By Andy Furman
NKyTribune reporter
Champions.
The Northern Kentucky Brotherhood Singers are champions.
It may not be the Super Bowl, but the group from Northern Kentucky just captured The 2021 Governor’s Award in the Arts – the “Artist Award.”
And you might call this a re-peat.
“We won the Chicago Division of the Harmony Sweepstakes,” Stace Darden, the group’s Director of Communications and Brotherhood singer as well, told the Northern Kentucky Tribune.
“That 2011 competition,” Darden said, “was a cappella competition part of the Cappella Festival.”
In 2017, the Northern Kentucky Brotherhood Singers were inducted into the Northern Kentucky Music Legends Hall of Fame.
The six-member group – one is considered an alternate or backup member, according to Darden, has been singing since 1988.
Actually, the Northern Kentucky Brotherhood Singers was formed out of the renowned Ninth Street Baptist Church Men’s Choir that same year, according to Darden.
“Bob Gates – former Executive Director, The Kentucky Arts Council — was looking for groups, and after visiting Ninth Street Baptist Church,” Darden recalled, “he worked with Eric “Ric” Jennings our Founder, to create a quintet of five men from this Male Chorus to travel around Kentucky to sing traditional cappella music.”
Today, those championship members include: Jennings, Eric Riley, Stace “Babydeac” Darden, Sam “Watson” Norris, Jr., Mike Wright and alternate/backup, Luther Scruggs.
The group practices at one of the singers’ homes, on Monday evenings weekly for about an hour, Darden said.
As for their most recent title – The 2021 Governor’s Award, Darden admits, “We have no clue as to how or why we were nominated by the Kentucky Arts Council.”
In fact, Darden adds: “Actually, it wasn’t really a competition, at least not that we were aware of – we were just nominated for the award.”
And where do these talented singers come from?
“When we have need to fill a singing position – due to a member passing away or moving away from the area – we first pray to God for guidance, asking HIM to send someone to us,” Darden said. “We then begin to have discussions with men we know that are singers we feel may be a good fit. We invite them to join us for our rehearsals and after a few (rehearsals) mutually determine if they should continue with us or not.”
Darden was quick to mention the former members of the group – Bob Mullins, Shaka Zulu Tyehimba, Greg Page and Demetrius Davenport, Jr.
“We always try to recognize them in all that we do,” he said.
Gov. Andy Beshear announced the nine recipients of the Commonwealth’s most prestigious arts awards in recognition of their dedication to sharing Kentucky’s rich arts history with the citizens of the Commonwealth.
The other eight 2021 Governor’s Awards in the Arts recipients are:
• Milner Award – James Gifford, Boyd County
• Business Award – Paducah Bank, McCracken County
• Community Arts Award – Butler County Arts Guild
• Education Award – Jane Dewey, Boyle County
• Folk Heritage Award – Sue Massek, Washington County
• Government Award – City of Beaver Dam, Ohio County
• Media Award – Louisville Public Media, Jefferson County
• National Award – Martha Redbone, Harlan County
The Kentucky Arts Council recommends honorees to the Governor and accepts nominations annually. Details regarding a virtual awards ceremony to honor the 2021 Governor’s Awards in the Arts recipients will be forthcoming.
