Getting to Know Southern Gospel Trio Allegiance

Three men who have come together with a common cause - Allegiance chooses a strong focus on Biblical lyrics and uplifting melodies as the bedrocks of a group dedicated to reaching out to everyone with the Gospel in song.

While still young, the men of Allegiance bring a combined 50 years of experience to the stage. Kasey Kemp has stood on both the Gaither Homecoming stage and the National Quartet Convention as well as countless others. He is a preacher as well as a singer. His sweet Spirit and enthusiasm for the ministry shines through.

Jake Sammons comes from a singing family. His professional experience has also taken him to some of the largest venues in the country. Jake toured with the Toney Brothers for many years and also with the award-winning Booth Brothers. He is a songwriter as well as a singer and you will hear many of Jake's songs during an Allegiance concert.

TJ Evans brings his beautiful voice to the ministry of Allegiance. His warm personality and clear sweet vocal tone light up a room when he begins to sing. TJ is not only a great singer but a Bible College graduate as well.

Hallels:  Recently the group had a name change.  What was the story behind this?  And why a name change?

That's a good question and a pretty common one anymore!  When we started almost four years ago we were called, "Declaration." October of last year we were in the middle of recording three projects and received a letter that the U.S. trademark for the name was owned by a rock band. It was quite a blow.  We prayed and talked and felt compelled to go on. We put it out to our friends in social media and had over 800 name suggestions from all across the U.S. and Canada. We even had names coming in from Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It was incredibly encouraging. We finally settled on the name, "Allegiance," to signify our commitment to our Lord, our families, our churches and, yes, our country. 

Hallels:  How did Allegiance begin?  And how long have you been together? 

Honestly, as we started 2015 with the new name, we really feel that this is a new group. Someone encouraged us via Facebook after the name change by saying, "God always gave men a new and greater work AFTER He changed their name." What a balm and uplifting word! We are leaving the past behind us and looking forward to the future.

Hallels:  How would you define the ministry goals you have as a team?

We have a three step directive:
1. Honor the Lord

2. Sing Great Songs

3. Love People

Its a synergistic ideal. They lead into each other and make the whole better because of those parts.  Our bottom line is that we want to be effective for the Kingdom.  Whether it's encouraging the long-time believer or introducing someone to the Gospel for the first time, our goal is to be effective. That directs everything we do.

Hallels:  Since there are so many Southern Gospel quartets, groups and trios out there, what do you think set Allegiance apart?

Allegiance tries to make every program special. We use great songs, acoustic numbers and even humor to till the soil of the soul so the seeds of the Gospel are planted deep in the listener's hearts.  We try to be true to our calling. We have a lot of friends that do what we do but we believe that God has placed a call on our lives and set us on a path that is probably different than a lot of folks.  The guys in the group have been on the NQC main stage at various times, Gaither stages, sung with legends and shared the spotlight with some of the best artists in Christian Music. That is all great but fleeting. The focus is the sharing of the Gospel. I don't know how different that makes us but that's what we do. 

Hallels:  I believe you are in the process of releasing new music, tell us more about your plans.  Who have you been working with on the new record?  Will the new album or EP be coming out soon?

We are working on a new group project called, "Time To Sing."  We have most of the tracks ready and are starting the vocals.  The songs that the Lord has blessed us with are beyond amazing. Writers like Joel Lindsey, Sue C. Smith, Haley Kemp, Wayne Haun, Neil Enloe, Jeff Baumgardner, and our own Jake Sammons have given us the kind of material that is usually reserved for groups that are much better known than we are!  We feel that it will be our most effective collection of songs yet. The production is top notch and God has given us the opportunity to work with incredible talent like Nick Bruno, Wayne Haun and the best players in Nashville.Kasey is working on a solo trumpet recording that is going to be fantastic as well.

Hallels:  I was just listening to one of your new songs "In Good Hands" and I loved it!  For readers who have not heard it yet, what's the song about?

That's actually from the first project we ever recorded! We hadn't performed it in a very long time but Kasey experienced some health issues last summer that sidelined him for almost a month.  This song, "In Good Hands," kept coming to his mind. When he came back on the road he asked if we could start doing it with just the guitar. It's been a great addition!  The message is that no matter what we are facing we are in the strong, almighty hands of God the Father. 

Hallels:  On Twitter, I have often seen you guys singing at various churches and concert events, for our readers who would like to see you or purchase your music or find out more about you, where can they go?

We love the immediacy of social media and the way we can keep in touch with people:  The best places to find out more about us are online at our website, www.AllegianceTrio.com and our social media outlets: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

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