Four teenage cousins from Somerville, Alabama loved to sing the beloved gospel songs of the church and those their grandmother, Eura Worley-Brown, taught them. In the late 60's, the girls organized a Southern Gospel music group and traveled, recorded and sang throughout the Southeast. Though the group went through changes and stopped traveling together for a time, they all continued to sing and some record for 40 years. Each of the girls had a "J" in their name and thus named their group the Singing Jays.
All the four members have sang with other groups. There have been recordings. There have been hundreds of thousands of miles traveling the road in a bus and spreading the gospel through song. The love these girls had for their music heritage was passed on to their children and at least one child of each of these girls has made a significant mark in music.
One of the Singing Jays offspring would become an overnight phenomenon as he rocked the world with his amazing vocals and compassionate spirit..
Nancy, Rhea, Linda, Evie......then came Bo, Spunky, Tandy, and Stephanie
Nancy Joy Giddens-Downes, Evie Johnson-Hawkins, Rhea Johnson-Tilley, and Linda Johnson-Case were cousins, but as close as sisters. Their shared love for singing in church and going to gospel singings evolved in the forming of the Singing Jays gospel group when they were only teenagers.
Nancy traveled with several groups and was featured on the Grand Ole Opry. She has done commercials and professional modeling as well. Her eldest son, Bo Bice, was runner-up in The 2005 American Idol competition. He rapidly achieved gold status on record sales and made charting history. He signed with RCA records in 2005 and has become an all-time "idol" favorite because of his compassion as well as his musical gifts.
Evie Johnson-Hawkins traveled and recorded with several regional Southern Gospel quartets including the Jubileans from Bessemer, AL in the mid 80's. Produced by Rusty Goodman and Eddie Crook, the Jubileans were popular throughout the country and are listed as Achievers in The Alabama Music Hall of Fame. Evie has enjoyed songwriting all of her life and The Jubileans have recorded several of her songs. Evie is an adjunct faculty member of Wallace State Community College in Hanceville, AL and writes for Alabama Alive Magazine. Evie travels and sings with her daughters group, Stephanie West and Forgiven.
Evie's daughter, Stephanie Hawkins-West, was bitten by the singing bug about the time she could talk. At age 13, she formed her own Southern Gospel group and traveled under the name, Stephanie Hawkins & Forgiven. She has performed throughout the southeast and spotlighted in a showcase at the National Quartet Convention in Louisville, Ky. She has performed on television and radio and her singing has been used in television commercials.
Rhea Johnson-Tilley was the backbone of the Singing Jays. Being the eldest of the teenage girls, she made sure the Singing Jays arrived on time to their destinations. Her love of Southern Gospel is manifest in her huge collection of old record albums. Rhea works on a Marine Corps contract for Tec-Masters, Inc. in Huntsville, AL. Her daughter, Evie "Spunky" Hillis was involved in piano and music from childhood. Spunky was in Brewer High School's Show Choir and featured in college music recitals and currently sings, along with her husband, Nathan, in a Bluegrass Gospel group from Tennessee.
Linda Johnson-Case sang with the Singing Jays as well as "Forgiven." She remains an avid gospel music fan and is featured on solos in the group. Linda is the Human Resources Director of Tec-Masters, Inc. in Huntsville, AL. Her daughter, Tandy McCutcheon also started singing with her High School Choir, and later won a vocal scholarship to Calhoun Community College. During that time she also won a Cat Freeman Memorial Scholarship in 2004 based on her music ability. She is also a Co-Chair on the Arts in Action Committee for Panoply. She is now singing with her cousin's group "Stephanie West & Forgiven."
The Singing Jays still enjoy getting together to sing. They feel their gospel music heritage has been a blessing and made their own children appreciate the joy music can bring into their lives and the lives of the listening audience.
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