User:Tsweatman/Gerald Sweatman

Gerald Sweatman has been singing Southern Gospel music in some form or fashion ever since he was a child. The son of a Baptist minister, Gerald first sang in churches and revivals throughout North Georgia. For the past 37 years Gerald has been blessed with many achievements in gospel music. However, his greatest blessing came when he was 8 years old in an old fashion tent revival when he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. As he would later write, "I went down a beggar, but I came up a millionaire."

The 1970s
By 1970, Gerald had his first group. The Gerald Sweatman Trio included Gerald, his wife Deborah and sister Gail. This trio continued to sing together through 1971. Unfortunately, there were no recordings made of this group.

In 1972 Gerald joined his sister Jean, her husband Dave Holbrook and first cousin, Helen Covington forming the Dave Holbrook Quartet. This group recorded three albums.

The Dave Holbrook Quartet disband around 1976 then reformed again in 1978 with Gerald, his wife Deborah, sister Jean and brother-in-law Dave Holbrook. They recorded two albums with this line-up. This group continued singing until 1983.

The 1980s
The year 1983 come and so did the birth of Gerald and Deborah's youngest son, Dustin. It was also about this time that Dave Holbrook was called to pastor a church. Another group from the area also had two preachers for members that were also called to pastor churches in 1983. This group was called "The Liberty Quartet". Jacky Fortner (tenor), Joey Pirkle (piano) and Jerry Baker (bass guitar) were left with the name a some PA equipment. They had already recruited a young lead singer, Ronnie Grizzle and were in need of a baritone. Gerald got the call and the group had their first practice. Soon they added Darrell Bagwell singing bass and Gerald's oldest son, Tim on drums. Though the group underwent some personnel changes; Gerald, Jacky, Ronnie, Jerry and Tim formed the core of Liberty for 12 years. This group would go on to record several songs that would reach the top 40 Singing News Magazine charts. They would be nominated in the top five, twice for the Horizon Group of the Year Singing New Fan Award and win the Southern Gospel Music Association Diamond Award for Favorite Newcomer Group. Liberty would appear on just about every major Southern Gospel Concert stage in the country including the National Quartet Convention, Inspiration Park and the All Night Sing at Bonifay, Florida.

With Liberty, Gerald would record 12 albums, including three live recordings and share the stage with groups such as the Cathedral Quartet, the Kingsmen, Gold City, The Inspirations and the Hinsons just to name a few. It was also with Liberty that Gerald formed a recording relationship with producer Eddie Crook that would on and off for some 20 years.

Gerald would continue singing with Liberty until 1995. It was around this time that Gerald's youngest son, Dustin began to take an interest in Southern Gospel music. Also about this time, Gerald's oldest son, Tim took interest in the guitar.

The 1990s
Gerald's last performance with Liberty was New year's Eve 1995. Gerald took most of the next year off from performing and focusing on writing and recording his first ever solo project. Gerald had planned to start singing solo at this point using recorded tracks to sing with. Gerald was getting ready to do his first solo date using tracks when he came in one day and Tim, Dustin and their cousin Brad had learn all of the music from his new solo album. Dustin ask, "why can't we play for you?" Soon Deborah joined in singing and the "Sweatman Family" was born. The Sweatman Family added longtime family friend Johnny Cochran on drums to round out the band. Dustin eventually took over lead vocals for the group where he began to hone his skills for bigger things to come. The Sweatman Family traveled from 1995 until 2001, recorded 3 albums and garnered a top 80 Singing News Chart song with "He Can Do the Impossible" written by Dustin. Gerald always notes that singing with his entire family on stage together was one of his greatest honors.

The 2000s
After the Sweatman Family disband, Gerald again set forth to do solo work. Again, God had other plans. In late 2001 Gerald began singing solo and was scheduled to sing for a television program in South Carolina. Also scheduled on the program was another soloist Stanley Pierce who Gerald had met during the Sweatman Family days. They decided to carpool to the date in South Carolina. Dustin had joined them for the trip and the three began to sing songs to pass the time. All three had agreed that they had stumbled on something good and formed EasternBound shortly after. EasternBound recorded two albums with Gerald on baritone vocal, Dustin singing lead and Stanley picking up the tenor. They continued on until 2003 when Dustin got the opportunity to join the Dixie Melody Boys. Upon Dustin's exit, Stanley moved to lead vocal and the tenor spot was filled by Wes Palmer. EasternBound continued to travel and sing for another three years performing their last concert together on December 3, 2006.

Today
As of 2007 Gerald has been busy working his solo ministry. This has been a dream of his for all these years. Gerald has traveled many miles across the country and has sometimes traveled all night to get to the concert or church service. On many occasions he would get home on Monday morning just in time to shower and go to work. Gerald is not complaining he is so thrilled that God has blessed him with health, strength and talent to have done this and, would still do it if necessary. Gerald already has about 40 dates booked for the year and is looking forward to getting the New Year started. And, as anyone who has seen him will tell you his excitement of singing about Jesus will show on stage.

Top 40
Some of Gerald's songs that have made the Singing News Magazine's Top 40:


 * God Can Save Anybody, Anywhere, Anytime - Kingsmen
 * Ride That Glory Cloud - Dixie Melody Boys
 * I'm Feeling Just Fine - Dixie Melody Boys
 * Celebration - Dixie Melody Boys
 * Just A Little Closer Home - Kingsmen
 * I Went Down A Beggar - Liberty
 * Look For Me (I'll Be On That Glory Flight) - Singing Echoes
 * The Royal Banquet - Liberty
 * Look Up - Liberty
 * Now I'm Satisfied - Liberty
 * Move up to Gloryland - Singing Echoes
 * Waiting For My Ride - Singing Echoes
 * You Don't Have To Be A Rich Man - Liberty
 * I Want To See Jesus - Liberty

Other Popular Songs
Some other popular songs written by Gerald:


 * Look Whats Waiting For Me
 * When Mama's Gone
 * A Talk With The Master
 * Lord I'm Ready

Groups Who Have Recorded Gerald's Songs

 * THE KINGSMEN
 * MARK TRAMMELL TRIO
 * DIXIE MELODY BOYS
 * HOPPERS
 * PERRYS
 * DOYLE LAWSON & QUICKSILVER
 * SENATORS (WITH LONDON PARIS)
 * NAMOI & THE SEGOS
 * SINGING ECHOES
 * JOHN LANIER
 * THE SINGING COOKs