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I would like to introduce a group to you that maybe some of you have not heard of before and that group is New Ground. They have the #34 spot on the March Singing News Top 80 Chart with their song �Hands Scarred By The Nails�. New Ground is a trio consisting of Dale and Robbie Maxwell and David Owens. Dale sings baritone and Robbie singing alto. They have been married for 23 years. David, who sings tenor for New Ground, is married to Stacy. They have three children. The group has been together for 10½ years and was founded by Robbie and Dale Maxwell .

My trip for the weekend began by meeting the bus in Albertville, Alabama. New Ground travels in a 35ft. Wonderlodge bus and pulls their equipment and product (CD's, tapes, and other items sold at venues) in a trailer. I met the bus around noon and we were headed towards Birmingham, Alabama; but, we had to start off our trip properly by stopping to eat! We stopped at a pizzeria for lunch and then we were off to Metro Church of God where New Ground was doing a concert with The Florida Boys, Talley Trio, Greater Vision, and The Diplomats. David and Dale share the driving duties while Robbie takes care of the management of the group both on the road and in the office. We arrived at the church around 3:30pm . Dale and David unloaded the equipment and product that was needed for the evening. Robbie puts up the product while Dale and David set up equipment and sets the sound for the building. Now, usually at a big venue like this, most groups do not set up all their equipment because they usually share with the other groups. Everyone was trying to set up at one time and, with 5 groups sharing the stage, everyone worked together to help each other out.

Everything was set up by 5:15 giving everyone ample time to change into their dress attire. I tell you what, New Ground has some fans! They have some buttons they give out and the best I figured, at least half of the 850 crowd had these pins on! It was great to get to listen to all of the different groups and they all did a great job. One of the highlights of the evening was when Mark Trammell, who was in the audience, came up on stage and sang a song with Gerald Wolfe and Jason Waldroup of Greater Vision. The concert was over around 11pm and after everything was packed up, we headed out around 12 midnight where we headed out to, you guessed it, eat. We ate at the staple of every Southern Gospel group-Waffle House. After finishing off supper, it was back on the road again. New Ground stays on the bus and usually pulls into a Wal-Mart parking lot to sleep. We got to bed around 2:30am.

We woke up around 6:30am the next morning and after getting our showers, we took off again headed to the next concert. We arrived in Ranburne, Alabama, at Union Hill Baptist Church around 8:30am to do a Sunday morning concert. Equipment and product was all set up around 9:30 and Robbie asked the man in charge of the singing what time church started. I was there when the man told Robbie 11am. We got back on the bus and realized we had about an hour and a half until the concert was to start. No one had had breakfast yet, so we decided to take the bus into town and stop at the local convenience store to get something to tide us over until lunch. We were having a great time cutting up and laughing before heading back to the church where we would get changed and get ready for the concert. We pulled back into the church around 10:30am giving us ample time to change. As soon as the bus was pulled into the parking lot, a man ran out to the bus and said that church had started 30 minutes ago! Let me back up and tell you where Ranburne, Alabama, is located. It is on the Alabama/Georgia line and Georgia is an hour ahead of Alabama. The man at the church had failed to tell Robbie that the church, although in Alabama, runs on Georgia time!

Packing up the equipment around 1pm, we headed to Snead, Alabama, about 2 hours away, to sing at Bethel Baptist Church at 6pm. New Ground finished up around 9pm and we were on the road again and headed towards home. I tell you what, I have never laughed and cut up so much with a group as I did with New Ground! They are just as fun and easy going off stage as they are on stage. Next time New Ground is in your area, take time to go and see their concert-you will be glad you did! You can also visit them on the internet at [url=http://www.newgroundministries.com]http://www.newgroundministries.com [/url]

Also, New Ground has made the Top Ten Ballot for the Horizon Group of the Year for the Singing News 2004 Fan Awards! Look for �When He Comes For Me,� the latest release from New Ground, will be #69 in the April Top 80 Charts. Way to go, Guys!

Reader Comments

I loved the article on New Ground, like you I have traveled with those guys too and I ahve to say that that picture is the best one of Robbie I have ever seen. Looking forward to more articles!
Heath Pannell-Southern Image Quartet.

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