First Place winners, The Sons of the Silver Dollar, left to right Michael Todd, Mark LaTourneau and Tom Johnson, during their prize winning performance.
The competition among the 12 finalist in the first ever Christian Action Ministries’ (CAM) Gospel Sing-Off on September 7 at the beautiful Sight & Sound Theatre in Branson, Missouri was, as expected, a tough competition among competitors making a joyful sound unto the Lord. Those sounds of praises came from soloists, trios and quartets, groups with one thing in common, talent.
Paul Miller, General Manager, Branson Tourism Center, the organization that donated the $5,000 prize purse for the event said what everyone was feeling after listening to the competitors, “You are all winners and deserve to be here.” No one in the crowd envied the celebrity judges who had to pick the winners. They were Lee Loughnane, founding member of the legendary rock group Chicago; Benjamin Dutton of Branson’s Dutton Family, Mark Wright, Director of Benevolence for the James River Assembly Church, and Ronnie Page, Entertainment Editor for the Branson Daily Independent.
In what Miller described as a very close completion the judges awarded First Place with a check for $2,500.00 to the “Sons of the Silver Dollar” from Branson, Missouri, Second Place with a check for $1,500 to the trio “Jericho” from DeSoto, Missouri and Third Place, with a check for $1,000.00 went to soloist LaVonne Parrott from Branson. The other competitors in order of appearance were soloist James McMickin, Jasper, Alabama; “The Peterson Family,” from Branson, Missouri; the trio “Psalmody,’ from Branson; the quartet “Proclaim,” from Kimberling City, Missouri; the trio “The Kendricks,” from Billings, Missouri; soloist Paula Cravens, from Branson; “The Blades Family,” from Republic, Missouri; the trio “One For All,” from Harrison, Arkansas and “The Morace Family,” from Spokane, Missouri.
The performance of the First Place winners, the Sons of the Silver Dollar, from their stage presence to the beauty and power of their voices was smooth, polished and moving. Nowhere was that more obvious than when they sang “Under God,” a stirring, emotional and patriotic musical testimony about God and what He has meant to our Country. The Sons of the Silver Dollar perform professionally at Branson’s Silver Dollar City.
Second Place winners, the group Jericho, was listed in the program as a quartet, but ended up performing as a trio at the last minute. The male trio did an excellent job and gave a powerful and dynamic performance highlighted by their performance of “In God We Still Trust,” which earned them a standing ovation. Third Place winner, soloist LaVonne Parrott took command of the stage and gave a beautiful and powerful presentation highlighted by her a cappella version of the “Lord’s Prayer.”
The Dutton Family showed why they were a top ten finalist on the NBC hit show “America’s Got Talent” and are one of Branson’s most popular shows as they opened sing-off with that famous Dutton style, energy, and musical ability. The event was emceed by long time Branson favorite, Bob Hubbard, formerly with the Foggy River Boys and the first lead singer with the Jordanaires. He did an excellent job of not only keeping things moving along smoothly, but of ad-libbing to fill in for a few minutes while a sound problem was being resolved.
The Christian Action Ministries’ (CAM) Gospel Sing-Off was a benefit to raise money for its food pantry. While expressing her thanks to all involved not only with the event, but in contributing and volunteering to help those whom CAM serves, Joan Westfall, CAM’s Executive Director said that the current economic times are increasing the demand from families for help and that the benefit proceeds would be used to meet those needs.
