I.C.G.M.A. brings Country Gospel Music Convention to West Plains July 11-13

Country Gospel Music has its biggest event of the year July  11, 12 and 13 as singers and musicians from all across America gather in West Plains for the International Country Gospel Music Association's 68th Annual Convention and Award Show. This year's show marks the 17th consecutive year the event has been held in West Plains. The convention brings together many of the genre's top recording artists for the occasion, with over 100 singers expected to perform. 

 

 The shows feature Country Gospel, Bluegrass Gospel, and Southern Gospel music each evening. The talent lineup reads like a Who's Who in Country Gospel. Special guests performing this year will be Internationally known artists "The Girls Next Door", Barbara Fairchild and Roy Morris, Bruce Haynes, Jim Sheldon, host of the Music City TV Show, Bluegrass favorites The Waymasters, Loretta Hummel, Dan Duncan, Mary Fay Jackson,  Gene Reasoner, comedian Barry McGee, (aka Harvey Tater), The Tiptons, Crystle Elam, Bill Baker, Ava Kasich, Jonathan Bond, J. Abbott, Victoria Steelman, John Penney, Bev McCann Zac Clifton, Chosen 4:13, Light of Grace, Pam Blackstock, Dale Rochell, Melanie Walker, Mike Leichner, Melissa Evans, and many more.  

 

The schedule provides daytime showcases beginning at 10:00 a.m. Thursday morning and continuing until 4:30 p.m. each day.  The evening concerts begin at 6:00 p.m. The highlight of the convention is the Gold Cross Awards Show held on Saturday evening. I.C.G.M.A. honors excellence in music in 26 categories, including the induction of artists into their prestigious Hall Of Fame.

 

The entire event is free to the public. It will once again be held at The Bridge Church, 10105 South 63 Highway, West Plains, four miles south of Dairy Queen. In addition to the regularly scheduled ICGMA convention activities, a number of ICGMA artists will stay over to sing in a special ICGMA Sunday morning service. That service begins at 10:00 a.m. Everyone is invited to attend.