Southern Gospel News SGNScoops Digital

THE 2015 DIAMOND AWARDS TO AIR ON WATC TV IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA

Jerry and Jan Goff

Two hour special recorded during the Creekside Gospel Music Convention in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

The 2015 Diamond Awards is scheduled to be broadcast on Thursday, December 31, 2015 at 3:00 p.m. and Saturday, January 2, 2016 at 12:00 p.m. on WATC TV 57 in Atlanta, Georgia. The two hour special, a co-production between WATC TV and WGGS TV 16 in Greenville, South Carolina, features performances by some of the top names in southern gospel, country gospel and bluegrass gospel. Hosts of the ceremony were award-winning gospel recording artists Dr. Jerry and Lil’ Jan Goff, also known to viewers of WATC as the hosts of the half-hour series Enjoying Life.

“We are once again pleased to broadcast The Diamond Awards on WATC,” said WATC TV President Greg West. “It is an excellent showcase to not only celebrate gospel music but to also recognize the artists behind the music. The Diamond Awards has become an annual tradition here at WATC and we lookforward to broadcasting this special several times over the next few weeks.”

Viewers outside of the Atlanta, Georgia viewing area can watch the special as it airs live on WATC via the online video stream that is accessible at www.watc.tv. In addition, the special will be rebroadcast on WATC TOO, available over the air to viewers in the Atlanta market who view by antenna, on Channel 57.2 on Saturday, January 2, 2016 at 5:00 p.m.

Find Out More About Creekside Here

Behind The Scenes At Gospel Music USA

Karen Peck, Danny Jones, Mike LeFevre

By Robert York

Old Paths Quartet

Gospel Music USA, a TV program aired on WATC-TV in Atlanta, GA and also available on the internet, recently had a two-day taping of the programs in high definition (HD). The station will be totally HD in February when these programs begin to air. Danny Jones, Singing News Editor; Karen Peck of Karen Peck and New River and Mike LeFevre of the LeFevre Quartet are the hosts of the program.

I had the privilege of having breakfast before the first day of taping with Danny, Karen and Mike. Danny and Mike were discussing the most asked question about Mike’s group. Mike responded about how he was related to Eva Mae LeFevre. Mike said his Dad and Eva Mae’s husband

Interview With Old Paths

Uncle Urias were brothers. He went on to talk a little about the family saying that they were five brothers and two sisters in the family. Sister Maude started singing with Uncle Urias and Alf. After Maude left the group, Sister Omega sang with them. The marriage took place and Eva Mae started playing the piano and singing alto with the group.

It was over to the studio for taping the program. There were six groups

Freedom Quartet

scheduled to tape in the two-day session. The first day bought The Old Paths Quartet, Freedom Quartet and Lauren Talley in front of the four cameras and on the new set for the program. Day two was Jeff Stice, Ivan Parker and Archie Watkins. When you put those three hosts together you never know exactly what to expect from them. I would go into some funny details about the introduction of Freedom Quartet but I think it best to let you wait and watch the program.

Lauren Talley

Patricia Mathis, Vice President of WATC-TV and Greg West produce the program which is aired at 2:30 pm eastern time on Saturdays on both TV and the internet. The original show was taped August 13, 2013 and started airing in September of that year. It has been on the air weekly since then. WATC-TV also filmed the SGN Scoops 2014 Diamond Awards and the Lou Hildreth Honors featuring Willie Wynn this past year in Pigeon Forge, TN and aired the programs

Patricia Mathis and Ivan Parker

on their station. For more information including programming details, visit  www.watc.tvhttp://www.watc.tv/

Pictures courtesy of Robert York.

Mike LeFevre, Danny Jones, Jeff Stice

Mylon Hayes Family: Singing from the Red Back Church Hymnal

By Robert York

Back on April 5, 2009 a funeral was held for Dewey A. Newton at a small country Baptist Church in Cobb County, GA.  A group of folks gathered in the choir to sing some of Mr. Newton’s favorite songs before the service.  Lamar, his son, came out from the back hearing the music and told Jeff Nunnally to continue singing those songs from the Red Back Church Hymnal, and the funeral service became a homegoing service with Mr. Newton’s favorite songs.  Following the service Lamar and Jeff got together and started what is believed to be the FIRST Red Back Church Hymnal Singing.  Since that time this type of singing has sprung up all over the South, including for the past couple of years a Showcase at the National Quartet Convention.  Some major Southern Gospel Groups have joined together and produced a video of songs from the book.

        On October 2, WATC-TV, Atlanta’s Channel 57 did a two-hour special about the Red Back Church Hymnal on their ‘Atlanta Live Seniors Today’ program.  The program is usually scheduled on the first Thursday of the month and is hosted by Pat Mathis, Vice President of the station and Betty Cornett.  Jeff & Lamar put together a choir to sing on the program.  Their choir is always open to those attending Red Back Church Hymnals singings and it doesn’t matter what your church, or your age, is.  They were honored with the choir being named Choir 1.  Betty Cornett put together Choir 2, ​ which was made up of mostly members of the Monroe Church of God.

      Choir 1 opened the program singing ‘Heaven’s Jubilee’ after which Jeff explained how the beginning of that type singing began.  After the brief interview the choir sang a set of four songs including “When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder” and “I’ll Fly Away”.  This was followed by the history of the Red Back Hymnal by Dr. Jerry Goff and Rev. David Ellis.  Choir 2 sang a few songs ending up with “The Eastern Gate” with special solo parts by Mike Cabe and Venessa Cox.  Betty and Pat did interviews in between each set including an interview with The Mylon Hayes Family who was a featured artist on the program. This award-winning family sang “Jesus Spoke To Me” adding to the song a verse sung in the ‘Do, Re, Mi’ fashion, like the song book is written, in shaped notes.  The Hayes Family did other songs during the program.  The entire program consisted of over 25 songs from the Red Back Book.

    After several sets by both choirs, the choirs joined together for the closing number “Amazing Grace” as the program went off the air.  DVD’s of the two-hour program are available from the station. WATC – TV  770-300-9829 on a pre-paid pre-order basis.  DVDs are made at time of order.