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About The Spiritual Voices
Smooth, tight, family harmony is how fans describe the sound of The Spiritual Voices. This family trio of husband and wife team, James and Brenda Branson, and Brenda's sister, June Kendall, has been singing together for over 35 years in the southeastern states.
From Dahlonega, Georgia, The Spiritual Voices sing traditional Southern Gospel music and refer to themselves as "old timey." Growing up under strict Biblical teachings such as Proverbs 31, and the man being the head of the household, they have a conservative point of view and reverence for the Lord's work. They were taught to do their very best, and look their very best for The Lord. They believe in presenting themselves in such a manner that others will know that they are representing The Lord Jesus Christ. Their ministry is to spread the Gospel in song to uplift the name of Jesus, to bring lost souls to know the Lord, and to be an encouragement to fellow believers.
As a young child, June began taking piano lessons which eventually led to her becoming the church pianist by the age of ten. During those years Brenda would sing along as June played and, before long, the sisters were singing specials in their home church. They began to receive requests to sing at revival services and homecomings for other local area churches. Their parents were very supportive by driving the girls to each engagement no matter how far the drive, and no matter how hot or cold the weather. Brenda vividly recalls a revival service on one stormy night. While they were singing "Thank God I Am Free", the electricity went out for a short time, but they kept right on singing....even in the dark!
One of the greatest influences cultivating their love for Southern Gospel music was "The Gospel Singing Jubilee," a TV program which aired every Sunday morning. They listened to The Florida Boys, The Happy Goodmans and others each Sunday morning while they were getting ready for church. June recalls, "we did not have to ask mom or dad if we were going to church...we knew we were going. We are so thankful that we grew up in a Christian home with Godly parents that had a love for The Lord and servant's hearts."
At the age of five, Brenda sang at her great uncle's funeral, which began one of her callings from the Lord. She has played and sang at more than 1,000 funerals and still does frequently. "That is one of the highest honors that can be bestowed upon me to sing for the family that has just lost their precious loved one." Brenda shares. "If I can sing a spirit filled song for the family and let them know God loves them and will always be their comforter, then I have accomplished the task set before me."
At the age of fourteen, June began to teach piano lessons, teaching many in the community how to play the piano for their church congregation. Knowing that June taught piano lessons, a regional group called The Mill Creek Quartet asked her to play piano for them. Soon after, Brenda began to sing with the quartet, and they traveled throughout the North Georgia area for four years. In 1974, the quartet disbanded when a job transfer moved the founding member of the group to Arkansas.
June and Brenda continued to sing as The Sullens Sisters during their teen years until Brenda and James got married in 1980. James joined the group at that time, and so began the journey for The Spiritual Voices. During the 1980s the group sang all around the north Georgia area while the members of the group went to college, held jobs, and worked in their home church. Over the years, each of them held a number of offices in the church including, pianist, organist, Sunday school teacher, bible school director, choir director, and James was ordained as a deacon in the late 90s.
Late one Saturday afternoon in March 2004, James' life changed dramatically in a matter of seconds. He recalls, "One second I was fine, the next second I felt excruciating head pain. My memories are very vague from that point forward for a period of thirty days." He had suffered a brain aneurysm and the hemorrhage from the blood released into his brain had affected his memory. James spent 30 days in ICU and a total 40 days in the hospital. The number 40 is referred to on several occasions in the Bible, usually associated with some sort of trial. 2004 was a year of recovering for James with OT, PT and Speech therapy and lots of sleep, Brenda recalls.
James often tells his audiences, “One minute I am a business man, deacon, Sunday School teacher, choir director and southern gospel singer and the next minute I wake up trying to find the right word to fit into a sentence. Only one in five people survive a brain hemorrhage, so a lot of folks say I was lucky. I quickly remind them that the only reason I am still here is because God has a little more work for me to do. Otherwise, he would have called me home to Heaven.”
James and Brenda are extremely grateful for the prayers that went up on their behalf. A few years ago, James had the opportunity to meet the ICU charge nurse that looked after him. She was so happy to see an ICU patient that had recovered. She told James, “you don’t know how many times I prayed for you as I walked by your bedside.” Thank God for all the Christian medical personnel that prays for their patients!
In 2005, they resumed their singing schedule, and it was amazing to see how God used the trial in 2004 for something good. The audiences began to respond to James like never before. Brenda states, “there would be someone at every event that could relate to what we had been through. Some had lost loved ones, a few had loved ones that survived, and occasionally someone would come up and say, I too, suffered an aneurysm and it changed my life.” Some eleven years later, The Lord is still using that experience for His work!
Many doors have opened for The Spiritual Voices in the last few years and The Lord continues to bless their singing ministry. Many of their fans say they have a smooth sound similar to The Chuck Wagon Gang, and often times, Brenda is referred to having a “voice like Vestal”. In 2013, The Lighthouse Gospel Music Association awarded June the soprano of the year and Brenda received the alto of the year and the group was awarded 2014 trio of the year by GGCBA. A song authored by Ann Downing, “Trustworthy God” was their first charting song. Since then, they have had several songs on the charts, including “Royal Banquet” by Gerald Sweatman, and most recently a song by Naomi Rudd, “There Is A God”.
When asked about their greatest accomplishment, The Spiritual Voices quickly say it is different than you might think. Their greatest accomplishment is when they witness a lost soul accept Jesus Christ into their heart as Lord and Savior!
They have been blessed to see many lost souls come to know Jesus Christ because they have a heart to serve and lead folks to The Lord. Ever day the group is reminded how the events that took place in 2004 changed their singing ministry forever! Each member of the group relates that the experience made them “bolder” for The Lord! They welcome the opportunity to share their experiences at women’s retreats and at brotherhood breakfasts sharing the greatest love story every told.
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