June 2016 Newsletter
Hello everyone. This is Ivory doing the newsletter this month and I am pleased to report things have really been looking up for the group since we last published our newsletter. We told you about our new radio release, “The Blood Still Flows”. Well it has done great, showing up on The Singing News Top 80 charts for the months of May and June. This is the first song to chart in the 53 year history of the group. Let me take this opportunity to thank a few people. First and foremost, Denny Livingston, the songwriter who penned this wonderful song. What a blessing and inspiration this song has become. Just ask the young man from Bloomingrose, WV who bolted to the altar in April before we ever got to the second verse! Second, to Vonda Easley of Hey Y’All Media who got the song out to the DJs to hear. And thank God for DJs who were willing to play us and see that the message of this song was put before their listeners. And lastly, thanks to you, the public for supporting this song and our group. Keep calling your local stations that play our songs and request the Pine Ridge Boys. It really does help us. Our goal has never been to “chart” songs, but the more we are on radio, the more people learn about us. This opens up new doors of opportunity for us to reach the lost and needy with our message in song. We are already being invited to new areas, which I will mention later.
Gosh, so much has happened over the past two months. Our annual spring trip to NJ was a rousing success. We got to sing with some wonderful friends along the way. The Millers in Pennsylvania (first time we ever got run out of a Wal-Mart parking lot!) and The Williamsons in NJ! Love Brother Joe McNulty pastor of Bridgeton Church of the Nazarene who hosted the annual BriPen Promotion Spring Sing! Later in the month we were honored to sing a song with the choir at Inman First Baptist (our home church) on a Sunday Morning and then participate in The Redback Hymnal Sing on Channel 16 in Greenville, SC the next night. What a good time. Organized by Charlie Sexton and The Troy Burns Family, it was an amazing evening. Like I say sometimes, we went there for a singing and a revival broke out!! If you didn’t see it, you missed a blessing. That was followed up by concerts with The Lumber River Quartet, the annual Chief Tolbert Memorial Sing with Squire Parsons, Greg Bentley, and Little Ernie Phillips! And who can forget the SCGMA Hall of Fame ceremony where our own Pine Ridge Boys legend was inducted, Big Jim Stewart! And there was truly an all-star lineup inducted that night; Mark Ferguson of the Sunday in the South radio program heard on Whistle 100 in Greenville; Donnie Seabolt who sang with The Blue Ridge Quartet and Prophets; Charlie Waller of the Florida Boys and originator of the Grand Ole Gospel Reunion; and our good friends and the only group inductee of the hall, The Sheltons. One of the best crowds of our travels was in Barberton, Ohio! It was magical. The organizers, The Christian HealthCare Ministry group could not have been more hospitable. And the crowd was amazing! We went there to be a blessing, but we were the ones who were blessed…thank you! I would be making a terrible omission if I failed to mention one of our greatest supporters and friend, Brother Steve Peterman. Steve is one of those selfless people who think of others before himself and we love him for it. His annual “Barn Sing” is a highlight on our schedule every year. Thank you for what you do Steve!!
June began in a far away land, Amherst, New York (near Buffalo). Yes, people of the north like Southern Gospel Music. Thanks to the people at Creekside Assembly of God. The downside is most of us came home a little under the weather. A week off was a blessing for these tired Boys. Let me stop here and say HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANNE STEWART!!!!! She is celebrating her day on Saturday, June 11th…and NO I am not telling how old she is…you can ask her if you want to know.
So many good things lie ahead for PRB, but I will mention only a few. Yes, we do hope to have a new single and CD in the near future. And as I mention earlier, we are being contacted to come to new areas. You can expect to see us in Kentucky, Illinois, Florida, and other areas in the coming months. If you want to be a part of bringing us to your area, contact Larry or I and we will make it happen. Check our schedule at www.pineridgeboys.com to see when we are coming to your area or to contact us about dates. We still have dates available in 2016 and are already booking 2017. Contact us to get your date TODAY!!!
Let’s not forget about our Homecoming Sing featuring The Sheltons, Hearts Afire and a reunion of The Singing Americans, 90s Edition, on June 25th at Inman First Baptist Church in Inman, SC (just outside of Spartanburg, SC). Details about the concert and lodging are listed on our website. This truly is a concert you don’t want to miss. You may never see this lineup again.
Creekside Gospel Music Convention in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee begins on Monday, Oct. 31st and runs thru Thursday, Nov. 3rd. PRB will be there and hopefully will be involved in the Diamonds Awards. You can help. SGN Scoops Magazine has acknowledged we are one of ten nominees in the Male Quartet category. Voting is happening now to narrow it down to the final 5. Please go online and vote for PRB. There is info on how to do this on our website and our facebook page. This is a good time to tell you about the new SGN Scoops Monthly Magazine. We have been distributing them at our concerts of late, and encourage you to support this new endeavor. Next month, The Pine Ridge Boys will be featured on the front page, so plan on getting your copy.
So much more to talk about, but it will have to wait until next time. Please continue to pray for PRB. There are many things coming up we have to make decisions on and we need your continued support. Thank God for all his blessing and we hope you are well and happy. BIG shout out to all of the fathers out there…HAVE A GREAT DAY!!!
Larry, Wayne, Duane, Ivory and Mark