"The Ray Stevens of Gospel Music" is how some people refer to Jeff Treece and his band, and it is a very appropriate tag for this group to wear. While Jeff is very serious about the ministry to which God has called him, there is no denying that he loves to see folks laugh.
"The joy of the Lord is your strength" and "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine." These words, found in Nehemiah 8:10 and Proverbs 17:22 of the Bible, provide a basis for Jeff's ministry.
Like so many of today's gospel musicians and singers, Jeff was raised in church and influenced by gospel music. In 1963 Jeff's mom, dad, aunt and
uncle formed a gospel group called The Cedar Ridge Quartet, named after the church they attended, Cedar Ridge Baptist Church. Jeff joined the group when he was 13 years old.
By 1986, Cedar Ridge had reached national fame as one of America's favorite family quartets, and produced over 20 top 40 hits until Jeff's mother became ill in 1993. This forced the group to drastically reduce their touring schedule. Jeff left Cedar Ridge to play the piano for The McKameys until 1996, when he returned to his family group and remained until his mother passed away just one year later.
It was from Cedar Ridge that the Jeff Treece Band came into being in 1999. Having left their mark on gospel music history, Cedar Ridge disbanded and Jeff recorded his first solo project. Since then, Jeff and his band have presented their own brand of gospel music and Christian comedy with concert appearances across the country.
Their first radio release, "The Good Book," reached the number one position on the Christian Country national music chart. This was followed by "The Monkey Song," which also reached number one status both in the US and Europe. "That's What I Call A Friend" is currently sitting at the number one spot on the Christian Country music charts. For a group that is only three years in existence, three consecutive number one hits is nearly record-breaking acheivement within the gospel music genre. No wonder they have been honored with numerous award nominations including "Male Vocalist Of The Year, " "Entertainer Of The Year" and "Trio Of The Year."
"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine." For a good dose of laughter and gospel music, The Jeff Treece Band is just what the doctor ordered!
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