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..Blank-Blank-Blank-Blank-That is the way my brain and ideas were when thinking about this month's article. The harder I concentrated, the more my brain seemed to go into neutral. Oh yeah, last month was easy-. we went to see The President, who couldn't write about that. And the month before that, well-it was my first month, that's my excuse. But now the third month, and-blank-. Nothing-until!!...

Until I remembered September held two very important dates and a milestone for the New Plainsmen Quartet. Number one: September 11, this is a date that we all and I mean all remember. Not only in America but the entire world. September 11, 2001 was a day that shocked us all, a day that we thought would never, never happen, especially in America. Well, it is sad to say but sin and evil do abound, even here in America. The New Plainsmen were in Louisville, KY. on September 11 this year as we were last year. We were there six days and six nights attending the National Quartet Convention. We knew September 11 would come and go just like all historic dates do, good or bad. However, we just felt like we needed to let our pride and patriotism show. What better place than in front of thousands of people walking by our booth Wednesday evening September 11. We dressed as patriotic as we could. Yep-red, white and blue (see picture). We also displayed two big American flags on either side of our backdrop in our booth. Also to allow others to get in on the patriotic spirit, we handed out hundreds of American flags. Wow, we never dreamed that people would covet those little plastic American flags! You would have thought we were handing out one hundred dollar bills. My only apology is that we ran out in just a couple of hours. We literally had people who came back to our booth and asked for more flags for others. Now understand, these flags didn't cost us much and they didn't have our name or logo on them. But, WOW the people of this great country are really proud of our beautiful American flag. Proud to hold it, wave it and wear it and they should be! Just to see the young, the middle aged and our seniors swell up with pride when handed a little plastic American flag was worth every penny we spent to purchase them. The National Quartet Convention put on a spectacular patriotic performance that night and many people were waving those little American flags all over that convention center. With all due respect to our great country, we may get wounded-but we will never die! May God Bless America!

Now the number two reason September is so important: The "Grand Daddy" of them all, The National Quartet Convention. Lets just say, if you love Southern Gospel Music then you would absolutely positively love the convention. I remember the first time I attended the NQC. It was back in the early eighties in Nashville, TN. Wow, that seems like such a long time ago. I must be getting old! Anyway I thought that I had died and gone to Gospel Music Heaven! I am talking night after night, group after group, booth after booth and bus after bus. The National Quartet Convention and Southern Gospel Music, I don't think it gets any better than this here on earth.

So, this is kind of how our lil ten-day trip to NQC went for us. The New Plainsmen started in Decatur, TX at the Intermediate School auditorium with Ron Hammer Promotions. This was a benefit for Helping Hands (a great organization serving Wise County Texas). We then sang on Saturday night in Clever, MO at First Assembly of God with Pastor Bruce Baker. This is always a great church and boy do they know how to feed you! We were also surprised to have our good friend and DJ Hartlen Coates from KOZO Radio with us. Hartlen was the emcee and he also blessed us with a couple of songs during our break. The next morning, thanks to our good friend Mark Stephens, we sang in Peace Valley, MO at New Hope Baptist Church with Pastor Marion Cornett. Now listen those people packed out that little church. You would have thought Gold City was going to be there that morning. We kept waiting for their big shiny forty-five foot bus to pull up just anytime but it never did. So, we sang instead. Oh well, maybe they couldn't tell that it wasn't quite Gold City. NOT!! AS IF!! Okay back to reality-we then traveled to a town called Wappappello, MO. And I thought Oklahoma had wild names for their towns. Our good friend, Radio DJ Ken Davidson (at Poplar Bluff's own KLUH Radio) got this date for us that Sunday evening. Again, I must say "what a crowd"! These people must have thought the Great Cathedral Quartet was going to be there that evening. Man, this again was a fantastic service with people packed in wall to wall. If the Fire Marshall ever shows up at one of these concerts, I just hope he loves Gospel music! Pastor Amos Dees and the people at Little Brushy Missionary Baptist Church know how to put on a singing. They sang, we sang, they sang, we sang and then we got down to business, we ate! And eat we did, those people fed us way too much but it was all very good. After loading the bus we headed to Louisville, KY for six days of NQC.

To simplify things, once we arrived at the convention center we had to set up and decorate our booth space and be ready to smile and shake hands by 4 p.m. Monday afternoon. We did make it and for the next six nights we laughed, shook hands, hugged people's necks and talked and talked and talked and-well, you get the picture. Even though I love attending the NQC, it is work and a lot of it. I believe The New Plainsmen might have actually been the first to give away something that has never been given away before at NQC. This year we chose to give away New Plainsmen "Pure Plains" Drinking Water. We knew that every NQC fan gets thirsty from time to time, especially with all the walking there is to do. So why not give out bottled water with the New Plainsmen logo on it- So, for the next six nights we handed out case after case of "Pure Plains Drinking Water" one bottle at a time. WOW!! We had no idea these would be so popular, not only with the fans but also with group members as well. Several group members would come by and get a bottle right before they were to perform on the main stage that night. These bottles of water made a big splash (pun intended) and we hope everyone enjoyed them and were refreshed. Please see the pictures on our web site at [url=http://www.thenewplainsmen.com]http://www.thenewplainsmen.com[/url]

Let me say a few words about the two showcases that we had the privilege of singing at while attending the NQC. The first showcase was for Heavensound.com. There were a few hundred people there and Gary Allen did a good job putting this two-day event together. A special thanks goes out to two good friends of ours. Thanks to Gerald Williams (bass singer for The Melody Boys) and Gayla Fooks for getting up sooooo early and coming to hear us sing. Gayla we love you, but Brother Gerald you shocked us! When you have a gospel music legend such as this man come early in the morning to hear you sing-wow, we were very honored! The second showcase was for KHP and Heaven's Talent. This was our first time to sing on this showcase and we were very nervous. Yes, I said it-nervous! You would be too. We sang right after the Pheifers and right before the Hoppers. WOW and DOUBLE WOW! The New Plainsmen right between two of the biggest names in gospel music! Here is how it looks printed out: The Pheifers, The New Plainsmen Quartet and The Hoppers. COOL! Huh? Now this is more like it!!!! Thanks Tony and Kim! This was a fantastic showcase! We not only had the opportunity to share the stage with the Greenes, Pheifers, Hoppers and others but also had the honor of singing in front of "The DJ's" of Southern Gospel Music. Let's just say the NQC was well worth our time and money spent to get there.

On our way back to the "plains states", we stopped off in Clarendon, AR. We sang at Faith Tabernacle for Pastor's Odell and Billie Green. This was a very special church service. You see our God knows just when you need a lift or a charge if you will. I must be honest here. We were very tired, we had been out a long time and looking forward to home. But we enjoy singing and that is what we do. Let me sum up this service by saying God moved in a very great way in a young lady's life that evening. I wish the whole world could have seen her beautiful face after she got up from praying at the alter. WOW! Praise the Lord! Jesus still saves and still sets the captive free!

Well now, let's get to the "milestone" for the New Plainsmen Quartet. In September we received word from Debbie Whitehead with Kim Hudgins Promotions that our third single "God Made A Way" will debut at #76 in November in the Singing News Top 80 charts. This is GREAT!!! Our third consecutive national radio single to chart in the "Top 80"!!!!!!!! A BIG THANKS TO ALL THE DJ's FOR THEIR SUPPORT of the New Plainsmen! We would also like to THANK Debbie Whitehead for all her hard work and of course to Kim and Tony (whom I will never forget who you are Tony) Hudgins for helping another quartet get their songs out to radio. We love ya'll!! Also to the many of you who called in and requested "God Made A Way", we say thanks. The New Plainsmen Quartet appreciates all of the kindness that has been shown toward us!

I am closing believe it or not. But I must tell you that on October 19, 2002 The New Plainsmen Quartet will celebrate our third anniversary in Gilmer, TX at the Yamboree Gospel Music Stage. God has truly blessed this quartet. We have seen many souls come to the lord at our concerts. We have met and made many new friends young and old alike. We like most groups have traveled many thousands of miles and God has always kept his hand on us. We have also been so privileged to sing to people and watch as the Lord blesses them right before our very eyes. God is good! I must THANK all of our families who support us in so many different ways all the time. You will never know just how much your prayers, your love, kind words, ideas, phone calls, e-mails and those big hugs you give us before we leave for the road, mean to each of us. THANK YOU SO MUCH, WE DO LOVE YOU TOO!

Hey, can you believe this? I did it. I started with Blank-Blank-Blank-Blank-. and 12 days, 6 hours, 32 minutes, 4 seconds, 16 cups of coffee, 16 bottles of New Plainsmen water, 3 hamburgers, 6 pizzas and well you understand. I AM FINISHED! LOL! Love Ya!

God Bless,
James Sparks

Visit The New Plainsmen's Website : [url=http://www.thenewplainsmen.com]http://www.thenewplainsmen.com[/url]

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