An 'Evening of Gospel and Country' is a collaborative event, where friends Donald Chavers and Drew Wiggins will encourage and uplift people near and far. This event will be the first time both singers will perform on a stage in the city of Statesboro. It is scheduled to be held at The Emma Kelly Theater this Friday, Nov. 4, at 7:30pm.
Let's meet Drew and Donald
Drew Wiggins was born and raised in Statesboro, Ga. He's currently a retail manager and buyer at Anderson's General Store and a country musician and songwriter. At a young age, his great uncle taught him to play a guitar, and he would listen to his family sing harmony in church and other events they'd have. It eventually circled back with his family, playing instruments and singing gospel together. This is when he was introduced to songwriting.
"I do it because I love doing it and its apart of me," Wiggins said. "I want to be able to use the gifts that God gave me in order to inspire people with music the way that music inspires me. I don't want that passion to ever go away."
He and Donald grew up miles apart from each other, not knowingly at first. "I never heard him sing until recently my brother told me," Wiggins said. "Whenever Donald approached me about doing this, I was 100 percent on board."
Donald Chavers is a Statesboro resident and a local pastor of Agape Worship Center for 17 years. In ministry, he states singing is 50 percent of his ministry, and it's a tool that the Lord has given him to reach people. "I believe music is a way to bring people together," Chavers said.
Chavers' philosophy is based off of a spiritual hymn: "A charge to keep I have,
A God to glorify, A never-dying soul to save, And fit it for the sky. To serve the present age, My calling to fulfill; Oh, may it all my pow'rs engage, To do my Master's will!"
When asked about the creation of this event, he mentions after speaking to someone about it, the idea was brought back up this year. "It was an idea that was in the back of my mind for a couple years and I chose Drew because I've known him for a long time and he does an exceptional job in country singing," Chavers said.
'An Evening of Gospel & Country'
Wiggins and Chavers are excited about this concert and its collaboration of bands. They're anticipating singing together and also to meet and greet people afterwards.
"We are bringing those two worlds together," Wiggins said. "I'm super excited about blending our sounds together."
"That's the whole goal; to make two worlds collide," Chavers said. "The band that we've drawn together, it just feels natural and it feels like we should be doing something together all the time."
To purchase tickets, click here or scan the QR code above. Tickets will be sold for $30 for the public, and if you are a member of the Averitt Center or a first responder, member of the military, or city/county employee, tickets will be $25.
