Category: Southern Gospel

Les Butler to be inducted into Tri-State Gospel Music Hall of Fame

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TEXAS GOSPEL STAFF

Les Butler, owner of REAL Southern Gospel Radio, will be inducted into the Tri-State Gospel Music Hall of Fame on Aug. 1, 2026. The announcement came during a phone call on March 25 from chairman and CEO Will Dickerson.

The organization honours individuals who have made strong contributions to gospel music across Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee. Butler’s induction follows a long career in broadcasting and music promotion that has spanned five decades.

Butler said the milestone caused him to reflect on his years in radio. He noted that he began working in Southern Gospel Radio 50 years ago and has spent 48 consecutive years in that field. During that time, he interviewed nearly every member of the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame. His interviews also extended beyond music, including figures such as former U.S. president George W. Bush, former attorney general John Ashcroft, Harlem Globetrotters player Meadowlark Lemon, New York Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte, and the cast of The Waltons.

He also recalled personal moments with well-known figures in gospel music, including time spent with Bill Gaither and Vestal Goodman. Butler said these experiences were meaningful, but he placed greater value on hearing from listeners who said his work made a difference in their lives.

Throughout his career, Butler has held several roles in the industry. He spent 20 years with Singing News Magazine, including serving as publisher. He also worked for 20 years as general manager and daily host on the Solid Gospel Radio Network. In addition, he served on boards connected to the Southern Gospel Music Association, Southern Gospel Music Guild, and the National Quartet Convention.

His work has included hosting the Southern Gospel Channel on Delta Airlines’ radio network and receiving a March of Dimes AIR Award as a disc jockey. Butler founded Butler Music Group and owns Family Music Group. Through FMG Radio Promotions, he helped promote dozens of songs that reached No. 1 in Singing News charts.

As a producer, Butler worked on multiple No. 1 songs, including a run of 10 consecutive chart-topping releases on the Singing News Bluegrass Chart with Heaven’s Mountain Band. He has also performed as a musician on several Top 10 songs, including those that reached No. 1.

Butler is also the founder of the Old Time Preachers Quartet and the REAL Southern Gospel Radio Network. His work has earned multiple Diamond Awards, as well as awards from AGM and SGN, along with several nominations for the Singing News Fan Awards.

In recent days, Butler said he learned that he and his station were named among the Top 10 in the Singing News Fan Awards. He described both that recognition and the upcoming Hall of Fame induction as unexpected developments in a career he said still feels active and ongoing.

Texas Gospel Canada Top 30 – April 2026

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DAVID INGRAM

Welcome to the Texas Gospel Canada Top 30 Songs of April 2026! This list is meticulously compiled based on the actual number of plays each song received in the previous month. The Texas Gospel Top 30 is proudly submitted to top Southern Gospel publications including The Singing News and SGNScoops.

This chart is generated by AI using a scan of our actual airplay numbers for each song and verified by one of our human volunteers.

This MonthLast MonthSong TitleArtistLabel
126That’s Who He Is11th HourSonlite/Crossroads
216Just One Drop Of BloodRight Road QuartetBig Picture Records/New Day
3—What’s It Like At HomeMark Dubbeld FamilyBig Picture Records/New Day
4—I Know The Sweet Voice Of The ShepherdLegacy FiveStowTown/Provident-Sony
5—Forever In HeavenTim LivingstonDiamond Mill Music
6—Expecting A MountainPeach GoldmanStowTown/Provident-Sony
75The ChurchJoseph HabedankDaywind/New Day
8—Put Your Hand In The HandRonnie Booth (with The Blackwood Brothers)Daywind/New Day
928We’ll Understand It Better By And ByCollingsworth FamilyGaither Music/Capitol Christian
10—God Gives Good AnswersKaren Peck & New RiverDaywind/New Day
11—Sea Of ForgetfulnessInspirationsHorizon/Crossroads
12—And ThenTribute QuartetDaywind/New Day
13—What Victory?Paid In FullStowTown/Provident-Sony
14—HomeMark BishopSonlite/Crossroads
15—Life Hurts, God HealsKingdom HeirsSonlite/Crossroads
1613Cleft Of The RockKramersStowTown/Provident-Sony
17—Didn’t Feel Like FaithTodd TilghmanStowTown/Provident-Sony
18—If These Walls Could TalkGreater VisionDaywind/New Day
19—Cause For CelebrationHyssongsARS/New Day
20—He Did It All For MeErnie Haase & Signature Sound (with Duane Allen)StowTown/Provident-Sony
21—NothingSouthboundDaywind/New Day
22—Better Days AheadBrownsStowTown/Provident-Sony
2320Walking Each Other HomeGordon Mote (With Teddy Gentry & Randy Owen)New Haven/Provident-Sony
24—Preach JesusDown East BoysStowTown/Provident-Sony
25—A God ThingChosen RoadThoroughbred Records/New Day
2614The DayHeart 2 HeartARS/New Day
27—Grace Is SufficientJonathan WilburnDaywind/New Day
28—I’m Persuaded To BelieveBinionsStowTown/Provident-Sony
2923Behind My PraiseBrian Free & AssuranceDaywind/New Day
3019Hard Trials Will Soon Be OverGaither Vocal BandSpring House Music Group

Ernie Haase & Signature Sound welcomes new keyboardist

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TEXAS GOSPEL VOLUNTEER

Ernie Haase & Signature Sound has welcomed a new member to its lineup. The group’s new keyboard player, Braden Neal, brings both youthful energy and a strong passion for Southern gospel music.

Braden is 23 years old. He was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, but has spent most of his life in Bonners Ferry, Idaho. His love for gospel music began at the age of seven when he first heard the music of Anthony Burger.

“I was introduced to southern gospel music at the age of 7 when I first heard the music of Anthony Burger,” Braden said. “I grew in my love for gospel music and folks like Stan Whitmire, Gerald Wolfe and Kim Collingsworth have influenced my playing.”

Fans are encouraged to greet him as he joins the group on tour. “Be sure to say hi to Braden when you see him on the road!”

Ernie Haase & Signature Sound continues to share their message through songs such as “He Did It All For Me.”

Greater Vision’s Rodney Griffin has surgery, expects full return

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JEFF TURNER

Rodney Griffin of Greater Vision underwent surgery on Monday. Griffin opened up about what led to the procedure and what he expects in the weeks ahead.

The trouble began roughly a year ago. “I started having pain down my left leg when I was on the stage,” Griffin explained. “Very uncomfortable, but I just tried to grin and bear it.”

He did not ignore the problem. He sought help from a chiropractor and a pain specialist before doctors ordered an MRI. The scan revealed the root cause. “I’ve just got no disc there between two of the vertebrae,” he said, “so it kind of makes sense where the pain’s coming from.”

That finding led Griffin to the operating table. He underwent a lumbar fusion procedure on Monday. The timing of the surgery means Griffin will miss an upcoming cruise event with his bandmates. “I won’t be on the cruise this week with the guys,” he said. “I will miss that badly.” Veteran singer Jim Brady is stepping in to fill his spot. “The great Jim Brady is filling in for me,” Griffin noted. “He will do an incredible job.”

Despite the surgery, Griffin is hopeful that his absence from the stage will be brief. A scheduled break following the cruise works in his favour. “We had a planned break after the cruise, so I’ll have almost three weeks to recover before I get back on the bus,” he said, adding, “Won’t be missing any concerts, Lord willing.”

Tyler Vestal named band director at Lee Park Worship

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TEXAS GOSPEL VOLUNTEER

Tyler Vestal has a new role in gospel music. He has joined Lee Park Worship as Band Director, bringing more than a decade of professional experience to the position.

Vestal spent 11 years as a keyboardist with Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, one of the most well-known groups in Southern Gospel music, before recently departing the ensemble.

Lee Park Worship is part of Lee Park Church in Monroe, North Carolina, a congregation led by Pastor Chris Justice. The group is currently in the studio working on new music.

Fans can get a feel for what the group has to offer through their contribution to We Shall Behold Him: A Tribute to Dottie Rambo, on which they perform the song “If That Isn’t Love.”