The Lighthouse Boys

The Lighthouse Boys New EP "The Sessions" is out today on Apple Music and wherever music is downloaded or streamed.

The Apple Music link is below

Pre-Release Sale begins today on Apple Music

The link is below

Releasing to digital stores and streaming services worldwide on July 25. A new Five Song EP from the final recording sessions with Bill Underwood and Steve Johnson. Featuring songs like: "From Heaven's Point of View", "He'll Carry You". The Lighthouse Boys - The Sessions CD will also be available at the product table on the Summer/Fall leg of their 50th Anniversary Tour.

Pre-Orders will go live on iTunes July 22.

The Lighthouse Boys 50th Anniversary Tour heads out Nationally this summer. Make plans to attend. More dates are being scheduled. To book The Lighthouse Boys at your Church or Event call (661) 865-7192

Make sure to follow The Lighthouse Boys on Bandsintown to get updated information on The Lighthouse Boys 50th Anniversary Tour

-click here --> https://www.bandsintown.com/a/3111432-the-lighthouse-boys

The Lighthouse Boys announce that Anchor Merchandising will be the official company, for all Merchandise of The Lighthouse Boys. Anchor Merchandising has already released The Lighthouse Boys retro 1980 Bus Logo T-shirts and 50th Anniversary T-Shirts and will have more Merch available soon.

To Purchase official Merchandise, Click Here

(Visalia, CA) – Saturday May 4th at The Great Western Fan Festival. The Lighthouse Boys performed on The Best of The West.. After the final intermission that evening, The Great Western Fan Fest paid tribute to The Lighthouse Boys for their 50th Anniversary. Original and co/founding member Steve Johnson arrived earlier to stand on stage with the rest of the guys to receive the honor. Steve has been facing major health issues lately and was seen in a wheel chair most of the evening. Larry Martin and Herb Henry gave the presentation while photos of the past 50 years of The Lighthouse Boys were shown in the background. 

The Lighthouse Boys will be heading out on the Summer/Fall Leg of their Tour Starting in June, Follow The Lighthouse Boys on Bandsintown to see when they will be in your area.

The Lighthouse Boys are celebrating their 50th Anniversary in 2024, they are currently booking concert dates and services and hope to see you in a town near you. The Lighthouse Boys have carried the banner of Southern and Country Gospel Music to the west coast and beyond bringing that Bakersfield Sound everywhere they go. The Lighthouse Boys will post dates soon as they become available. Don’t miss their 50th year, to book The Lighthouse Boys email [email protected] or call 661-979-9127

More news to come…

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The Lighthouse Boys will be celebrating 50 years in 2024, and are looking for two male vocalists, a Baritone/Lead and a Lead/Tenor (who can sing a little Baritone as well), to audition please send a demo CD and info in care of The Lighthouse Boys to 424 Sterling Rd, Bakersfield, CA 93306 or by email in mp3 format to [email protected]

#Bakersfield #southerngospelmusic #GreatWesternFanFest #wsgma #ccsgma #bakersfieldsound #California #kerncounty #Sgma #GMA #christianmusic #gospelmusic

A lot happened with The Lighthouse Boys in 1980, a lineup change, the release of their first album and they recorded a live album.  It started back in late 1979 after a change in the lineup also changed much of the sound of The Lighthouse Boys that set them on their path to winning the 1980 Californians Choice Award for “Best Band” by the end of the year.

In 1979 members Frank McNinch, Gary Miller and Kenny Knight had left and Steve Johnson ended up leaving towards the end of the year.  Enter Tim Cantu on Drums, Dathan Fernandez on lead guitar, by December, Ken & Jon Edwards joined and the lineup was set making Mark & Bill Underwood the only original members still in the group.  The Lighthouse Boys entered almost daily practices for 2 to 3 weeks uniting songs from The Lighthouse Boys with a few songs from the Edwards Family setlist. The Lighthouse Boys would hit the road in a green maxi-van until eventually they purchased their Gold Eagle Flex from another Gospel Group later that year.

Many people flocked to Gospel Concerts back then and it would seem a lot of people flocked to see The Lighthouse Boys wherever they were booked.  The above photo shows The Lighthouse Boys performing at Camelot Buffett in Lancaster, CA, they played there a few times that year, however dates are still being searched for.

If you saw The Lighthouse Boys in concert in 1980 you are more than welcome to submit your review, if you have old flyers or photos of The Lighthouse Boys in concert, please submit them by emailing [email protected]

We have compiled a small list of dates that The Lighthouse Boys had performed in 1980, we are still searching for more scheduled listings form back then, but here is what we have.

“THE LIGHTHOUSE BOYS 1980”

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FEB 8, 1980 | 7 PM

First Assembly of God Church, Victorville, CA

With June Wade & The Country Congregation, Gary Felton, The Edwards Family “In support of the “West Coast Gospel News”

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APR 5, 1980 | 7 PM

Pentecostal Church of God, Barstow, CA

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MAY 25, 1980 | 3 PM

Calvary Christian Center, Barstow, CA

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MAY 26, 1980 | 1 PM

San Bernardino Fair Grounds, Victorville, CA 

Western Desert Gospel Sing

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JUN 7, 1980 | 7PM The Family of God Fellowship, Bakersfield, CA ____________________ JUN 21, 1980 | 7:30 PM Santa Paula High School, Santa Paula, CA with The Regents, Kathy Linden, Spirit Prayer ____________________ JUN 22, 1980 | 11 AM First Christian Church, Barstow, CA ____________________

JUL 20, 1980 | 6 PM

Olivehurst Pentecostal Holiness Church, Marysville, CA

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JUL 27, 1980 | 11 AM

Yermo Community Congregational Church, Yermo, CA

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JUL 27, 1980 | 6 PM

Pentecostal Church of God Barstow, CA

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SEP 6, 1980 | 10 AM

Calico Ghost Town, Calico, CA

with The Californians & The Regents

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SEP 7, 1980 | 6PM

Hi-Desert Christian Center, Barstow, CA

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SEP 21, 1980 | 6 PM

Liberty Temple of Oxnard, Oxnard, CA 

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OCT 3, 1980 | 8 PM

 Kern County Fair Grounds, Bakersfield, CA

Gospel Day at the Kern County Fair

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OCT 11, 1980 | 7 PM

Pentecostal Church of God, Barstow, CA

With The Gospel Carriers

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OCT 12, 1980 | 3 PM

Calico Silver Bowl, Calico, CA

With The Regents

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NOV 1, 1980 | 2 PM & 5 PM

Fellowship Christian Center, Fresno, CA

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NOV 8, 1980 | 7:30 PM

Upland High School, Upland, CA

Western States Quartet Convention

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DEC 31, 1980 | 7 PM

Sunrise Church of God, Bakersfield, CA

As The Lighthouse Boys get set to perform at the Kern County Fair this Saturday September 27th at 5pm.  We take a look back 34 years ago to The Lighthouse Boys first Kern County Fair performance in 1980.

September 24, 1980 - The Bakersfield Californian

Fair-goers can tune in to gospel music

               The Gospel Show, will feature such headline entertainers as June Wade and the Country Congregation,  The Crownsmen,  The Albert S. Goodson Singers, master of ceremonies Dick Hilleary and a Bakersfield group, The Lighthouse Boys.

     Miss June Wade is proclaimed by many as one of the greatest female vocalists of our time, being compared with Patsy Cline and Kay Starr.  She spent several years as a country and contemporary club entertainer appearing with such stars as Buck Owens, Freddie Hart, Tex Williams, Billy Mize and Roy Rogers.

     Dale Wade, June's husband and manager of the Country Congregation, brings quick wit and humor to the program.  The Wades are joined in the group by their daughter, Dawn, and her husband, Larry Brown.  Both sing and Brown plays guitar and does impersonations.  To add more excitement to the program is noted drummer, Kevin Ownby.  Rounding out the total sound and playing country steel guitar is Matt Starner.

    Also part of the gospel show will be the Crownsmen Quartet.  The gospel group appeals to all ages, singing a variety of styles, predominately Southern Gospel.  The Crownsmen is comprised of four singers and a four-piece back-up band.

   Joining the fun that night, also will be the noted black gospel group, the Albert S. Goodson Singers.  A four-member gospel group, they perform many songs written, arranged and published by the Rev. Albert S. Goodson.

   A local gospel group, The Lighthouse Boys also will perform.  This group performs contemporary gospel. 

   Master of ceremonies for the evening will be Dick Hilleary.  He is considered to be the country's most exciting and influential Christian master of ceremonies.  Noted for his wry humor, Hilleary helps the audience take an active part in the program.

The Lighthouse Boys are #1 for the 20th solid straight week on ReverbNation’s chart for Christian/Gospel Bakersfield, CA.  This includes 38 consecutive weeks never dropping off the top 10 on the same chart and breaking into the top 100 several times but never leaving the top 500 on the Christian / Gospel National Chart.

The Lighthouse Boys are celebrating 40 years.  They were announced in a booking agreement with 4 Hymn Promotions back in May.  The Lighthouse Boys have also rejoined the WSGMA and will be appearing at the Labor Day Concert in Turlock, CA with many of their friends including The Herb Henry Family, Solid Ground, Chosen Vision, The Johnson Family Quartet, RSV, Mike & Darla Cornell Trio and many others.

More info about 4 Hymn Promotions can be found at 4hymnpromotions.net.  More info on the WSGMA can be found at wsgma.com

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The Lighthouse Boys announced last week on Facebook and Twitter that people can now buy their music on Google Play.  The Lighthouse Boys are currently looking for a new company to take care of their T-Shirts and hope to have them also available soon online as well as in Concert.

A LOOK BACK