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Exciting News for Faith’s Journey…

Faith’s Journey Featured Silver Dollar City Performance Group

Branson, Missouri – November 9, 2016 — Newcomer southern gospel trio Faith’s Journey is now a featured performance group at Silver Dollar City, the 56-year-old Ozark Mountain theme park located near Branson, Missouri. The trio is scheduled to perform the duration of National Harvest & Cowboy Festival, September 13 to October 28, 2017.

Though the group is only four years old, Faith’s Journey consists of gospel music veterans Jonathan and Deana Edwards with Jason Funderburk. Their rise in the Branson music scene has been swift. The Edwards developed a successful gospel show at the God & Country Theatre on 76 Country Boulevard early last year and performed as guests at Silver Dollar City multiple times in 2015 and 2016, as well as traveling to perform 130 concerts.

Faith’s Journey proved popular during recent performances at the theme park, averaging 300 audience members per show during a four-show-per-day-five-day run. “We sang to 6,000 guests in one week,” shares Edwards.

Faith’s Journey consistently innovates within their genre, bringing country sensibilities to traditional Southern Gospel styles. “You have two quartet guys and a bluegrass girl,” laughs Edwards. Next year the group will continue to perform at God & Country Theatre — adding a purely country music show to their gospel lineup — and will maintain a full tour schedule throughout North America.

“It’s a positive and symbiotic relationship,” relates D.A. Callaway, festival director of Silver Dollar City.

More News about Faith’s Journey HERE

Ozark Gospel Music Convention 2015 Coming to Branson MO

Ozark Gospel Music Convention

The Ozark Gospel Music Convention 2015 in Branson, Missouri, will be held at the Stone Castle Hotel and Conference Center on May 4th through 6th.

Some of the artists that will be appearing include: The Williamsons, His Love, Ava Kasich, Faith’s Journey, Majesty III, Lindsay Huggins, The Ascension Quartet, Broken Vessels, Hope’s Journey, Lineage of David and many more.

For more information visit the OGMC Website HERE or call (417) 425-7856

Creekside Gospel Music Convention Day Three – Nov 5/14

The Drummond Family performs at Creekside Gospel Music Convention

Creekside Gospel Music Convention continues in Pigeon Forge Tennessee at the Smoky Mountain Convention Center.  Day three began with the Morris Music Group Showcase, continued with the Red Back Hymn Book Choir and the evening concert and ended with the Midnight Prayer session.

The Morris Music Group showcased some of their best talent and friends. Appearing were Hope’s Journey, The Stephens, Higher Hope, Clearvision Quartet, Angela Marie, Exodus, The Drummond Family, Linda Foster, Billy Hodges, Tina Wakefield and Faith’s Journey.

Hopes Journey

The Stephens

Following this showcase, the Red Back Hymn Book Choir full of artists took to the stage. They were met with much enthusiasm from the audience!

The evening concert continued with terrific performances by The Griffins, The Stephens, John Lanier, The Steeles, and many more. The Kramers appeared with Willie Wynn and Woodie Wright to celebrate the release of their latest CD.

For more pictures, log onto www.sgnscoops.net

Thanks to Vonda Easley, Michelle Drummond and Robert York for the wonderful pictures!

More information on Creekside can be found at http://www.creeksidegospelmusicconvention.com/

Creekside continues today with the last evening concert beginning tonight at 5:30pm.

The Griffins

John Lanier

The Kramers

Willie Wynn, Woody Wright, The Kramers and friends

Faith’s Journey is proud to announce the addition of Rich Watson

Rich Watson

September 2, 2014 (Branson, MO) – Faith’s Journey is proud to announce the addition of Rich Watson to their ministry team. Rich came to Branson, Missouri in 2004 after almost 20 years of Government Service. A combat Veteran

while serving with the U.S. Army, Rich was honorably discharged after the first Desert Storm in 1991. He then spent 14 years as a Correctional Officer with both the State of Missouri and the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

He came to Branson not knowing what God had in store for him but had the opportunity to sing in his church’s praise team. Soon after, Rich auditioned and was selected as a cast member in “The Promise” playing many roles but most notably “John the Baptist”. During this time he also had the opportunityto sing backup with Kenny Loggins, Miss Lilly Knauls, Ireland’s Female Entertainer Mary Duff, and Allen Asbury. For the last six years he has been a cast member of long time Branson Show, Smoke on the Mountain where he played 17-year-old twin Brother Dennis, and currently Burl, the father of the family.

He also sings with Elvis Presley’s cousin, Jerry Presley, in the show Presley Sings Elvis. “Branson has been so very amazing!” Watson exclaims. “I met my wife Anna in our church and we just celebrated our seventh anniversary together in June. We have had the opportunity to serve the

Kingdom together on staff at churches and as Directors of Diamond Jym Ranch, a home for neglected, abused, and homeless children. Anna is quite an accomplished vocalist in her own right performing in two shows as well in Branson.”

Watson continues, “Singing with Faith’s Journey fulfills a lifelong dream for me. The first time that I had the opportunity to sing with Jonathan and Deana I knew that there was a great calling on this group.

I knew that this is exactly where God wanted me. It makes it so easy to stand with such capable and anointed people. The tight harmonies and lyrics are unbelievable, yet the group has a way of explaining the Kingdom of God through song that paints a truly beautiful and believable picture. I am honored and humbled that Jonathan and Deana gave this South Carolina boy a home. I look forward to sharing the

many miles that we have ahead of us as Faith’s Journey.”

Jonathan Edwards states: “We looked all over the country for a third part for our ministry team and God had the right one here in our home town. We are excited about what Rich will bring to the ministry with a great voice, joyous countenance and Godly wisdom. We look forward to having him on the road with us.”

For more information on Faith’s Journey, visit http://www.faithsjourneytrio.com

Ozark Gospel Music Convention 2014

The Abundance Quartet of Branson

By Joshua Heston – Special to SGN Scoops

“Precious memories how they linger / How they ever flood my soul / In the stillness, of the midnight / Precious sacred scenes unfold.” — J.B.F. Wright, 1925

Branson, MO —Traditional gospel music and Ozark Mountain culture go together mighty well. From brush arbor singing schools to pine-enshrouded churches where country folks sang from well-worn hymnals every Sunday morning, the sweet sounds of gospel music form an emotional basis for many of us; reminders of childhood, dinners on the ground, exciting tent revivals, and for some, simple evening singings as the family would gather together and let their voices ring.

But times change. People change. The world, it seems, simply picked up its pace and recordings, radio, TV, internet, and job and family responsibilities removed the opportunity to spend time with family and friends. The chance to leave an industrious world outside — even for just a few hours — was lost. Tattered hymnbooks were replaced by projection screens and four-part harmony swapped for an endless stream of praise and worship songs. Families didn’t gather around a piano anymore and besides, the music on the radio, then the entertainment on TV, then the library of digital music, was all more professional, more polished, and never required practice but simply the touch of a button.

The Williamsons of Wetumka, Oklahoma

Gone for most was the shape note singing, the tent revivals, and the conventions. Conventions? No, not Tupperware conventions. A generation or two ago, gospel music conventions, specifically quartet conventions, were commonplace. Small and large, these gatherings originated from 19th century songbook companies’ efforts to sell books. This was after the Civil War and the population was ready to embrace music that spoke of hope and peace.

Professional quartets traveled from church to church, then from convention to convention, stunning largely rural audiences with the now-trademark sounds of a powerful, rumbling bass, soaring tenor, lead and baritone vocals. As quartets polished their skills and styles, white Southern gospel music was born. With it, of course, came those singing conventions, the largest of which ultimately became the National Quartet Convention, an event that packed out the Ellis Auditorium in Memphis for many years. Here was the equivalent of a rock concert arena. Thousands of fans pouring into the venue to see gospel music greats like J.D. Sumner, James Blackwood of the Blackwood Brothers, and more.

The Ascension Quartet of Lebanon, Missouri

“When we’ve been there ten thousand years / Bright shining as the sun / We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise / Than when we’ve first begun.” — John Newton, Amazing Grace

Like many other elements of our rural population, Southern gospel conventions became fewer and farther between in the last generation. Now, the words “singing convention” are typically met with a bit of bewilderment. Southern gospel is still a small but powerful genre of music but many of the artists now travel from church to church, not from convention to convention.

The National Quartet Convention is still going strong, moving this year from Louisville to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, but Southern gospel singing west of the Mississippi? Western region groups have struggled for years, honing their styles, their harmonies, their ministries, but laboring largely in the shadow of “top tier” groups with more convention affiliation in the east. Now, the efforts of Branson-based Jonathan Edwards (of Faith’s Journey), Donnie Williamson (of Wetumka, Oklahoma-based The Williamsons), Ava Kasich (Texas-born Beacon award winning soloist) and Rob Patz (of the Seattle-based SGN Scoops Digital gospel music magazine) teamed up to create a heartland Southern gospel convention here in Branson.

Jonathan Edwards holds a framed proclamation from the State of the Missouri, honoring The Lesters for 89 years of distinguished service in gospel music.

“For most of us who do gospel music, the goal is to see lives changed. But we can’t do that if we don’t have people to sing to. One of the goals of the convention is to expose more groups of the Midwest to an audience,” says Williamson. “That’s why we honored The Lesters during the first night of the convention. We want to highlight the quality of groups from this area.”

“Near the cross I’ll watch and wait / Hoping, trusting ever / Till I reach the golden strand / Just beyond the river.” — Fanny Crosby, Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross Read more »

SGNScoops Magazine Presents Today’s Gospel Music Volume One

SGN Scoops, your destination for the latest in Gospel music news and information, is pleased to present SGNScoops Magazine Volume One…great new music from some of your favorite artists. Hear cuts from Creekside Gospel Music Convention artists like Ava Kasich, Clayton Watson, Faith’s Journey, Hope’s Journey, Lindsay Huggins, Omega Quartet, Page Trio, The Steeles, The Williamsons and Tina Wakefield. You will be blessed and your heart will be touched by the music on this album. Get your copy today!

Gospel Music Today For May 12th On SGNScoops.com

Harold Marshall, promoter of the Lake Country Jubilee concerts in Texas, is the guest on Gospel Music Today for the week of May 11. Ken and Jean Grady host southern gospel news and concert updates, the Feature Group is Spoken 4 Quartet, and Jean reviews new recordings by Rene Jones, The Perrys, and The Lesters. An article about Ronnie Hinson is the subject of this week’s Singing News Notes. The Old Paths Quartet sings, and the show includes exclusive video of Faith’s Journey, recorded by Gospel Music Today’s cameras at The Southern Gospel Worship Gathering, in Broken Arrow, OK, and a visit to the Gospel Music Today Archives for an exclusive concert video of The Pine Ridge Boys at The Creekside Gospel Music Convention, in Pigeon Forge, TN.

The show is on KWHB TV47 in Oklahoma every Sunday at 4:30 PM, and on Roku on FFE TV Monday at 8:00 PM and AllNations TV Tuesday and Wednesday at 6:30 PM. Check local TV schedule for Beaumont, TX, Tyler, TX. Atlanta, TX, and Morrilton, AR.
The current edition of Gospel Music Today is online now at the Gospel Music Today website, www.gospelmusictoday.com

Gospel Music Today On SGNScoops.com

The members of The Diplomats and Faith’s Journey are the guests on Gospel Music Today for the week of January 19. Ken and Jean Grady host southern gospel news and concert updates, the Feature Group is THe Knox Brothers, and Jean reviews new recordings by The Hyssongs and Glad Heart. An article about George Amon Webster is the subject of this week’s Singing News Notes. The Porter Family and Gold City sing, and the show includes exclusive video of The Dixie Echoes, recorded by Gospel Music Today’s cameras at the Southern Gospel Worship Gathering, in Broken Arrow, OK

Coastal Media Group and SGN Scoops Announces New Syndicated Radio Show

Branson, Mo. (January 6, 2014) – Rob Patz is thrilled to announce a new addition to the Coastal Media Family. Beginning this month, Coastal Media Group will present SGN Scoops Radio, a weekly syndicated radio show hosted by Jonathan Edwards. The show will contain many of the great features you’ve come to love in the magazine, including the best in today’s Southern, Country and Bluegrass music, artist news by SGN Scoops editor Rhonda Frye and a monthly Top 20 Countdown. SGN Scoops Radio updates will be presented on The SGN Scoops website, http://www.sgnscoops.com/.

Gospel Music Today On SGNScoops.com