The Greenes started singing when all the kids were very young. I'm sure that our readers have some questions about how the Greenes have evolved. Give us a little history of the Greenes.
It was a cold and snowy February morning in 1978. I (Tony) do remember it was the first Sunday of February.Tim, being the oldest, was 14, Kim was 11, and I was 10. Probably because it was such a cold and winterly day, we only had about13 or 14 people there that day. One of the members spoke out and said, "Brother Edward, why don't you let your kids sing this morning?" My Dads name was Everette, but he always called him Edward. So, Kim and I stood on the piano bench, and Tim stood up beside us. We just belted out "I'm So Glad He Found Me." That day started this whole mess and we're still going strong today. It was never our intention or ambition to become Gospel artists who would travel across this nation singing, but the Lord had other plans, bigger and better.
The Greenes have always had a unique sound. Most people would attribute that to your close family harmony. As family members have left, first Kim, then Tim, how have you managed to keep that very close harmony?
Yes, close family harmony has always been very important to us, so we have worked very hard to keep the Greenes sounding that way. I think that our sound today is as close to that original family harmony that we have ever had. TaRanda was always a Greenes fan and she knew all of our songs, She sounds more like Kim that anyone I have ever heard. Sometimes she sounds more like Kim than Kim does.
What can I say about Brad Hudson? He's just perfect. He's a great singer and really knows that special thing of how to blend. We are just thrilled with this current line-up.
Tony, for a while, the Greenes went through several female singers. Did you have to marry one of them to keep her in the group? TaRanda, was marrying Tony the only way you could get paid for singing? Seriously, tell us a little about how you two got together.
Well, I guess it kind of looks that way doesn't it. No, we already knew TaRanda before she started singing with us. Amy Lambert sang with us for 5 years, as did Melina Parks, and we were so blessed to have had both of them as members of the Greenes. Our sister Kim, had met and heard TaRanda in Waycross, GA, where she was singing with her family at a concert with the Hoppers. Kim told us right then, when we needed another Soprano, we needed to hire TaRanda, so we did. I guess Kim knew what she was talking about. My Momma told me, "Tony, if you hire that girl, you'll end up marrying her". I guess she was right too.
TaRanda's view is a little different, she says "Actually I stopped getting paid after we got married". The funny thing is that when I was a young teenager I always said that I was going to marry a Greene. It wasn't this Greene that I had in mind because I didn't even know Tony at the time, in fact I don't even know if I knew any Greenes at the time, but I just kept saying that I was going to marry a Greene. Romance wasn't in either of our minds when I was hired, but friendship grew to love, and now we are married."
Many of your biggest songs were written by Tim. Is Tim still writing songs for you? Is Tim still involved in the group in some ways? Can you share a little of how Tim is doing health wise?
Yes, Tim is still writing many great songs and we are still using many of them. Tim is still involved with the group, but in different ways today. Tim moved to the East Coast for health reasons about three years ago, has he has his recording studio, The Beach Loft, in Shallot, NC. Tim has been doing great, it seems like the moved was just what he needed. A few weeks ago, they did some sinus surgery on Tim and they found 7 pollups that were black mildew. He goes back for some later this month, so please keep Tim in your prayers.
Now that Brad has joined the group, you seem to be very stable again. It had to be very difficult finding just the right person to replace a family member who is leaving for health reasons. What drew you to Brad? What does he bring to the group that adds perspective to the goals that you have for the Greenes?
Brad adds such a sense and state of professionalism to our group, That is what drew us to him. He has such an outstanding ability to blend and harmonize, that to us, he sounds just like our old family harmony. His knowledge of running sound is just incredible, as well as his effectiveness in the recording studio. Brad is just a great addition to the Greenes.
Brad says that he was having a great time doing solo work, and he thought that he was only going to fill-in for a few weeks for Tim. When it became apparent that Tim could not come back, because of his health, Brad felt that it was such a natural fit that he just wanted to stay around, and when they offered him the position permanently, he was quick to say yes. But for Brad, he believes that Tony can move more people with the way he tells his stories, and he has been blessed by seeing lives changes. He says that TaRanda is simply the best female singer that he have ever sang with.
TaRanda's solo album really shows her versatility. What was the inspiration behind making that project?
TaRanda really loves Southern Gospel Music, but she also has a love for classical and black music as well. She was trained in classical music, and she sang in the black choir all through school. In fact, she was the only while girl in the black choir. With this wide variety of training and experience, she has used it to become a very versatile singer. When she made her solo CD, she was wanting to stretch herself vocally and stretch her audience. I would say that she accomplished her goal.
Tony, some of our readers may know that you are a funeral director. What brought you to the idea of wanting to be a mortician when you grew up? How many of those funny mortician stories that you tell from stage are true?
Tony admits that it seems a little odd for a youngster in school to be dreaming of becoming a funeral director, but that's exactly what he did. When the other little kids were drawing pictures of policemen or firetrucks, he was drawing pictures of funeral hearses followed by cars. Before we make that sound to morbid, when Tony was very young, his Great Grandfather lived with his Grandparents. He watched as his Great Grandfather suffered and how he looked when he died. Tony also saw that when his Great Grandfather did pass away, this man came in and really touched his Grandparents lives. He watched as this man comforted and blessed his Grandparents. When it came time for the wake, Tony couldn't believe how they made this old man who had suffered so bad, look so good laying there. He knew at that point that he wanted to help other people in that circumstance, and from that moment on, he knew that he wanted to become a funeral director.
As for as those funny funeral stories? Tony says that they are all true, that's his story, and he's sticking to it!
What song that the current lineup for the Greenes sing, do each of you feel reaches the most people. Which song touches each of you the most?
Tony and Kim,without any moment of hesitation, both said that the song that touches the most people night after night in their concerts is without a doubt, one of the classics that Tim has written, "When I Knelt, The Blood Fell". As far as their new songs, TaRanda says that "God Has Another Plan" off of their new CD seems to really be touching people. Tony mentioned, "we're already praying for God to make the plans that we have work." Tony and Brad also chimed in that it seems most nights they will just go to the piano and do a rendition of an old hymn, like "God Leads His Dear Children Along", and you can just watch the people as tears start to fall and their hearts are truly blessed.
If there was one thing that you would want the Greenes to be remembered for 50 years from now, what would that be?
For TaRanda, 50 years form now, she wants the Greenes to be remembered for their faithfulness, that every time they sang, they were faithful to the call that God has put on their lives. Tony wants the Greenes to be remembered as a groups who did their best to bring people to the feet of Jesus very time they sang, that peoples lives were change because they were brought to the feet of Jesus. Finally, Brad, wants the Greenes to be remembered as a group who had a heart for the people, and that they had the anointing of God with them as they sang.
Visit the Greenes at http://www.thegreenesgospel.com
Author: SGN
| Author's Website: http://sogospelnews.com/
Written: 02/01/2008
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Category: Feature Articles
Comments: 4
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Great piece! I enjoy their music & ministry very much & Tony is a hoot!
God is good all the time & all the time God is good.
Elaine Harcourt
I think the Greenes are sounding better than ever. Their latest cd is top-notch!
I guess my favorite song by the Greenes is "When I Knealt, The Blood Fell". It has such truth, and the harmony is great. Another one was "There's a Miracle In Me". I have been a fan of the Greenes for a number of years.
I have always loved your group, I like other think you'll are only getting better, and we are praying for Tony and Tim.
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