Transformation Tuesday - Mylon Hayes Family

With family groups, there are definite shifts that occur. New generations of the family are born and take their place on stage. Gospel music is blessed with many different family groups and names that are carrying on the legacy of previous generations.

Mylon Hayes started with his family at a young age. As a teenager he was singing full-time with his parents, Lucy and Howard Hayes, and his siblings. He not only sang but also played bass guitar. Here's a look at him with his family.





Now Mylon Hayes has a family of his own. He along with his wife Wendy and children Connor, Bailey and Kennedy are carrying on the Hayes Family tradition. They put out their first project as the Mylon Hayes Family in 2011. And with their kids already taking their places on stage, I'm sure the family legacy will carry on!

Here's a look at Mylon Hayes now singing with his family at last year's NQC (video on YouTube by Diana Brantley)  -

Transformation Tuesday - Jeremy Lile

Jeremy Lile got his start in gospel music in the mid-1990s regionally. In 2005, he become a founding member of the group Crystal River. Here's a clip of Jeremy from his time with Crystal River.





He left the group to join Brian Free and Assurance in 2007. He was awarded the Horizon Individual at the Singing News Fan Awards in 2008. Jeremy is consistently in the top 10 for the Singing News Fan Awards Favorite Bass. Still at a young age, Jeremy is making his mark in the industry and has transformed into the great bass singer he is today. Here's a video of him more recently with Brian Free and Assurance -

Transformation Tuesday - Scott Fowler

Scott Fowler came onto the gospel music scene when he was in his early 20s. He started really at the top with the Cathedrals in 1990. Here's a look at him in his early days with the Cathedrals at age 24.



Scott remained with the Cathedrals until the group's retirement in 1999. During his time with the Cathedrals, he was awarded Horizon Individual, Favorite Young Artist three years in a row and Favorite Baritone six times. After the Cathedrals, Scott started Legacy Five with fellow Cathedrals alum Roger Bennett where he has remained. He was awarded Favorite Lead Singer in 2007 making him one of only two people to win both Favorite Lead and Baritone.

Here's a more recent look at Scott with Legacy Five featured on "Ask Me Why."

Transformation Tuesday - Morgan Easter

Morgan Easter has an incredible musical heritage. She started making appearances on stage at a young age. And she even had her first released her first album at age 5. Here's a look at Morgan joining in with her mom and Madison on "A Lullaby." She joins in around the two minute mark.

 


At age 14, she joined her parents on stage full-time after the departure of Charlotte Ritchie. Since that time, Morgan has matured and grown in her vocal ability and stage presence to become one of the stand out young artists in the industry. She was awarded the Horizon Individual Award at the Singing News Fan Awards in 2010. She released her third solo album in November 2011, Not Without Love, that showed her incredible growth as a vocalist. I'm sure the future only holds bigger and brighter things for Morgan! Here's a look at her from a recent concert singing her latest single "Either Way."

Transformation Tuesday - Devin McGlamery

Devin McGlamery came onto the scene in 2000 with the Dixie Melody Boys at only 17. Here's a look at Devin from the 2002 National Quartet Convention with the Dixie Melody Boys.





In 2004, he graduated from Ed O'Neal University and went to Karen Peck and New River. He was there for five years. While he was with them, the group was nominated for several Dove Awards and even a Grammy. In December 2009, he moved on to be the lead singer for Ernie Haase and Signature Sound. Devin has developed a unique style as one of the top lead singers in the business. He released a solo album last year with one of the songs earning him a Dove Award on his own.

In the 14 years, Devin has made quite a transformation, and I'm sure he will only continue to get better. Here's a look at Devin from a recent concert singing his Dove Award-winning song.

Transformation Tuesday - Scotty Inman

It's another Transformation Tuesday post. I like spotlighting some of the younger singers in the genre to see how much they have changed and grown during their time singing. Today, let's look at Scotty Inman. He got his start with Poet Voices in 2001. In 2002, he was named the Singing News Horizon Individual. Here's a look at him with Poet Voices from 2002.




He is joined Triumphant Quartet later in 2002 alongside his dad where he has stayed. In 2007, he was awarded the Fan Favorite Young Artist. He's not only received acclaim for his vocal ability but also recently he's been recognized for his songwriting ability. He's written songs not only for Triumphant Quartet but also the Inspirations and most recently Mark Trammell Quartet. Here's a look at Scotty now from a recent Triumphant Quartet concert.

Transformation Tuesday - Booth Brothers

It's always interesting to go back and look at how individuals have changed over the years but also groups as a whole. The Booth Brothers revived in 1990 with Ron Sr., Michael and Ronnie Booth, father and sons. Here's a clip from 1995 -

Ron Booth, Sr. came off the road in 1998. Jim Brady joined in 2002 to complete the Booth Brothers as they are now. The group has consistently taken home numerous Singing News Fan Awards both as a group and individuals. They are definitely one of the top groups in the industry and it's easy to see why. It's not only their voices and songs but it's also how they are on stage and off and their ability to connect with the audience. Here's a more recent look at the Booth Brothers with "I Played in a Band" -

Transformation Tuesday - Amber Nelon Thompson

Amber Nelon Thompson grew up in gospel music. She made appearances on stage as a young child and quickly it became apparent what a talent and gift she had. Amber was featured on the Gaither Homecoming series before she was a teenager. Here's a clip of her singing on the Heaven DVD (If you're in the mood for Christmas, here's a clip that predates that one.). It was easy to tell even then that Amber was destined to be a singer not only with her vocal abilities but also how she felt the song.




Since 2002 at the ripe age of 13, Amber has been the soprano singer for the Nelons. Since that time she has grown into one of the premier female vocalist not just for her age but for all of Southern Gospel. Amber has had the chance to go on a national platform and decided that her commitment to Christ was more important. Musicscribe named her as the best female vocalist of 2013, and I definitely agree with their decision. Here's a look at Amber now -

Transformation Tuesday - Libbi Perry Stuffle

For this week's Transformation Tuesday, let's take a look back at the reigning Favorite Female vocalist, Libbi Perry Stuffle.

Here's a clip from 1987 of Libbi singing "I Know a Man Who Can." Libbi started singing with her siblings in 1970. She is the only original Perrys member still in the group.

Now let's take a look at Libbi from August 2013. This was taken in Branson at Silver Dollar City.

While things may have changed from 1987, it's clear that Libbi was and will remain one of the top alto singers of the genre.

Transformation Tuesday - Adam Crabb

Here's another Transformation Tuesday post. With Adam Crabb's recently joining the Gaither Vocal Band, I thought it might be fun to take a look at him.

Here's a clip from 2002 of him singing with Mike Bowling and Aaron Crabb. I'm almost positive that he's the last one of the trio to take a solo part (Sorry, if I'm wrong on that.)





Now here's a look at Adam just a few weeks ago.




 He has always been a great singer with his family. When he stepped out with his own group, Crabb Revival, and then eventually solo, we really got to hear Adam. He made a name for himself. Now he's really about to take advantage of a great opportunity to make a name for himself with the Vocal Band. I can't wait to hear more clips of him with the Vocal Band. I think he will be a great addition to the group!

Transformation Tuesday - Arthur Rice

Arthur Rice started with the Kingsmen as lead singer in 1984. It was a position he would hold until 1989. Here's a clip of him with the Kingsmen from 1986.




Since then, he has become one of the standout lead singers in the industry. He's been nominated numerous times for not only Favorite Lead Singer but also Favorite Male Singer. It was easy to see even in 1986 how Arthur Rice would take his place at the top of the industry. But take a look at a clip from earlier this year to see his transformation -

Transformation Tuesday - Kim Greene Hopper

Kim Greene Hopper started singing with her family the Greenes in 1979. She was the soprano for the Greenes for 10 years before joining the Hoppers in 1989 after she married Dean Hopper. Even in her beginnings with the Greenes, you could tell she was going to be a powerhouse female singer in gospel music one day. Here's a clip from 1986 of Kim singing with her brothers Tony and Tim.

Kim has become one of the most awarded female singers in gospel music. Since 1997 she has been named the Favorite Soprano in the Singing News Fan Awards. She also also been awarded the Favorite Female singer more than 10 times. But she's still the same amazing singer she was in 1986, here's a clip from this year's NQC of her singing with the Hoppers.

Transformation Tuesday - Hope Bowling

For many family groups, the children have the chance to make an appearance on stage at an early age. And for some of those kids, it's apparent from a young age that they have a bright future ahead of them. Today's Transformation Tuesday post features one of those kids - Hope Bowling. Hope just this year has taken her place in the Bowling Family singing alongside her parents, Mike and Kelly, and Troy Peach.

Here's a clip of her singing "Jesus Pilots My Ship" from more than four years ago. She had an incredible power voice even then.

Here's a clip of Hope from earlier this year. I have a feeling that she has only begun her transformation. I look forward to seeing a lot more from her in the years to come!

Transformation Tuesday - David Sutton

David Sutton is a founding member of Triumphant Quartet. He is not only an integral part of the fan favorite quartet, but he's also consistently named in the top tenors of the industry.

David began his career with the Anchormen in 1989. Here's a clip of the group with him from 1991.

Now here's a look at David today with Triumphant Quartet. He hasn't changed much in looks, but he's sounding better than ever!

Transformation Tuesday - Lauren Talley

I'm not sure this is a feature I'll be doing every week, but this is fun to go back and find older clips of artists. Today we're looking at one of the younger, but also more accomplished artists in the industry - Lauren Talley.

Lauren started making appearances on stage with her family at a young age. Let's take a look at one of those appearances from 1987.




She's held the soprano position with the Talleys since 1996. She won the Singing News Fan Awards Favorite Young Artist for several years. Lauren has not only been a stable with the group, but she also has released solo projects and more recently written a book. So let's look at Lauren Talley from a couple of months ago when they were in Arkansas -

Transformation Tuesday - Brian Free

Transformation Tuesday has become a social media trend (along with Throwback Thursday and all the other days of the week themes), but I thought it might be fun to look at some transformations Southern Gospel style.

For better or for worse, it seems that everything today is captured on video. Young kids today don't stand a chance of forgetting those awkward years thanks to cameras in smart phones. And thanks to the Internet, videos that were taken decades ago can resurface online. So I decided it might be fun to take a look at some of these transformations. Some might be still young artists who have practically grown up before our eyes on stage, while some will be seasoned artists.

For today, let's look at Brian Free. He started with Gold City in 1982. He sang with them until 1993 when he started Brian Free and Assurance.

I think this first clip is around 1983 featuring a 20ish-year-old Brian Free.





Now here's a look 30 years later at Brian Free. Quite a transformation into one of southern gospel's most loved tenors!