If I can take a few minutes of your time to just brag a little on my family. I’ve had some family members who have done very well in the field of Gospel Music. Calvin Newton is my 2nd cousin on my Mother’s side. He sang with such groups as the Oak Ridge Quartet, the Blackwood Brothers and is most widely known as an original member of the Sons Of Song. Calvin is now in his 80s, so his prominence was several years back, except for his frequent appearances on the Gaither Homecoming Concerts.
A lesser known group, yet a great ministry also on my Mother’s side, was my Aunt and Uncle along with their five children known as the Coleman Family. Sons, Greg and Mark in recent years have been prominent figures in the Jimmy Swaggart Ministry seen often on his television programs. Greg wrote the hit song sung by Janet Paschal “I Am”. Greg recently passed away, but his ministry with the Coleman Family will be long remembered.
Most recently I have another family member who is climbing the ladder of success in the Southern Gospel Music world. Janice Crow, again from my Mother’s side, what’s up with that, has been writing Gospel songs for a few years now, and all of her hard work is starting to pay off. Janice co-wrote the Song of the Year for the Singing News Fan Awards held last month in Pigeon Forge, TN, at the National Quartet Convention. “Amazing God” recorded by Triumphant Quartet and written by Janice Crow, Sue C Smith, and Lee Black nabbed the top song spot for 2016. Congratulations to Janice, Sue, and Lee, but mostly to Janice, because she’s my cousin and used to sing with me in The Sunday Edition, another old group featuring my family members including Janice’s brother Donnie Lloyd, and later my sister Cheryl Gray, and later still my son and daughter Chris and Amy.
OK, I’ll stop bragging now and go back to being my humble little self. Yeah Right!!!!!!
