The McKameys

The McKameys
Origin	Clinton, TN, USA
Genres	Southern Gospel
Years active	1954-current
Labels	Morning Star Records Crossroads (recording label)
Website	[1]
Members
Ruben Bean, Peg Bean, Sheryl Farris, Connie Fortner, Roger Fortner, Eli Fortner
Past members
Dora McKamey, Carol Woodard

The McKameys are a professional Southern Gospel group based in Clinton, Tennessee, who record on the Horizon Records label.^[1]

The McKameys are Ruben and Peg Bean, Sheryl Farris, Connie Fortner, Roger Fortner, Eli Fortner

The group first organized in 1954 as a trio of sisters: Dora, Peg and Carol McKamey. Since their father was a minister, the girls had grown up singing in church. One day Dora announced to her astonished sisters that they were going to sing with her in church the next Sunday as a trio. "She gathered us up in her kitchen, started singing and we each found our parts," Peg explained. "We just thought we were gonna sing that one time, in her home church, but different people heard us and invited us to sing at their church or at revivals. Then out of town evangelists heard us at the revivals and invited us to come to their church and we started traveling to Florida and Indiana and Ohio, and that's how it all started."

There have been several changes in the group's makeup over the years. In 1957 Ruben Bean started playing guitar for the trio, and he and Peg married two years later. As their girls, Connie and Sheryl, were growing up they traveled with their mom, dad and aunts. Dora and Carol retired from the trio in 1971 so it was a natural move for Connie and Sheryl to fill their aunt's shoes.

In the mid-1980s Sheryl retired to fulfill her obligations as a minister's wife. At that time Carol returned to the group, now made up of Peg, Connie, Ruben and Carol. Roger Fortner plays the guitars for the group. The group also uses digital tracks to enhance the value of their performance.

The McKameys play about 150 dates a year, traveling all over the United States and Canada. They have had 16 number one singles and in 1999 were honored by their record label, Horizon, for having the most number one hits in the history of Southern Gospel Music. Peg has been named Favorite Female Vocalist by the Singing News at its annual fan awards. From 1981 through 1999 they released an album a year filled with music with a message that their fans are eager to hear. Some of the music is written by daughter Sheryl and the remainder comes from songs sent to them in the mail or handed to them on tapes at concerts. The McKameys also hold the record for having the most #1 songs on the Singing News charts. The #1 songs include: "Who Put the Tears?", "Getting Used to the Dark", "God on the Mountain", "God Will Make This Trial a Blessing", "Do You Know How It Feels?", "A Borrowed Tomb", "Arise", "Right on Time", "Roll That Burden on Me", "I've Won", "He Calms Me", "The Good News", "I Am Home", "I Will Trust You Lord", "Between 12 and 33", and "I Keep Praying". Because of the strong, Biblical roots in these songs, the McKameys continually sing these #1 hits, much to the delight of fans.

"I try to listen to everything and see if the song has good sound doctrine and a good tune, and if it has those elements, then I let the rest of the group listen to it," Peg says. "We always try to find new songs for our albums -- if it's a good song and we like it, and it works in our ministry, then we will sing it. I think one of the reasons our fans have stayed with us is that we do find good songs."

Another reason the fans tell her they have stayed with them over the years, Peg says, is that they believe the singers really are sincere about the message they present. "It's the joy of the Lord and the strong message in the songs they hear," she says. "We try to have fresh songs and new encounters with the Lord so we can pass them along to those in need of it."

Peg says each of them sees their music as a ministry. "Each of us tries to minister to the people in our office when we are home and at the concerts when we are on the road. We started a prayer wall and it filled up real quickly because there was only room for 13,000 names on it. So now we have a basket that we put the requests in and we pray for people every day. We relate to helping others. And we are all active in our home church."

Peg is one of the first to admit that Southern Gospel Music has grown. "It's bigger now than it ever has been. There are more people attending the concerts and the concerts are in auditoriums where they were at first only in churches. There are also stronger songs, and the music that enhances those songs has gotten better. There has been a lot of quality added to Gospel Music."

Discography

Album (Label) / Radio Airplay

1981 He Didn't Let Us Down (Morning Star)

1982 By Faith (Morning Star) "Burning The Midnight Oil"

1983 Keepsake (Morning Star) * "Who Put The Tears" (1984) and "Someone Prayed For Me"

1984 Tennessee Live (Morning Star) "Tarry Here"

1985 Fruitful (Morning Star) " Bring Me Out Of The Desert"

1986 Unique (Morning Star) "The Bride Coming In" and "I'm Going Thru"

1987 More Than Music (Morning Star) * "Getting Used To The Dark" (1987) and "Vision Of Heaven"

1988 Covered By Love (Morning Star) "No More Sea"

1988 Gone To Meetin' (Morning Star) ** "God On The Mountain (1989) and "Ground Breaking"

1989 Sing Praises (Morning Star) * "God Will Make This Trial A Blessing" (1991) and "Under His Feet"

1990 Purpose (Morning Star) "Somehow He Will" and "Handfuls of Purpose"

1991 Just Thinking (Morning Star) "The Rising Of The Son"

1992 With Feeling (Horizon) * "A Borrowed Tomb" (1993) and "Do You Know How It Feels" (1993)

1993 With His Power (Horizon) ** "Arise" (1994) and "Prayer Changes Me"

1994 It's Real (Horizon) "I'm Going Through Jesus" and "A Voice Within"

1995 Sheltered (Horizon) "How Deep Is The Sea" and "The Old Love Letter"

1996 Still Have A Song (Horizon) * "Right On Time" (1997) and "This Valley Is For Me"

1997 Remembrance (Horizon)

1998 Always (Horizon) "A Wall Of Prayer," * "Roll That Burden On Me" (1999) and "It Satisfies Me"

1999 Waiting (Horizon) "The Blood" and "Even The Valley"

2001 I've Won (Horizon) * "I've Won" (2001) * "He Calms Me"(2002) and * "The Other Side" (2002)

2002 Trophy of Grace (Horizon) * "Surely Goodness and Mercies of the Lord (2003) and "A Trophy of Grace"

2003 An Acoustic Journey (Horizon) "Anytime" "God Is So Good To Me"

2004 Fresh Manna (Horizon) * "The Good News" (2005) and * "I Am Home" (2005–2006)

2005 The Old Path (Horizon) * "I Will Trust You Lord" (2006) and * "Altogether Lovely"

2006 Christmas (Horizon)

2007 Telling The Story (Horizon) "You're Still God" "You Are with Me" (2007) *"It Takes Time"

2008 Something More (Horizon) * "I've Made Up My Mind" * "Between 12 and 33" (2009)

2009 The Message (Horizon) * "I Keep Praying" (2010) *"The Shepherd's Point of View"

• Number One Song
  • Song of the Year

Videos/DVDs

1988 Gone To Meetin’ 1989 Sing Praises 1991 On Tour 1992 With Feeling, Live! 1994 With His Power 1996 Encourage 1999 Genuine 2000 Who We Are 2001 McKameys Hometown Live (Video of the year 2003 at SN Fan Awards) 2003 Renfro Valley Live (VHS/DVD) 2006 The Old Path Live 2006 Christmas 2008 Something More Live

DVDs

2003 Live in Renfro Valley 2006 The Old Path Live 2006 Christmas 2008 Something More Live

References

1. ^ Price, Deborah Evans (26 September 1998). "Genre sees grass-roots revival". Billboard. p. 37. http://books.google.com/books?id=GgoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA37&dq=%22The+McKameys%22+gospel&hl=en&ei=t4ldTvq1KMPSgQfAqe3nAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDsQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22The%20McKameys%22%20gospel&f=false. Retrieved 31 August 2011.