Members: Craig Allen: guitar, banjo, dobro, vocals;  Scott Johnson: mandolin, guitar, vocals; Tracie Rhodes Johnson: acoustic bass, vocals; Danny Allen:  sound engineer.


Influences:  The Rochesters; The Isaacs; Doyle Lawson; Ricky Skaggs, and others.


Venues:  The BLACK CREEK members have played many different venues together in the last six years, including Fishers of Men Fishing Tournaments; Church functions, such as revivals, homecomings, youth rallies, camp meetings, and missions events; Civic Clubs, such as Ruritan and Lions; Festivals, such as Acorn, Oaktoberfest, Sweet Potato, and Farmers; Music Halls, Theatres, and General Stores; and, Private Engagements, such as benefits, birthdays, fundraisers, dinners, and reunions. We've had the honor of playing with Roby Huffman & the Bluegrass Cutups, Jeff & Sheri Easter, The Singing Perrys, and others, but the greatest honor of all is playing for our Lord Jesus Christ. We go wherever He opens a door.


In the Genes: BLACK CREEK is sort of a family. Craig and Danny are brothers.  Scott and Tracie are married.  All four of them are brothers and sister in Christ. All have musical leaves on their family trees. Craig and Danny have another brother, Ricky, who is an accomplished guitarist/vocalist. Danny is also part of another southern gospel group, One Way, with his wife, Teresa. Scott's father, Linwood, has been a choir director for years, as well as sings southern gospel music with his family. Scott's mother, Miriam, has family that is musically-talented with many instruments. Tracie's family has always been musical, and her brother, Timmy, sings southern gospel music with his family.

Not Quitting the Day Jobs: Craig drives trucks for the Food Lion Corporation; Danny is a captain with the Johnston County Sheriff's Department; Scott is the parts manager for Johns Hiester Chrysler Dodge Jeep; and Tracie is a personnel technician with the North Carolina Department of Correction.


In the Beginning: The current group found it's beginnings in another group, Jordan's Journey. In the spring of 2000, Craig, who was a fresh convert, began playing/singing at church. Scott and Tracie became intrigued with the type of music he played, and joined in a couple of Sundays to sing with Craig. Another church member, Cabot Barbour, joined in on the bass guitar. Craig began playing at area retirement facilities. Scott, Tracie, and Cabot voiced an interest in tagging along one day. And the bug bit. Skyler and Julie Smith also worked with BLACK CREEK in 2008 while Scott and Tracie took a break.

Oddest Engagement: The West Virginia Mission Trip, for sure. We packed up, had a convoy with us from our home church bearing supplies for the flood victims and support for us, and started driving.  The closer we got, the narrower the roads got, until finally, we turned off onto a small, wooded path called, "Devil's Fork Road," (how unnerving!) that led way down into what the community folks called "the holler."  It was probably 90+ degrees that day as we played on the back of a flatbed trailer - so hot, that Craig's Martin guitar cracked down the middle! (Where's the nearest hospital - for Craig AND the guitar?)  The Lord used the folks that came for supplies and assistance to touch our hearts in an awesome way, and we were able to send news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ echoing into those hills, to those who couldn't come. 


What's in a Name: The name BLACK CREEK evolved from the members' common geography (and Craig's wife, Jenny!). We all live next door to one another on a tributary of BLACK CREEK, which is a topographical feature that defines the rural area we call "home." 


Favorite Song: Has to be "Heaven's Door," a song with which we close every date, written and arranged by singer/songwriter Gary Duty at Sound Doctrine Music, which gives a straight ahead outline of the reason Jesus came, and that's our mission.

And We're Different Because: Of our strong conviction to carry the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world.  We want folks to hear the Message, not the music; the Savior, not the sound. We long to see the lost come into the fold; God help us to never neglect the work of carrying the Gospel and to see the lost as God sees the lost.


CRAIG ALLEN (vocals, guitar, banjo, dobro)

  
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