Marksmen Quartet
The award winning Marksmen Quartet will bring their Golden Anniversary Tour to Ringgold joining 2017 Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame inductee Troy Burns.
The Share America Foundation will welcome Christian music stars the Marksmen Quartet and the Troy Burns Family on Friday, July 7, at 7:30 p.m. at the Ringgold's Patriot Hall, 320 Emberson St. in Ringgold. Randall Franks from TV's "In the Heat of the Night” will emcee.
Review for the Marksmen Quartet:
The Marksmen, four-time Country Gospel Quartet of the Year winners from the Country Gospel Music Guild, will perform many of their hits songs including “He Is I Am,” “Meet Me in Heaven,” “Potter’s Wheel,” “Preach the Cross” and “Grandpa Was a Farmer.”
Their latest CD “Generations” features Earle and his son Mark Wheeler along with 29-year Marksmen member Darrin Chambers and Tommy Dutton. Darrin is the son of former long-time tenor singer and mandolinist Marksmen Keith Chambers. Even grandson Aaron Chambers has traveled with the group.
The recording also features guest appearances by Mark’s children – Will and Sarah Grace singing and playing mandolin and fiddle, respectively.
“With Aaron, Will and Sarah Grace, it hit me that we reached our third generation of performers and audience,” Earle said. “So the theme of the latest project came to us easily.”
The group features songs that highlight each member; it is Mark’s traditional country lead stylings that through the years have become a pivotal part of the sound beside his father’s unique sound.
Mark adds three more new songs to his songwriting catalog. He delivers a haunting performance -- “The Spirit Moved,” his song penned with Jim Green.
“We are honored to know that folks draw a blessing out of the talents God gave us to share,” said Earle Wheeler, quartet leader. “Each week we share God’s message in song and word wherever He allows us to go and that is what it is all about."
After and more than 40 albums, winning four times as Gospel Bluegrass Band of the Year from SPBGMA, the group continues its legendary musical legacy for its 50th year. The Marksmen Quartet is an inductee of the Lone Star State Country Music Association Gospel Music Hall of Fame and the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame.
For more information about the group, visit www.marksmenquartet.com.
Review for the Troy Burns Family:
The Troy Burns Family from Bryson City, N.C. includes founding Inspiration Quartet member Troy, and his wife Tammy. Troy will be inducted this fall into the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
“We look forward to visiting with many of our long-time friends and hope to make some new ones as we share our latest recordings and some of the favorites from throughout my career,” Troy said.
Burns spent 30 years traveling with the Inspirations and also appeared in concerts as part of Archie Watkins & Smokey Mountain Reunion.
Some among Burns more than 700 hits are “Jesus Is Coming Soon,” “Touring That City,” “Is That Footsteps,” “The Wonders of Wonders,” “Your Tears Are Touching God,” “The First Million Years.”
With over 6,000 concerts, numerous awards in gospel music and TV appearances such as “The Gospel Singing Jubilee.”
Tammy is a former member of the Sound of Youth from Robbinsville, N.C. and the only female singer to ever travel with the Inspirations.
Their upcoming CD is “In God We Trust.” For more information, visit http://troyburnsfamily.com/.
The event is a fundraiser for the Pearl and Floyd Franks Scholarship Fund. The Share America Foundation, Inc., a Georgia non-profit, presents scholarships to talented musicians who excel in the Appalachian musical arts.
Donations for tickets are adults: $10, Children 12 and under free with adult. Tickets may be purchased locally in advance during business hours at SonShine Christian Books (706) 861-7675 in Fort Oglethorpe. For more information, www.shareamericafoundation.org.
Troy Burns Family