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Garren and Carlene Ellick first became Southern gospel music fans 40 years ago when two of their children joined up with a local gospel quartet.

Four decades later, the passion is still there. That’s why the couple drove up from McNatt Saturday evening for the 7th Annual Four-State Thanksgiving Gospel Sing at Crowder College.

While the concert brought out three well-known gospel music groups, the Ellicks weren’t sure before the show which artists they were looking forward to hearing most.

“We don’t really have a favorite,” Carlene said. “They’re all good.”

About 400 people packed into Crowder’s Elsie Plaster Auditorium to hear gospel groups Signature Quartet, the McCunes, Christian comedian/song writer Aaron Wilburn and - headline artists - The Lesters, a St. Louis-based singing group which has been featured on the cover of Singing News magazine and the U.S. Gospel News and appeared as guests on Paul Heil’s, “Gospel Greats” radio program, Reach Network and Gospel Music Television.

All of the featured groups record in Nashville and receive air time on radio stations across the country, according to Duane Garren, director of marketing for Brumley Music and promotor of Saturday night’s concert.

Garren said he sold advance tickets to gospel fans from as far away as Kansas City, Muskogee, Okla., Harrison, Ark. and St. Louis. He said while the annual event has previously been held in Diamond, Crowder College proved to be a more centralized location for the fan base and adequately fit seating requirements as well as other needs.

“We’re just delighted to have this here at Elsie Plaster - it’s a nice auditorium,” Garren noted. “I don’t think people in the Neosho area understand what kind of facility they have out here at Crowder College.”

The concert kicked off with a lively, hand clapping rendition of McDonald County native Albert E. Brumley’s “I’ll Fly Away” before The Lesters took the stage amidst wild applause.

Saturday’s evening show was recorded for a live album the group will produce later. Most of the songs performed were from recent albums, though a few older numbers were included as well.

The family singing troupe first went on the gospel music circuit 81 years ago. Today the faces include brother and sister Brian Lester and Ginger Pitcher, children of the original founders, Brian’s son Jonathan Lester and Ginger’s daughter Jenny Revelle.

Seth Revelle, Jenny’s husband, sat on the side line Saturday night with the couple’s children, three-year-old Emma and three-month-old Ava. While normally he said he doesn’t get to travel very often with his wife on tour, Seth mentioned he came along this time to take care of the kids as Jenny helped develop the group’s live album.

“It’s been a little more crazy this week than usual,” he said.

At 14, Robert Pierre realizes he is singing on borrowed time. Any day now the voice of this Windermere eighth-grader could change, turning his sweet, inspirational crooning into croaking.

But Robert and his parents are hoping the inevitable doesn’t come too soon. After all, his contemporary Christian music CD, Inside Out, debuts Tuesday. “I know our time is limited,” says his dad, Scott Pierre. “His voice might crack any day.”

Robert, whose voice is reminiscent of Michael Jackson’s from the Jackson Five era, says he is concerned — but not scared.

“We’re walking through a door that God has opened for us,” says the boy, who attends First Academy at First Baptist Church of Orlando. “He’s given me a voice. If God wants me to continue singing and encouraging kids, then I’ll keep walking through that door.”

Produced by some of the biggest names in Christian recording, the CD is aimed for the tween market, children ages 8 to 12. One of the producers is Robert White Johnson, who has worked with Celine Dion, Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Van Zant brothers.

Puberty or not, the Christian equivalent of pop music’s star-making machinery is already in gear.

Robert performed at Universal’s “Rock the Universe” Christian music weekend on Sept. 9. A single from his CD, “Eternal,” began airing on Christian radio stations Sept. 29. He appeared in Nashville as part of Youth in Christ’s Believe Tour on Oct. 13, and in Dallas last weekend. He’s doing another eight performances around the country, and he will appear at a free release party Sunday at Orlando’s House of Blues.

“His voice will change, his talents will improve, but he is off to a wonderful start,” says Michael Ross, editor of Breakaway, a monthly magazine for teen boys that is published by Focus on the Family. Ross watched Robert perform at Universal and interviewed him for an upcoming article.

‘Who’s the best singer?’

Robert first made his singing skills apparent when he belted out numbers from Disney’s The Lion King, standing in his crib. Lots of youngsters do that, but Karla Pierre soon noticed that her son appeared to have perfect pitch. By age 5, Robert joined First Baptist’s “Singing Christmas Tree” pageant, performing before thousands of church members and guests.

“We always felt Robert was gifted vocally,” says Scott.

While Robert was not a standout in choir, according to Karla, he had “a great little voice.”

She recalls thinking, “We should record it before it changes. We didn’t have aspirations to record it for commercial purposes.”

Those modest plans changed in 2005, when Christian recording artist Al Denson was at First Academy, First Baptist’s school, as an artist in residence.

While leading worship, he asked the students who was the best singer in the group. They pointed to Robert, then 12, and Denson pulled him onstage for a song.

At Denson’s urging, the Pierres arranged for Robert to record three Christmas songs, including “We Three Kings,” with longtime Dallas producers Mike and Mark Stitts.

The holiday CD went out in Christmas cards to family and friends and was soon picked up by Z88.3-FM, Orlando’s contemporary Christian music station.

“Thanks to American Idol everyone wants to be a singer these days,” says Scott Smith, morning host on Z88.3. “But it is so encouraging to see a young person like Robert want to use his gift to encourage people through Christian music.”

Before long, other stations around the country began airing it. Posted online for just 10 days, it also became an Internet hit.

Many in the industry think there is an audience for Robert among preteens and their parents who shy away from commercial music that has a high level of sexual content and who say that most contemporary Christian music is aimed at an older demographic.

“Moms that have young kids would definitely love it — especially the family-friendly lyrics,” says Andi Jaxson, an on-air personality at KLTY-FM in Dallas, one of the nation’s largest Christian stations.