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The Watkins
Family Biography |
The Watkins Family is
a Southern/Acoustic Gospel group from Eastanollee,
Georgia, a small town in the foothills of the Blue
Ridge Mountains. The group is made up of a tightly
knitted family: Don, the father of the family, plays
guitar, and Judy, the mother, plays bass. The oldest
of Don and Judy’s children, Todd, plays dobro, bass,
and guitar, while Shanon plays the bass and fiddle,
and Lorie plays the banjo, mandolin, guitar, and dojo.
Each member shares the instrumental and vocal load,
which accounts for a tight harmony that is found in a
family and versatility in their ability to play a wide
variety of instruments.
The Watkins Family
started singing as a family in 1982, and throughout
the years they have extensively toured the United
States and Canada. They have enjoyed warm responses
during their travels by Americans and Canadians alike.
In 1988, they had the honor of playing in Washington
D.C. on Capitol Hill in the Capitol Complex. They have
also received nominations as the best Contemporary and
Traditional Bluegrass Gospel group by the SPBGMA and
were also nominated as best Bluegrass Act at the
Coca-Cola Music Awards. The Watkins Family’s last
project, “Winter To Spring,” received great reviews in
both gospel and bluegrass music, and their last single
from the project, “Power of the Holy Ghost,” spent
several months in the top 5 of the “Power Source”
magazine’s bluegrass chart.
The Watkins Family has
just put the finishing touches on their latest
recording project, titled “Darkness Wept,” that will
be released in June of 2006. This project combined the
talents of the Watkins Family along with vocal
producer Karen Peck Gooch, music producer Mark Fain,
and Grammy Award winning engineer Bil Vorndick. Their
first single from the project, “He’s Still God”, came
from the pen of Dee Gaskin and Jerry Salley. “He’s
Still God” has been released to southern gospel radio
stations and can be found on the June Airplay Radio
Promotions compilation c.d. Their love for Jesus
Christ and music is displayed by the enthusiasm they
show in each song that is sung and each word that is
said. The future looks bright and busy for this family
who sings Gospel music not only because they enjoy it
but because they believe it.
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Testimonials |
“It was an
honor and joy to work with the Watkins Family. I’m
looking forward
to see what God is going to do with their ministry.
They have a bright future.”
Karen
Peck Gooch
Karen Peck and
New River
“Their music is
like their hearts, it’s honest, good, and true.”
Mark
Fain
Ricky Skaggs
and Kentucky Thunder
“For all of us
Watkins Family fans who have been waiting on this new
project it is
‘worth the wait’. I believe God has great things in
store for this beautiful,
talented , and dedicated family. I am deeply honored
to be able to call them
Friends.”
Dee
Gaskin
Songwriter
“The Watkins Family
has a great passion to sing, and praise for his love.”
Bil
VornDick
Engineer and
Producer
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