"LOST TAPES
of 2004" (Click on Record Turntable) |
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Southern Grace
Our Gospel Singing Ministry began in 1985 at Pine Ridge Church in Dallas, GA. I always liked to sit with Sister Janice Eaves in the choir, because she was a great alto singer. I didn’t realize she was harmonizing at that time. I didn’t know anything about music. I just followed her voice. Then one Sunday morning after church service, Fonda Beavers, Janice Leggett, Lisa Hicks and I stood behind that little piano and sung, and Margarete Powers played. We enjoyed singing so much, we started The Gospel Express. We started with us as the vocalists, Tommy Panter (bass) and Jack Fielder (drums), June Fielder was the sound operator and Kent Carter hauled our equipment for us. Jimmy Millians was our mentor. He supported us full force. I had the pleasure of knowing him a very short while before his passing, However, I feel like I have known him all my life, because he meant so much to all of us. Our memories of him go with us each day of our lives. Our first singing was at Crossroads Church. Brother Wayne Landman was sweet enough to let us sing at their old time camp meeting. Ten years later, we changed our name to Southern Grace. We drove Lewis and Fonda Beavers' early 80's Chevy Suburban to haul singers and equipment. Some of us would have to drive separately for lack of space. We had a convoy going from place to place. If we made a wrong turn, everybody had to wait their turn to turn around. This continued until 1991 when God blessed us with a 1966 GMC bus (later sold to the Faith Singers). Then Southern Grace purchased a 1967 Eagle which we traveled many miles in during our music ministry. We thank God for giving us safety through the years. We had times of running out of fuel, breaking down in AL and GA and hot brakes smoking while going down the mountains of North Carolina. It never seemed to bother bus driver, Kent Carter. He would just fix it and keep going, while people would patiently wait for us to get to their church to sing. It created Precious Memories that will linger in our hearts forever. When we began recording our music, Deena Panter, Eleanor Millians and Vickie Powell were always there with smiling faces setting up the "tape table", selling our music and taking the "tape table" down when the singings were over. Larry Wade spent many hours preparing and mailing out very detailed, colorful newsletters for us. Thank you Larry! There have been many people who took part in our group. We had GREAT times together. We were very blessed to see so many lives changed through the years. Thanks for everyone’s support in our ministry. For our dedicated listeners, we hope this takes you down the precious memories lane. For our new listeners, we hope you enjoy and get a blessing from our music. "We praise God for His almighty peace, mercy and goodness. We love you Lord." Thanks and God Bless to all of you. ~Lisa Carter for Southern Grace |
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