Local Southern Gospel band bids farewell to fans after 22 years

Brush Creek Baptist Church in Springdale is seeing an end to an era this weekend. The church's Southern Gospel band will play its farewell concert Sunday, performing songs learned by the four-man group throughout the band's 22-year run.

"We're just hanging it up," Dwayne Baskin said while taking a break from building rabbit hutches for his grandsons. "We've been singing for years and years. I think we've just kind of gotten a little tired. We've been doing this for over 20 years."

The "semiretired" Springdale granddad is an original member of the Brush Creek Boys, a group which started out playing at the church before becoming popular in the community. The band has played in area nursing homes and churches and at local events, delighting audiences with their renditions of Gospel favorites.

"We just started out playing at the church, and then people started calling up to have us play," he said. "We started getting out to area churches and started playing here and there. It was really word of mouth. Nothing fancy, but it has been a lot of fun."

"They all started at Brush Creek Baptist Church," said Julie Taylor, daughter of the band's piano player and banjo picker. "When they started, there were about 10 boys, a piano player and a sound man. They all had a love for music and ministry so it brought them all together."

Baskin describes this weekend's concert as another chance for the group to get together and play old-fashioned tunes for a crowd.

"If you like 'sanging' country, there's a great chance you'll like our music," he said with a laugh. Everyone who knows this music has favorites, he said. "I think I love them all, though."

Although Baskin may have difficulty picking out a favorite hymn, others certainly know which songs stick out for them.

"I was about 5 when they started, so I know most of them (songs) by heart, even the ones that are at the back of the book now," Taylor said. "'Shoutin' Time' is one that I also find myself begging them to sing, and 'Midnight Cry' has become everyone's favorite. You can feel the energy in the whole building change, and if you look around, there usually isn't a dry eye. I am tearing up right now thinking about it."

"I have to say, I really enjoy playing 'The Lighthouse,' and 'The Night Cry' is always a crowd favorite," said Howard Ferguson, Brush Creek Boys singer. "But it is all good music."

The grandfather of seven and proprietor of Ferguson's Trading Post in Elm Springs said he enjoys playing classic tunes, but the group often adds new songs to its repertoire, which they try out on their congregation.

The four-man band will perform all Southern Gospel songs that Ferguson describes as tunes that are certainly not contemporary. These songs are the old hymns and songs that folks and their grandparents grew up with, he said, and always seem to get the crowd up and singing.

"We've really enjoyed going to nursing homes and playing for the people there," he said. "Especially at Springdale Health and Rehab. We've been going there for over 15 years. Every time we go, they begged us to come back. For them, it's just like a church service. It's such a blessing for us to be able to go. I think we got more of a blessing than the people there."

While the group has enjoyed their 22-year-run, the members had long ago agreed to "hang it up" if even one decided to retire, Ferguson said. Although this weekend marks that bittersweet ending, the group and its fans will gather this Sunday in celebration of what they call a blessing from God through the music that brings communities together.

"We're all wore out," Baskin said. "We've been playing together for so long. And it's been wonderful, and we've had a ball. But it's time for us to be hanging it up. God has kind of blessed us and let us do this for so long."

"We are not professional singers," Ferguson said. "We don't do this to draw attention to ourselves. The main goal is that Jesus Christ is glorified. That's what we really want to do this Sunday. I want the audience to feel like they've been to church and had a good worship experience. Our main goal is just the spreading of the Gospel. That's why we started playing."

"All the boys are good ol' country boys so don't worry about not having dress clothes: Wear your blue jeans and come on out," Taylor said. "Something else they have is sign language on the slower songs. It is fun to watch, even if you aren't deaf, as it really helps to paint a picture of what you are hearing. I would say any faith would enjoy it. The songs are Gospel and Christian-based, but the atmosphere is relaxed and all-inclusive."