New Convenant
Howard Vest (Baritone)
Having been raised in the mountains of southern West Virginia, I developed an early sense of the love of God.
It seems to be the natural thing to look around you here and witness His Glory and His Grace. From the time I was just a toddler, my sisters, Donna and Dianna, would teach me hymns around the piano where so many “Precious Memories” now linger in my mind.
As I grew to be a young adult, I was exposed to other types of music, but none ever grasped my attention like those sacred, glorious songs of our Lord Jesus and His love. Now as I draw nearer to my golden years, I truly appreciate having my beautiful wife Barbara and our five adult children, their spouses, and the grand children to share in life.
I am grateful that God saw fit to bring me through the years I wasted and bring me to be a member of New Covenant. I tried to run from this opportunity for several months, but two songs came into my life about the same time, “I just feel like something good is about to happen” and “God’s prepared me, for such a time as this.”
When you add these two songs to a little “Amazing Grace” there is no denying that God has saved a wretch like me, and it is now my time to serve the Master. Thank You Jesus!
Rick Campbell (Lead)
Married to his high school sweetheart, Bonita, Rick was born in Logan County of West Virginia, the son of a Baptist minister. As such, he was brought up and saved in his father’s church at the age of 9. He also enjoyed the great privilege of being both baptized and married by his father. His life has always revolved around the church.
His mother is the daughter of a music teacher and Rick says,
“My fondest memories as child are of visiting my grandparents and listening to the music.
My mother’s family all sang and played instruments and what a thrill it was to go there and here them.
A family group, The McClures, performed regularly on the radio during the 50’s.” Also a big fan of the former TV show “The Gospel Singing Jubilee”, Rick comes by his passion for Gospel Music very naturally.
After being involved in organized church music for most of his life, Rick began performing as a soloist and doing duets with his oldest daughter in the 80’s. He also sang with the Sunrise Gospel Group and contemporary group Shine while living in North Carolina during the 80’s and 90’s. Retuning to West Virginia in 1995 Rick continued his solo performances but also sang with the praise and worship team at his local church and joined the local mixed group Sweet Surrender. Finally, in 2007, he was able to fulfill his lifelong dream of singing with an all male group when he was invited to join New Covenant during a re-organization.
“I am so honored to have been able to serve the Living God through music for all these years”, Rick says.
“And I have been especially blessed to serve alongside these two incredible Christian men, Larry and Carlee.”
Rick has been married to Bonita for 38 years. They have two daughters and 4 grandchildren.
Larry Rowley (Tenor)
For me it all started in the late 1950s around an old warm morning coal stove on Saturday night after church when it seemed like everybody from church came to my grandmother’s house. Everyone brought guitars, banjoes and mandolins and we would sing gospel songs until the wee hours of the morning. I would stand beside my mother and her sisters and sing the high alto notes. That is my fondest memories. I love to sing gospel music.
It has always been my dream to travel with a group and sing to people all over the country and I thank God for allowing me to do that for the last 30 years and if it be His will He will allow me to sing until he takes me home.
I thank God for my wife, Johanna, my daughter, Kristy who gave us our first grandchild, and my son, Christopher. They have stood beside me and allowed me to do the very thing that God has called me to do. Johanna travels with me almost all the time and she too has learned to love southern gospel music. From her beautiful smile while sitting in the congregation I know this is exactly where God wants us to be and from time to time she gives me the high sign when I get to talking a little long. It is my hope that our ministry will bless hearts and lift the name of Jesus to the lost and dying world. Over the past 30 years I have had the privilege to sing with groups such as the Gospeliers, the West Virginia Curriers and In 1983 was one of the founding members of New Covenant. I have also sung with several other groups and do solo work in my home church, Jones Memorial Baptist Church of Beckley, WV.
May God bless you and please keep us in your prayers that wherever God leads us we will be willing to go.
