Enjoy an outdoor gospel concert at Amboy City Park

Staff
Posted 7/13/17

AMBOY - Southern Gospel trio, The Wanda Mountain Boys of Herculaneum, Mo., will present a concert in the park at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 12 at Amboy City Park.

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Enjoy an outdoor gospel concert at Amboy City Park

Posted

The Wanda Mountain Boys

AMBOY - Southern Gospel trio, The Wanda Mountain Boys of Herculaneum, Mo., will present a concert in the park at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 12 at Amboy City Park. Sponsored by the East Grove Union Church in Amboy, the concert will take place at the park’s Shaw Shelter. This is a free event, however, a free-will offering will be taken for the group to cover their travel expenses.

A dessert buffet will follow the concert. Everyone is welcome to attend and bring a lawn chair for seating.

For more information, please contact Pastor Rick Wulf at (815) 440-5321 or (815) 376-6661.

The Wanda Mountain Boys

Southern Gospel Music has always been known for its smooth harmonies, strong vocals and powerful, straightforward lyrics. For the last 25 years, The Wanda Mountain Boys (WMB) have displayed all three of these qualities as they established themselves in the Gospel Music community in the Midwest.

In 2017, the group is continuing the tradition set forth by the founding members as they share their unique sound and style with congregations across Mid America.

Gary O’Neal has assumed the managerial position for WMB as well as anchoring the group as the lead singer. He has been involved in gospel music for more than 45 years singing with some of the Midwest’s most popular groups. This includes traveling in full time ministry with the Brashears of Russellville, Ark. as well as being a founding member of the trio, Solid Gospel based out of St. Louis, Mo. He is also an accomplished songwriter, having his songs recorded by noted artists such as the Lesters, the Dixie Echoes, the Dixie Melody Boys, the Melody Boys Qt., Solid Gospel, the Brashears and the Chosen Ones. He currently serves as president of the Mid America Gospel Music Association, a position he has held since 2007.

Singing tenor for the group is Rick Brown, who has been involved in gospel music for many years. He sang professionally with Naomi and the Segos and Coy Cook and the Premiers. During his time with the Premiers, he performed with Grand Ole Opry star Billy Walker. Brown and O’Neal were founding members of Solid Gospel and traveled throughout the United States, releasing six national radio releases. They have written a number of songs together including WMB favorite, “Wrap Me In Your Arms.” Brown also wrote with noted songwriter, Daryl Williams. Their song, “This Ship Was Made to Sail” was included on the Perry’s 25th Anniversary CD. Before joining WMB, Brown was involved in evangelistic work, preaching and singing in prisons throughout the country and several foreign countries under the umbrella of Joyce Meyer Ministries.

The newest member of WMB is Ron Mitchell, singing baritone. He has been involved in gospel music for over 50 years, beginning his music career at age 14 by playing guitar for the Gospel Way Trio. In his early 20s, he helped form the Gospel Echoes, a quartet that was well known in the Midwest. Mitchell is best known as the lead singer and guitar player for the Bethelairs, with whom he sang for over 20 years. He had a solo career the last couple years before joining WMB and has two CDs available, “I've Never Been Out of His Care,” a vocal project, and “Familiar Favorites,” an instrumental.

The group is currently gathering material for a new recording project to be released this year. In 2016, they released a CD, “The Mission Continues” featuring several songs written by group members, O’Neal and Brown, and marked Clinton Everett’s debut recording as a member of WMB.