The Nelons Honored with 2 SGM FanFair Awards
JACKSONVILLE, FL – (May 7, 2010) Legendary Gospel music group The Nelons were honored with two wins in last night’s SGM FanFair Awards. The awards were handed out at a special awards program as a part of the SGM FanFair. The 6th Annual SGM FanFair is taking place this week at the Smoky Mountain Convention Center in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
The Nelons won their first SGM FanFair Award for Favorite Trio. In addition, beloved vocalist Kelly Nelon Clark was awarded Favorite Female Vocalist during the event.
Kelly said last night at the awards program, “I am absolutely speechless to have won this award. I love singing with my family, and I have to thank them first and foremost. Also, thank you to all the fans who voted for us! We are so honored.”
“Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to sing with The Nelons,” responded Amber Nelon Thompson after winning Favorite Trio. “I am honored to be a part of the group today!”
Kelly Nelon Clark also served as a co-host of the awards program with John Lanier and Margie Tanner. The Nelons were a featured performer at the 6th Annual SGM FanFair. They ministered at the weeklong celebration of Gospel music on Wednesday and Thursday evening.
The Nelons released their highly anticipated recording – Beside Still Waters – this past January. The new release is being touted by many industry insiders as a career highlight for the group. This is the group’s sophomore outing for Vine Records.
The first single from the album, “He Found Me,” made a big stir at Southern Gospel radio – including peaking at #2 on the SoGospelNews.com Top 40 Weekly Chart, as well as breaking the Top 10 on the Christian Voice Magazine Top 100 Southern Gospel Chart (#8) and SouthernGospelTimes.com Top 40 Fan Chart.
The group just released their follow-up single, “Settled At the Cross,” which features 2010’s Favorite Female Vocalist Kelly Nelon Clark.
Burke's Brainwork Weighs In On Beside Still Waters
This is the latest release by The Nelons on Vine Records and features Kelly Nelon Clark, Jason Clark, and Amber Thompson. The album was produced by Wayne Haun and Jason Clark.
Tracks:
The Love Of God – Progressive, modern country mid to uptempo song featuring Amber. It’s very obvious that Amber is ready to step into the limelight as a vocalist. She sings the first verse with some restraint, then blows away the chorus with Kelly and Jason stacked under her. Amber then sings the second verse solo. After the chorus is repeated Amber has an ultra-high ad-lib that leads to another chorus. This is a great, energetic start to the album and makes the listener immediately sit up and take notice. 9/10
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Nelons Book Busy Week Leading Up To Doves
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 19, 2010
NELONS BOOK BUSY WEEK LEADING UP TO DOVES
Nashville, TN-- The Nelons kick off a busy week leading up to the Dove Awards on Wednesday in Nashville, where they’ll both pay tribute to Eva Mae Lefevre and reunite with Karen Peck Gooch for a special performance. Along the way, they’ll also shoot a new concert DVD and appear at the Southern Gospel Music Guild’s Harmony Honors event.
Kelly, Amber and Jason will perform two songs Monday night at the Harmony Honors ceremony commemorating 100 years of gospel music. The Southern Gospel Music Guild will also honor the Oak Ridge Boys with their President’s Honor in the event at Nashville’s Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center.
On Tuesday, the Nelons will tape a new concert video to accompany their latest CD Beside Still Waters. In addition to the hit “He Found Me” and the new single “Settled At The Cross,” the Nelons will also perform concert favorites like their signature arrangement of “How Great Thou Art.” The taping will take place at Opryland Hotel as well.
GMA week culminates for the Nelons with an appearance Wednesday at the Opening Ceremonies for the 41st Annual GMA Dove Awards.
“I have so many great memories of the Dove Awards in years past, so to be able to come back and have my girls really experience it for the first time is a hallmark for me. This will be Amber’s first time to sing at the Doves, and my daddy would’ve been so proud,” Kelly adds. Rex Nelon was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame as a member of the legendary Lefevres in 1998.
Kelly will present four awards, among them “Southern Gospel Album of the Year,” a trophy the Nelons have won four times. She’ll lead a special tribute to the late Eva Mae Lefevre as well. The Nelons will also reunite with Karen Peck Gooch for a special performance of their signature song, “We Shall Wear A Robe And Crown.”
The Nelons’ new single “Settled At The Cross” is already in heavy rotation at radio stations across the country. Later this month, the Nelons head to Tollesboro, Kentucky for a special event marking Jason’s family’s gospel music heritage. The Nelon-Clark Kentucky Gospel Celebration takes place Friday, April 30 at Tollesboro Christian Church at 7:00 PM.
10 Questions with the Nelons
A revealing interview with SoGospelNews.com!
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.
Read more here.
SG Music Forum Reviews "Beside Still Waters"
Our thanks to Scott Evans for his great review of Beside Still Waters on SG Music Forum!
Nelons - Beside Still Waters
Project Title: Beside Still Waters
Label: Vine Records / Crossroads
Reviewed By: Scott Evans
If you have not heard the Nelons brand new project, you have not heard the Nelons! The Nelons are one of the most storied names in Southern Gospel Music and they can trace their roots back a long way. They have had many legendary singers over the course of the group's history and today we have Jason Clark, Kelly Nelon Clark and Amber Nelon Thompson carrying on the great tradition of this group. Not only are they are they carrying it on but they are doing so with a great deal of talent and class.
The project starts off with an upbeat song titled "The Love Of God." It talks about how God's Love was demonstrated on the Cross of Calvary. It also talks about the greatness of God's Love. The song is a great start to this wonderful project. The title song of the project is next. "Beside Still Waters" is a beautiful song reminding us that God leads us by still waters and we can lay our burdens down. The tempo picks up on the next song titled "Goodbye Valley Hello Mountaintop." I love the message of this song as it encourages the listener by reminding them that God will bring them through the valley to the mountaintop once again. "There Is A Way" is an awesome and beautiful song. I love the chorus that simply reminds us that there is a way we can be saved and it's by the Gospel of Christ!
"He Found Me" is an upbeat song that talks about finding Jesus is a number of places but the most important thing is that Jesus found us! The next song slows things down a little bit. The title of the song is "Settled At The Cross" and what an awesome message of reminding us that if there was any doubt that Jesus loves us, it was settled at the Cross. The next song is "I'm Going Home With Jesus" and the Nelons have an incredible performance and arrangement of this great Carroll McGruder song! It is certainly one of the high points of the project. Another old classic song from Southern Gospel Music is next and it has been years since I even thought about the song "My Tribute." Yet, here are the Nelons with another incredible performance on a classic song that reminds us how much we owe to God and how we owe Him all of the Glory.
The next song is simply titled "Weep" and I must admit the title intrigued me a bit. It talks of how Jesus wept and it encourages us to weep with those who weep. I love the message of the song and the reminder of how we should be encouraging those who have a need. "Consider Me" is a good song proclaiming many of the things that you can consider me to be! "Jesus What A Wonderful Name" is one of those songs that makes you want to stand up and shout! The song is wonderfully crafted and proclaims the unbelievable greatness of the name of Jesus. This project ends with an awesome song titled "I Choose To Live." I love the reminder that we have to live with the choices we make.
You know, I have been a fan of the Nelons since people like Rex Nelon and Janet Paschal were in the group. I have always been amazed at the way the Nelons could always find another talented singer when one of the members left. Kelly is certainly well established as one of the all-time great alto singers and Jason is also a veteran now of many years and holds many talents as a songwriter, singer and producer. Amber is a relative newcomer to Southern Gospel Music and is barely in her 20's. However, her performance on this project indicates that she will have a bright future in Gospel Music if she so desires. This project is terrific from start to finish. I had a tough time narrowing my favorites list down to three but I finally decided on "I'm Going Home With Jesus," "Jesus What A Wonderful Name" and "Settled At The Cross." It is tough for me to leave "My Tribute" off that list because that was also an incredible performance. The entire project is very good and if you have not heard the Nelons recently, you need to pick up a copy of this project. The harmonies are there. The vocal presentations are outstanding and the entire project will bless you time and time again.
The Nelons Featured On The Gospel Greats
Be sure to tune in for this weekend's edition of The Gospel Greats, when Paul Heil features the Nelons' new project Beside Still Waters. Click here for a preview, as well as a locator to find out where The Gospel Greats airs in your area.
Preview Our Upcoming Ad In Christian Voice
Click here for a sneak peek at our new ad in the upcoming issue of Christian Voice magazine. 
Nelons Up For 4 SGM Fan Fair Awards
The Nelons are honored to be nominated by our friends at Christian Voice Magazine in the following categories of the 2010 SGM Fan Fair Awards:
Favorite Trio
Favorite Female Vocalist (Kelly Nelon Clark)
Favorite Alto (Kelly Nelon Clark)
Favorite Soprano (Amber Nelon Thompson)
Cast your ballot here!
Nelons Vie For Visionary Award
The 2010 Visionary Awards nominations have been released by the Christian Music Hall of Fame with the winners being announced 
live during the annual award show to be held on November 6, 2010.
Andy Woolard, Director of Operations for the Christian Music Hall of Fame states, “We are honored to announce these nominations and look forward to fans voting for their favorite artists.” Woolard said the voting for the Visionary Awards will begin on March 1 and end at the end of April.
This is the second Visionary Awards show and the third show inducting artists into the Hall of Fame. The hosts for the 2010 Visionary Awards were announced last week and will be hosted by award winning artists David Meece and Babbie Mason. The show will be live in the Dallas, Texas area and the location will be announced in the next few weeks.
There are 17 categories and 5 artists are nominated in each category. Fans are urged to go to the charity web site at www.hallmuseum.com and vote for their favorites in each category.
The Nelons are honored to be nominated in the following category:
Southern Gospel Group of the Year
Booth Brothers
Legacy 5
The Nelons
Gaither Vocal Band
Brothers Forever
ABOUT THE CHRISTIAN MUSIC HALL OF FAME
The Christian Music Hall of Fame is a non profit 501(C)(3) charity paying tribute to Christian artists in all genres of music. Funds are currently being raised to open a museum highlighting the careers of numerous artists. For more information, please visit their web site at www.hallmuseum.com or contact Andy Woolard at andy@hallmuseum.com.
Gospel Music's "Partridge Family" Heads West
2010 is proving to be a year on the move for multiple Grammy nominees and Dove Award winners the Nelons. First, they relocated from their long-time home in Atlanta to their new base in Jacksonville, Florida. Now, they’re setting their sights on the west.
Just days before the official release of their new CD Beside Still Waters, the Nelons will kick off their four-week, 18-city West Coast Tour. In all, the Nelons will criss-cross five states to play nearly two dozen dates.
For 20-year-old Amber Nelon Thompson, this tour marks a return to the place where she made her debut as the group’s full-time soprano. Amber first sang with her family at Fresno, California’s Great Western Quartet Convention in 2002. She says that turned out to be only a pre-cursor to what her life is now.
“Sometimes I feel a little bit like I’m starring in a modern day remake of The Partridge Family. Let’s face it, I’m living every twenty year old’s dream-- trapped on a bus for weeks at a time with my parents and my little sister! But seriously, I love them, and I love what we do. I wouldn’t have it any other way!”
After more than three decades of coming to the West Coast, Amber’s mom Kelly Nelon Clark looks forward to seeing lots of familiar faces.
“We have so many friends out there that it’s always like a reunion for us. The audiences are so receptive and warm, and they’ve become like family to us. I just want to hug every one of them, so look out!”
For Kelly’s husband Jason Clark, the West Coast Tour turns his thoughts toward one of his favorite hobbies and time spent with the group’s late patriarch, Gospel Music Hall of Famer Rex Nelon.
“When Rex was still touring with us, he and I would wake up every morning and play the local golf courses. We had so much fun and really got to play some of the most beautiful courses in America!”
The Nelons sophomore Vine Records CD Beside Still Waters will be released during the West Coast Tour. A virtual radio tour and a relaunch of the thenelons.com will coincide with the album’s February 16 street date.
Stops on the Nelons 2010 West Coast Tour:
2/14 - Tucson, AZ - Christ Community Church - 6:30PM
2/16 - Antioch, CA - First Missionary Baptist Church - 7:00PM
2/17 - Orchard, WA-Bible Baptist - 7:00PM
2/18 - St. Helens, OR - First Missionary Baptist Church - 7:00PM
2/19 - Yakima, WA- West Valley Nazarene - 7:00PM
2/20 - Shoreline, WA - Berean Bible Church - 6:00PM
2/21 - Gladstone, OR - Tri-Cities Baptist Temple - 6:00PM
2/22 - Springfield, OR - Berean Assembly of God - 7:00PM
2/23 - Wenatchee, WA - Wenatchee First Assembly of God - 7:00PM
2/24 - Carson City, NV - Good Shepherd Wesleyan Church - 7:00PM
2/25 - North Highlands, CA - Capital Free Will Baptist - 7:00PM
2/26 - Riverside, CA - Arlington Avenue Nazarene - 7:00PM
2/27 - Mesa, AZ - Celebration Christian Church - 6:00PM
2/28 - Tan Valley, AZ - Christ’s Church FWB (Jo Combs Middle School) - 10:00AM
3/2 - Beaumont, CA - Beaumont Assembly of God - 7:00PM
3/3 - Lake Havasu, AZ - Lakeview Community Church - 7:00PM
3/5 - Yuba City, CA - Crossroads Community Church - 7:00PM
3/6 - Yuba City, CA - Crossroads Community Church - 7:00PM
3/7 - Yuba City, CA - Crossroads Community Church - 9:00 & 11:00AM
3/7 - Red Bluff, CA - Red Bluff Church of God - 6:30PM
Beside Still Waters, From the Choir Loft
Three of Jason's songs from Beside Still Waters are already available for your church choir to sing!
“He Found Me” is in the Lillenas choral collection titled “The Old Landmark,” along with the Nelons’ 2008 hit “We Speak Your Name.” It also includes Janet Paschal’s remake of “Hide Me, Sweet Rock of Ages,” which she originally sang with the Rex Nelon Singers in the eighties.
“The Love of God for Me” and “There Is A Way” will soon be out in choral print from Prism Music Publishing as well.
In addition to their full-time concert schedule, the Nelons continue to perform with choirs and orchestras, and do choir workshops, retreats, and weekends. The Nelons are booked by Michael Davis at The Dominion Agency.
Kelly Nelon Clark Shaken, But Okay, After Robbery
Gospel Music veteran Kelly Nelon Clark is understandably shaken, but thankful to be alive after being robbed in the parking lot of a Jacksonville, Florida K-Mart Tuesday evening. An African-American male wearing a dark, hooded jacket approached Kelly as she left the store and demanded money. Kelly complied, and the man fled with nearly $750 and her husband Jason’s debit card.
“I hadn’t taken my purse. I’d just grabbed Jason’s wallet and I didn’t realize it still had a lot of the cash from last weekend’s CD sales in it,” she says. Within the next half hour, the thief also debited close to $500 from the Clarks’ checking account.
“You never realize how precious life is until something like this happens. I was terrified that this was it for me and I would never see my family again. But once again the Lord completely surrounded me and God provided a way of escape,” Kelly adds. “Thank you for all of your prayers and concerns. You are truly the greatest people in the world-- God’s people!”
Jason echoes Kelly’s sentiments. “I just praise the Lord for His protection over Kelly. The money is one thing but thank God she’s home safe with the girls and me. These are desperate times, and I think this should be a wake up call for us all.”
Long based in Atlanta, the Nelons recently returned to touring full-time and relocated to Jacksonville, where they are “Artists In Residence” at Trinity Baptist Church and College. Kelly and the Nelons will resume their normal schedule this Sunday at Elizabeth Baptist Church in Marietta, Georgia.
The Nelons’ sophomore Vine Records CD, Beside Still Waters, will be released February 16. It features the current hit single “He Found Me,” as well the Nelons’ interpretation of the Andre Crouch classic “My Tribute” and a remake of the Carroll McGruder favorite “I’m Going Home With Jesus.” In addition to the stellar soprano vocals of Amber Nelon Thompson, the project also includes the recording debut of Jason and Kelly’s youngest daughter Autumn. February will also find the Nelons embarking on a four-week tour of the West Coast and visiting with disc jockeys all across the country as they promote the new record.
