Wesley Wade, a member of Eastern Valley Baptist Church, Bessemer, and former bass vocalist for Gardendale’s popular Uplifted Quartet, doesn’t get the same sort of applause he used to.
There aren’t any standing ovations anymore when Wade finishes a solo take on “Beulah Land” — his favorite — because it’d take too much out of his audience. But it doesn’t bother him.
In fact, it actually means a lot.
“Sometimes you might even think they’re asleep or not listening, but then you’ll see a foot tapping and lips moving,” he said. “That means more to me than any applause I ever got on stage.”
Six months ago, a tour-weary Wade, 72, made the decision to invest his energy into filling nursing homes, assisted-living facilities and fellowship halls across the state with music, rather than the thousand-seat venues and cruise ships he’d known for 18 years touring on the gospel circuit.
Not that it’s slowed Wade’s pace — he currently has 149 bookings for 2008 and it’s just February.
‘Very good at what he does’
Wade is, by all accounts, simply that good.
“Some friends of mine had used him in their church, and they said, ‘You must use Wesley Wade,’” said Lloyd Jones, senior adult ministry leader at The Baptist Church at McAdory, McCalla.
Once he did, Jones became a regular customer. “My folks like to have good inspirational type programs, and I look for the best I could possibly give our people,” Jones said. “[Wade] is a fine, outstanding Christian, and he’s very good at what he does. I don’t like to use the word ‘entertain,’ but he does a very good job for our senior adults.
“I’d recommend him for any group of seniors.”
Wade credits his popularity to the slogan on his business card.
“It says, ‘I sing songs Mama used to sing,’” he said. “That’s what people seem to like.”
Wade said as his ministry has broadened, the Lord has blessed him. “I give the Lord all the glory for everything I do.”
For more information, call Wade at 205-428-3782.
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