Wise Words
"For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him. "
- Genesis 18:19 KJV
Legacy
It was the spring of 1966, in St. Albans, West Virginia, when five men joined together to share a common love of southern style gospel music. As the quartet and piano player met in local churches and a refrigeration school, the Lordsmen was born. They exhibited and urgency to share Christ through four-part, southern gospel music. God blessed the group as they began accepting bookings throughout the state of West Virginia.
Around 1970, they purchased their first bus enabling them to venture beyond the state's borders. The seventies brought a lot of personnel changes, as male and female vocalists and instrumentalists carried on the ministry. In 1979, God provided one week of bookings in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and the Lordsmen began to travel throughout the eastern United States.
It was 1981 when the last original member chose to pursue a new direction. This departure ushered in a unique era for the group. The following three years, the Lordsmen's music was mostly delivered in three-part harmony. Throughout the eighties, God continued to bless through additional miles, additional recordings, additional local radio airplay, and most importantly, additional souls won for the Lord. Among the memorable events was a nine day tour in 1989 which began in South Carolina and ended in Ohio. Also the song "I'll Be There" emerged as possibly the most requested song in Lordsmen history. This song began a new dimension of ministry collaborating sign language and song.
The new decade began in an exciting way, as the Lordsmen celebrated 25 years in 1991. A recording entitled, "Silver Anniversary" and a concert in Charleston, West Virginia commemorated the event. The following year, disaster struck. A nineteen year member/manager, Jack Carte, suffered a severe stroke. Despite discouragement, the Lord immediately began working to allow the Lordsmen to continue. As the group trusted the Lord, despair became new growth and spiritual development. In 1996 the Lordsmen experienced incredible mountaintops and valleys. In May, approximately 800 people helped the group commemorate 30 years in a concert in Elkview, West Virginia which was recorded live on audio and video. In October 1996, Jack went home to be with the Lord. He had a significant impact on current members through his dedication and sacrifice to gospel music and to the Lord.
In April of 1997, the Lordsmen took an entirely new step of faith in recording with Cooke Records. This association allowed the Lordsmen to release its first national song entitled, "So Good To Me" penned by group member, Debbie Petry. The recording project entitled "Singing a New Song" was also monumental as it was the only project ever to contain songs written and arranged entirely by group members and in the year 2000, released a song with Capitol
Enterprises, entitled, "This Feeling I Can Feel" from their project, Taste of Variety.
Today, the Lordsmen call Elkview, located off I-79 just north of Charleston, West Virginia, home. The group continues to travel throughout the eastern United States. Group members hold full-time jobs through the week and participate in fairs, festivals, reunions, celebrations, homecomings, revivals and many other events on weekends. God provides through love offerings, sale of recordings, sale of other merchandise as well as donations and contributions.
In over forty years, through approximately 40 members and 20 recordings, the message of Christ remains unchanged as has the urgency to share this powerful message through music. This urgency has allowed the Lordsmen to cross the boundaries of nearly every church denomination. With God's sovereign leadership and the dedication of members through history, the Lordsmen proudly proclaim....."