The Sneed Family to appear at Creekside Gospel Music Convention

Pigeon Forge, TN (October 7,2015) - SGNScoops announced today that Southern Gospel artists, The Sneed Family, are joining the lineup for Creekside Gospel Music Convention, November 2nd through 5th, at Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The Sneed Family consists of Jeff and Pam Sneed, Caleb and Amanda Cowan, and Seth and Jacob Sneed. They are the hosts of the Loretta Lynn Gospel Music Festival and the Glory Bound Jubilee. The Sneeds have been nominated for, and won, several awards for their music. Their songs have graced several charts as well as touched the hearts of many.

Jeff Sneed is thrilled to be attending Creekside. "The Sneed Family is so excited about being a part of Creekside this year. I believe we should all support these good folks that are so instrumental in bringing new artists to the forefront, as well promoting those artists that have established their position in the industry. These are the ingredients for keeping Gospel music alive and well. I am also excited about helping emcee this event! It's going to be a great week in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee!"

"We are happy to welcome the Sneeds to Creekside 2015," says Rob Patz, publisher of SGNScoops. "I know our audience will enjoy their music and I'm glad that Jeff will be emceeing. I'm excited about Creekside this year and all the artists that are joining together to make this the best year ever!"

Creekside Gospel Music Convention begins November 2nd at the Smoky Mountain Convention Center. Daily showcases, jam sessions, nightly concerts and Midnight Prayer are all scheduled from Monday until Thursday. The 2015 Diamond Awards are held on Tuesday, November 3rd. Creekside tickets are free but must be reserved. For more information on tickets and lodging visit www.creeksidegospelmusicconvention.com or call Rob Patz at 360.933.0741. Free tickets are available at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/creekside-gospel-music-convention-2015-in-pigeon-forge-tn-tickets-18436621431

Free Tickets to Creekside Gospel Music Convention

Creekside Gospel Music Convention 2015 In Pigeon Forge Tn
Monday, November 2, 2015 4:00 PM until Thursday, November 5, 2015 10:00 PM

Creekside Gospel Music Convention is coming soon to beautiful Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Join us as we listen to great Gospel music, enjoy the majestic Smoky Mountains and have a great time in fun and fellowship with other fans and artists of Creekside. Please reserve your ticket soon Nov 2nd To The 5th

Artists include: The Freemans, The Hinson Family, The Williamsons, Pine Ridge Boys, Mark209, Jordan’s Bridge, the Hoskins Family, 11th Hour, The Guardians, Ascension Quartet, Alliance Quartet, Exodus, John Lanier, Malachi, Billy Hodges, and many more.

Daytime Showcases, Evening Concerts, Midnight Prayer, The 2015 Diamond Awards, Lou Hildreth Honors, Red Back Hymnbook Choir and more special events.

The Creekside Gospel Music Convention takes place at the Smoky Mountain Convention Center, 4010 Parkway
Pigeon Forge, TN 37863

Get your free tickets today at the Creekside Gospel Music Convention website here.
Visit the Creekside Gospel Music Convention Facebook Site.
Don't forget to vote for the Top Five nominees in the 2015 Diamond Awards.

For more Gospel music information, features and news, visit SGN Scoops website.

Mark209 Shares the Stage with Country Music Icon Ronnie Milsap

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – (March 5, 2012) – Gospel music mainstays Mark209 had the distinct privilege of performing onstage with Country music icon Ronnie Milsap at a recent concert event.

At Ronnie Milsap’s request, Mark209 accompanied The Milsap Show to Palmetto, Florida to perform as a part of Bill Bailey’s Winter Gospel Music Convention, the largest winter gospel music festival in the United States.

Mark209 opened for The Milsap Show, and Ronnie asked the quartet to join him on stage to sing some selections, which included “Peace In The Valley” from his gospel CD, Then Sings My Soul.

Ronnie said from stage, “If you’ve got such a quality quartet as Mark209, you just have to do an Elvis song just like he did it.”

The group then backed him on Elvis’ “Love Me.” Also on the evening’s program in Palmetto, Florida were Karen Peck & New River, the Collingsworth Family, and Wilburn & Wilburn.

Dominic Korzecki was in attendance and posted on Ronnie Milsap’s Facebook page: “These guys [Mark209] have to be one of the best Southern Gospel groups I've heard since The Stamps.”

Jym Howe of Mark209 states, “We have had people ask us what it is like to sing with Ronnie Milsap and to be honest, Kenny Rogers said it best, ‘There is no greater thrill, and at the same time no greater fear, than singing with Ronnie Milsap. He is, quite simply, as good as he has to be to be better than the person he is singing with.’ It is an honor to share Ronnie’s stage and a thrill to sing with him. Each time we have performed with him, his band and crew has actually treated us like we were somebody.”

Seven-time Grammy Award winner, Ronnie Milsap has had 40 #1 songs. He has received every CMA Award available to a male Country artist, including the industry’s highest honor, the coveted Entertainer of the Year Award. From the Academy of Country Music, he has received the Instrumentalist of the Year and Pioneer Award and Billboard Magazine awarded him “Artist of the Year.” Ronnie played and sang on two albums with Elvis Presley, opened for James Brown in the 60s, and recorded duets with Barry Manilow, Patty Labelle, Kenny Rogers, and Trace Adkins. Ronnie Milsap is long overdue for induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

2012 has started with a bang for the popular quartet. In addition to doing select dates with Ronnie Milsap, Mark209 has already been scheduled for several television appearances and large festivals. On March 11, 2012, the quartet will be able to be seen LIVE online via a pay-per-view internet concert sponsored by the American Society of Gospel Music.

The group recently landed two Absolutely Gospel Music Award nominations. The group landed nods in the Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Fan Favorite Artist of the Year categories. The group also scored a nomination for Favorite New Excelling Artist in the 2012 SGM FanFair Awards.

The brand new Mark209 website was recently launched. You can visit them online at www.mark209.com.

You can also find the group on Facebook by visiting www.facebook.com/mark209.

About Mark209
Mark209 is one of the most exciting Gospel quartets touring the country today. The intricate harmonies, detailed arrangements, energy, and versatility place this group in a league of its own. In a time when mediocrity is widely accepted, this group has raised the bar and exceeds everyone's expectations. The group consists of Jym Howe, Nathaniel Justice, Joe Armstrong, and Jimmy Reno.

Hosts and First Performers Announced for 2012 Absolutely Gospel Music Awards

10th Anniversary of Awards Program Set For April 10, 2012

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – (January 30, 2012) – The administrators and staff of AbsolutelyGospel.com (formerly SoGospelNews.com) are proud to announce this year’s hosts and first list of performers for the 2012 Absolutely Gospel Music Awards Celebration.

The hosts for this year’s Awards Celebration of two of the industry’s most respected female voices and personalities. This year’s hosts are Karen Peck Gooch (Karen Peck & New River) and Sonya Isaacs Yeary (The Isaacs).

Karen Peck Gooch has been lauded as one of the greatest voices to ever take the stage in Southern Gospel music. She has been awarded the Favorite Soprano award in the Singing News Fan Awards 11 times. A veteran of the Absolutely Gospel Music Awards, Karen has won Female Vocalist of the Year twice (including last year), and with her group New River, has won an impressive 15 additional Absolutely Gospel Music Awards. Karen Peck & New River has scored over 10 #1 singles over the course of its 20-year history. Gooch recently made her big screen debut in the hit movie Joyful Noise with Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton.

No stranger to the Absolutely Gospel Music Awards hosting stage, Sonya Isaacs Yeary co-hosted the 2010 Awards Celebration. Sonya is known widely across multiple genres of music including Country, Southern Gospel, Bluegrass, and more. Sonya has been awarded two Female Vocalist of the Year, two Songwriter of the Year, and two Musician of the Year awards in this particular awards program. Most recently, the song “I’m Gonna Love You Through It” (which she co-wrote with her sister Becky and husband Jimmy) was recorded by country music giant Martina McBride and nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Solo Performance.

“I am very honored to be co-hosting the Absolutely Gospel Music Awards along with my friend, Sonya Isaacs Yeary,” said Karen Peck Gooch. “I’m looking forward to a special night of honoring the finest artists in Southern Gospel music and hearing the top current songs in the industry. It’s going to be a night to remember!”

Sonya Isaacs Yeary said, “I am so excited to be co-hosting the incredible AGM Awards with Karen Peck this year! She’s a hot tamale, what with bein’ in that new big movie and all! I hope she doesn’t try to hog the show! Only kidding, ‘friend’! We are going to have a blast! But seriously, two blondes? This could be dangerous! See y’all there!”

“We couldn’t be more elated with our hosts for this year’s Awards Celebration,” mentioned Deon Unthank, President of AbsolutelyGospel.com. “Sonya and Karen are two of the most respected names in this industry. We know that they are going to do a great job hosting this year.”

In addition, the first list of performers is now available. Performing on this year’s Awards Celebration are The Isaacs, Karen Peck & New River, The Perrys, Wilburn & Wilburn, Beyond the Ashes, Eighth Day, and Mark209. In addition, Jeff & Sheri Easter are spearheading a multi-artist tribute to a legend in the Gospel music industry (like the 2010 tribute to The Singing Cookes). More information will be announced at a later date about the specifics of that tribute. Additional performers are still being confirmed as well.

Karen Peck Gooch will also be performing “Mighty High” from the Joyful Noise soundtrack with an all-star choir made up of multiple nominees in this year’s Absolutely Gospel Music Awards.

More information on the 2012 Absolutely Gospel Music Awards Celebration will be forthcoming, including additional performers and sponsors. The date for this year’s Absolutely Gospel Music Awards Celebration is Tuesday, April 10, 2012. The event will again take place at the River of Life Church in Smyrna, Tennessee and is free to the public. The event is scheduled to be streamed live on the internet this year.

The awards program sees two records broken this year. The Isaacs broke the record for the most nominations by an artist in a single year – this year earning 12 nominations. In addition, producer/songwriter/Ernie Haase & Signature Sound pianist Wayne Haun earned a staggering 15 nominations – also breaking a record for the most nominations in a single year by an individual.

In addition, for the first time in the 10 years of the Absolutely Gospel Music Awards – a song that wasn’t released to radio (also known as an album cut) earned a nomination for Song of the Year – the Booth Brothers’ critically acclaimed song “What About Now.” In addition, last year’s Songwriter of the Year (Professional) winner Kenna West earned a nomination for the 2012 Pacesetter Award – the first time a professional songwriter has earned a nomination in that specific category.

Social networking paid off in a big way for artists in the Fan Favorite Artist of the Year category – the only category chosen strictly by the fans and readers of AbsolutelyGospel.com. Surprise nominations from acts like Sharron Kay King, The Ladd Family, and Mark209 saw a huge surge of votes due to their support from fans on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

About AbsolutelyGospel.com
AbsolutelyGospel.com (formerly SoGospelNews.com) has grown from relative obscurity to the industry's leading internet publication for Southern Gospel news and information in only a few short years. The site includes a wide variety of features, consisting of artist interviews, a weekly chart, late-breaking news, and much more.

Sunday Edition Welcomes Christina Dallas Jones to Group

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Sunday Edition, one of Nashville’s favorite groups, is excited to announce the addition of Christina Dallas Jones to the group. Christina joins the group immediately and made her debut appearance with Sunday Edition on November 18, 2011 as a part of the USAGEM Convention and Awards Show.

“We are very excited to be adding such a seasoned and talented vocalist to our group,” mentioned Deon Unthank of Sunday Edition. “Christina is a class act, and we know that people are going to love the sound that she brings to our group.”

Deon continued, “Due to changes in our family over the last year with the passing of my wife and my subsequent remarriage, Amy’s move to the St. Louis area, and Chris’ recent marriage, the dynamic of our group was in for a major shift. No one is leaving the group, but adding Christina to our ministry will help us relieve some of the stress that having all three of us living in separate areas can create.”

Christina Dallas Jones is the wife of Mark209’s Jym Howe. She has a strong background in musical theater and opera.

Christina said, “I first began meeting the Unthank family shortly after my arrival to Nashville four years ago.  I soon found that they were not only charming and warm, but well respected people in the community.  I have since developed a personal friendship with them all.  After being exposed to Gospel music through my now husband, I grew an appreciation for their ministry.  I had quietly prayed and searched for a group to join with whom I felt I would fit.  With my musical background in opera, theatre, jazz, and pop, I would not fit with just any

Gospel group.  When Deon called, it thrilled me.  I have always enjoyed the styling of Sunday Edition and I love Chris’ vocal technique.  It is a privilege to sing with such a wonderful Christian family.”

With the addition of Christina, Sunday Edition is open to expanding their boundaries into new territories and ministry events. The group is currently booking for all time periods in 2012 and beyond. For more information on booking the group, call (615) 545-5315 or visit www.sundayedition.net .

Sunday Edition has had a stellar year. The group was recently honored with three nominations in the United States Associated of Gospel Entertainers & Musicians (USAGEM) Annual Awards Show. Sunday Edition received two nominations as a group – New Artist of the Year and Gospel Entertainer of the Year. In addition, the group’s lead vocalist Chris Unthank was named in the Male Vocalist of the Year category.

The group also earned two nominations in the 2011 SGM Fan Awards – including Favorite Album for Sunday Worship and Favorite Baritone for group patriarch Deon Unthank. The About.com readers also nominated the group for Best Southern Gospel Group in the 2011 Readers’ Choice Awards. The group was nominated alongside industry mainstays Gaither Vocal Band, The Isaacs, The Hoppers, and Ernie Haase & Signature Sound.

Sunday Edition’s new single, “Lift Up Your Eyes” (written by group member Amy Marie Unthank with Rebecca J. Peck), will ship Southern Gospel and Christian country radio at the first of the year. The group is currently writing material and choosing songs for their highly anticipated new mainline release. More information on that will be released at a later date.

Sunday Edition’s website is currently under renovation, and until the new site is unveiled, you can find out more information on the group by visiting www.sundayedition.net. Facebook members can find Sunday Edition at www.facebook.com/sundayedition . You can follow Sunday Edition on Twitter by logging in at www.twitter.com/thesunedition .

Father of Mark209’s Jym Howe Suffers Major Heart Attack

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – (November 14, 2011) – The father of Mark209’s Jym Howe suffered a major heart attack last week. Howe’s father, Tommy Howe, was admitted to the CVICU at Vanderbilt University Hospital at around noon on Tuesday, November 8, 2011.

He was presented with extreme pain in his back between his shoulder blades, which started on Monday (November 7, 2011) at approximately 8:00 p.m. 

Jym recounted, “After a restless night, Dad went to work at Vanderbilt University/Chemistry Dept Glassblowing Shop, still with extreme back pain.  After the pain did not subside, he decided to call his doctor who advised him to go to the Emergency Room.  He walked 1/2 mile to the ER. Can you believe that?  After examining him, he was advised that his pulse rate was 40 and dropping fast, and that he was having a heart attack. The ER cardiologist directed the nurses to bring the paddles in case they were needed.  His pulse dropped even further -- down to 30.  Further testing showed he was going to need bypass surgery (3 grafts), which was scheduled for Friday at 8:00 a.m.  This would allow his body to rest some before the surgery.  However, after having a severe episode of pain, three nitro pills, and two additional EKGs, the surgery was moved up immediately.  Surgery lasted just under five hours, and he received five grafts instead of three!”

Tommy is recovering well and visiting with family and friends.  He walked his first steps approximately 12 hours after the surgery.  The surgeon said there is very little damage to his heart, and he is expected to be released from the hospital on Tuesday of this week. 

Many Southern Gospel fans will remember Tommy filling in for Jake Hess and James Blackwood with the Masters V, for Ed Hill with J.D. Sumner & The Stamps, and filled some dates with Hovie Lister & The Statesmen. 

“All our fans sent tons of support to me and prayers up for my family and especially father,” mentioned Jym. “The support shown to my family during this time has been so amazing. We appreciate your continued support and prayers!”

More information will be posted periodically to Mark209’s website at www.mark209.com or on their Facebook at www.facebook.com/MARK209 .

About Mark209

Mark209 is one of the most exciting Gospel quartets touring the country today. The intricate harmonies, detailed arrangements, energy, and versatility place this group in a league of its own. In a time when mediocrity is widely accepted, this group has raised the bar and exceeds everyone's expectations. The group consists of Jym Howe, Nathaniel Justice, Joe Armstrong, and Jimmy Reno.