Straight Up Southern Christian Gospel Country.

10 MP3 Songs
GOSPEL: Country Gospel, COUNTRY: Bluegrass



Details:
The Schwartz Family as we know them today, began singing in the spring of 2004, however, the foundation for this
group was laid a long time ago. When Merlin Schwartz was a young boy his mother taught him 3 chords on an old
flat top. Throughout his teen years and then the early years of his marriage to Sandra he sang with a number of
different combinations of friends and family. Tn 1985 he and Sandra along with their young family began traveling
and singing on weekends. Four recordings and a decade later they quit taking engagements. The children were
leaving home, trying their wings and even moving to other states! Throughout this time everyone remained individually
active in their local churches on worship/drama teams and doing special music occasionally. Carma & Tobey remained
busy writing songs, many of which appear on the current projects "One Heart At A Time" and "Let It Rain." In the fall
of 2006 the family released their first radio single "One Heart At A Time" (written by Tobey and performed by Jesse), and
were honored to be in the top 80 on the Christian Country Song Chart for several months. Tobey also wrote the song
"I Will Praise Him", recorded by the Inspirations, and selected as one of the Top 10 songs in Southern Gospel music for 2005.

Years ago the group consisted of only Merlin and Sandy and their four children, Tobey, Jesse, and Rita & Carma. Obviously
over the years there were many changes. During an eighteen month period in 2001 and 2002, all four children were married!!
What a blessing these wonderful sons and daughter-in-laws have been, with each contributing their own unique gifts that
compliment the families ministry. When they reconvened in 2004 Carma's father-in-law, Jay Kelley began traveling with them,
playing lead guitar, mandolin, and banjo. Carma's husband, Jayson, took on the task of group manager and Rita's husband,
Gabe Taylor started running the sound.
Some of the most recent changes to the family have been small ones!! Morgan (Gabe and Rita's son), Logan
(Tobey and Erin's son), and Briley (Jayson and Carma's daughter) were safely delivered during a six month span
from Sept. '04 to Feb.'05. In June of 2006 Rita and Gabe had a second son, Owen and in November Jesse and
Laura were blessed with a beautiful little girl, Taylor Kay. They are all five wonderful, healthy, and growing like weeds!
Carma is expecting her second child in July of 2007. The blessings continue!!

Merlin has been temporarily sidelined after suffering a near fatal aortic dissection on Oct. 2, 2006. The event
left him with some vision and speech deficits, but through the grace of God he is alive and hopefully will be able
to join his family on stage in the near future. His surgeon stated that the only reasons Merlin survived were his faith
and the love of his family. In the mean time Jayson has picked up the guitar and with some guidance from his father
took over the rhythm guitar duties for the group. The children are continuing the concert schedule, and finding that
sibling harmony truly is the sweetest. Sandra helps out with some harmony vocals whenever possible and the distinctive
"country style" Christian music of the past is still their trademark sound.

A web site, www.schwartzfamilyministries.com, is up and running. Updates on the family schedule, project info,
contact info, etc. are posted there. Presently, for bookings or product information contact Jayson Kelley @ (269)-467-6363
or Merlin Schwartz @ (269)-651-9786, or write The Schwartz Family, 27971 Findley Rd., Sturgis, MI 49091.