Jackey Beavers

Published August 06, 2006 11:05 PM CDT

The Watchers are a southern music group consisting of a lady and two men who play their own instruments. I also met the son of one of the singers playing the drums. I met them when we were guests on Atlanta Live, a popular television program that comes out of Atlanta.

As I was going back to the set, the son said to me, "Hi Jackey, I watch you on television. We are from Cartersville." When he said Cartersville, my curiosity was elevated. When they opened the program to sing, I said, "Wow, these people can sing."

One might ask, "Jackey, what is your qualification?" Well, for over 45 years I was in some recording studio all over the country singing, producing and spending millions of dollars.

Secondly, in the late '70s, when I was in transition from the nightclub to the pulpit, I was working at the Work Activity Center. During my lunch hour, Herschel Wisebram, owner of WBHF Radio located on West Main St., had me do an half-hour program Monday through Friday, playing Southern Gospel music for over a year. All of the Southern Gospel albums were in the record room, and I had to go through each of these albums to audition most of them.

Thirdly, when I was in the Governor's office, I released a song called, "Thank God for America." I was invited to many places to be on these Southern Gospel Music programs doing "Thank God for America." After I left the Governor's office and went to the Department of Corrections, the late Hovie Lister and I partnered for over two years, in and out of jails and prisons, doing special programs.

So I am well acquainted with Southern Gospel Music.

I listened to the "Watchers" sing and one of their songs was sung a capella, and believe me they can sing better without music than many of us can sing with music. Then I met Pastor Bobby Wright of the "Watcher," and I said, "Where is your church located?"

He replied, "We are meeting on Grassdale Road and Joe Frank Harris Parkway, in a building close to Holts Pharmacy." He then asked me where was I located, and I told him that we were now at 1988 Joe Frank Harris Parkway, but for four years before, I was at 1339 Joe Frank Harris Parkway, directly across the street but I didn't know he was where he is now.

The late Hovie Lister was my contact with the Southern Gospel Music world, and I would recommend these to all the big boys. This is why Friday, Aug. 18, 2006 at 7 p.m., we will have a Southern Gospel Music Night at the Glory Harvester Church.

If we can have a governor and a supreme justice from Cartersville, why not have a #1 Southern Gospel music group from Cartersville?

Dr. Jackey Beavers is pastor of Glory Harvester Church in Cartersville.