Baptist and Reflector
iStock image
NASHVILLE — A Tennessee Baptist songwriter and recording artist has taken the “Christian Country Music Story” to the Internet to a world-wide audience.
Hugh X Lewis, a member of Tulip Grove Baptist Church, Old Hickory, is a BMI award-winning songwriter and performer for many decades. He has been recognized by the Tennessee legislature as the Tennessee poet laureate of Christian country music.
For nearly a year, Lewis has originated his “Christian Country Music Story” on WSGS-FM, 100,000 watt radio station in Hazard, Ky. The station covers all Kentucky mountain counties, nearby Leslie County, where Lewis was born.
The hour-long radio show features all the traditional country music artists who recorded traditional Christian hymns, inspirational, spiritual, gospel and sacred songs which can no longer be heard on radio, television and in many churches.
Hugh Lewis
Lewis hosts the show from an imaginary stage, introducing mostly traditional country music solo acts, as well as duets, trios, quartets, family groups, choirs, and other singing groups performing traditional Christian songs usually with a country music flavor.
In the show Lewis tells stories about the recording artists, origins of the Christian songs, recites many of his inspirational poems as well as tribute poems he has written about his friends and fellow country music stars who have recorded his songs and traveled with him on the country music road through the years.
Lewis is hopeful other radio stations across the country will pick up his syndicated show. He also has a strong desire to see the program aired in nursing homes across the country.
He recounted the story told to him by a friend who sang in nursing homes and watched people affected by dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease sing along with the hymns without missing a word.
“That led me to believe that most of the residents are singing the songs they grew up with even though they now have dementia,” Lewis observed. “I think it would be great if this program can be aired on the intercom systems in the nursing homes,” he added.
Lewis’ radio Internet show is aired twice each Sunday, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. and 6 to 7 p.m. EST. Internet listeners can hear the show every Sunday according to their respective time zones by logging onto WSGS FM radio in Hazard, Ky., and following the prompts. B&R
