THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 2, 1996 TAG: 9607310141
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 62 lines
Atlanta has the Olympic Games, but next week Chesapeake will have the olympics of gospel singing.
The 30th annual Virginia Annual Gospel Singing Convention will take place Aug. 9-11 at Indian River Middle School, featuring singers from throughout Virginia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, Georgia, West Virginia, Ohio, Arkansas, the District of Columbia and elsewhere.
``I guess you could call it a gospel olympics,'' said Ken Channell, manager of the event and leader of The Galileans. ``This thing just seems to get greater and greater each year. Many people who join us from out of state say we have one of the best gospel events in the country.''
The event was started 30 years ago by the late Rex Clifton, a local gospel music promoter, who loved the music so much he began a little amateur showcase of local groups at the old Oscar F. Smith High School (now Oscar F. Smith Middle School) site on Rodgers Street.
Channell said the early concerts featured nearly as many people onstage as there were in the audience. But the event grew over the years. Word spread and more groups joined in each year.
As many as 9,000 fans and singers will congregate at the Indian River Middle School stage, bringing not only harmonic joy to Chesapeake but fiscal joy to the city's merchants, innkeepers and restaurateurs.
``We know for a fact that the motels, stores and restaurants around the Greenbrier area stay busy during the convention,'' he said. ``It does bring people into the city. We love the location and so do our supporters. It's central for Tidewater, easy to get to, and it's near so many shopping centers, stores, restaurants and hotels.''
Although the three-day event is mainly a contest pitting amateur groups against each other in harmonic competition, Friday night will be a showcase of popular groups featuring many who began their careers at previous Virginia Gospel Singing conventions.
Channell said the Friday showcase will include his own Galileans, one of the most popular gospel groups in Virginia, along with the Londonaires Quartet, The Joys, Renewed, The Messengers, Dominion Trio, Coburn Family, Daybreak, Wings of Love and Solid Rock.
``Just because most of these singers are amateurs doesn't mean they're not excellent singers,'' Channell said. ``Remember, most of the top professional gospel groups in the country started as amateurs.''
The competition will feature a junior category for singers up to age 14 and a senior category for those 15 and older. The rest of the weekend will include free-style singing, a favorites showcase and lots of networking and ministry.
``Besides the wonderful singing, people look forward to this weekend for the friendships forged, the outreach and the fellowship,'' he said. ``Most come back each year to renew those friendships. Many are friendships that began 10 years ago. When you go back to this convention, you always run into old friends. That's as good as the singing.'' MEMO: AT A GLANCE
What: The Virginia Annual Gospel Singing Convention
Where: Indian River Middle School, 2300 Old Greenbrier Road
When: 7-11 p.m., Friday; 1-11 p.m., Saturday; and at 2 p.m. Sunday.
Invited groups will perform Friday night. Competitions take place
Saturday and Sunday.
Cost: No admission charge, but donations will be collected to help
defray expenses.
Call: For more information, call Ken Channell at 487-2160. by CNB