BE BACK THIS WEEKEND

So much to say about the happenings of the Gann Brothers.  We are off this weekend so I WILL be blogging this weekend.  Exciting news and praise reports!!

NQC

I HAVE LOST ALL WIRELESS CAPABILITY AT THE NQC.  I AM SORRY!!  I’VE BLOGGED AND CAN’T GET ONLINE TO POST.  JUST FOUND A SMALL HOTSPOT TO SEND THIS ENTRY.  I WILL MAKE UP FOR IT AS SOON AS I CAN FIGURE OUT MY TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.

 - KYLE

national quartet convention – day 1

First things first……We sang in Mississippi and Louisanna this weekend and it rained on us ALL weekend!!!!  It did not quit until we got to Birmingham on our way to the National Quartet Convention.  We are now in Louisville, Kentucky at the NQC and it has started out with a bang.  Just got back in from the concert hall listening to Gold City.  Tim Riley is filling in at the Bass position and absolutely is the greatest.  They are one of my favorite quartets of all time.  We had a safe trip up here and we have seen so many of our friends in the industry.  I brought one of Hilary’s cameras so I can take lots of pictures.  I’ve already took a bunch and will post them when we get home.  We will be blogging each night this week and hopefully I can get Craig and Phil to post.  Looking forward to the rest of the week.

 - Kyle

playing catch up

Sorry for the delay in this post.  We have been so busy not only singing, but in our personal lives as well.  So this post will be about catching up with our last few services that have been nothing short of awesome. 

Our weekend, a couple weeks ago, started in Tifton, Georgia.  We sang at the old Tift Theater with the Diamonds and Big River.  Great crowd and great fellowship.  Unfortunately, a woman collapsed at the end of the concert and Craig tried to help her.  EMT’s were summoned and she is currently in ICU.  Don’t know her name or condition.  Please pray for her.  I think she had a stroke or a heart attack.  The next morning we were near home at the Fellowship Baptist Church in Panama City.  Our good friend and southern gospel veteran, Curt Davis, is the minister of music there.  I have been singing in various churches for over 23 years and this was the most Spirit filled Baptist Church I have ever been in.  Pastor Larry and the entire congregation make you feel welcome from the time you get out of your vehicle.  The music was incredible and you can tell a lot of the credit goes to Curt.  He leads the choir and congregation with the joy of the Lord….and the people respond.  What an awesome service.  God moved and his blessings were felt by all.   That evening we traveled to Pensacola First Assembly.  It flooded rain the entire drive over and while we were unloading sound gear.  Again, we had a great service in an incredible sanctuary.  Rev. Fowler and minister of music Glenn Vaughn welcomed us and helped us with everything.  Glenn is getting married in a week or so, and we wish him the best.  His wife died of cancer a few years ago.  He was left with 4 small children and God has mended the pain and truly given him a jewel of a new helpmate.  Glenn is an incredible musician.  If you want to hear a praise and worship team that sounds EXACTLY like the CD’s you buy at the Christian Bookstore, then go to their church.  They are that good!!!  Last weekend we sang back in Panama City at the Millville Advent Christian Church.  Heard some great preaching and enjoyed the fellowship after the service.  Ms. Opal secured the date for us and assured us we would have a packed house….and we did!  She is 86 years old and told me there wasn’t a man that could out-fish her.  Sounds like a challenge to me!!

Next weekend we travel to Mississippi and Louisiana, and from there travel to Louisville, Kentucky for the National Quartet Convention.  I am going to try and blog each night and let you know everything that is going on there.  This is one of our favorite weeks of the year.  Pray for us the weekend and the week to follow.  We have a lot of driving to do and we need to stay alert and away from fast food (speaking for myself on that last one).

 - Kyle

The Bishop and Gospel Music Television (with Tim Lovelace)

What a great weekend!  We have spent this week trying to recover from a lot of singing, eating, and driving.  We sang at the Lafayette Church of God in Tennessee on Sunday morning after driving to Nashville on Saturday night.  We spent some time in downtown Nashville listening to some of the bands that play at night.  Heard some great picking and some not so great picking.  Anytime you can eat at the old Spaghetti factory is a good time.  Phil and I had the signature lasagna and Craig had the fettichini.  AWESOME MEAL!  Some of the people playing their guitar on the sidewalk for tips was sad.  Most of these people look homeless and sunburned.  They play all day long and into the night for pocket change.  You could tell some had real physical challenges.  The fact is God loves them as much as he loves us.  I hope their needs are met in so many ways. 

Bishop Mike Carson is the pastor at Lafayette.  Mike is very special to me and my wife Hilary because he is the pastor that married us in 1996.  His family is made up of Sis. Angie and sons Joshua and Jonah.  They were so kind to video our music that morning.  He called me today and said the church production crew was finished and the DVD was on the way.  What a blessing.  Bro. Mike is truly a man of God and loves his people.  Everywhere he has pastored, God has moved and blessed.  I wish we had more time with him.  He is a ole homeboy from around my home and I miss fellowship with him.  He truly is my friend and a true friend of the Gann Brothers.

Monday morning we were in Pigeon Forge at Gospel Music Television.  We sang for the World Premier Concert 2009 and had a video shot of our music as well.  Tim Lovelace, former pianist for the Florida Boys and comedian, was the emcee for the event.  The group that was to go after us were running late and Tim needed to kill some time.  Before he let us leave after our last song, he made us stay on stage and have request time.  He knew that was something we were comfortable doing so he went to the piano and we took requests.  The interaction with the crowd was just great!  Involving the crowd is always a good thing because they get to hear some of the THEIR favorite songs.  Phil, Craig, Tim, and I had a blast…..and it was all caught on tape (video tape that is).  Got another busy weekend coming up.  Pray that God will keep us safe on the road and away from the fast food!

 - Kyle

Studio and the Open Bible

Craig, Phil, Mark Coleman, and Kyle

Last weekend, (AND I MEAN ALL WEEKEND), we were in Navarre, Florida, at Coleman Productions working on our new album.  The music tracks are complete and we were working on the vocals.  We got about half of the songs completed and a few of the solo parts are complete on the others.  Working in the studio always is a challenge.  You may practice a song one way for weeks and get in the studio and totally change it.  Don’t get me wrong, the changes are almost always good when the creative juices start to flow, it’s just like building a house…one brick at a time.  Mark Coleman did an awesome job engineering and helping produce the vocals.  I even got to run the soundboard when he had to take a baseball glove to his son. 

Last night we were in Tallahassee, Florida, at the First Church of the Open Bible.  Rev. Jack King is the pastor and is an old friend of Craig’s.  They were both members at the Open Bible Church in Pensacola in the 1980’s.  We sang here in 2005 and had a wonderful time.  Pastor Jack and I crossed paths literally a few weeks ago and he invited us to come back.  The service was wonderful, but the highlight was the young girls from the Lighthouse Children’s Home.  Bro. Billy Hudson, legendary southern gospel DJ and founder of the home, brought the girls over to the church and sang a few songs.  It was absolutely wonderful.  We have been with Bro. Billy so many times and every time you get around him and them girls, your heart is so blessed.  He has been a champion in our part of the world in helping neglected, unwanted, abused, and homeless young girls get a second chance.  Pray for their ministry that God would continue to meet their needs both physically and financially. 

We have next weekend off and then will be traveling to the Lafayette Church of God outside of Nashville, then to Pidgeon Forge for the World Premiere Concert for Gospel Music Television.

 -Kyle

Summertime!!!

Wow, I can’t believe it’s been over a month since our last post, but we have had some time off for summer.  We all take vacations usually in July and spend some R and R with our families.  Phil is currently in Detroit with his family watching his step-son, Clete Thomas play baseball with the Detroit Tigers.  Clete is having an exceptional year and has been on ESPN highlight reels all season.  My family just returned from a week at Mexico Beach.  For those outside the state of Florida, this beach is just east of Panama City Beach….it is NOT in Mexico.  Mexico beach is a rural haven that has been a vacation spot for my family since the 1990’s.  We always enjoy going away, but love coming back home.  Nothing quite like sleeping in your own comfortable bed.  Be sure to check out our website for new concert dates.  We have added a few in the last few weeks.  We have a busy August and September coming up.  We will be traveling a bunch out of state so hopefully we can make new friends in new places.  Continue to pray for us as often as you can.  We are trying to get back into the studio to finish our new album….can’t wait till you hear it! 

 - Kyle

the last three days

This past Sunday we traveled to Bonifay, FL, to the New Bayview Church of God of Prophecy.  Phil said this was one of the first churches that the early Gann Brothers (Harvest) sang at in the 1970’s.  Larry White and Jerry Foran met us there that morning and helped us set up.  They used to sing along with their wives as the “Callaway Quartet”.  We were blessed at this musical homecoming service to hear them sing four songs.  They still got it!  Larry and Jerry are two of the finest men you will ever meet.  You see the love of God in them before they ever say a word.  You know, when Jesus lives inside you…it can’t help but show up on the outside.  And once again….Homecoming=Good Food!!

For the last two days, we have been at Coleman Studios cutting tracks for a new album.  Mark Coleman played keys, Joe Maxwell played bass, Chad Pippin played drums, and Brent Rader played everything.  It’s really not fair that Brent and the rest of the Rader family have the insane amount of musical talent they do.  I almost asked Brent if he could put headers and glass packs on a diesel engine……and I truly believe he could have.  He sure is talented and one of the nicest guys to work with.  We had been in prayer that God would anoint this time recording and as always he showed up.  We really have some of the best songs I have ever heard and I am so anxious for yall to hear them.  We should have this project completed by mid summer.  I just got back home and haven’t seen my family for a few days.  They are running Hilary crazy since school is out, but are enjoying Vacation Bible School this week.  One last thought…..Is there someone in your life that you need to share the love of Christ with?  We all know of someone who fits that description.  Take time this week to share what Jesus means to you with them.  You never know….you may receive such a blessing that you will do the same thing next week.

 -Kyle

a weekend off

May was a busy month for the Gann Brothers.  It was good to have a weekend off.  We enjoy sharing the gospel as often as we can, but it is always cool to go to YOUR church.  I haven’t been there in such a month of Sunday’s that I when I got there yesterday morning, they gave me one of those VISITOR badges….just kidding.  We go into the recording studio one week from today to record tracks on our new album.  We have been very careful to pick songs that minister to us.  If they minister to us, then we are confident they’ll minister to you.  Phil and Kim’s son, Clete, who plays for the Detroit Tigers, hit a grand slam to win a game this past Sunday.  Craig’s son, Chad, will be playing drums on our new album.  And all of my young ‘uns are glad that school is out for summer!

 - Kyle

5th Sunday Sang

Notice I didn’t call this blog entry, “5th Sunday SING”, but rather “5th Sunday SANG”.  When I was growing up as a kid, on 5th Sundays, we typically would go somewhere for a 5th Sunday Sing.  But everybody would call it a SANG.  If you are from the south, then you know what I am talking about.  It’s a country thing…or thang.  Anyway, 5th Sunday sangs are very popular for gospel groups.  This past weekend we were in Blountstown, FL, at the Macedonia First Baptist Church.  Rev. Wood, the pastor, is originally from New York state (the rural parts) and after pastoring 25 years there, moved to Florida.  He fits in great with the congregation.  They were such a blessing to us and provided a great meal after the “sang”.  We had to leave as soon as lunch was over to get to our next 5th Sunday Sang in Samson, AL.  The Lime Springs UMC had a cluster service (an association of methodist churches that meet in one location).  After a brief business meeting of the churches, we sang.  Ronny and Dianne Reid secured the date for us here and were so gracious to us before and after the service.  This couple love gospel music and are always so kind to assist gospel groups as they pass through the area.  We worked on album songs this weekend and go into the studio June 15-16.  Please pray for us that the whole process goes smoothly and the God truly anoints this album. 

 - Kyle