WS Chronicle

Word must have spread quickly about the performances during Day One of Gospel Fest, because the crowd on Day Two was packed from the opening act.

The 136th year of the Dixie Classic Fair came to a close Oct. 7, on Day Two of Gospel Fest, after 10 days of strong attendance starting on Sept. 28. The event drew 325,856 people, an 8.58 percent increase over 2017.  Fair officials included Gospel Fest among the attractions that made it happen.

Day Two of the show featured some familiar faces and some new to the event.  Groups such as Willie Mason and Friends, Dionn Owen and Renaissance, Pastor Todd Curry, Bishop Stephen Williams and Raymond and Kim Larkin are all familiar faces to the Gospel Fest crowd.  They were joined by The Kingdom Sound, Mike Teezy and  Micheal Goldsmith and the Bridge Project.

The combination of Christian hip hop, contemporary and traditional gospel acts combined to give the audience something from all styles of gospel music.

“That was a great show as usual,” said Betty Stanford, a long time Gospel Fest watcher.  “I have been coming to these shows for several years and love to see familiar acts and the newer type of gospel expression, whether through dance or rapping.”

“I usually bring friends and family members along with me, so they can experience something they normally wouldn’t during a church service.  Gospel music is constantly changing, we need to change with it.”

Willie Mason and Friends is one of the most well-known gospel groupsin the Triad area.  The group has performed at Gospel Fest several times and is always a crowd-pleasing act.

“To see people who may not have the chance to enjoy our music in a church setting, this is our opportunity to share the gospel with them,” Mason said.  “We like to sing stuff that people can relate to.

“I am so grateful to God that He gives us an opportunity to share our gifts.  When you can look out at the crowd at see that you have made a difference, means the world to me.”

Newcomer to the show, Mike Teezy, is a Christian hip hop artist.  He says he enjoyed performing at the show because the crowd really gave him the energy he was looking for.

“I love this, and people were really getting with it, that’s all I can ask for,”  said Teezy.  “I have been doing Christian rap for about seven or eight years, so God has been good to me by expanding my reach.  A lot of churches are gravitating toward Christian rap, so that is a good thing to me.”

Another Gospel Fest performer was Dionn Owen and Renaissance.  Owen says he likes to come back to perform because he is among “family and friends” when he is here. 

“I scope the crowd out and try to feel the atmosphere so I know which songs to pick,” said Owen.  “Sometimes you may have a song in mind, but it’s not going to work, so I just feel the crowd out to know which songs to perform.”

“I feels wonderful for them to receive us, especially since we have been on this platform for a while, but it has been a blessing for the area to enjoy our music.  We are thankful for all they have done for us.”