Biographies

When you think your situation is hopeless, you may want to consider one of Louisiana's most inspiring stories of determination and courage. Ben Waites was born with arthrogryposis, and while his body may be bound to a wheelchair, his spirit is soaring through the gift of song.

At a young age, Ben was inspired by his grandfather, Jim Waites, a talented singer and founder of the Gospel Tones Quartet. Ben knew he had to find his calling and to make something out of his life. His desire to spread the Gospel directed Ben to begin musical training.

Jim was glad to help, but Ben struggled with singing. He was tone deaf and had difficulty reading music as well. Finally, after three long months, something clicked in Ben’s mind.

“It baffled me at first because in my head were all these different colors,” said Ben. “When I sing ‘It Is Well’, there is a deep red, and some green. Through it, I can match the pitch and read the style of the song. It’s almost like a connection through that. That was really what helped me with music. I couldn’t read music or understand the technique; all I had was color.”

In December of 2010, Ben graduated from Louisiana College with an interdisciplinary concentration of music, communications, and theater arts. He received several scholarships during his years at college, and was given the honor of singing at his own graduation. The entire auditorium was on its feet, cheering and applauding the seemingly unlikely student with the beautiful voice.

“It was truly amazing!” said Ben. “Not because I was singing but it was an opportunity to show God’s faithfulness. Because of His grace and mercy, I’m able to push on see my dreams become reality.”

Singing has become such a crucial part of Ben’s life and career, but music is not his whole life. Growing up, he had a happy, fulfilling life and supportive family. He says he did everything the other kids did, just with a little help sometimes. Ben chose to sing, but he knows that he will be fine with or without his gifted voice.

“Music is my language but I can’t say it’s the most important thing in my life,” said Ben. “When I do a concert, it’s never about the music. God is my pilot, I’m just the co-pilot. I’ll sing as many songs as I can, but if I can’t communicate the message then I don’t need to be singing anyway. It’s just the tool, and I have the rest of my life to study and train. I do have the goals that I’d like to achieve, but they’re not mandatory or a necessity.”

In addition to his music ministry, Ben is a certified vocal coach at Bret Manning's Singing Success studio in Nashville, TN. He not only teaches in person but also gives lessons all over the world via Skype.

In 2010, Ben’s grandfather passed away, but his memory lives on. Ben has already accomplished so much and will continue to share his gifts to prove that anyone can succeed no matter the circumstances.

“That’s the key, nothing is impossible. If you set your mind to it, you can do it!.”

www.benwaites.com

When thinking about having a new biography written, the question of who to write it always stumps me. Answering someone’s questions about who you are has always seemed a strange way to approach the task of telling others about yourself and your life’s mission. Because who knows you better than you do?

In order to alleviate that emotion of seeming vanity, I decided to take on the job myself.

I was raised by people who found life hard and wonderful at the same time. A farm in central Kentucky is what I call my homeland. The tender shoots that sprang from my grandfather’s carefully plowed rows were lessons about life. Planting, reaping, seedtime, and harvest, these are the bases of all of our existence, really. We planted each spring to make sure we survived the winter’s dark days. Spiritually we are nothing if we are not farmers planting seeds for the Master’s great wedding day harvest.

We celebrated the rain after weeks of drought, always decidedly giving glory to God for His provision.

We fed and housed ornery old Angus and Herford cows as if they were better than we were. We sweated through the heat of tobacco season and we prayed before every meal. We were fed on the baby food of “every good gift comes from the Father.” As we matured, we graduated to the meat of “though He slay me, yet, I will praise Him.”

Surprisingly, no one has ever asked me how I came to follow Jesus. Of course my parents and grandparents held my feet to each precept of Christianity, but just because that is so does not mean salvation for me. Actually, I was wooed. For years, I sat and listened to the congregational songs, and their gospel plucked strings in my heart. It was not until I went to youth camp that it became clear that I had to take part in my Savior’s death by repentance. After camp, I did just that. There was not a parade. There were no fireworks. There were no flaming tongues falling at the front pew where I knelt. It was just Mrs. Davenport and me kneeling there. She prayed the words first, and I repeated them. I have repeated them in some fashion every day since. “Lord, forgive me for I am a sinner.” After words that heavy, God does the great and awesome remaking of a human heart. Nothing is ever the same then. Thank God for that.

Though I did not come from a musically literate family, music has always been a part of me. Each week my mother cleaned the small Baptist church where we attended. My job was to vacuum the never-ending sea of sanctuary carpet. Mom allowed me to take a turntable from our home and listen to records as I swept. At the time, I only owned two LP’s. One I got from a mail order ad of Keith Green. The record was sent on a “just send what you can” basis from Keith’s ministry. “So You Wanna Go Back to Egypt?” was the title. Keith impacted my life by allowing me to pay for the recording with what I had, which was $2.50. Another LP landed in my pile of two from God only knows where. It was The Gaither Trio recording called “We Are Persuaded.” I would listen to that music for hours, and would often look at Gloria’s smile. I remember being envious of their happy faces and locked arms as they skipped down the sidewalk together. I understood that music then, but understand it even more deeply now. “Because He Lives” was on that recording. I swept, dusted, picked up discarded bulletins, and sang, “I know who holds the future, and life is worth the living just because He lives.”

Last weekend I got off the Gaither’s bus at the arena. I walked along side of Bill into the auditorium. He seemed to be skipping, and so I skipped along beside him. He stuck a microphone in my face on the last verse of Because He Lives and I sang as fine as I could sing. I think my arm made an involuntary sweeping motion.

Planting and reaping. Jesus planted in me. And still today, He is reaping what He has sown. Like Jesus, I am also a planter now. I plant the strange supernatural seeds of faith, love, mercy, forgiveness, trust, and joy… and I do it for the child who vacuums the auditoriums of life.

www.allisonspeer.com

Mike Allen is one of the finest bass singers in Gospel Music. He is no stranger to lovers of Southern Gospel and has become a much-loved and familiar face and voice.

As a young man, Mike served a stint in the U.S. Marine Corps as an aircraft electronics technician, something that would serve him well in his future dealing with sound systems and tour buses.

After his discharge from the Marines and feeling the strong desire to sing, Mike joined the Weatherford Quartet. Bill Gaither took note of his beautiful resonate bass voice and has featured him on most of the Gaither Homecoming Series videos. He has also sung with the Weatherford Quartet, Poet Voices, Palmetto State and the LeFevere Quartet, and the Songfellows.

Mike’s talents are many and is a world-class handyman. He has two children and two grandchildren.

www.mikeallenonline.com/

His mother wrapped him up behind the product table and laid him in a makeshift crib, a sheet music case while his grandparents, parents, aunts and uncle sang for fans in concerts big and small. The youngest of three children born to Brock and Faye Speer, Brian was brought into a family who held the attention and esteem of Christian audiences all over the world.

Music was in his home and life from his birth so naturally, Brian’s destiny was to become accomplished in music himself and he began standing on his tip-toes to reach the microphone at age five. He grew up with instruments all around and eventually picked up a guitar and began playing for the Singing Speer Family. He played at the White House for Jimmy Carter and traveled full time with The Speers for five years.

Upon reaching his twenties, Brian began to recognize his parents love for education and enrolled in Trevecca Nazarene University in their home of Nashville, TN. He was impacted early in his education by an accounting teacher, Gerald Skinner, and declared a double major in accounting and business administration. With this degree he became an accountant in the music business and worked at the Benson Company, RiverSong Records, Homeland Records and Integrated Copyright Group.

In 1989, Brian met Allison Durham and fell in love with a Gospel singer. After they married, he then opened an office of private accounting and started traveling with Allison as her manager, roadie, sound technician, body guard, personal psychotherapist, and masseuse.

After 28 years of ministry as a couple Brian and Allison heard a new song that had a familiar ring, and a new group was born, the New Speer Family. Brian has picked up the microphone again and has found those old but great songs of his family that are worthy to be sung again. Brian is presently producing and managing The New Speer Family and singing baritone, the same part his grandfather, Dad Speer, sang for 60 years. Brian is also the manager of a recording studio in Nashville and produces Southern Gospel recordings for others who have taken the mantle of ministry in music.

www.brianspeer.com