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‘Docsfriends’ take the musical gospel abroad
By FRANK M. WITOWSKI JR.
fwitowski@paragoulddailypress.com
They sing bluegrass gospel here and abroad and were the featured guests at a European Music Festival in Hungary.
The group “Docsfriends” consists of Paragould residents Dr. Lance Monroe, Lance Winn, Tommy Gerrish, Carmen Crocker, Steven Cole and Charles Frazier.
“All of us had been going to church together for years,” Monroe said. But it was an act of good will to cheer up a dying neighbor that got them singing and playing bluegrass gospel music together.
“Charles, Lance and I had Leon [Swindle] come to my house,” Monroe said. “We sat in my study and sang and played and had a good time to boost Leon’s spirits.”
Swindle passed away a little while later but that experience of sharing bluegrass gospel music together stayed with them. Not long afterwards, East Side Baptist Church began a music outreach on Wednesday evening and the trio sang along with some other members of the church. In time six-member core group formed.
It started getting requests to play at schools and churches. One contact wanted to put out fliers to advertise them coming to perform a gospel bluegrass concert but the six individuals had not come up with a name for themselves. The group voted to call themselves “Docsfriends” and have been busy performing at civic group meetings, churches and various functions since then.
The group had been playing together for nearly two years when it received the chance of a lifetime.
Monroe said Paul Brock, who was a missionary in Hungary, called their church organization headquarters looking for a gospel bluegrass group to perform.
The Little Rock missionary coordinator, Robby Tingle volunteered them to go on the trip.
According to “Doc”, everything just fell into place for the group to perform in Hungary April 22-30. He said each member of the group was able to get time off work and had no trouble getting passports or making financial provisions.
“We ended up playing in four towns in Hungary,” Monroe said. “It was a great time. We distributed Hungarian Bibles.”
Docsfriends performed in the towns of Nagykanizsa, Zalakaros, Szeptnek and Letenye.
The experience was especially moving for group member Carmen Crocker, who has gone on a mission trip before to Brazil. “The people that we met who spoke English were wonderful,” she said. “They wanted to practice their English with me.”
She made friends with a man named Mate, whom she is trying to influence.
“I gave him a Bible and a CD and he was very excited,” Crocker said. “The most significant memory was befriending him and keeping in contact with him through e-mail.”
Crocker said she loved the fields of beautiful yellow flowers called “Rama” which is used to make cooking oil. She also enjoyed the food, which she said is rich in flavor and healthier.
Member Lance Winn said he felt the trip was God’s will. “The trip to Hungary was a great opportunity for us – a divine appointment,” Winn said. “It was obvious we were supposed to go – not because we were the greatest musicians but because we were available and willing to go.”
Member Charles Frazier said he has participated in several other missions trips but this was the first time he took an instrument with him to play. “The people really enjoyed our music,” he said. “Music is an international language. I’ve played in small groups and family groups before but nothing like this. It was absolutely wonderful.”
The experience also provided Frazier and Crocker with inspiration to compose a song called “This side of Nowhere” which has been recorded. “It means something special to me because of where it was written,” she said.
Crocker and Frazier were not the first in the group to write an original song. Monroe said some time ago, he was driving to his clinic in Rector listening to a song called “Alone with You.” He said he changed some of the words to make it a religious song. The result was the song “How I want to be in heaven with you.”
Crocker said after that, everybody got interested in writing lyrics. One of the most popular songs the group does is called “Do We”. It’s a remake of the song “Dooley” which was performed on the television series “The Andy Griffith Show.”
At one practice, member Tommy Gerrish couldn’t get the song “Dooley” out of his head and then the couple worked together to compose a Christian version of the song which requires audience participation.
Besides original songs, the group performs a lot of songs written by the Issaics.
Group members said whether they will have another opportunity to perform in another country is in the Lord’s hands.
“It all started because we were just having a good time praising the Lord but God had the trip to Hungary out there,” Monroe said.
Monroe said the group is especially blessed to have Steven Cole play with them. “Steven is an exceptional musician who has extraordinary talent but he plays with us for fun,” Monroe said.
The group will perform at Pilots for Christ convention in Hot Springs in October and played on the square at Mountain View a couple of weeks ago.
“We’re about music,” Frazier said. “But first of all, we’re about spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
When Mate enquires about the group returning to Hungary, Crocker said that her life and the group are directed by the Lord.
For more information, visit www.docsfriends.com
The group “Docsfriends” consists of Paragould residents Dr. Lance Monroe, Lance Winn, Tommy Gerrish, Carmen Crocker, Steven Cole and Charles Frazier.
“All of us had been going to church together for years,” Monroe said. But it was an act of good will to cheer up a dying neighbor that got them singing and playing bluegrass gospel music together.
“Charles, Lance and I had Leon [Swindle] come to my house,” Monroe said. “We sat in my study and sang and played and had a good time to boost Leon’s spirits.”
Swindle passed away a little while later but that experience of sharing bluegrass gospel music together stayed with them. Not long afterwards, East Side Baptist Church began a music outreach on Wednesday evening and the trio sang along with some other members of the church. In time six-member core group formed.
It started getting requests to play at schools and churches. One contact wanted to put out fliers to advertise them coming to perform a gospel bluegrass concert but the six individuals had not come up with a name for themselves. The group voted to call themselves “Docsfriends” and have been busy performing at civic group meetings, churches and various functions since then.
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Monroe said Paul Brock, who was a missionary in Hungary, called their church organization headquarters looking for a gospel bluegrass group to perform.
The Little Rock missionary coordinator, Robby Tingle volunteered them to go on the trip.
According to “Doc”, everything just fell into place for the group to perform in Hungary April 22-30. He said each member of the group was able to get time off work and had no trouble getting passports or making financial provisions.
“We ended up playing in four towns in Hungary,” Monroe said. “It was a great time. We distributed Hungarian Bibles.”
Docsfriends performed in the towns of Nagykanizsa, Zalakaros, Szeptnek and Letenye.
The experience was especially moving for group member Carmen Crocker, who has gone on a mission trip before to Brazil. “The people that we met who spoke English were wonderful,” she said. “They wanted to practice their English with me.”
She made friends with a man named Mate, whom she is trying to influence.
“I gave him a Bible and a CD and he was very excited,” Crocker said. “The most significant memory was befriending him and keeping in contact with him through e-mail.”
Crocker said she loved the fields of beautiful yellow flowers called “Rama” which is used to make cooking oil. She also enjoyed the food, which she said is rich in flavor and healthier.
Member Lance Winn said he felt the trip was God’s will. “The trip to Hungary was a great opportunity for us – a divine appointment,” Winn said. “It was obvious we were supposed to go – not because we were the greatest musicians but because we were available and willing to go.”
Member Charles Frazier said he has participated in several other missions trips but this was the first time he took an instrument with him to play. “The people really enjoyed our music,” he said. “Music is an international language. I’ve played in small groups and family groups before but nothing like this. It was absolutely wonderful.”
The experience also provided Frazier and Crocker with inspiration to compose a song called “This side of Nowhere” which has been recorded. “It means something special to me because of where it was written,” she said.
Crocker and Frazier were not the first in the group to write an original song. Monroe said some time ago, he was driving to his clinic in Rector listening to a song called “Alone with You.” He said he changed some of the words to make it a religious song. The result was the song “How I want to be in heaven with you.”
Crocker said after that, everybody got interested in writing lyrics. One of the most popular songs the group does is called “Do We”. It’s a remake of the song “Dooley” which was performed on the television series “The Andy Griffith Show.”
At one practice, member Tommy Gerrish couldn’t get the song “Dooley” out of his head and then the couple worked together to compose a Christian version of the song which requires audience participation.
Besides original songs, the group performs a lot of songs written by the Issaics.
Group members said whether they will have another opportunity to perform in another country is in the Lord’s hands.
“It all started because we were just having a good time praising the Lord but God had the trip to Hungary out there,” Monroe said.
Monroe said the group is especially blessed to have Steven Cole play with them. “Steven is an exceptional musician who has extraordinary talent but he plays with us for fun,” Monroe said.
The group will perform at Pilots for Christ convention in Hot Springs in October and played on the square at Mountain View a couple of weeks ago.
“We’re about music,” Frazier said. “But first of all, we’re about spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
When Mate enquires about the group returning to Hungary, Crocker said that her life and the group are directed by the Lord.
For more information, visit www.docsfriends.com
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