Center For Cultural Events
Written by By Dave Kurtz dkurtz@kpcnews.net
| Monday, 22 June 2009 01:00 |
| AUBURN — Vocal harmonies serenaded 600 spectators
Saturday night at the Neighbors Helping Neighbors Gospel Music Fest in
Auburn. The large crowd filled the grounds at the new DeKalb County Outdoor Theater to hear the first nationally known act to take the next stage — The Imperials, winners of multiple Grammy and Dove awards. Two local groups, The County Line Quartet and Heaven Bound, joined the lineup of performers. “This is about like a dream come true,” said John Chalmers, president of the outdoor theater’s board of directors. Jerry Yoder, a member of Heaven Bound who organized the festival, called the concert “a great first step” toward “expanding the knowledge of what this theater can do.” The festival raised money for DeKalb County food banks and St. Martin’s Healthcare Services, a free clinic for DeKalb County residents who do not have health insurance. Spectators paid $5 apiece for admission, the first time an event at the new theater has not been free. The theater will present free concerts every Friday night for the rest of the summer. “We were so impressed by how your community turned out” for the concert, said Ian Owens, bass singer for The Imperials. “I thought the theater was absolutely beautiful,” Owens added. He complimented the sound quality of the stage. “I was truly impressed by the community support” for the Neighbors Helping Neighbors theme, Owens added. Owens is married to the former Megan Grant, who grew up in Auburn and graduated from DeKalb High School in 2000. The couple met when both were working as performers at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Mo., they said. “Our producers introduced us, and we got married five months after our first date,” Megan Owens said. They moved to the Nashville, Tenn., area in 2003 when Ian Owens joined The Imperials. The couple have two children, Liam, 3, and Taylor, 16 months. Megan serves as director of gymnastics and children’s care for a YMCA in Columbia, Tenn. “We travel with Ian as much as possible,” she said. When they are both at home, the couple sing together in a praise and worship team at their church. |
Members
of two local Gospel music groups joined for a song at
the Neighbors Helping
Neighbors Gospel Festival Saturday night
in
Auburn. From left are Dirk McKown of County Line Quartet,
Jerry
Yoder of Heaven Bound and Stuart Kruse of County Line
Quartet
(DAVE
KURTZ)
Owens,
bass singer for The Imperials, performs Saturday night
at the DeKalb County
Outdoor Theater. (DAVE KURTZ)
Ian
Owens, bass singer for The Imperials, poses with his family;
son Liam, 3; wife
Megan Grant, a former Auburn resident; and
daughter Taylor, 16 months. (DAVE
KURTZ)
