- The Freemans:
For over four decades, The Freemans have been a driving force in the world of Southern Gospel music, infusing their performances with rich family harmony and a timeless message. Founded by Darrell and Chris Freeman, alongside their children Misty and Caylon, this powerhouse ensemble has recorded over twenty-five albums and earned numerous accolades, including multiple number one hits on the Singing News charts.
Chris Hawkins Freeman, hailed as the Queen of Gospel Music for her remarkable contributions during her tenure with the Hinsons, has left an indelible mark on the genre. In 2006, Chris was honored with induction into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, standing among legends like Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin. Her passion for music and unwavering commitment to faith have been instrumental in shaping The Freemans’ dynamic sound and enduring legacy.
Darrell Freeman, recognized as a living legend in the Gospel Music community, received the prestigious Living Legend Award from Gospel Voice Magazine’s Gospel Music Awards in 2023. His leadership and dedication to the craft have been instrumental in guiding The Freemans to continued success. Darrell began his musical journey at the age of 13, singing with his family group, The Pathways. He later met his wife.
- The Kingsmen Quartet:
So what more can you do when you possess a mammoth legacy such as that of the Kingsmen? The answer…keep singing and ministering the gospel, and keep releasing music with lyrics relevant to the lives of the listeners. The same drive and work ethic that brought the Kingsmen to incredible heights more than a half century ago, secures the Kingsmen’s continued place among the top male quartets in Christian music today.
The year was 1956, when a group of brothers in western NC joined together in forming the Kingsmen Quartet. This team of young men likely had no idea what they were beginning. By the early 1970s, the Kingsmen had ascended to the peak of the gospel music industry with their Dove Award-winning record, Big and Live. Since then, the momentum has never stopped. Just since 2015, the quartet has placed six more songs atop the southern gospel radio charts, received two more GMA Dove Award nominations, as well as a #1 album on the Billboard Chart.
- The Chuckwagon Gang:
Over eighty years of hope, harmony, faith and family.
Over eighty years of what American roots music-titan Marty Stuart calls, “Unbreakable, steady, unmovable, truth.”
Over eighty years that have brought accolades and honors for a group that began singing on local radio in 1935, and that went on to play Carnegie Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, and the Grand Ole Opry.
More than eighty unparalleled years with the same patented, instantly identifiable sound for the Chuck Wagon Gang, and momentum continues to build. Some say that’s really no surprise.
“This group was designed for the ages,” Stuart asserts. “For the eternal ages.”
Stuart penned each song on the Chuck Wagon Gang’s album, Meeting in Heaven, and he is among the choir of celebrated figures who praise the history, legacy, and contemporary relevance of the Gang in America’s Gospel Singers, The Legacy Lives On, the documentary film that aired on PBS, beginning in the fall of 2015.
