Lovers of Gospel music appreciate tight harmonies, moving melodies and passionate performances.The Gospel trio of Wayne Patterson, Mike Biasin and Krys Smith, better known as The Greatest Gift, is known for all three. Hailing from York County, Maine, the threesome has been gaining fans all over the Northeast US. Recognized for their unique sound and superior musicianship, The Greatest Gift brings something special to the genre of Christian music. Although they have only been singing together for a handful of years, they’ve netted a total of 70 awards including the Pinetree State Country Music Award for Gospel Band of the Year, the Downeast Country Music Association Gospel Band of the Year and the North American Country Music Association International Competition’s Gospel Band of the Year. Featuring some of the top musicians in the music industry, The Greatest Gift recently released a brand new single, the riveting ballad, “The Lighthouse”. The single is hitting Christian radio and is currently available on iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby and other digital music outlets.
“The Lighthouse”, penned by Patterson, is a testimonial about an experience he had walking along the beach one August. The lyrics retell the story of Wayne, a man and a lighthouse. The touching story illustrates the power of prayer and God’s divine intervention. His experience was so profound that it served as the impetus for the unforgettable song. Wayne’s touching vocals are accented by exceptional instrumentation.
The Greatest Gift dropped their debut, Come Into His Presence, in 2015. That project was followed by 2016’s Fishers of Men, which includes the new track, “The Lighthouse”. Both projects included a who’s who of musicians including Jim Riley (Rascal Flatts), David Northrop (The Oak Ridge Boys), Violinist Jenée Fleanor (Blake Shelton, Martina McBride) and producers Bill Watson from Nashville Trax and Bob Catalano from Bobcat Studios.
Wayne, Mike and Krys have been singing together as The Greatest Gift for the last few years. Wayne is the group’s primary songwriter and lead vocalist, Mike is the group’s pianist and a background vocalist and Krys is a vocalist and a flutist. Wayne and Mike, who is legally blind, have been playing and singing together for the past 20 years. Krys, the granddaughter of two Moody Bible Institute ministers, joined a few years ago. Since their few years together, they’ve received dozens of awards and become favorites at countless churches in Maine and beyond.
With a goal of sharing their faith, they inspire believers everywhere they go. Grateful for the opportunities they’ve been given to share their songs, they’ve introduced their first songwriting contest. The Greatest Gift is presenting the 2017 Gospel Songwriters’ Contest. The 1st place winner will receive $300.00 and an opportunity to be reviewed by the record company, Alive! Records. The 2nd place winner will receive $200.00, and the 3rd place winner will receive $100.00. All winners will be notified by email no later than June 30, 2017. Registrants are encouraged to send up to 4 songs at a cost of $25 per song for review to wearethegreatestgift@gmail.com. PayPal payments should be made to wearethegreatestgift@gmail.com. Submissions can also be mailed to The Greatest Gift, C/O Wayne Patterson, P.O. Box 1253, York Harbor, ME 03911. All categories of Gospel music will be considered.
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