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