Posted 9:34 pm Saturday, June 19, 2010
Song Of Faith Concert Set For July 17 At Green Acres
By PATRICK S. BUTLER
Religion Editor
The Song of Faith Concert, featuring the top 10 finishers for the East Texas 2009 Song of Faith songwriting contest, is coming to the new Crosswalk Conference Center July 17 at Green Acres Baptist Church. The nondenominational event, featuring live performances of area amateur and professional musicians, is free to the public.
Religion Editor
The Song of Faith Concert, featuring the top 10 finishers for the East Texas 2009 Song of Faith songwriting contest, is coming to the new Crosswalk Conference Center July 17 at Green Acres Baptist Church. The nondenominational event, featuring live performances of area amateur and professional musicians, is free to the public.
It's summertime and there's no better time to tune up those strings to sing to God.
The church at 1607 Troup Hwy. offered its new multi-million dollar performing arts facility after tremendous inter-denominational response to the faith-song contest that was sponsored by the
Tyler Morning Telegraph
last summer. More than 60 people -- some as far away as Los Angeles, Hawaii and Seattle -- submitted songs for a critique from professional East Texas musicians of faith, some who are Gold and Platinum-winning artists.
last summer. More than 60 people -- some as far away as Los Angeles, Hawaii and Seattle -- submitted songs for a critique from professional East Texas musicians of faith, some who are Gold and Platinum-winning artists.
Area musical professionals providing practical written critiques for the amateur songwriters included Gold-record earners Dallas Holm, Jim Fielder, Rita Baloche, Jim and Dee Patton, Gregory Swint, along with talent-laden Terry Fancher, Bill Scott and Jerry and Emmy Lou Hubbard.
"This should be a very encouraging, fun and satisfying, musical evening," said Fielder, a seven-time Gold-record earner and two-time Grammy winner who attends Tyler Presbyterian Church. "Not only are the talented amateurs songwriters featured, but also some East Texas professional gems -- the judges -- represent huge talent that really should be more widely known."
An unexpected flood of 65 participants in last summer's Song of Faith contest made it even harder to place in the top 10 finalists.
Amateurs scheduled to appear onstage at the sparkling new Crosswalk Center will be area artists Britnee Wilson and her band Enhisday, a top-five finisher in the contest; third-place finisher Lydia Lard of Tyler; top-10 finisher David Cook of Chandler; top-five finisher Jerry Miller of Tyler and his band "July10;" and contest "Best Song" recipient, the Rev. David Darst, also of Chandler.
Second-place finisher Emma Ramsey of Winnsboro will appear along with top-10 finishers Russell Wilson, Peyton Neill, of Van, and Lindale's Ryan Proudfoot and Brittany Ardnt.
Eschewing an "American Idol" style, there was no "winner" of the songwriting contest, but judges instead a choice was made instead for the "Best Song" by Darst of First Baptist Church in Chandler who was awarded "Best" for his composition "When You Can't Get to Him."
Darst now sings on a national level with the Palmetto State Quartet (www.psqworld.com).
That the event is not "Baptist" is not important, said the Rev. Dr. David Dykes, pastor of Green Acres Church.
"Green Acres is happy to host the Song of Faith Concert," Dykes said on Thursday. "God has blessed us with a beautiful facility and we want to share it with the other members of the Body of Christ in East Texas. Although slight doctrinal differences might exist between different churches, one thing we all agree on is that the Lord is worthy to be praised! I look forward to exalting the Lord with other Believers during the Song of Faith Concert."
Meanwhile, Wilson continues to work with her band, "Enhisday" (www.myspace.com/enhisday) and will open the "Christ Rocks The Crater" music festival in Mt. Enterprise today, playing ahead of Sparrow-signed Tyler band "Luminate" and MikesChair (http://durangoscanyon.com ).
Local TISD teacher Jerry Miller, who will perform his song "My Imperfections," continues to play with local Al Fine Jazz Band.
Read about more performers in the Religion section of the
Tyler Morning Telegraph
on June 26.
on June 26.
