Local Dove Award Winner to Perform at the Paramount
Pamela Hall
The Ashland Beacon
It isn’t every day that someone local gets to perform at the Paramount Arts Center as the main act. However, that will be the case on Friday, July 7th when singer/songwriter John Darin Rowsey will appear with The Guardians, the male quartet of which he is a member, in a Gospel Music concert presented by promoter Paul Belcher.
Rowsey, a Flatwoods resident for many years, is no stranger to the Southern Gospel Music crowd. He began singing and playing piano in the Tri-State area with his family, based in Huntington, when he was just a child at the age of 11. He began writing songs as a teenager as well.
Rowsey first sang professionally with the Ashland-based trio New Journey, which he helped to form in 1985. They were signed to the Canaan label, which is a division of Word Music Group, managed by Homeland Music Group in Nashville. The group began to record songs that Rowsey and the other group members, Nancy Banfield and Pam Hall, had written. The trio enjoyed success with several songs making the top 40 Southern Gospel charts in The Singing News magazine. Soon, other professional groups began recording their songs.
“Singing With the Saints” was recorded by the popular Gaither Vocal Band in 1997. Rowsey co-wrote the song with Daryl Williams and John Starnes. The song was the title cut on a Gaither Homecoming Series video, which sold Platinum.
When New Journey disbanded at the end of 1999, Rowsey joined the popular Georgia-based group, Karen Peck & New River in 2000. Rowsey began to have even more songwriting success, with Karen recording and charting his songs, some of which he co-wrote with her.
In 2008, Rowsey won a prestigious Dove Award, more or less the equivalent of a Grammy in Christian music, for his song “He’s in Control”. The song was recorded by Austin’s Bridge, and nominated for Bluegrass Song of the Year. Ricky Skaggs also had a song nominated in that category and Rowsey felt that he had little chance of winning.
“I was looking across the room where Ricky was sitting,” Rowsey recalled with a laugh, “expecting to watch him get the award. I didn’t even hear my name called.”
Rowsey joined The Guardians in 2012, his first effort at singing with a male quartet. The group has enjoyed much success as one of the top quartets in the country. That can be attributed to not only their excellent vocal abilities and harmony, but also to Rowsey, who writes, arranges, and produces nearly all of their material. The group has had nine #1 songs on The Singing News charts during Rowsey’s tenure.
Rowsey was the recipient of a second Dove Award in 2020. This one was for the Easter musical, “Messiah Overcame” which he co-wrote with Mike Harland.
As you can see, Rowsey has continued to gain notoriety, having written hundreds of songs. He is nominated for Songwriter of the Year for The Singing News Fan Awards this year. The awards will be presented in September during the National Quartet Convention in Pigeon Forge.
Since the Guardians travel across the country nearly every weekend, Rowsey is excited about singing to his home crowd on Friday.
“I can’t wait to see some friends I haven’t gotten to see in awhile,” Rowsey said, “and enjoy a great night of fellowship and Gospel music.”
“John Darin is one of the best kept secrets in Gospel Music,” said Paul Belcher, the promoter of the concert. “He's a super songwriter, producer and singer. He selects all the songs for the Guardians to sing and put on their new projects. I'm absolutely excited to have John Darin and the Guardians on our concert in Ashland.”
Also appearing at the Paramount Arts Center on July 7th will be Triumphant and Common Bond. The concert starts at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 6 p.m. Tickets are available at www.paramount arts center.com or at the Box Office.