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 7^th 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 7^th 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.

Thank Postal Workers for Their Service

Sasha Bush

The Ashland Beacon

        “Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night shall stay these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” These are the words engraved on the front of the James A. Farley Post Office in New York City and what many consider to be the U.S. Postal Service’s unofficial motto. The phrase originated from an ancient book by the Greek historian, Herodotus, and is in reference to the messengers in the early Persian Empire who would transport messages to and from commanders in times of war.

The United States Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches EVERY address in the nation, and while the US Postal Service might not have an official motto, they have always sought to deliver our mail regardless of rain, snow, sleet, or hail. One might ask, why is this so important? Well… let’s think about it this way… how many friends and family do we all have and know who make their living from the operation of a small business? Now, how many of those small businesses rely solely on the postal service to deliver items purchased to their customers?

If it were not for the delivery men and women who make up our U.S. Postal Service, most small businesses would have never even made it off the ground. Small businesses not only depend on reliable delivery of their mail, but many would fail to exist without the U.S. Postal Service.  The majority of small businesses would not be able to obtain inventory without having it delivered or have a way of delivering items to their customers. Small businesses aren’t the only ones that would suffer if we didn’t have the U.S. Postal Service. All your big box stores would also feel the effects because they too would not be able to keep their stores stocked with items that are readily available.

The United States has approximately 490,000 postal workers at any given time. It is because of these reliable individuals that we as a nation flourish. One might say that the U.S. Postal Service is in fact the glue that binds our nation together and provides the American people with a delivery infrastructure that is vital to our National Security. In addition to physical mail, the U.S Postal Service also plays a vital role in enabling digital commerce.

The men and women who work for the U.S. Postal Service deserve our thanks and our gratitude.  On July 1st of every year, the country celebrates and recognizes all postal workers and the hard work they put into ensuring our mail and deliveries get to where they need to go smoothly and arrive on time.

Being a postal worker is not the easy task most might think it is. Did you know that in the United States, postal workers walk an average of four to eight miles a day delivering letters, packages, and other parcels to our doorsteps? In addition to working long hours, postal workers also must contend with harsh weather conditions, lifting heavy parcels and often carrying them for long distances. Let us not forget the age-old tale of postal workers getting chased by family pets. While this may not be the case at most residences, there have been far too many postal workers chased, terrorized, and even bitten by uncontrolled pets.

So, on July 1^st and every day, let us celebrate and recognize the duty and sacrifice that postal workers across the United States make daily to ensure we receive our mail in a timely manner. I had the privilege of interviewing a few of our local postal workers to see what they found rewarding about their job, what their pet peeves were, and some of their craziest days on the job. Check out what they had to say…

Bradley Keith Thomas, a local city carrier shared what a typical day on the job looks like for him, “I wish people understood that the job is not just riding around and putting mail in mailboxes. We walk anywhere from 8-14 miles a day in all weather conditions. We also see hundreds of numbers a day, a lot of them being the same numbers but different street addresses. We do make mistakes, but we try and be as accurate as we possibly can.” So, what is his biggest pet peeve? “My biggest pet peeve is when people don’t schedule a package pickup, and then have several packages for us to pick up and take back to the office. Not all times, we will have mail for every house and if they sit packages out for us to grab, we may not see them! Especially without a package pickup slip, it’s easy for us to miss!” explained Thomas.

Candy Goldie has served in the Ashland post office for nearly eight years and has held various positions throughout the years. Currently, Goldie is a Lead Sales and Service Associate at the retail service window. I asked Goldie what she finds most rewarding about her job. Goldie responded, “I am proud of my earnings and benefits. I am able to provide for my family and prepare for my future retirement.  I earn three weeks of annual vacation time that I use to travel the world.  I have learned so many things and have had remarkable interpersonal growth.  Most importantly, the USPS is where I met my best friend.”

Goldie went on to share with us the strangest thing she has ever seen while working for the USPS, “When I first started working at the Ashland Post Office, I was startled by the sounds of roosters. Would you believe that the USPS ships live animals?  I have seen everything from crickets, bumblebees, birds of all kinds, and fish eggs.  Back in 1913, the USPS even shipped children.”

Chris Fannin, another local city carrier, shared that what he finds rewarding is building relationships with customers and getting the opportunity to see children grow up from kindergarten to graduation. Fannin also encouraged everyone stating, “I wish the general public would know the importance of making their address on the house or mailbox clearly visible. Many packages get misdelivered because a carrier has to guess what it is, and nine out of ten times it’s a bad guess.”

We often take the postal services for granted.  Let’s never forget their contributions.  Thank you to all the United States Postal Workers for all that you do to help communication and deliveries in our country.  God bless you!

Taylor Swift Never Goes Out of Style at Queens Formals

Gwen Akers

The Ashland Beacon

From country to pop, R&B to alternative, the music of Taylor Swift has been the soundtrack for people of all ages since her debut. This past Wednesday, Queen’s Formals–part of Queen’s Cottage–hosted a Taylor Swift-themed party to celebrate all of Swift’s eras, as well as the “eras” of her fans.

The event was the idea of Kelly Queen’s (the owner of Queens Formals) two daughters–Kristin and Kendall. The event featured several Taylor Swift-themed photo booths, a fashion runway, Swift-themed drinks such as pink lemonade and album-inspired cookies. Party-goers could also “Shake it Off” with polaroids, friendship bracelets and a hair tinsel station. T-Shirts, printed by Kendall Queen were also available for purchase.

“I'm a huge Swiftie–I love Taylor Swift. I actually went to the Eras tour in Nashville. I was just sitting in my kitchen, and I looked over and I saw some beads for friendship bracelets. I was like, ‘You know what? We should have a Taylor Swift party this weekend since she’ll be in Cincinnati,’” commented Kendall Queen.

Listening to Taylor Swift tunes and enjoying the festivities was also a perfect opportunity for party-goers to get to know “All Too Well,” other community members and Swifties while getting to try on beautiful dresses from your “Wildest Dreams” and walk down a balloon-scattered runway. For some, all of the different stations at the party were like walking down memory lane as they reminisced about the different stages of their lives they were in when they enjoyed different Taylor Swift albums. Whether you are a Speak Now aficionado, or a 1989 girl, this party was for you.

“I've been listening to Taylor Swift since I was really little. She really got me into music–listening to her songs in the kitchen and stuff like that. I feel like the whole ‘eras’ in general is kind of like going through stages of life, if that makes any sense, because I've been listening to her forever. Going out and doing fun things about Taylor Swift is just awesome,” explained Abigail Skaggs, a Russell native who purchased her prom dress from Queens Formals, and could not wait to check out the event.

Kelly Queen, the owner of Queens Formals and the original Queen’s Cottage, explained that the shop is a family-owned and run business, that is all about the power of community and confidence that never goes out of “Style.” The formal shop was an expansion of the original Queen’s Cottage–and it has become a venture that the girls really love. The formal shop also offers wedding dresses and tux rentals, and aims to be the one-stop-shop for brides, prom goers, homecoming attendants, and event connoisseurs.

 “She was like, ‘well, I just want every girl to walk through this door and feel so comfortable and so good about themselves because everybody's beautiful.’ I mean, she's terrific,” commented Kelly Queen, talking about her daughter and her vision for the formal shop.

Kelly Queen could not be more proud of her two daughters, who orchestrated the event, and are blossoming into passionate young business women like herself.

Whether you are feeling “22” or just trying to boost your “Reputation,” you should check out Queens Formals’ exciting upcoming events on their Facebook page, stop in during their business hours, or call to set up an appointment.

Unspoken – Sharing Music of Hope and Encouragement

Grace Phillips

The Ashland Beacon

Unspoken, the chart-topping contemporary christian band will take the stage at the Ashland Riverfront during Summer Motion on Monday, July 2^nd at 9:00 p.m.  The band features a unique mix of music from soulful pop sounds to hip-hop with a touch of southern gospel sound thrown in occasionally.  They have toured with Casting Crowns, Mercy Me, Big Daddy Weave, Danny Gokey and many more.  Chad Matson, the lead singer is from Maine with other group members from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, making them one of the most geographically diverse bands today.

The story of Unspoken begins with Mattson—a young man raised in a Christian home with parents who taught him all the things in life needed to be successful.  Mattson said he grew up believing in Jesus; he was the good kid in high school who never drank…always the designated driver…but he lived like someone who only “KNEW” about God, not someone who had truly experienced the change that He can make in your life. 

As a young adult, Mattson found himself deep in addiction and living a life he never dreamed would be his…that of a drug dealer in the basement of a rodent-infested drug house.  Things got so bad that he finally moved back home taking with him all the shame and guilt of where his journey in life had taken him. 

All of that changed one day when his brother brought him a card from a missionary in the Dominican Republic he had just heard speak at their church.   Mattson said he looked at the card and thought, “What am I supposed to do with this?”  He continued, “But God was working behind the scenes as He often does…kind of stirring me to want to walk with Him.  I got saved when I was 12, and I really believed in Jesus, but I just didn’t have my life surrendered to Him.”  Eventually, he called the missionaries and told them, “I’m kinda in rough place, but I want to get my life together. Is there any way I could come work with you for a while?”  

The missionary called the church pastor and talked with him about Chad.  The pastor agreed that he needed something, and he believed that God had a plan for his life.  The missionary decided to take a chance and allowed him to come stay there.  According to Mattson, it was there in a 12 x 12 room that he began to read his Bible and pray in earnest, and God began to change his life. 

On that trip, Chad met Mike Gomez, guitarist.  They began singing and ministering in the area and eventually moved back to Maine when Chad’s longtime friend, Jon Lowry, was added to the mix and the group Unspoken began.  The group’s name was chosen because it was their goal to live lives that are unspoken testimonies to God’s love and power and to speak openly what often times goes unspoken.

The group’s first release was in 2012 and since then they have had numerous chart-topping songs such as “Who You Are,” “Lift My Life Up,” “Good Fight,” and “Just Give Me Jesus.”  Their fourth EP titled “God Help Me” was released earlier this year with the title song as the first single.  According to Mattson, God Help Me is about those moments in our lives when you have absolutely reached the end of the line. There is no place to go, and nothing you can do except cry out… “God Help Me.” The group’s newest single from that project is titled “More Church Than Church,” a pop song about recovery co-written by Matteson and Grammy Awards nominated artist Walker Hayes.

Mattson has always been very transparent about where he has been and where God has brought him. Now 20 years sober, he truly knows the depths of despair and darkness and the amazing grace and forgiveness that only God can give an individual.   In his closing thoughts, Mattson told me, “We just want people to know that we are followers of Jesus and trying to speak what goes “unspoken” in our culture.  We use music to preach the gospel and try to bring hope to hopeless people...no one has gone too far…it’s just one small step back towards God.” 

Don’t miss the chance to experience the remarkable ministry of Unspoken and hear their testimonies of God’s grace, mercy and deliverance on Monday, July 2^nd at 9:00 p.m. at the Ashland Riverfront.  You will not be disappointed!