A world-famous singing quartet will perform in Charlotte, Ark., this weekend.
The Oak Ridge Boys will bring their “Front Porch Singin’ Tour” to the annual Freedom Fest at John 3:16 Ministries, 75 Holmes Road, on Saturday, July 1. Gates open at 4:30 p.m., and attendees are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets for the event. Bounce houses will be set up, and the evening will end with a fireworks show.
“July is the month the nation celebrates its freedom and independence, and it is also the month that the residents at John 3:16 celebrate their freedom from drug and alcohol addiction,” said camp founder and director Bryan Tuggle.
Festivities get underway Saturday, July 1, with a barbecue dinner. Meal tickets are $10, and every ticket comes with an entry into the grand prize drawing of a Spartan Mower RZ zero-turn riding mower valued at $3,600. (Organizers note that one must be present to win.)
The event will also include an auction featuring several items made by John 3:16 residents, including wood and metal signs, illuminated crosses, canvas prints, wooden cutting boards, and more.
According to a release from the ministry, primarily funded by donations and fundraisers, John 3:16 has been helping men conquer their drug and alcohol addictions at no cost to them for over 20 years.
From day one, when someone asks how much it will cost for their loved one to attend, they’re told by members, “Jesus Christ already paid the price,” the ministry said in the release.
Instructor A.J. Austin said selling items handmade by the men in the camp is one step in the healing process.
“That’s part of what John 3:16 does, getting guys that’ve been in drug addiction and teaches them Jesus to get that freedom in Him but also teaches them how to put our hands on something and do something with our lives,” he said.
Austin, who graduated in June 2021, knows firsthand the feeling of seeing people bid on items that will support the ministry, which is now home to 260 men.
“It’s a big confidence booster; it’s like God is showing you that you are doing what you are supposed to be doing,” he said. “At the end of my addiction, everything I touched went wrong, whether I wanted it to or not. Even with the best intentions, it still went wrong. So then to see something that I’ve put my hands on actually be worth something to someone means a lot.”
Instructor Brent Waugh also said the items have a deeper meaning.
“Everything we do represents every man that came before us, and every man that will come after us, like Jesus — what He did for one, He did for all of us,” he said.
Waugh noted that the ministry has brought some big names in Christian music to the Charlotte area, such as Zach Williams, King & Country, and Matthew West, but this is the first time they have brought the Oak Ridge Boys to the camp. They say they are very excited to host a group that is not only still performing after more than 50 years together but has also been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Founding member Wally Fowler started the band in 1949, recruiting an existing group called the Calvary Quartet to perform with him as the Oak Ridge Quartet. As a nod to their country-gospel roots, the quartet changed their name to the Oak Ridge Boys, and their career took off from there.
With numerous Grammy, Dove, CMA, and ACM Awards under their belt, The Oak Ridge Boys have released 31 studio albums — many of which have reached gold certification or higher — and more than 30 Top 10 singles. The quartet is made up of Duane Allen, Joe Bonsall, Richard Sterban, and William Lee Golden.
With hits like “Leaving Louisiana In the Broad Daylight,” “Bobbie Sue,” “Y’all Come Back Saloon,” and “Thank God for Kids,” the Oaks have a dozen gold and three platinum record albums, along with one double-platinum record album — all to go with the double-platinum single, “Elvira,” which went to No. 1 on both the pop and country charts).
Their current tour will feature hits from their 2021 album, “Front Porch Singin’,” as well as fan favorites and gospel selections.
“We encourage everyone to come out and enjoy a night to remember filled with music, food, and family entertainment,” Tuggle said.
For more information about Freedom Fest, call (870) 799-2525 or visit John316thecure.com.
Article by Andrea Bruner
