Michelle Newell

by Craig NcNairy

 

The up and coming country and western group the Glory Lights was formed
by Vernon Lopez about 1985 in a litle district called Wakefield in Linstead, St. Catherine,

Jamaica.

At this time, however, the group went by the name the Lower Lights. Like many other groups, the

Lower Light started singing in church, Partiscipating in Sunday school concerts and singing in

church rallies.

 

"We recognised the seriousness of our ministry when we were invited to minister on a concert in the

Buxton Town community. We shared the stage with a highly recognised group that evening, we were

quite glad that they thought highly of our performance."

Not long after, the Lower Lights were asked once again by the previous host to appear on another

concert they were staging. This would be their first major concert and the first flicker of quite

a few changes to come.

 

New Name
It was a new dawn for this group. More work had to go into the honing of there craft and before

long it was time for a name change. No longer could they function under the name the Lower Lights,

which had come from the Redeption Song book hymnal "Let The Lower Lights Shine".

Our objective was to reach the lost at any cost," the groups manager and founder, Vernon Lopez

pointed out. "We need to be transparent, we need to shine, we need to let people see Christ in us.

As we moved out into ministry, we move out with that in mind and it still remains that way."
The group thought that the name Lower Lights was good, but it sparked many questions. "Why the

Lower Light?' It was an important decision which in the end saw the group changing the 'Lower' to

'Glory'.

 

Fire From The Church
When the group initially started ministering, one of it's members Michell Newell, had not yet

committed her life to christ. "We came under fire from the church. 'How come unoo a Christain

and unoo have sinner a sing inna di group? Sinner and Christain no fi mix!," Vernon said, I keep

telling them that if we want to win a soul, we have to associate with that person. When Jesus was

here on earth he ate among the sinners and he did so many things around them. He wanted to impart

his love and his words into them, and the only way that he could do that was to go were they

were."

One night when Michelle was singing track number five, a song written a long time ago by Vernon,

and which is now on their first album, she got saved. The song ministered to her. That very night

after she sang the song we had to make an altar call and people were just prostate at the altar,

The song tore up the people's heart."
"To be frank, the honest truth is Michelle did not commit her life to Christ some people in the

congregation were very excited, others like Thomas, they didn't believe. I remember when she was

to be baptised, even then she met resistance. Some people just did not believe the change in her

heart.

But that's not the only challenge and opposition the group has experienced from other "Believers".

"Not because it's Christendom, we have found that there are some gospel groups that don't want to

work with us." This childlike behavior, Vernon Said, is displayed whenever they minister at a

concert. The problem begins as soon as the audience begins to show more appreciation for their

ministry over others. "It affect some folks! There have been artistes who have even selfishly kept

concert information from the Glory Lights, because they are offended and threatened."
The Glory Lights admit to not being the best. "We have just started and so we don't see our self at

a point were we are doing exceptionally great. We are not here for competition, we don't belive in

it. As a matter of fact, the kind of music we do has a country and western flavor, it's not hip

hop, or jazz or reggae. We sing country and western, there is no way anyone can confuse us with

another group. We have created our own sound which is different from other country and western

singers. We are trying to imitate no one!"

 

The Glory Lights have also fallen prey to unscrupulous gospel promoters refusing to pay

unhonorariums agreeded upon. "This is the reason so many gospel groups have become so dicouraged,"

said Vernon. They shared an occasion in which they ministeed at a banquet, and their only payment

came in the form of words as their invitees failed to put the money where there mouth was. The same

promoters hosted the same event the following year, this time inviting a well know artiste to

minister. Without hesitation, the minister went home with his money in his pocket.
"We have told ourselves, however, that we are in our creeping stage, we are glad for all the

experiences, and certainly plan on teaching and passing them on to others.

 

"Promise "Land" is the name of the new album. It cetainly promises 45 minutes of country and western

songs pointing to the second coming of Christ. Be prepared for a glorious experience!