Christian Music Online

Heather Rice three gospel albums

July 30, 2008 – 8:04 pm

Heather Rice has recorded three gospel albums to date

A number of area gospel music performers are set to perform Wednesday night at the White County Fair in an effort to raise money for The Phoenix Foundation–and one of those scheduled to perform is Heather Rice, who recently had one single from her first of three albums hit the gospel music charts.

The 1997 Norris City-Omaha-Enfield High School graduate now resides in Carmi with her husband, John, and their two children, Gavin, 5, and Gracin, 3. She is the daughter of the late Bill Pollard and Kathy and Frank Nelson and has a brother, Chris, of Carmi, and a sister, Katelyn, a 2008 Carmi-White County School graduate. She is the granddaughter of Jane and Reeder Shelow, also of Carmi.

Heather told The Times during a Friday interview she grew up in a church but, like many young adults, quit going, though she continued to sing mostly country music. However, a few years later, she found herself married and a mother, and renewed her faith in God.

She went to a gospel sing at a local church one night and got up and sang a song. Norman Martin (who has been featured in The Times as a local gospel music promoter who has ties with many big-name gospel performers) heard her sing and encouraged her to “stay with it.”

Norman introduced her to some of the members of a nationally known gospel group formerly known as Tarheel State (who recorded a song written by Frieda Rockett of Enfield); the group now calls itself Valor Three. They encouraged her to record and provided the studio for her to try it out. Three albums later, she said she’s a little overwhelmed by the results of the undertaking.

“Everything’s kind of happened really fast,” she said.

She cut her first album, “I’ve Come Too Far to Look Back,” at Valor Three’s private studio in Statesville, N.C., about a year ago. In February 2008, a single from the album, “Draw Me Closer,” was released to Christian radio, and hit No. 15 this month on a country-Christian chart, as well as making it into two other charts. The song was originally performed by Charlotte Richey.

She returned to North Carolina in April and recorded two more albums, “The Power of Your Love” (the title cut is an original recording) and “Songs From the old Blue Hymnal,” which Heather described as a collection of traditional hymns.

Heather performs frequently in the area, with two upcoming revivals and she is slated to perform at the Crossville Fall Festival. In November, she will be performing with “Called Out Quartet,” another nationally known group, at Harvest Fest Weekend in Gatlinburg, Tenn., a large gathering of gospel music talent and fans.

Heather said anyone interested can book rooms through her for the Harvest Fest by calling her at 384-1584. One can also call that number to purchase any of her albums, which sell for $15 each, two for $25 or all three for $30.

She is encouraging a big turn-out for Wednesday at the White County Fair to help support Phoenix’s effort to bring hospital services back to White County. The show begins at 7 p.m.

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