From the St. Petersburg (FL) Times. The pastor of the Port Richey church is James Poyner.
The name they chose for their singing trio, Forgiven, fits us all, says Debbie Baker.
“We are all forgiven through Jesus Christ,” she said during a telephone interview.
Debbie, her husband, Cloid and Tank Tackett make up the Forgiven gospel singing trio. During the next few days, the group will perform at two area churches. On Sunday at 6 p.m., the group will be in concert at Calvary Church of the Nazarene, 235 Cobblestone Drive, in Spring Hill.
On Wednesday, the trio travels to Gulfview Grace Brethren Church, 6639 Hammock Road in Port Richey for a 7 p.m. show.
Baker said she and Cloid have been singing together for more than 30 years. Before their marriage in 1972 he sang with the Gaithers, while she sang with the Weatherfords, both icons in the gospel music industry. After their marriage and before forming their trio in 1986, they traveled with Danny Gaither when he left the Bill Gaither Trio in 1977.
The focus of their ministry, she said, is to the church, and their purpose is to provide through music and testimony a worship service for the Christian and an evangelistic service for seekers.
They travel 240 days a year from their home in Lawrenceburg, Ind., in the southeast corner of the state.
The third member of the Forgiven Trio is Gayle Tackett, known affectionately as Tank. He also appeared with the Weatherfords and other groups including the Statesmen Quartet. His home is in Nashville, and when there he is a featured soloist with the Christ Church Choir. He is also a part of the Gaither Homecoming Friends recordings.
“I am excited about the future of Forgiven and what God has in store for us as long as we remember, it’s not about us but all about him,” said Tackett, who joined the trio last year.
The group records on its own label, Morning Star and Forgiven Music Group. It has been recognized by many national Southern gospel music publications including Streets of Gold and Southern Gospel Music Forum. In May of 2003, the trio was featured in Singing News Magazine.
Call (352) 683-0587 for more information about the Spring Hill concert and (727) 862-7777 for the Port Richey concert.
