ALBA—Through their music and message, the Erwins— a Dove Award-winning and Grammy-nominated Southern Gospel music group—remain focused on shining the spotlight on Christ.
Their musical journey began at an early age as siblings Keith, Kody, Kris and Katie Erwin started singing in churches around the country while their father Dennis served as a full-time traveling evangelist.
Growing up, the Erwin family attended Ovilla Road Baptist Church, south of Dallas. Since then, the family has relocated to East Texas.
Kody Erwin now attends First Baptist Church in Canton, while his siblings are members of Lake Fork Baptist Church in Alba, where they serve as staff evangelists. For the past 25 years, the Erwin family has hosted the East Texas Baptist Camp Meeting in Canton.
As the group maintains a busy touring schedule performing concerts around the country, they remain committed to their mission of connecting people to Christ. Last year, the group was on the road for 285 concert dates.
“We hope and pray that whether you are 9 years old or 90 years old, you will leave an Erwin concert enjoying what you’ve heard and seen,” Keith Erwin said. “We earnestly want to build bridges between the generations.
“We also desire to build bridges between denominations, styles and preferences, knowing that the love and power of our Lord breaks not only every chain, but also every division.”
He noted one of the group’s most memorable experiences occurred when they had the opportunity to sing for the inmates at a state prison.
“Back in 2017, we were able to sing at the Eastham Unit state prison in Lovelady,” Keith Erwin said. “For three nights, we sang to 600 different inmates, and we saw over 400 of those men make professions of faith.
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“We’ve never been fortunate enough to do any foreign mission work, and we hope that we’re able to do so in some capacity in the future, but this crusade was probably the closest thing to that type of ministry that we’ve ever done. It was one of the most powerful things we’ve ever been a part of, and it changed our ministry for the better in so many ways. We will never forget it.”
The Erwins’ music and message have been well received. In 2020, they garnered a Dove Award for their song “The Power Of An Empty Tomb” as Southern Gospel Recorded Song of the Year.
In 2021, “The God I Know” became their first No. 1 hit song, topping The Singing News Power 50 Weekly Chart. That same year, their album What Christmas Really Means was nominated for a Grammy Award.
Despite their accolades and achievements, the family musical group remains true to their humble beginnings and Texas Baptist roots.
“We want people to know, learn and realize very quickly that we are a local church ministry,” Keith Erwin said. “God has opened so many doors for us to serve in various events, concert halls, high school auditoriums, banquets, conference centers and award shows, and we praise the Lord for all of that, but we will always be based primarily in the local church.
“We just want to be faithful to the calling that God has placed on our lives. We want to get closer to Christ every day, and in turn, drawing others to do the same.”
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