1. The Nelons just recently hit the road again in full time ministry. Explain what you've been doing before getting back on the tour circuit.
Jason: When we were “off the road” so to speak for that 5-year period of time, we were very busy in our church, but we did no recording. Whenever an engagement would come in, if we had the date available, we would take it. I was the worship pastor at a church in Atlanta and Kelly was the director of the music at the Christian Academy there. We only did about 30 concerts a year during that span. Amber was in high school, of course.
We didn’t realize it at the time, but we were working on so much music together for the arrangements that I was doing for our church orchestra, we developed a sound between Kelly, myself and Amber. The whole time Amber was growing up musically right before our eyes and we didn’t really realize it until it just popped out and we were like, “Man this girl, she’s really hanging in there!” And then all of the sudden, we got the itch again.
So we just felt like we had done what we were called to do at the church and had built a strong music program and Amber had just graduated high school and she was rarin’ to go, because since she became our soprano, she hasn’t really made the rounds with us. People still remember her from the Gaither kids videos and stuff you know. And then when we got on tour last year, everybody expects Amber to still be that little 8-year-old kid in those Homecoming Kids videos you know. But it’s been really fun to see that develop and even our sound as well.
2. What's it been like back on the road? How have the fans been towards your re-entry into the Southern Gospel community?
Jason: We have so much fun singing together again, and I think that shows in our concerts. We’ll do kind of a normal set for the first half of the concert, and then for the second set, we’ll come back and do a lot of impromptu stuff, whether it be hymns, some acapella music or some songs we’ve thrown together, just because we just like to sing, you know.
Kelly: I think my favorite thing is when it’s just us and the piano. To me it’s just real refreshing after you’ve had all the tracks and the big ballads and all the orchestra just kinda blaring to come down with just a piano and vocals and the audience really loves that.
There’s no way I could even tell you how much the people love to hear the old songs and the old hymns. When I sing “The Sun’s Coming Up,” there’s a part of me that goes back to when I was 16 and I can see my father standing next to me. When we get to the “and like an eagle I’ll take to the sky” part, he would ball his fist up and raise it to the sky, and I can see that just as plain as day! It just takes me back so far, and I love it.
Jason: We also carry a full band on select dates and it’s been a lot of fun to have all live music, with Kelly’s brother Todd on bass and our former drummer Aubrey Stevens, who played for years during the eighties. The other night we were in concert with Jeff Stice’s quartet, Triumphant, so they all just sat around and told all kinds of crazy stories, because those guys traveled so much together.
3. You recently relocated to Jacksonville, Florida. What was the purpose behind this, and what do you do while there?
Kelly: We’ve always had a great relationship with Tom Messor, the pastor of Trinity Baptist Church. He had come to do a service at the church we were at in Powder Springs, Georgia and he’d heard me sing. I just happened to be singing that night and he invited me down to sing at his church. I explained to him that I didn’t just do solo work, that I had a group and we just formed a great alliance and friendship. So about a year ago, he brought to our attention the possibility of representing their college and going out and being ambassadors for the church. We call it “Artists in Residence.” We’re part of the church and we help sometimes with the music. Our biggest thing is to support the college and bring in students
Amber: We’re helping with recruitment as we tour. I go to college there when we’re home, so it’s kind of a natural relationship. Plus the weather’s great!
4. Tell us about your new Vine Records release - Beside Still Waters.
Kelly: They’ve been calling it the CD that defines the Nelons for a new era, and I think that’s pretty accurate. It’s a great representation of who we are right now, but you can still hear where we’ve been.
Jason: There’s really current-sounding stuff like “The Love of God For Me” but there’s also southern gospel barn-burners like “I’m Going Home With Jesus” and traditional stuff like “My Tribute (To God Be The Glory).” Then there’s just the really pretty, tight harmony stuff the Nelons have always done, like the title track, “Beside Still Waters.”
5. What has the response been like from those who have heard it?
Kelly: You know, several people have commented that they think it’s the best Nelons album since Thanks.
Jason: You know, I think if Rex was still living, he’d be coming out of retirement to come back on the road and sing with us and help us tour this record. I think he’d love it that much! It has a sound that Rex always enjoyed. One of Rex’s favorite lineups of the Nelons was the very first one, that had Janet Paschal and Kelly and Rodney Swain. He loved that lineup because of the thickness of the blend that they had and Amber’s got a lot of that in her voice, just like Janet.
6. How has this recording differed from past Nelons' releases?
Jason: Well, one of the things that I’m the most proud of is that even before the CD came out, three of the new songs on the records are already in choral print for the church to sing. I’m not sure that that’s ever happened before. That includes the single, “He Found Me,” a song I wrote with Rebecca Peck called “There Is A Way” and the song that will be the next single, “The Love Of God For Me.”
7. What songs seem to be getting the best response in concerts?
Amber: You know, they “amen” a lot when we do our single, “He Found Me,” but they really seem to love our remake of “I’m Going Home With Jesus” by the McGruders. I’ve sung “Robe & Crown” so many times, I can kinda see it taking that spot and becoming one of our signature songs.
Jason: There’s another song that features our youngest daughter Autumn and is really a statement song about life. I’ve been really amazed at how that little song has impacted people. There’s not a night that goes by when Autumn sings that song that all kinds of people don’t come up and they want to buy the CD just because of that song.
It’s really impacting lives because people are so down and out, and everything seems like bad news right now, but this song is saying “you know you can choose to live in the dumps if you want to, but I’m gonna choose to laugh instead of cry, I’m gonna choose to do these positive things you know.” It’s a brighter approach in a dark world, and it’s really been inspiring people. And then seeing it from a 12-year-old point of view and that innocence, you know, has really been touching hearts.
8. What songs minister to you the most from the new album?
Kelly: I really love “Settled At The Cross.” I think ministry-wise that’s the one that speaks to me and hangs with me the most. The first time I heard it, I thought I’ve got to sing this song! I love the words. So many times we go through things and we worry if God’s still there when we go through a difficulty or a trial, if he really cares.
It’s a song that just reminds us when we’re going through difficult times-- and I’ve been through my share of them-- you feel like does anybody love me out there, does anybody know I’m here, does he care? All it takes is a look back at the cross to know that he holds us in the palm of his hand and that he died for us and that he loves us unconditionally. We can know that everything we need to know was settled at the cross.
9. What has God been teaching you lately?
Kelly: When I started looking at my life, all the ups and downs that I’ve gone through over the past decade and how everything has come together, especially lately, it’s clear to me-- God is opening up a new chapter in our lives and our work. We’ve definitely had some turbulent times over the past decade, but it seems like right now God is leading to us some peaceful times, some joy, some relaxation, a new season of life, just like the psalmist says-- Beside Still Waters.
10. Any other additional information you would like to share?
Jason: Professionally, we’re trying to make sure that as we carry on, we’re doing it with the same expertise and quality and taste that Rex had when he started the group back in 1977. On the personal side for me, it doesn’t get any better than getting to make music as your life’s work. But to get to do it with your entire family— now that’s really a blessing beyond what we even deserve!
Amber: And look out—we’re just getting started!
Kelly: Amen!
http://www.thenelons.com
Author: AGM
| Author's Website: http://absolutelygospel.com/
Written: 03/18/2010
| 
Category: Feature Articles
Comments: 1
RSS Feed
| (What's an RSS feed?)
Ads Sponsored by Southern Spin
We have seen them in person and were so glad that we did! they did an awesome job. I love the umbleness that I felt in this whole family. Every member lifting the name of Jesus higher.
Page 1 of 1 Comment Pages
