Not long ago Aaron Gray and Josh Arnett could walk in and out of a Cracker Barrel without anyone noticing them.
But that was before their videos went viral. Before they were known as the Singing Contractors. Before the Gaither Music Group released their nationwide debut album. And before Cracker Barrel started selling that very album.
“People notice you when you go out and eat,” Gray said. “It’s just been a crazy, crazy thing.”
Their nationwide debut album “Working on a Building: Hymns & Gospel Classics” released earlier this year. It’s a compilation of well-known tunes (“How Great Thou Art” and “Because He Lives”) and original songs like the title track “Working on a Building”).
Their story is the stuff of a Hollywood film — with a country gospel twist. Gray and Arnett were (and still are) general contractors.
“We can do windows, doors, cabinets, drywall, paint,” Arnett said. “We pretty much do it all.”
Rising stars
Of course they can sing too. Their rise to musical acclaim started when Gray posted one of their singing videos on Facebook. Friends named them the “Singing Contractors.”
A few years later, in 2015, their video rendition of “How Great Thou Art” went viral garnering 1 million views in 32 hours. It’s now been viewed more than 15 million times.
They appeared on Fox News’ “Fox and Friends” wearing “Singing Contractors” T-shirts. They sold enough T-shirts to pay for their first and second albums. Then Bill Gaither called wanting to put them on his label.
Their debut nationwide album released Feb. 1 and they’re still amazed by God’s blessings.
“We ask ourselves a lot: ‘Lord, why did you choose us?’ And we honestly cannot tell you why God chose to allow this to happen — only that God has used it to work in our lives,” Arnett said. “We always want to make sure that we give Him the praise and Him the glory for it. We’re honored to sing about Him. We’re nothing special and we want to be faithful to Him.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: Michael Foust covers the intersection of faith and entertainment as a media reviewer for The Alabama Baptist. He also is the husband of an amazing wife and the father of four young children.
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