Participating in Alabama Baptist life would leave one hard-pressed to have missed the experience of southern gospel music at some point.
It might have been a homecoming celebration or a fifth-Sunday singing. It could have been a concert or other church event. It might have been while flipping through the television channels and finding the Gaither Vocal Band.
Finding a southern gospel singer, trio, quartet or other group to schedule for an event is as easy as checking with a sister church or checking out the Across Alabama’s Associations page in The Alabama Baptist.
Southern gospel singers and groups exist in full force in the state and are eager to share their vocal talents.
While some of the most well-known groups such as Gold City, The Imperials and The Crabb Family keep a booked schedule, touring and singing nationwide, Alabama is home to many groups that do this bivocationally. The group members have other careers to pay the bills, but they are available to sing at various church and community events.
Almost Home, based out of Ranburne, is one of these groups. Members Tony and Bea Flournoy, Davis Vaughn and Mike McCormick believe southern gospel music is their ministry calling, and they want to touch others with their music.
Bea Flournoy, who, along with her husband, is a member of Freedom Baptist Church, Ranburne, said southern gospel music embodies God’s unchanging message and provides listeners and the ones singing a chance to worship God through song.
“I personally grew up going to the all-day, convention-style singings, and we all (members of the group) love southern gospel music,” she said.
Founded in 2001, Almost Home sings throughout east Alabama and west Georgia at homecomings, revivals or various benefit campaigns. The group also tries to go to nursing homes several times a year and has participated in some festivals.
Endless Praise is another example. The group began in 1994 as a trio at Azalea Baptist Church, Mobile.
It is now a mixed quartet with two women and two men — David Todd, Bernadette Dungan, T.J. Brannon and Charles Gurganus.
The group sings for senior citizen events, homecomings and other events at churches of different denominations.
“Our mission has always been to provide personal witness of God’s amazing power and love through song,” said Todd, a member of Azalea Baptist.
“The message of Christ found in the lyrics is the most appealing aspect of southern gospel to me. Most people can relate personally to someone telling a story of heartaches, pain, suffering and the answer to prayers through the lyrics of a southern gospel song. Southern gospel reaches down to the very depths of one’s soul with the words of love, hope and forgiveness.”
Cas McWaters, a member of Shades Mountain Baptist Church, Vestavia Hills, sang for 12 years with a southern gospel quartet before beginning a solo ministry in 1992. He performs mainly at churches but for many years, also sang at southern gospel concerts.
McWaters is also a producer and songwriter with 50 original songs to his credit. He has recorded and produced two quartet albums and several albums for others.
McWaters said southern gospel music is powerful because of the message it conveys and the voices it employs.
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