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AllisonSpeerBioAllisonSpeerwasraisedintheBluegrassfieldsofKentucky,andevenalandasvastasthatwasnotbigenoughtocontainhertalent.Herearlychildhoodwasspentenjoyingspringvegetablegardensandsundryingautumnapples;tendingcattleandcrops,anddevelopingadeeprespectforGod'screationgaveheradown-homesenseofself.AconcertbyTheImperialswasAllison'searliestintroductiontoChristianmusic.ShewatchedasRussTaffperformedthesongs,"PraisetheLord"and"NewCreation,"andwasinstantlypassionateaboutthegospelwordsettosong.Thepassionshefeltthatnighthastakenhertothestage,performingalongsideRussTaff,andasaregularontheGaitherHomecomingvideosandtours."It'ssosurrealtoperformnexttoRuss;heandTheImperialsare thereasonIfellinlovewithChristianmusicinmyteens.ThatmeansthatRussisaconsiderablenumberofyearsolderthanme,a factIcontinuallyremindhimof."AllisoncommunicatestheGospelinallshedoes,inmega-churchessuchasFirstBaptistAtlanta(Dr.CharlesStanley),TheBrooklynTabernacle,FirstBaptistOrlando(Rev.JimHenry),aswellassmallruralchurches.ShehasalsobeenafeaturedartistformanyBiblestudycruiseswithCharlesStanleyandD.JamesKennedy.ShehasalsoperformedwithevangelistsLuisPalau,BaileySmith,DavidRing,andJohnnyHunt(FirstBaptistChurchofWoodstock,GA).HerappearancesontheGaitherHomecomingvideos,The700Club,andTheTrinityBroadcastingNetworkhaveleftthenationwantingmoreofthisincrediblesinger.ShehasbeentheguestsoloistatthenationalSouthernBaptistConvention,theNazareneGeneralAssembly,andnumerousPraiseGatheringsandFamilyFestEventshostedbyBillGaither.HertimehasbeenspenttouringwiththeGaitherVocalBandandGaitherTrio,andwithMarkLowryandWayneWatson,aswellaskeepingahecticscheduleofsoloappearances.Hergroundingliesatherhomechurch,GraceChurchoftheNazareneinNashville,TN.Butnomatterwheresheis,aconsumingflamekeepshersearchingforwaystobeused,asshesays,"tohelpothersidentifywiththesufferingofJesusandbringclaritytothewordofGodthroughmusic."Allison’szealforcommunicatingtheGospelthroughsongledhertobegintheGodSongMusicAcademy(www.godsongmusicacademy.com),afour-dayconferencethatinAllison’swords,“makescommunicatorsandministersoutofsingers.”Sheadds,“Ihaveapassionforgivingnewperformersthetoolsthattheyneedtobetter
ministertheGospel.”Asastudentofcommunicationskills,herdesireistoequipthenextgenerationofsingersandmusicianstoreachtheiraudiencestotheirfullestpotential.ThisconferencehasbeenheldannuallyinNashville,TNsince2008.Allison'slatestrecording,"Writer,"isherfirstself-pennedproject,featuringsongsco-writtenwithsomeofGospelmusic’sfinestwriters.“Writer”showcasesthedepthsofhermusicalabilitiesandherpassionforpresentingtheGospelwithuniquepoetryandmelodies.Herperformanceseemseffortlessbutpushesyoubeyondthevoicetoallowyoutobecomeonewiththeintimatemessage."Writer"ispackedwithscriptureandBiblicaltruthsfortheages.Allisonsays,"ThisisthefirstprojectI’vewrittenanditgavemeafreedomofexpressionthatI'veneverhadbefore."Thistalentedwoman'suniquegiftofstorytellingembracesyouwiththecomfortofagoodfriend.Allisonsays,"OneofthemultitudeofthingsthatIlearnedfrommyyearstouringwithBillandGloriaGaither-andamstilllearning-isthatthewarmthandcomfortofyourownlivingroomisawonderfulatmospheretostriveforinaconcert."HertravelstoRussiaandBosniawithChristianrelieforganizationInternationalAid,andThePhilippineswiththeAmericanLeprosyMission,haveleftherchanged,movedtoadeepercommunionwithGod,andwitharesolvetobanishcomplacency."WemustloseouregosandfindourcompleteidentityinthepersonofJesus.ItisinthesheddingofHisbloodthatwefindourlivesandinHissufferinganddeathalone,thatwemustboast."Theconvictionofherheartistoprovidemusicforthechurch.Choosingsongsthatwillministertoothersisherpolicy.WordsthatglorifyGodarehercreed.Bringingthescripturealivewithmusicisherartistry."MymusicisforpeoplewhoneedJesus,andweALLneedJesus.Thisonesimilarityoverthrowsallthepoliticsofourdifferences.Iamlearningthatyoucanmakeafeastonamustardseedoffaith.SowhenIsing,Ijustwelcomefolkstothetable."
AllisonSpeerPersonalBio
Whenthinkingabouthavinganewbiographywritten,thequestionofwhotowriteitalwaysstumpsme.Answeringsomeone’squestionsaboutwhoyouarehasalwaysseemedastrangewaytoapproachthetaskoftellingothersaboutyourselfandyourlife’smission.Becausewhoknowsyoubetterthanyoudo?Inordertoalleviatethatemotionofseemingvanity,Idecidedtotakeonthejobmyself.Iwasraisedbypeoplewhofoundlifehardandwonderfulatthesametime.AfarmincentralKentuckyiswhatIcallmyhomeland.Thetendershootsthatsprangfrommygrandfather’scarefullyplowedrowswerelessonsaboutlife.Planting,reaping,seedtime,andharvest,thesearethebasesofallofourexistence,really.Weplantedeachspringtomakesurewesurvivedthewinter’sdarkdays.SpirituallywearenothingifwearenotfarmersplantingseedsfortheMaster’sgreatweddingdayharvest.Wecelebratedtherainafterweeksofdrought,alwaysdecidedlygivingglorytoGodforHisprovision.WefedandhousedorneryoldAngusandHerfordcowsasiftheywerebetterthanwewere.Wesweatedthroughtheheatoftobaccoseasonandweprayedbeforeeverymeal.Wewerefedonthebabyfoodof“everygoodgiftcomesfromtheFather.”Aswematured,wegraduatedtothemeatof“thoughHeslayme,yet,IwillpraiseHim.”Surprisingly,noonehaseveraskedmehowIcametofollowJesus.OfcoursemyparentsandgrandparentsheldmyfeettoeachpreceptofChristianity,butjustbecausethatissodoesnotmeansalvationforme.Actually,Iwaswooed.Foryears,Isatandlistenedtothecongregationalsongs,andtheirgospelpluckedstringsinmyheart.ItwasnotuntilIwenttoyouthcampthatitbecameclearthatIhadtotakepartinmySavior’sdeathbyrepentance.Aftercamp,Ididjustthat.Therewasnotaparade.Therewerenofireworks.TherewerenoflamingtonguesfallingatthefrontpewwhereIknelt.ItwasjustMrs.Davenportandmekneelingthere.Sheprayedthewordsfirst,andIrepeatedthem.Ihaverepeatedtheminsomefashioneverydaysince.“Lord,forgivemeforIamasinner.”Afterwordsthatheavy,Goddoesthegreatandawesomeremakingofahumanheart.Nothingiseverthesamethen.ThankGodforthat.ThoughIdidnotcomefromamusicallyliteratefamily,musichasalwaysbeenapart
ofme.EachweekmymothercleanedthesmallBaptistchurchwhereweattended.Myjobwastovacuumthenever-endingseaofsanctuarycarpet.MomallowedmetotakeaturntablefromourhomeandlistentorecordsasIswept.Atthetime,IonlyownedtwoLP’s.OneIgotfromamailorderadofKeithGreen.Therecordwassentona“justsendwhatyoucan”basisfromKeith’sministry.“SoYouWannaGoBacktoEgypt?”wasthetitle.KeithimpactedmylifebyallowingmetopayfortherecordingwithwhatIhad,whichwas$2.50.AnotherLPlandedinmypileoftwofromGodonlyknowswhere.ItwasTheGaitherTriorecordingcalled“WeArePersuaded.”Iwouldlistentothatmusicforhours,andwouldoftenlookatGloria’ssmile.Irememberbeingenviousoftheirhappyfacesandlockedarmsastheyskippeddownthesidewalktogether.Iunderstoodthatmusicthen,butunderstanditevenmoredeeplynow.“BecauseHeLives”wasonthatrecording.Iswept,dusted,pickedupdiscardedbulletins,andsang,“Iknowwhoholdsthefuture,andlifeisworththelivingjustbecauseHelives.”LastweekendIgotofftheGaither’sbusatthearena.IwalkedalongsideofBillintotheauditorium.Heseemedtobeskipping,andsoIskippedalongbesidehim.HestuckamicrophoneinmyfaceonthelastverseofBecauseHeLivesandIsangasfineasIcouldsing.Ithinkmyarmmadeaninvoluntarysweepingmotion.Plantingandreaping.Jesusplantedinme.Andstilltoday,HeisreapingwhatHehassown.LikeJesus,Iamalsoaplanternow.Iplantthestrangesupernaturalseedsoffaith,love,mercy,forgiveness,trust,andjoy…andIdoitforthechildwhovacuumstheauditoriumsoflife.
AllisonSpeer’sContacts
ManagementBrianR.Speer
AllisonDurhamSpeerMinistries,Inc.P.O.Box41246
Nashville,TN37204 615.331.0900(voice)888.222.6726(fax)
SchedulingScottCaldwell
TheCaldwellAgency615.436.0469(office)810.577.8034(cell/text)[email protected]
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