Chattanooga Times Free Press - ChattanoogaNow
Gospel Hall of Fame inducting 11 on Saturday
Ten gospel singers and one show promoter will be honored Saturday night, Aug. 4, when the Tri-State Gospel Music Hall of Fame inducts its 2018 class.
The Hall of Fame was founded by Herb Oliver in 2005. Nominations are accepted by the board of directors, who select honorees, says Will Dickerson, board chairman.
“We have 180 in our Hall of Fame, and 90 of them are still alive,” he says. The HOF annually honors individuals who have made an impact on gospel music in Alabama, Georgia or Tennessee.
The induction will take place at Parkway Baptist Church, 65 Stuart Drive in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, beginning at 6 p.m. The induction and gospel-singing program are expected to conclude by 8:30 p.m., says Dickerson.
The featured entertainment will be the Old Time Preachers Quartet. Its bass singer, Mike Holcomb, is among the hall’s inductees.
Holcomb’s signature song, “When I Wake Up To Sleep No More,” was Singing News’ Song of the Year for 1974. The Old Time Preachers Quartet recently released their version of it in honor of the song’s 44th anniversary. It is currently the No. 1 Pick Hit song on August’s Singing News chart.
Dickerson expects 60 to 70 previous Hall of Fame inductees to sing in the Hall of Fame choir’s performance. From those, about 10 male and female quartets will break out to perform as well. It gives the audience and singers a chance to hear quartets composed of singers who normally wouldn’t be performing together.
The induction and gospel singing are open to the public. No admission is charged, but a love offering will be collected. The offering helps cover HOF expenses such as framed certificates and medallions presented to the new inductees.
For more information: tristategospelmusichalloffame.com