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On Saturday, June 7 at 2 p.m. the Westport Christian Church will be hosting the Woodmen Quartet.
Tim Woods, owner of the Woodsmen Quartet, was part of his family group growing up called The Woods Family. Tim remembers, "We traveled all over the place in our van. I had so many sisters that were part of the group; if one did not go it was no big deal. I had a talented family and they could sing several parts so it always worked out. Then the problems came, my sisters and I started having kids, lots and lots of kids...at one point the group had so many going we bought a school bus. As my nephews got older I started thinking that I would like to be part of a male quartet. I started working with them. At the time the older three were 11, 12, and 13-- teaching them their parts and soon formed the New Generation Quartet." Tim did not know it but God was setting the formation in place for The Woodsmen Quartet twenty-five years ago. After about a year Tim was going through some tough times financially and personally. He did what most of us do some time in our lives and he got out of Church and turned his back on the Lord. He says, "I just did not care about anybody or anything not even myself and didn't feel like anyone cared about me. The New Generation went on as a trio as I slipped further and further away."
Several years later one of Tim's sisters developed a brain tumor. He remembers, "That was the most scared I have ever been, my sister sick and I could not even pray for her in the condition I was in. I had to pray for me first...so I asked God to forgive me, heal my broken heart, and restore the joy of my salvation...and you know what, He did right then and there....I also started praying of my sister." He also says that the family put together a benefit concert for his sister and asked him to sing as part of the Woods Family and the New Generation. He was so proud his nephews, who he had taught to sing parts had gone on to do great things such as Bryan Hutson of The Kingsmen Qt, Jim Hutson singing in groups and working in Southern Gospel Radio and Jerry Palmer a deacon and piano player in his church. After the concert he felt the Lord drawing him to form an all male quartet that could sing on a full time level...and what did he do--- he did not listen ...for a while….that is.
Tim shares, "My sister went through the surgery just fine and sings in her own group called Inspiration by Faith and is doing well, all the Praise goes to the Lord!
Tim had started a trucking company after a few years called Woods Express. He says, "I was driving down the road one day and the Lord spoke to me as if He was sitting right there next to me...I called my nephew Jim Hutson who is a great MC and baritone singer and told him what I know the Lord was calling me to do but Jim wanted nothing to do with it...Jim says, "I have sung all my life Southern Gospel Music in groups and at the moment I was a was happy singing solo and working in Southern Gospel Radio. Singing in a group is hard and one that is just starting out trying to go full time was something I did not want to do...I am too old."
After a meeting with Tim and his wife Sheila, Jim and his wife Mary could see how sincere they were, Jim said yes to Tim and the Lord. That was three years ago and after three recordings, lots of miles traveled, The Woodsmen Quartet is just getting started, there have been many changes to The Woodsmen Quartet but God is grooming them for something great The Woodsmen have signed a recording deal with Riversong Records and are looking towards a bright future. Tim says the faces might change but serving Christ and sharing the message about our Savior with the lost and the hurting will be what we will do till Jesus comes.
Visit the Woodsmen Quartet on the web at www.woodmensqt.com
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