Names You Might Not Know - Eagle's Wings

NQC is a great opportunity for up and coming groups a chance to sing for a large audience. Groups and artists who won their showcases got to sing on the main stage at night. When those groups took the main stage, it gave thousands of people the chance to see them both live and via the webcast.

One of those groups was Eagle's Wings. The group consists of Kevin Chambers, Matt Wilson, Debbi Wilson, Tyler Cagle and Darryle Wilson. Even though you may have heard from them during NQC, chances are you don't know much about them. Thankfully, the group agree to answer some questions for the blog. Enjoy getting to know Eagle's Wings a little bit better!


Question - When did you become interested in singing Southern Gospel music? What are some of your earliest memories of Southern Gospel?

Kevin of Eagle's Wings - When I was a kid, I thought there were only two kinds of music, Southern Gospel and “the rest." My mom, sister and brother-in-law sang as the Calvary Trio when I was just a preschooler. My mom was the pianist in our church. As for me, I didn't play music at all until seventh grade when I joined the school band (on the clarinet) and discovered a passion for music that has never left.

In high school I really liked a certain cute blonde girl in my church, and her dad happened to be a recently saved country singer whom God had given a NEW SONG! He started his own family gospel band and (since I was always hanging around his daughter) they let me play drums. We traveled as the Family Circle for a few years. God blessed. I’ve promised the Lord since the earliest days that any musical ability that He ever gives me, I will use it for Him. My real desire (and I think everyone in Eagle’s Wings would agree) is to lift up hearts and lift up Christ using live acoustic Southern Gospel music. And by the way I’m still crazy about that same cute blonde (my wife Rhonda, going on 30 years together).

Q - How did you get started as Eagle's Wings? How long have you been singing?

Kevin - After serving in the U.S. Air Force, I moved back home and soon became the music director at Central Baptist Church in Jasper, Ala. (some 20 years ago).

Darryle Wilson is our Pastor. He and his wife Debbi were also in the Family Circle (and became my brother and sister-in-law). Their son, Matthew, grew up around gospel music and perfectly fit the mix.

During the next several years at Central, we sung everything from classical hymns to CCM, and slowly arrived at an acoustic Southern Gospel sound that seemed to catch on with people. We loved it. It was pure and portable. So about three or four years ago we started taking dates and traveling as a group.

So how long? Some of us have been singing together for 30 or 40 years, but the band is about four years old. Tyler Cagle (who sings and plays everything well) just joined us a little over a year ago, but he is now a major part of who we are as a group.

Q - How did you come up with the name the Eagle's Wings?

Kevin - We toyed with a few other names (Jasper Walls was one I remember) but Eagle’s Wings had several things going for it… Debbi’s favorite verse is Isaiah 40:31. I worked on the F-15 Eagle while I was in the Air Force. We have occasionally tried harmonies similar to a much more famous group which also used the name “Eagles.” The more we travel, the more we discover other things using the name “Eagle’s Wings,” so we are not sure we will be able to keep using it, but we hope so.

Q - Do you have a favorite song that you sing? And what song from another group has ministered to you?

Kevin - I love to sing “He Came to Me” by Squire Parsons. I don’t do it justice, but I love the message of the song. From another group… there are so many, but I’d have to say the old song “Something Happened on that Mountain” by the Inspirations (or by my father-in-law). It takes my mind and spirit to a wonderful place every time I hear it.

Q - What artists have been your biggest influence (musically and/or personally)?

Kevin - Long list… Bill Busby (my father-in-law). He never gave me a music lesson, but I’ve learned so much from watching him over the years. Then of course… The Inspirations, The Hinsons, New Traditions, The Isaacs, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, The Primitives… on and on.

Q - What has been your favorite memory so far in your ministry? Do you have a particular concert that stands out?

Kevin - Singing on the main stage at NQC this year will have to go down as a biggie.

We played once with the Isaacs, and Ben gave us some encouragement and kind words that I’m still grateful for. A life changing concert for me was the first time I ever heard Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver. They sang around one mic at the Cullman AL Civic Center. Their attention to vocal detail and masterful instrumentation supporting the vocals became the goal of my musical life.

Q - What new things are coming up for the Eagle's Wings?

Kevin - As a group, we are at something of a turning point. We all have regular jobs and family commitments. We are all very active in our churches and want to serve God the way HE wants. We’ve started talking about a second CD (to possibly have ready by NQC next year) but we are seeking God’s wisdom on where to go with the group.

We have so many wonderful responsive crowds in our local area, but with all our other commitments we are not able to travel to any long distances. If this is Gods will for us, then we will rejoice in it. If God shows us another plan… We’ll find out as we go.

Thanks to Eagle's Wings for taking time to answer my questions! For more information on the group, go to http://www.eagleswingsband.com/