The Martins vocal and musical talents speak for themselves.  The Martins have become known for and offers a satisfying taste for every musical palate, ranging from refashioned hymn arrangements to contemporary songs of praise & worship.  “There is a lot of variety in our repertoire now”, says Joyce.

After many years of music ministry, and traveling down some of life’s toughest paths, The Martins have garnered six Dove awards and a Grammy nomination to become one of Christian music’s most critically acclaimed and best-selling vocal groups.

If someone had told The Martins-siblings Joyce, Jonathan and Judy-when they first began singing harmonies around their mother’s piano bench around the ages of nine, seven and six that they would one day grace the halls of the White House, perhaps even they would not have believed it. “…there has always been something special about the moments when I sing with Jonathan and Judy,” states Joyce with a smile. “Maybe it’s a genetic thing, but definitely it is a God thing. Even from an early age, it has always been deeply spiritual to me. I also know that it is one of my favorite things in the world.”

Their latest Spring Hill Music release, DECADE, compiled by the Martins and Phil Johnson, brings to light, on one recording, some of the most memorable moments of The Martins’ career up to this point. It also features “Be Still My Soul” and “Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho,” songs previously unreleased on the group’s recordings.

“Ten years…wow!” exclaims Jonathan. “When I was listening to this list of songs, my thoughts were about how blessed we have been to have the privilege of singing such inspired music. Each song has memories of ministry attached to it-testimonies of people, including myself, who have been touched by the lyrics and melodies we were given the responsibility to share. I feel that any friend of The Martins will enjoy this recording and remember moments in time that we all hold dear.”  Visit their website at www.the-martins.com

The Ron & Opal Show

In a time when there are so many good singers, some stand out just a little different than the rest. Ron and Opal do more than just sing a good song, they can entertain and minister. This couple is the recipient of the 2007 & 2008 Duo of the Year award for the CGMA (Country Gospel Music Association). This multi-award winning couple sings with such feeling you become a part of the song when they sing that good ol’ southern/country style gospel music. They were the official Ambassadors on the road for the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Happy Trails Theater & Museum located in Branson, MO and are now the ambassadors for the Grand Country Music Hall.

Raised on grits, cornbread and turnip greens, Opal is a true country singing, southern belle from Georgia. Ron, on the other hand, was born in North Dakota and is a third generation musical entertainer. His harmony coupled with Opal’s powerful voice, is a unique blend that is hard to find in a husband/wife duo. Along with the vocal contribution to their show, Ron plays several instruments. Steel guitar is his first love, along with guitar, bass, accordion, banjo, and about anything he can get his hands on. The combination of these two will soon have you loving them as their love for each and their audience is evident throughout the entire program. Possessing a charisma that induces spontaneous comedy, you just never know what might be said or done to cause a good laugh or a more serious moment that ushers in the presents of God.

Along with their humor, great vocals, and musical talent, their love for gospel music is second to none. You’ll be lifted up and inspired as they sing and share their hearts in those good ‘ol southern/country gospel songs we’ve all loved for years. After 38 years of performing together, it just keeps getting better.

Don’t miss this opportunity to be in concert with Ron & Opal Erickson Saturday July 17^th at the Praise on the Prairie in Hazen, North Dakota.

Sunday, July 18th at the New Life Worship Center in Beulah, North Dakota.

Visit their website at www.ronandopal.com

Cotton Wood is a North Dakota bluegrass band. They are local favorites and perform in many bluegrass festivals in the five state regional area of North and South Dakota, Minnesota, and Montana and Nebraska. Cotton Wood plays a variety of music using traditional bluegrass instruments. Everything from lively bluegrass, to popular, to country flavored music is their trademark.  Dan Foster-mandolin/guitar, Keith Koch-guitar, Jill Wiese-bass/mandolin/guitar, Lee Benjamin-banjo/dobro/guitar.  Visit their website at www.cottonwoodbluegrass.com

The Peterson Family enjoys sharing their love of God, family, and music with audiences of all ages.  Arlon and Jan, along with their 7 children ages 3 to 19, play a variety of instruments including guitar, mandolin,violin, bass, banjo, and harmonica.  The Petersons have been singing as a family since 2004 and do a variety of music styles including country and gospel bluegrass.  They have performed at churches, fairs, threshing bees, nursing homes, old time music festivals and gospel crusades.   They live near Alamo, ND where they farm, home school and raise a menagerie of animals.

Hi, I’m Jane Opdahl and I love to sing and praise.  I was raised on traditional country and Country gospel Music and I love my roots.  I feel honored to be able to pass on the love of the lord through music.  Music is the story to the soul.  I have been singing in a variety of events from local to national.  I feel every single event is important because of the people I have had the honor to meet.  I am grateful to now be able to call them friends.  I live in Zap with my husband Kevin and our 3 children Kane, Koy, and Kenzie.  I love North Dakota, the hard working poeple who work and respect the land and the traditions that make rural ND so much a part of my life.

River Bend Gospel is made up of North Dakota musicians from Center, Bismarck and throughout Mercer County that love to play country gospel music and share their love of Jesus Christ. They bring a variety of old time gospel to modern country gospel music. They accompany themselves on acoustic and bass guitar, keyboard, mandolin, and doboro.

The band consists of Jerry & Lin Voegele, Perry Voegele, Cary Ost, Nancy Hertz, Joette Holler, and Mike & Linda Eslinger.  River Bend Gospel has performed at county fairs, local fundraisers, nursing homes, outdoor festivals, Dickin’s Village, Frozen Fingers Festival, & many churches.

Visit their website at riverbendgospel.com

Electric City is a band about soul and emotion. They play music that transcends, bringing the Spirit into every performance. You can feel this at any one of their live shows; something else is happening that is bigger than themselves or the sound they are producing.

Formed in the summer of 2006, Aaron Schuler, Peter Smith and Andy Fuchs set off to create a sound that could change people’s lives. Tanner Dietz and Bryan Singer joined shortly after and together the band produced their first full length album “A Hero’s Welcome” in the fall of 2009.

Electric City has worked tirelessly writing songs that actually mean something. Aaron Schuler’s lyrics inject a strong sense of passion into each tune and melodically his vocals are incredibly individual. Tanner Dietz’s guitar work contrasts from classic and harsh to sweeping and epic. On keys, Andy Fuchs provides a flow of sound that plays well with Tanner’s guitar riffs, all the while singing powerful background vocals and harmonies. Bassist Pete Smith’s bass lines provide a smooth and rhythmic feel for each song to lie in, while drummer, Bryan Singer, lays down precision beats giving the band a solid backbone to rock from. The two together make an infectiously rhythmic team each knowing when to show restraint and when to let go.

This group of five gives listeners hope that music is still something to believe in. When you see Electric City play you enjoy a good live show with sing-along melodies and songs that can make a difference. So don’t delay. EC likes to make people dance and smile and sometimes cry. They are people that play music together and some folks might call that a band.

Visit them on facebook at: www.facebook.com/pages/ElectricCity/45645324935?v=info

Renewed Ministries is a family ministry. We are based out of Golden Valley, ND.

Our home church is New Life Worship Center in Beulah, ND. Our mission is to go out and bring a message of hope, healing, and restoration to families and marriages through God’s word, our testimony, and music. We are a family that was broken and hurting, but God has and is doing a great work of healing and restoration. We want to share with others what God has done for us and what God can do for them.

Visit their website at: http://renewedministries.org/default.aspx

The Jones are not trying to be just another Christian Rock Band, but a voice that speaks to people where they are, bringing life, passion and hope through their music and own relationships with Jesus Christ. Their desire is that they would inspire believers to be passionate for God and to reach out to the world around them. Each member has a unique, yet captivating story about how God came in and turned their lives around.

The Jones musical journey began when Chris Lippert approached Jessica Fretty and Corey Carson about putting a group together to go out and share their faith through music. “I knew Jessica and Corey had hearts of worship beyond great music talent, and I knew these were the type of people I wanted to write music with”, says Lippert. The formula was complete with Zoe Bohlen on the drums.

Lippert’s dynamic testimony from a life full of drugs and alcohol to a life changing encounter with Jesus Christ , is truly a testimony of the hand of God not being too short to pull a human life out of the pit of sin and despair. Lippert and the rest of the group go forth with a passion to play music and bring a message of “Sold out Christianity”, to the world around them. “We are not in this just to play music, but to share the greatest news on earth: Jesus Christ saves, forgives, heals and delivers”, shares Chris Lippert.

Musically the Jones are fresh and tight with a lot of vocal depth and lyrical content. Their guitar sound is edgy/classic with a mixture of tasteful piano melodies and bass riffs, as well as a solid and energetic rhythm section. Lippert’s vocal style is reminiscent of blues/grunge, with his raw and straightforward sound.  The Jones; just a group of regular Christians desiring to do something great for God.
“I’ve come to start a fire on the earth – how I wish it were blazing right now!” Luke 12:49

For more information visit their website http://www.thejoneslive.org/index1.html