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The Nelons “Living a Legacy of Love”

The Nelons

“Living a Legacy of Love”

By Jennifer Campbell

Southern Gospel Music is rooted in family, faith, and the mindset that musical talent should be handed down from generation to generation. The Nelons are the prime example of a family who lives this tradition every single day of their lives. Kelly Nelon Clark carries on the tradition started by her father Rex Nelon, just as her children are now a part of the legacy left by their grandfather. Kelly, Jason, Amber, and Autumn understand the value of Southern Gospel Music.

They also know that a close-knit family is priceless. Above all, they place Jesus Christ at the center of it all. Through their love for music, love for family, and love for Jesus Christ, The Nelons are living a legacy of love!

For Kelly Nelon Clark, Southern Gospel Music is a way of life. She spoke of her first recollection of Southern Gospel Music, “I’m sure I was at a concert where my father was singing with The LeFevres and if I remember correctly it was at the city auditorium in Atlanta, GA. I was probably three years old.”

Rex Nelon left a legacy that will always be remembered, both by his family and the countless individuals he influenced throughout his life. “My father would be the greatest influence in my life,” Kelly stated. “I watched how he handled adversities, the bus break downs, the constant staying on the phone to make sure the dates were on the books so that we could make a living. He handled so many things and he handled them well. He was such a good man and a man of great integrity. I don’t think he realized how many people loved him.”

Of course, Jason Clark is no stranger to Gospel Music either, having been raised alongside his bass singing father Dan Clark. Jason says, “I remember hanging out at their concerts, riding the bus occasionally, going to their rehearsals, then coming home and giving my very own pretend concerts for the audience of Mammaw & Papaw Clark in their living room. They have a picture of me in diapers, holding my microphone and giving the performance of a lifetime at the early age of two.”

Amber and Autumn also grew up with Gospel Music running through their blood. Amber said that music has always been a part of her life and that she has always wanted to sing Southern Gospel Music. Autumn echoed Amber’s response saying, “That’s all I have ever really known.”

The Nelons are comprised of husband and wife duo Jason Clark and Kelly Nelon Clark, along with their daughters Autumn and Amber. Throughout their musical career, they have garnered three Grammy nominations, six Gospel Music Association Dove Awards, and many other accolades. They have traveled from sea to shining sea and they have even journeyed “across the pond” on a Scandinavian tour.

“I love to travel because it has afforded us the privilege of seeing the world over, and experiencing so many diverse cultures,” commented Jason. “The ministry is more fulfilling than I could ever explain when I think about the marvelous love of Jesus and that I get to tell others about that through the medium of music is extremely humbling, gratifying, and sometimes overwhelming.”

Kelly added, “We have traveled here and abroad and the greatest thing are the friendships and relationships we have made and kept down through the years. We love and cherish our friends. Also to see a life that has been affected by something we have sung or said is worth all the miles we travel.” Whether they are at home or abroad, one thing is certain: Kelly, Jason, Amber, and Autumn love what they do because they are doing what they love.
Kelly said that singing has always been her dream. She commented, “From the first day of kindergarten it was just a part of me that I would sometime sing with my father. It was my dream and my desire and thankfully God granted the desires of my heart. I spent many days on the road with my father Rex Nelon, and I can honestly say it was always a joy. We were very close and we talked every day and I could tell him anything. I really miss that.” Read more »

This week on Gospel Music Today

The members of Beyond the Ashes are the guests on Gospel Music Today for the week of May 20.  Ken and Jean Grady host southern gospel news and concert updates, the Feature Group is Royal City, and Jean reviews a new CD by Ernie Haase and Signature Sound.  “Turning Points,” featuring Jeff Hawes of Karen Peck and New River, is the subject of this week’s Singing News Notes, and David Bruce Murray looks at the history of The Nelons. The Melody Boys Quartet and The Booth Brothers sing, and the show includes an exclusive concert video of Heaven’s Echoes, captured by the Gospel Music Today cameras at  the Mid-Arkansas Quartet Convention, in Plumerville, AR. The show is on KWBH TV47 in Oklahoma every Monday at 6:00 PM, and it’s online now at the Gospel Music Today website,www.gospelmusictoday.com

Common Bond Quartet To Be Featured On Gospel Greats

Riding high on the success of their recent Top 10 nomination for New Traditional Quartet by The Singing News Magazine, talented vocal group, Common Bond Quartet will be featured as the Spotlight Artist on The Gospel Greats radio program during the week of April 20. The program, hosted by multi-award winning radio personality, Paul Heil, will feature songs from the Quartet’s God Made A Way recording. The Gospel Greats is heard on over 200 radio stations across America, Canada, on Sirius/XM Satellite, in Europe, the Far East and on the internet worldwide each week through affiliates and on-demand.

Feed My Children Tour 2013 with Special Guests Back Home

Jasper, TN (February 25, 2013) Award Nominated group Back Home has been selected to be the host group for the “Feed My Children Tour 2013″. They will be touring across the country bringing in new Artists along the way including, Back Home, The Nelons, 11th Hour, The Kevin Jones Family, and many more being added.

Back Home manager and singer Jimmy Layne said, “We are thrilled to announce that our artists for the Feed My Children Tour beginning in the month of March will be The Nelons and The Kevin Jones Family. The first concert is set for Friday, March 15th at the Immanuel Baptist Church, in North Augusta, SC, 7:00 pm est and, Saturday, March 16th at the Stevenson Auditorium in Orangeburg, SC at 6:00 pm est.

Our goal with the Feed My Children Tour is to:

Help feed the hungry.

Bring great music for everyone to enjoy.

Give the opportunity for everyone to help others less fortunate than themselves.

Bring communities together to help organizations that have food pantries and stock their shelves so they are able to help more people than ever.

The tour will go to different cities and towns across the country reaching wherever there is a need to call attention to hunger awareness.

Various food pantries and shelters are feeding more people than ever before. These organizations are trying to stretch every pound of food and donations they receive to help as many people as possible. Through this tour, the opportunity will be given to everyone to help restock food shelves and help those who are less fortunate.

Jennifer Layne, wife of Jimmy and singer for Back Home stated, “As we bring good music for you to enjoy, we ask that you bring canned and dry goods to fill the bins as you enter in. All that you are able to bring will be donated to organizations within your own community to help others.”

To host or be considered as an artist for the tour in your city please contact, Sophia Davis @ Adoration Agency, 615-590-7453 or Sophia@adorationagency.com

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About Back Home
Back Home is a husband and wife team who not only are great singers, but also inspiring songwriters. Jimmy and Jennifer are no strangers to the music industry. Twenty-six year veterans of vocal session work, they are two of the most sought after background singers in the country and gospel music industries. On any given night you can find Back Home sharing their love for good music, the gospel and their love for the One who has allowed them to live their dreams and sing for Him with audiences and churches all across America.

The Nelons “Excuse Me, Are You Jesus?” Concept Music Video Nominated for People’s Choice Telly Award

“We’re excited about this opportunity for the Nelons’ work to be promoted and recognized,” states Don Schaffer, owner of Point Light Pictures, LLC. Kelly Nelon comments: “This song means so much to our family and the reaction we’ve seen from friends around the country has been exciting. We invite our friends to share this video with everyone they know and, of course, vote!” Bill Gaither states, “As a co-producer of this album and co-writer of this song I am thrilled to see it nominated for such a prestigious award as the People’s Choice Telly Award. It’s been a wonderful journey partnering with the Nelons on this recording.”

For its 34th season, The Telly Awards once again joined forces with YouTube to give the public the power to view and rate videos submitted as part of the People’s Telly Awards.  In addition to recognition from the Silver Telly Council, the judging panel that selects the Telly Awards winners, the Internet community helps decide the People’s Telly Awards winners. Online voting for the Peoples Choice Telly Awards is open until March 1, 2013. Only one entry per computer / IP address is allowed per day.

“The Telly Awards has a mission to honor the very best in film and video,” said Linda Day, Executive Director of the Telly Awards. “The Nelons’ accomplishment illustrates their creativity, skill, and dedication to their craft and serves as a testament to great film and video production.”

This is not the first time The Nelons have been recognized for an innovative video. In 1987, their concept video for “Famine In Their Land,” was recognized with a New York Film Festival Bronze Award and won a DOVE award for Short Form Music Video of The Year.

ABOUT THE NELONS: The Nelons are a second-generation, Gospel Music Group, founded by Hall of Fame vocalist Rex Nelon.  Their iconic sound and style has garnered multiple Gospel Music Association DOVE Awards, GRAMMY Nominations, and many other honors.  Their discography includes over seventy charting radio songs, many of those Top Ten hits.  This family trio continues to be creative and innovative in their sound and production as their music reaches across spectrums and genres of styles, loved by generations of fans.

February 2013 Editon Of SGNScoops Magazine

We are excited to present February’s edition of SGNScoops Magazine. On the cover this month is a name we’ve all grown to love over the years, “The Nelons!” We’re sure you’ll be blessed as the Nelons share about their legacy, family and ministry. Also this month, we’re highlighting the ministries of The Browders, Midnight Cry and Lindsay Huggins as well as Tommy Brandt, Jimmy Davis and Gerald Crabb. Enjoy concert stories on Palmetto State Quartet and a get replay of recent concert with Wes Hampton and Marshall Hall. Sandi Duncan Clark reviews February’s music, John Mathis has a spiritual challenge and Lou Hildreth shares more great memories. We are officially announcing the opening date for round one nominations for Diamond Awards is February 18th! The Diamond Awards will be held at the Creekside Gospel Music Convention in Pigeon Forge, TN. Get the latest news on Creekside in this issue as well. We are welcoming a few new writers this month! Make sure you let Dixie Phillips, Eva Wilson and Susan Werchonowicz know you appreciate them as well as the rest of our dedicated and talented staff. Special thanks to Sherri Whitt for sharing a concert experience. Remember, SGNScoops All Digital Magazine is free! Please share with your friends, family and fans!

Download SGNScoops Magazine Here

The Nelons & LeFevre Quartet Announce “An Evening In December” Christmas Tour

Atlanta, GA – Popular recording artists, The Nelons (attached jpg #1) and The LeFevre Quartet (attached jpg #2) will join forces this Holiday Season to  present An Evening In December” Christmas Tour. The Tour will be featured in select cities throughout the month of December, kicking off November 30,  in Concord, VA. It will include stops in 12 cities and seven states, including Virginia, Tennessee, Ohio, South Carolina, Georgia, Arkansas and Mississippi. Joining The Nelons and The LeFevre Quartet will be special guest, Tim Duncan of Canton Junction, who formerly sang bass for Ernie Haase & Signature Sound.

This December, the rich Nelon/LeFevre combination will be recreated as second and third generation Nelon, unite with second and third generation LeFevre to create a Christmas music spectacular that is sure to warm hearts and bring Christmas cheer to audiences who will be a part of An Evening In December. “We are so excited about this opportunity,” states Kelly Nelon Clark. “Christmas is my favorite time of the year, and I am really looking forward to the start of the Tour and the release of our new Christmas recording.” The Nelons’ new Christmas recording will release November 13 by New Day Distribution and Daywind Records, just before the Tour begins, and includes several original songs, as well as Christmas classics. “This is the first Christmas recording we’ve released in over a decade. We worked so hard on it, and we can’t wait to be able to share the songs with audiences who will join us for the Tour. We love Mike LeFevre and the LeFevre Quartet. They are like family to us, and we can’t wait to have the opportunity to be on stage with them. We’ll probably do quite a bit of laughing, maybe a little crying and definitely a lot of singing.” Mike LeFevre shares the excitement of Nelon. “We are honored to be a part of this special event,” he states. “It is going to be so much fun and we hope all our friends will join us for this special time, as we will make lots of new Christmas memories.”

Voices Won Anniversary Singing November 9th and 10th in Dalton Georgia

Voices Won will host an anniversary singing this weekend, November 9th and 10th in Dalton, Georgia.  Voices Won welcomes Karen Peck and New River and Greater Vision on Friday at 7:00. On Saturday, Mark Bishop, The Crist Family and the Nelons will take the stage  beginning at 6:00.  Voices Won will perform each night.

The Concert will take place at the Crosspoint Christian Centre, 2781 Underwood Street, Dalton Georgia.  Tickets are on sale now: A two night pass is $25.00 , one night in advance is $15, $20 at the door.  Dinner and Concessions are available for purchase each night before the concerts, so come early! Everyone is invited!

For more information, visit http://www.voiceswon.com/

42nd Annual Seminole Gospel Sing!

Plans are underway for the 42nd Annual Seminole Gospel Sing! The Seminole Music Park, one mile south of Seminole Oklahoma, is the site of Oklahoma’s largest gospel music event, hosted by The Gospel Station Network and the Seminole Gospel Singing Association.

This year’s talent line-up is great, with some of the legends of gospel AND several new quality artists, including: The Dove Brothers, The Freemans, The Williamsons, Chris Hester, The LeFevers, The Blackwood Brothers, The Chuck Wagon Gang, Charlotte Richie, Gordon Mote, The Nelons, Masters Voice, Palmetto State Quartet, and Gold City.   Save $10 on Tickets if you buy them before August 13th at www.TheGospelStation.com

Over the years, the Seminole Sing and the Konawa OK Gospel Singing have attracted people from all over the U.S.  – people who love real gospel music – people who believe in the message of Jesus Christ, and love this style of singing.  “We are honored to be working with the association in Seminole to keep this wonderful singing alive and moving forward.  God is working all over the world through Gospel Music and we feel so blessed to be a part of it,” said Randall Christy, President of The Gospel Station Network.

The Bridgemans Win 2012 “Duet of the Year” award presented by the Southeastern Southern Gospel Music Conference

Travis and Alecia Bridgeman, a Southern Gospel duet known as “The Bridgemans”, were recently awarded the 2012 “Duet of the Year” award presented by the “Southeastern Southern Gospel Music Conference” in Valdosta, Georgia.  The second-annual conference featured Ann Downing, “The Nelons”, “Namoi and the Segos”, and Ricky Atkinson.
“The Bridgemans” live in Cumming, Georgia, where Travis is the pastor of Antioch Baptist Church.  They have been singing for ten years, and have one son, Lee.  For more information on “The Bridgemans”, go to their website,  www.TheBridgemans.com