Making a big joyful noise
Mark Hensch
Issue date: 11/6/08 Section: News
In 1988, 19-year-old Scott Wiley felt a divine calling shortly after his grandparents died in a car wreck in Florida.
His grandparents began building the Gospel Barn, a gospel music venue on Bankers Road, in 1970, and had operated it ever since.
After their death, young Wiley took over the business himself.
"The way things worked out it was like God was telling me I had to work at the Gospel Barn right then," he said. "I have a real calling to be here."
His grandparents had earned respect from the Gospel Barn's neighbors by their personal stake in their work: His grandfather Everett played saxophone in the house band, and his grandmother Margaret sang and played the piano.
Now, 20 years later, Wiley still owns the venue, acts as master of ceremonies, books touring acts and plays trombone in the house band.
He said the venue's focus also remains the same: lively, entertaining music with a Christian message.
August Peters, a close friend of Wiley's grandparents and an active supporter, agreed.
"The Gospel Barn is a great blessing in this community for people who take advantage of it," he said. "It is a place where people one can learn principles of scripture through music."
Wiley books a gospel band for every weekend from the first Saturday of April to the first Saturday of November.
He said the venue's continuity of purpose has helped it attract big-name acts, such as the Overtones and the Booth Brothers.
"The Gospel Barn has a reputation as one of the longest-running gospel venues in the gospel industry," he said. "We have had and continue to have gospel's top acts playing here."
For house pianist Nann May, such success matters less than the spiritual impact for the Gospel Barn's audiences, who tend to experience the joy of God's grace with each hymn.
"This music is so different from sitting around a television on a Saturday evening," she says. "It is music which pulls you up by the bootstraps and just lifts you up higher."
Wiley said he added an extra show to this year's season. Nearly every show costs $3.
The barn seats 450 attendees and has room for an additional 200 in standing space.
In light of continued successes, Wiley says he hopes for an expansion of the lobby and overflow seating areas in the years to come.
"When I look back over the years, I would be a fool to not recognize God's hand in making this work," he said. "I see great day ahead for our venue."
His grandparents began building the Gospel Barn, a gospel music venue on Bankers Road, in 1970, and had operated it ever since.
After their death, young Wiley took over the business himself.
"The way things worked out it was like God was telling me I had to work at the Gospel Barn right then," he said. "I have a real calling to be here."
His grandparents had earned respect from the Gospel Barn's neighbors by their personal stake in their work: His grandfather Everett played saxophone in the house band, and his grandmother Margaret sang and played the piano.
Now, 20 years later, Wiley still owns the venue, acts as master of ceremonies, books touring acts and plays trombone in the house band.
He said the venue's focus also remains the same: lively, entertaining music with a Christian message.
August Peters, a close friend of Wiley's grandparents and an active supporter, agreed.
"The Gospel Barn is a great blessing in this community for people who take advantage of it," he said. "It is a place where people one can learn principles of scripture through music."
Wiley books a gospel band for every weekend from the first Saturday of April to the first Saturday of November.
He said the venue's continuity of purpose has helped it attract big-name acts, such as the Overtones and the Booth Brothers.
"The Gospel Barn has a reputation as one of the longest-running gospel venues in the gospel industry," he said. "We have had and continue to have gospel's top acts playing here."
For house pianist Nann May, such success matters less than the spiritual impact for the Gospel Barn's audiences, who tend to experience the joy of God's grace with each hymn.
"This music is so different from sitting around a television on a Saturday evening," she says. "It is music which pulls you up by the bootstraps and just lifts you up higher."
Wiley said he added an extra show to this year's season. Nearly every show costs $3.
The barn seats 450 attendees and has room for an additional 200 in standing space.
In light of continued successes, Wiley says he hopes for an expansion of the lobby and overflow seating areas in the years to come.
"When I look back over the years, I would be a fool to not recognize God's hand in making this work," he said. "I see great day ahead for our venue."
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