The Joe Cook Family - Gospel Music

It's that time again. We are having our 2nd Annual Gospel Sing in the Harrisonburg Elem School Auditorium in Harrisonburg, La. on Sept. 20, 2008 at 6:30 pm. We are having special guests, The Bibletones, The Thompsons, and Bro. Terry Davis (formerly of The Florida Boys). We hope that you will take the time to come and be a part of this special service. We look forward to seeing you and praising the Lord with you. Be blessed!

Today I am asking all of my friends and church families to please pray for my dad. We were given the news today that he has only 72 hours or less to live. He was brought into the hospital on Tuesday, Sept. 2 for fever and shortness of breath. He was placed in ICU and dx with congestive heart failure. He has no urine output and the doctors have told us that only 20% of his heart is working. It seems that most of his body is shutting down and they are not sure of the cause. I know that I have come to you alot lately for your prayers and again, I am asking you to pray for my family. I believe in the God that I serve and work for and I know that He is still in control. Please pray for my Dad.

"I am the Lord God that healeth thee." Thank you all so much for your prayers. This is truly a day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. I went today for my follow up visit with my urologist/surgeon. He came in and his words were: "I don't believe that I saw what I thought I saw." He said that he was not going in the direction of interstitual cystitis. He didn't even mention my lesion. He said that my urine was completely clear today. He was just going to watch me and if I had anymore symptoms we might look back in that direction, but right now, he is not leaning that way. He was very positive. He told me that I must have alot of praying people. Boy, do I!!! I serve an awesome God. I guess he is not through with me. I look forward to seeing you all again. Free from sickness and disease. Praise the Lord.

Tues., Aug. 12th, I had surgery on my bladder. I have been having some problems and after a cystoscope, I was diagnosed with polyps and a lesion that needed to be biopsied. Following the surgery, my urologist and surgeon, informed my family that it looked as though I may have interstitual cystitis which is a disease that has no cure, but there is a medicine to help with the symptoms and also my diet will be a great factor. The lesion was not cancer nor will it ever be. I have come home with a catheter that will be removed on Aug. 18th (joe's birthday). I know that I serve a God that is alive and well and He is still in control. Nothing is too big for Him. I appreciate your prayers.

On April 9, 2008 at approx. 11 o'clock am, Joe's mother was called home to be with the Lord. She was a real inspiration in our walk with the Lord and an encouragement with our ministry. She was a member of West Philadelphia Bapt. Church, Philadelphia, Ms. where she raised all of her children and taught them about the love of Jesus. After a brief illness, she passed away at Neshoba General Hospital in Philadelphia, Ms. She will be truly missed by us, but we are certain that she is now in the presence of our Lord and Savior to begin her eternity. Thank you to everyone who prayed for us and sent cards and flowers during this time. We are so thankful to have all of you in our lives. May the Lord bless and keep you and make His face shine upon you.

Emerald Coast Gospel Music Association held its 2008 Jubilee Weekend at the beautiful water front Marina Center in Panama City, Florida on Jan. 25th-27th. The highlight of the weekend was the presentation of Southern Gospel Music's highly acclaimed 2008 Beacon Awards. The Joe Cook Family was the most nominated gospel artist at the awards being nominated in 10 of 18 categories. During the award ceremony, the Joe Cook Family was named 2008 Mixed Group of the Year and Kim Cook was named 2008 Female Vocalist of the Year. Joe and Kim were also presenters during the ceremony for Female and Male Solo Artist of the Year. When asked about the festivities for the weekend, the Cooks say they are humbled by the awards and the recognition, but still the most important thing is that they get the message out of the life changing, soul saving redemption and hope of the one who died for us - Jesus Christ. "Because He saved us, forgave us, and loved us beyond measure...We Sing!

Once again the Emerald Coast Southern Gospel Music Association has released their nominations for the Beacon Awards to be given later this month in Panama City, Fla at their annual Jubilee Weekend. The Joe Cook Family has been nominated for several Beacon Awards this year. They include Mixed Goup of the Year, Female Vocalist, Male Vocalist, Stage Musician (Joe Cook), Studio Musician (Wes Cook), Live Sound Tech of the Year (Wes Cook), Producer of the Year (Joe Cook), Songwriter of the Year (Joe Cook), Album of the Year (Blessed), Song of the Year (If It's True). Joe Cook says, "Again, it is an honor to be nominated with such talented people for these awards. We thank the Lord for the gifts that he has given and we are humbled by all of this. The blessing from this will be if the Lord uses this to open more doors for us to minister." The dates for the Jubilee Weekend are Jan. 24-26, 2008, at the Marina Center in Panama City, Fla.

This article was written by Mr. Joe Green in the Catahoula News Booster following the Homecoming Sing:
We attended the Joe Cook Family Homecoming on Saturday night at the Harrisonburg School Auditorium, the first of what is hoped to be an annual event. For those of you who missed it (and there couldn't have been very many of you, as full as the auditorium was), I report to you that it was a one of a kind for Catahoula Parish and the region. With The Joe Cook Family of Harrisonburg as the feature performers, the program also included two gospel quartets, The Bibletones of Gulfport, Ms. and The Gann Brothers of Florida. Terry Davis of Dothan, Ala former Florida Boy member served as Master of Ceremonies. While the music was mixed and enjoyable, the evening clearly belonged to The Joe Cook Family, whose singing and instrumental accomplishments captured the crowd's hearts. Kim Cook, the group's lead vocalist, may well possess the finest female voice in American gospel music today. Backed up by her husband, Joe and her son, Wes, and with the group's instrumental talents, Kim leaves her audience in awe, with a smile on their lips and a piercing arrow through their hearts as she hits her mark with her crowd everytime. But easily the most titillating aspect of the evening occurred twice when Joe and Wes (father and son) allowed their compettitive instrumental instincts full rein in a couple of string duels. Wes, a budding master guitartist, accepted his dad's loving challenge to keep apace of a couple of the fastest, hottest string duels the crowd had ever heard. Once it was with Joe's mandoliin; later, both Joe and Wes were on guitar. Both times the duo was supported by their erstwhile bass accompanyist, Jeremy Wiley. A good night it was.

The Joe Cook Family finds themselves with 20 years in gospel music ministry (1987-2007). They have been blessed over the years to grace the stage of the Grand Ole Opry, to be a part of the Gaither Bluegrass Homecoming series, to play the Ryman auditorium, the Country Music Hall of Fame, to share the stage with greats such as the Hinsons, Gold City, the Florida Boys, the Bibletones, the Hemphills, the Gann Bros., Bill Monroe, Doyle Lawson, The Whites, The Lewis Family, Jeff and Sheri Easter, The Issacs, Marty Stuart, Connie Smith, and the Sullivans just to name a few. Most importantly, though, they are most honored to have been witness to many souls being won for Christ, many hearts and lives being changed forever, and many miraculous healings. God has richly blessed during these years of service

Now to celebrate these years, there will be a Homecoming Sing in their hometown of Harrisonburg, LA on September 29, 2007 at 6:30 p.m. It will be held in the Harrisonburg Elementary School Auditorium with special guests The Gann Brothers, The Bibletones, The Cobb Family and the Joe Cook Family. Master of Ceremonies for the event will be Brother Terry Davis, formerly with the Florida Boys. There will be no admission, but a love offering will be taken. Come and celebrate with the Cooks. Sit back, relax, and enjoy great gospel music at its best, great fellowshipping and most importantly praising and worshipping our Lord and Savior.

The Joe Cook Family was in the studio on August 10-11, 2007 to record songs from the Heavenly Highways Hymn Book. "We have several requests for old humns, so we felt this would be a great project to release. We also have several favorites on this project ourselves," says Kim Cook. Be looking for it soon!

Paradigm Music group is happy to announce the signing of the Joe Cook Family to their roster of talent. Calvin Gann, the owner of Paradigm, says, "They are a very talented and anointed family and I look forward to working with them." Their first single on the Paradigm Compilation was released to radio on August 1st. The song "If It's True" was written by Joe Cook and his sister, Vicky Wootton.

The Joe Cook Family was nominated for several Beacon Awards that were given at the 2007 Emerald Coast Gospel Music Association Jubilee Weekend. The group was nominated for Mixed Group of the Year, and Joe Cook was nominated for Stage Musician and Studio Musician of the Year. Also, Joe and Kim Cook were presenters for the category Producer of the Year.

The Joe Cook Family was nominated for the 2006 Diamond Award Bluegrass Gospel Group of the Year. Others nominated for the prestigious award wer Jeff and Sheri Easter, the Primitive Quartet, The Issacs, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, the Lewis FAmily, and Young Harmony. Joe says, "What company to be place with! God has blessed us to be listed among such great talent."