Renowned artist to perform locally

A chart-topping songwriter in Southern gospel music will be making his way to Franklin County once again to speak and sing at a local church.

Gerald Crabb will be the guest speaker and singer at the revival services for Cornerstone Fellowship Church in Phil Campbell on June 13-15.

Pastor Carolyn Baker said Crabb spoke and sang at her church the past two years and she knew she wanted him to come back.

“It was such a spiritual blessing to have him here,” Baker said. “You could tell that our church was just revived after he came.”

Crabb has written more than 400 songs and has had 22 national number one songs. From January of 1998 to December of 2006, one or more of Crabb’s songs held the number one spot on the National Southern Gospel chart for 37 months out of that time period.

His songs have been sung by such artists as Randy Travis, Marie Osmond, Marty Raybon, The Gaither Vocal Band, The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, The Hoppers and many others.

He is also well-known for founding the internationally known group The Crabb Family, whose performances have been lauded all over the country.

Crabb himself has won several awards including the 2011 Dove Awards Songwriter of the Year and Song of the Year awards.

In 2011, he and his wife Debi, who live in Ripley, Miss., had more than 197 engagements including concerts and revivals, and even though he is a busy man, he has still made time to come and speak to and sing for the people of Franklin County.

“We are so glad to have Gerald Crabb coming back to our church once again,” Baker said.

“We had so many people come last year and we hope we have even more this year.”

Cornerstone Fellowship Church is located at 1 Block Church Rd. in Phil Campbell. Services on June 13 will begin at 7 p.m. and services on June 14 will begin at 6 p.m. The Sunday morning service on June 15 will begin at 10 a.m.