Guest performer Jimmy Fortune
BRANSON, Mo., August 20, 2013 — The spectacular Sight & Sound Theatre, the home of the spectacular production of Joseph and the Miracle of Christmas will host the 5th Annual Christian Action Ministries (CAM) “Gospel Sing Off” on Sunday September 1st starting at 2 PM. Jack Burke, CAM Board Chairman said that the ten finalists were chosen from over 80 entrants and will be competing for over $3,000 in cash, trophies and the opportunity to sing at Silver Dollar City during the last day of its “Southern Gospel Music Picnic,” September 2.
The finalists will be judged by a panel of six local celebrity judges. They are Avery Cole, from “The Voices of Glory,” and AYO Show; Ben Dutton, singer, dancer, and versatile musician with The Duttons; George Dyer, Branson’s premier tenor from The George Dyer Show; Jak Knudsen of the popular Branson entertainment group SIX; Joe Sullivan, who has been producing Branson shows and bringing national talent to Branson stages for over 20 years and Ronnie Page, entertainment editor for the Branson Daily Independent and singing with The Statler Brothers Revisited.
The ten finalist acts performing in the Gospel Sing Off are:
The Farnums, a family of eight from Galena, Missouri. Mom and Dad, plus their six children ranging in age from 7 to 20, focus on preserving historical and traditional gospel music.
DC-3 Trio (Daughters of Christ) is based in the greater Chicago area and has been singing together at church and community events for 17 years.
Mark Dean is an award-winning gospel singer and Branson resident who has dedicated his talents to praising the Lord after a near-death heart incident seven years ago.
Joy2 is an a cappella quartet from Harrison, Arkansas. The four members were all involved in choral music prior to coming together in 2011 as a group.
Joanne Hall, a Forsyth resident who was born in Thibodaux, Louisianna, started singing at age 5, but has spent the last 25 years raising her family. She was originally known as the little girl with the big voice.
Changed is a family group from Lebanon, Missouri who have expanded their singing together around the piano to become more organized as a gospel-singing group.
The Haining Family of Branson began performing Christian family-building music in 2004 with a unique blend of vocal harmonies, instrumental skills, and yodeling.
Jericho, based in the DeSoto area of Missouri, is a quartet of working men who fill their spare time by musically sharing their love of the Lord with others.
Ashley Jischke is a talented, young woman from Kimberling City who loves to sing, play the piano and guitar, and write her own songs and music.
The Gospel Cousins are two sisters and their cousin who have been active in the music ministry, Sunday school, and choir at their Quinton, Oklahoma church for the past three decades.”
For the 5th consecutive year, Bob Hubbard of the “Foggy River Boys” and “The Jordanaires,” will emcee the Sing Off. Guest appearances will also be made by Jimmy Fortune of The Statler Brothers, “Voices of Glory,” who finished in the Top Five of the NBC prime time hit show “Americas Got Talent,” and are staring in their Branson Show Ayo; last year’s winners The Fair Family, and saxophonist Gary Dooms. Ventriloquist Kerry Miller and his gospel-singing puppets will be providing pre-show entertainment in the Sight & Sound lobby.
The Gospel Sing-Off is the “only operational fundraiser” for Christian Action Ministries (CAM), who “operates food pantries in Branson and Forsyth, as well as a monthly mobile outreach to eastern Taney County. Reserved seat tickets are a $12 donation for adults and $6 for children 12 and under. For further information or tickets please feel free to contact either the Sight and Sound Theatre or the Branson Tourism Center at 1-800-785-1550.