were even more than you ever imagined. I’ve discovered that about Rodney. Take every stereotypical good thing that could be said about anybody in our music, multiply it times 3, and you’ll define Rodney Griffin. He has walked the walk and talked the talk.”
KENTUCKY MUSIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTION OCTOBER 26
The Kentucky Music Hall of Fame will be inducting the Class of 2024 on Saturday, October 26 at 7 p.m. The incoming class includes Black Stone Cherry, Rodney Griffin, Bobby Mackey, Paul Martin, Jimmy Mattingly, The McLain Family Band, Billy Moore, Ruble Sanderson, Sturgill Simpson, Charlie Sizemore, and Gary Stewart.
KENTUCKY MUSIC HALL OF FAME CELEBRATES COMMONWEALTH’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO ALL GENRES OF MUSIC
The Kentucky Music Hall of Fame is a place to study and honor the Commonwealth’s deep musical heritage across all genres. A visitor to the Hall will find displays honoring some of those who have impacted various styles, from the 40s and 50s pop of Rosemary Clooney to the father of Bluegrass Bill Monroe, to Mary Travers of Peter, Paul and Mary, to The Everly Brothers to country greats such as Merle Travis, Tom T. Hall and Wynonna and Naomi Judd.
Many of the artists honored have roots in some form of gospel music. For example, Ricky Skaggs, a native of Lawrence County, has been known for his work in Christian bluegrass and country and usually has a heavy dose of gospel in his concerts.
The Hall of Fame has honored several Kentuckians who have had major impacts on Christian music. Those inductees are, with hometowns and classes in parentheses: Vestal and Howard Goodman (Madisonville, 2004), Dottie Rambo (Madisonville, 2006), Larnelle Harris (Danville, 2011), Steven Curtis Chapman (Paducah, 2013), and Jason Crabb (Beaver Dam, 2018).
Gaither Vocal Band guitarist Kevin Williams oversees a highly successful benefit program for young people in his hometown of Russell Springs, Ky. (Photo courtesy of Kevin Williams.)
Gaither Vocal Band guitarist to host 10th annual concert benefiting youth of his hometown
By John Herndon, KentuckySings.com
Kevin Williams just wants to give back.
He wants to give back to the town where he grew up. Give back to the community where he bought his first guitar, where he hung out with someone who would become one of the biggest names in country music and where he got his own start in gospel music.
It started as a simple dream, but one that wasn’t too big for God.
And for the last 10 years, children in Russell County, Kentucky, have been blessed by Kevin’s Kids, a program that seeks to reach those in need while bringing Williams’ hometown together for the cause.
Kentucky Sings! 