The McKameys

The McKameys
Origin	Clinton, TN, USA
Genres	Southern Gospel
Years active	1954-current
Labels	Morningstar Records Crossroads Music Horizon Records
Website	mckameysonline.com
Members	Ruben Bean, Peg Bean, Sheryl Farris, Connie Fortner, Roger Fortner, Eli Fortner
Past members	Dora McKamey, Carol Woodard

The McKameys is a professional Southern Gospel group based in Clinton, Tennessee, that records on the Horizon Records label.^[1][2]

The McKameys presently consists of Ruben and Peg Bean, Sheryl Farris, Connie Fortner, Roger Fortner, and Eli Fortner.

Group history

The group first organized in 1954 as a trio of sisters: Dora, Peg and Carol McKamey. Because their father was a Christian minister, the girls grew up singing in church. One day Dora announced to her astonished sisters that they were going to sing with her in church the next Sunday as a trio. "She gathered us up in her kitchen, started singing and we each found our parts," Peg explained. "We just thought we were gonna sing that one time, in her home church, but different people heard us and invited us to sing at their church or at revivals. Then out of town evangelists heard us at the revivals and invited us to come to their church and we started traveling to Florida and Indiana and Ohio, and that's how it all started."

There have been several changes in the group's makeup over the years. In 1957, Ruben Bean started playing guitar for the trio, and he and Peg married two years later. While their daughters, Connie and Sheryl, were growing up they traveled with their mom, dad and aunts when the group was on the road. After Dora and Carol retired from the trio in 1972, Connie and Sheryl stepped in to take over their parts.

In the mid-1980s, Sheryl left the group to join her husband as a pastor's wife. At that time, Carol returned to the group, now made up of Peg, Connie, Ruben and Carol with Roger Fortner playing guitar. From late 1988 until mid-1989, Bonnie White replaced Carol until she ultimately returned to the group. The vocal lineup of Connie, Peg, Carol, and Ruben would perform together until April 2009 when Carol Woodard officially retired from full-time travel. Sheryl Farris returned to replace Carol. Since returning, Sheryl & Connie have traded the lead vocal for a change in the vocal lineup for standards like "The Shepherd's Point of View" and "When He Speaks" and "A Hill Worth Dying On."

In 2007, Eli Fortner joined his parents, Roger and Connie, on stage full-time as a guitarist & featured vocalist. Eli's solos appear on every project since their 2005 release, "The Old Path." In 2012, Roger Fortner stepped up to sing a solo, "Unspoken Request." Much to the delight of fans, Roger's first solo captured the #1 spot on the January 2013 Singing News Top 80 Charts and received nominations for Song of the Year in the 2013 Singing News Fan Awards and 2013 NQC Music Awards.

Currently, all members of the McKameys perform at least one song during each program. Whether it's a mixed trio, mixed quartet, or male trio, the McKameys perform a variety of their classics combined with fresh favorites.

Performances Recognition

On average, the McKameys play approximately 150 bookings annually throughout the United States and Canada. With sixteen #1 singles, the group was honored by Horizon Records in 1999 for having the most number one hits in the history of Southern Gospel Music. Some of the music is written by daughter Sheryl and the remaining songs come from songs sent in the mail or given to them at concerts. The McKameys also hold the record for having the most #1 songs on Singing News magazine's charts.

Discography:

MorningStar Records:

1981 - He Didn't Let Us Down

1982 - By Faith

1983 - Keepsake

1984 - Tennessee Live!

1985 - Fruitful

1986 - Unique

1987 - More Than Music

1988 - Covered by Love

1988 - Gone to Meetin'

1989 - Sing Praises

1990 - Purpose

1991 - Just Thinking

1992 - Visions

Horizon Records:

1992 - With Feeling Live!

1993 - With His Power

1994 - It's Real

1995 - Sheltered

1997 - Still Have a Song

1998 - Remembrance

1998 - Always

2000 - Waiting

2001 - I've Won

2002 - Trophy of Grace

2003 - An Acoustic Journey

2004 - Fresh Manna

2005 - The Old Path

2007 - Telling the Story

2008 - Something More

2009 - The Message

2011 - Joy in the Journey

2012 - Precious Seed

2013 - A Song Every Day

2014 - 50

Radio Singles:

"Burning the Midnight Oil" - #19

"Who Put the Tears (in the Eyes of the Lamb?) - #1 (September 1984)

"Somebody Prayed for Me" -

"Tarry Here" - #4

"Bring Me out of the Desert" - #5

"The Bride Coming In" - #4

"I'm Going Through" - #10

"Getting Used to the Dark" - #1 (October/November/December 1987)

"No More Sea" - #12

"God on the Mountain" - #1 (November/December 1988; January/February/March 1989)

"Ground Breaking" - #10

"Under His Feet" - #2

"God Will Make This Trial a Blessing" - #1 (January/February 1991)

"Handfuls of Purpose" - #16

"Somehow He Will" - #27

"The Rising of the Son" - #5

"Vision of Heaven" - #35

"Do You Know How It Feels?" - #1 (February/March/April 1993)

"A Borrowed Tomb" - #1 (October 1993)

"Arise" - #1 (June/July/August/September 1994)

"Prayer Changes Me" - #2

"I'm Going Through, Jesus" - #3

"A Voice Within" - #6

"How Deep Is the Sea?" - #3

"The Old Love Letter" - #3

"Right on Time" - #1 (November 1997)

"This Valley Is for Me" - #3

"A Wall of Prayer" - #3

"Roll That Burden on Me" - #1 (November 1999)

"It Satisfies Me" - #4

"The Blood" - #3

"Even the Valley" - #4

"I've Won" - #1 (November 2001)

"He Calms Me" - #1 (May 2002)

"The Other Side" - #2

"Surely Goodness and the Mercies of the Lord" - #4

"A Trophy of Grace" - #5

"Anytime" - #7

"God Is So Good to Me" - #2

"The Good News" - #1 (June 2005)

"I Am Home" - #1 (December 2005; January 2006)

"I Will Trust You, Lord" - #1 (August 2006)

"Altogether Lovely" - #2

"You're Still God" - #4

"You Are with Me" - #3

"It Takes Time" - #32

"I've Made up My Mind" - #9

"Between Twelve and Thirty-Three" - #1 (November 2009)

"I Keep Praying" - #1 (June 2002)

"The Shepherd's Point of View" - #1 (December 2010)

"Above and Beyond" - #1 (August 2011)

"When Faith Steps In" - #4

"I Made It by Grace" - #4

"Unspoken Request" - #1 (January 2013)

"When He Speaks" - #3

"Hold On" - #11

"A Hill Worth Dying On" - #4

"There Is Jesus" - not yet charting

Singing News ANNUAL Top 40 Charts

1989 - #1 "God on the Mountain"

1994 - #1 "Arise"

2011 - #1 "Above and Beyond"

• • This annual chart represents the most-played songs within a given year from January to December. **

Awards:

1989 - Female Vocalist of the Year (Peg McKamey Bean)

1990 - Female Vocalist of the Year (Peg McKamey Bean)

1991 - Female Vocalist of the Year (Peg McKamey Bean)

1992 - Female Vocalist of the Year (Peg McKamey Bean)

1993 - Female Vocalist of the Year (Peg McKamey Bean)

1994 - Female Vocalist of the Year (Peg McKamey Bean)

2002 - Female Vocalist of the Year (Peg McKamey Bean)

1989 - Song of the Year ("God on the Mountain"/Tracy Dartt)

1994 - Song of the Year ("Arise"/Roger Ealey)

2003 - Video of the Year ("Hometown Live!")

2001 - Marvin Norcross Award (Ruben Bean)

2012 - Norcross-Templeton Award (Peg McKamey Bean)

Videos/DVDs

1988 Gone To Meetin’

1989 Sing Praises

1991 On Tour

1992 With Feeling, Live!

1994 With His Power

1996 Encourage

1999 Genuine

2000 Who We Are

2001 McKameys Hometown Live (Video of the year 2003 at SN Fan Awards)

2003 Renfro Valley Live (VHS/DVD)

2006 The Old Path Live

2006 Christmas

2008 Something More Live

2011 Journey

References