About Us...
It all began on May 20, 2006, --- some of the finest Bluegrass and Gospel music came to Crescent, directed by an excellent acoustic guitar player/ teacher / craftsman.... Wayne Graham.
He organized a monthly Bluegrass and Gospel event called CHICKEN 'N PICKIN' and it started in the sanctuary of the First Baptist Church of Crescent, located in Central Oklahoma, about 45 minutes North of Oklahoma City.
His first host band was TAKING CHANCES, including Wayne Graham, Marvin Holt, Chelsea and Lorri Pontious, and John Pontious as sound technician. (We will plan to show photos and some sound recordings of the Taking Chances Band on this website. Please be patient as our new website is under construction).
A second host band was soon added to Chicken 'N Pickin' - the Horn Family, including Shawn, Gloria, Caleb, Kaitlyn, and Kylee Horn. Caleb, the oldest son, became unavailable after he began attending college and he has not been able to play on a regular basis. And later, the other four family members kept the family music going and they have been a regular part of the Chicken 'N Pickin' since it was first started.
One of the highlights of the first few years of Chicken 'N Pickin' included some fabulous and delicious meals served preceding each Bluegrass and Gospel Music program, and Chicken was only one of the many fine meals which were planned. It is important to note that for the most part, many of these meals were planned and prepared by the Taking Chances band members, along with the Horn Family, Robin Johnson and several other church members who helped on a regular basis. Many hours of food planning and preparation was involved but the tradition continued on for several years.
And from the beginning of Chicken 'N Pickin', Wayne planned and included the presentation of Gospel Music at each and every monthly program. Each program ends with a special devotional and prayer. God has blessed Wayne's efforts, along with his singers and pickers!
The Music...
Besides the two host bands and a number of at least a dozen gospel soloists, each music program has included some outstanding Bluegrass bands from Oklahoma and Kansas. These bands have included such names as; The Hunt Family, Monroe Sisters, Gaskill Family, Linda Thomas and DeLancey Trio, Graystone Bluegrass Revival, Cal Heer & Gospel Grandpa's, Naylor Family, Five Mile Junction Band, Zoo Grass Boys, Jim Garling and Prairie Moon, St Elmer's Fire, Needmore Band, Emalea Hudgens, Making Memories Trio, Six Mile Line, Delivered Gospel Quartet, Forgiven Gospel Quartet, Bonham Family, Sage with Jack Gideon, Michael Hobbs, and Kansas Heart. (This list may not be complete, and our apologies to any group which we may have missed).
Our Gospel Soloists have included: Bryan Scott, Darrell Graef, Janine Handler, Marv Hawkins, Lenita Kennedy, Bill McCutcheon, Robin & Sammi Johnson, John Lovett, Veona "Tiny" Moody, Kim Pool, David Reed, Renee' Russell, Joseph Kendall, Miriam Sutton, Rusty Vineyard, Gerald Wills, Kathrine Watts, and Karen Watson. (This list may also not be complete, and our apologies to any other persons we may have missed).
CHANGE IS COMING...
Beginning with our next planned Bluegrass & Gospel music event planned for Saturday evening, January 16th, beginning at 6:00 p.m.- the name CHICKEN 'N PICKIN' will no longer be used. The new name will be:
Some other changes which are planned will include a brief intermission at about 7:00 p.m., which will allow time for the next band to setup and also everyone will take time to stretch, take a restroom break and have some snacks, desserts and drinks in the church fellowship hall. While the drinks will be furnished, volunteers will be asked to bring snack and desserts.
Wayne has announced that we will not have a guest band at every bluegrass gospel music event. Beginning in January, 2010, we will begin having our program ONCE each month and the two host bands will play and sing, and our Gospel Soloists will sing every month. A guest band will be invited to come about once each quarter.
Our E-Mail e-Newsletter...
For several years, we have provided information regarding our coming events - with an E-Mail e-Newsletter. It has included personal messages from Wayne regarding what is going on from month-to-month! His messages will continue to be most important in our communication with everyone... first by E-Mail, and now, on our website.
Anyone can get on our E-Mail mailing list -- just send an E-Mail request to prairielandbluegrassgospel@gmail.com and your name will be added. Please keep our list informed if and when you change your E-Mail address! When we send a message to EVERYONE on our list, we almost always get error messages when an E-Mail address is no longer available... then we have lost contact with the individual!
Our E-Mail messages have also included posters for our coming events... and this practice will continue - and these same posters will also be available on this website! Watch for them!
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ This webpage was updated on January 1, 2010
© 2009-2010 by Prairie Land Bluegrass Gospel, located at the First Baptist Church of Crescent, Oklahoma - U.S.A
This site may be freely linked, but not duplicated in any way without permission
Website design/ Editor Marv Hawkins
