THE KINSMEN BIOGRAPHY

On March 14^th, 1985, brothers’ Gary and Pat Newton along with first cousin Mark Little met for the first time at Mark’s house to discuss the formation of a new group.

After singing for a while and praying about it for about a week, a new Southern Gospel Group was formed.  Since Gary and Pat were brothers, and Mark was their first cousin, THE KINSMEN seemed to be a natural name for the group.

For over 25 years, The Kinsmen have been delivering the good news of Jesus Christ through their spiritually uplifting musical ministry.  The many friends who have been a part of this ministry helped maintain a refreshing vocal style, and diverse selection of songs that appeal to audiences of all ages.  This captivating group offers hope and inspiration as they share the message of God and His love for all people during each invigorating performance.

The Kinsmen have performed in churches and other venues throughout the Ark-La-Miss area.  They have shared the stage with such notable groups as Gold City, The Hoppers, Karen Peck and New River, The Old Time Gospel Hour Quartet, The Hoskins Family, The Melody Boys, and Ivan Parker.

Each of the Kinsmen present their own distinct musical styling, however, together, they share the common goal of being the best they can be for the glory and honor of the Lord, as they present the Gospel in song with a touch of excellence.  The Kinsmen currently consist of:

Mark Little- Lead vocalist, and shares the job of emcee.  His powerful voice can sell any song. His personal testimony of how he met the Lord touches hearts everywhere.

Gary Newton- Baritone vocalist, shares the job of emcee and manager of the group.  His smooth baritone sound rounds out the harmony of the group.

Bill Hankins- Provides the tenor vocals for the group.  Bill has been singing with the group Majority for the past 24 years or so and is no stranger to Southern Gospel Music.  With an ever humble spirit, Bill sings for the glory of God each and every performance.

Kevin Morphis- A quartet man in every sense of the word sings Bass for the group. Kevin sang for many years with his family The Morphis Family and rounds out the quartet sound with his rich bass vocals. Kevin is a fan favorite every where we go.

THE KINSMEN have become a respected standard in the field of Gospel Music.  Their music ministry continues to bless people everywhere they go.  There is no doubt that THE KINSMEN will be sharing the message of God’s word for many years to come.  As always, they will strive to sing songs that reach out and touch the hearts and lives of people of all ages and backgrounds.