Brenda Lovelady Spahn, who founded The Lovelady Center in Birmingham 20 years ago, died Dec. 18. She was 75. More than 19,600 women have come through the program she started in 2004.
Between songs at their sold-out “Drummer Boy Christmas” performance at the Grand Ole Opry on Dec. 17, Joel Smallbone, along with his brother Luke of the Christian band For King and Country, mentioned it was an evening of firsts.