Sing People Happy A conversation with
Guy Penrod
By Justin Gilmore Fatherhood is an important responsibility. A father, along with a mother, is tasked with raising up their children to be loving, God-fearing citizens.
Gilmore: For those who don’t know or are not familiar with you, how did you get your start in Southern gospel music?
Legendary Southern gospel vocalist, Guy Penrod, has been blessed with eight children of his own and knows the importance of being a faithful and loving father. Over the course of his career, Penrod has also experienced the faithfulness of our Heavenly Father. With the current global pandemic essentially shutting down much of the music industry, Southern gospel groups and artists have been struggling to make ends meet. In addition, both fans and artists alike miss the concert experience.
Penrod: You know, the start of that for me would probably be with the (Gaither) Vocal Band. I didn’t travel and sing in any groups prior to being with the Vocal Band, just because of the way life went, you know. I grew up singing, enjoyed it all the way through high school and college.
Penrod, in partnership with Thrive Media Streaming, is bringing his classic live concert experience to viewers all over the world, with his “Concert On The Couch,” featuring Penrod and his band performing beloved hymns and worship songs in a night of praise. I recently had the honor of speaking with Penrod about this as well as his storied career.
Gilmore: Who are your musical influences? Penrod: That’s a broad question. A real influence for me not just vocally but character-wise was George Beverly Shea. I grew up listening to him and fell in love with his rich baritone voice. I loved the way you could understand what he sang. I’m a big lover of voices – Nat King Cole, Marty Robbins, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson. I lived out West, so we listened to a lot of country music. Those voices meant a lot to me as I grew up. On the gospel side of things, Jake Hess and the Blackwood
