November 2006 ~ Featuring Nick Trammell
This month, I'd like to introduce everyone to Nick Trammell. Perhaps the last name sounds familiar? Well, that's because his father, Mark Trammell, has traveled the roads for many years singing with groups like the Cathedrals, Kingsmen, Gold City, and Greater Vision. Nick is a newcomer to the spotlight, but has been around Gospel music his entire life. He is the newest addition to America's Favorite Mixed Quartet, The Perrys.

Nick, whose full name is Nicholas Mark Trammell, was born on May 18, 1984. He is the only child of Mark and LaResa Trammell. The Trammell family lives in Southside, Alabama. Nick was saved on February 9, 2003. He says, "My dad led me to the Lord over the phone. He was in North Carolina and I was sitting on my bed at home. I was baptized when I was seven years old, but I never truly knew what it meant and never really lived like I knew that I should. I had been questioning myself for a while and finally came to the realization that if I were to die right then, I wasn't sure where I would go. That was enough to get me!" Nick is a member of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Anniston, Alabama. Nick says, "I am an only child. Once they had me, they figured they couldn't do any better. Ha! We have a dog named Barney, and a cat that doesn't belong to us, but he stays on our front porch. My mom works at Manpower in Gadsden, AL, and my dad has the Mark Trammell Trio."

Nick credits his father, Mark, as his biggest influence. He states, "Every day of my life, I have watched him grow in this industry and in his walk with God and have learned so much through that." In his spare time, Nick enjoys playing golf, basketball, and text messaging! He says that he likes to collect watches and also has a collection of baseball and basketball cards in storage from when he was little.

The Perrys hired Nick on August 28, 2006. I asked Nick to tell us how he got the job, and he shared, "I had been praying to see if I should call Tracy and Libbi to audition for the lead position when it was open. I wasn't sure if I could fill that spot adequately. I prayed that the door would be obviously slung open if I should call. About two days later, I head that Joseph Habedank was moving up to the lead spot and they would need a baritone. I called and went through a try out process for a couple of weeks, and the rest is history!" Besides singing baritone for the group, Nick also helps JK Stuffle set up and tear down the product table every night. He continues, "I am also the garbage man on the bus, I guess that's what I get for being the newbie."

Prior to joining the Perrys, Nick sang in two college choirs and in the Show Band at the community college that he attended in Gadsden. In the choir, Nick was a part of a quartet that sang a few selections during the choir shows. After leaving the choir, the quartet added a piano player and named themselves the Narrow Way Quartet. Nick sang with them until he joined the Perrys. Even though he has not sung with any full-time groups before, Nick has been brought up around some of the most respected men in the industry. He sites all of the members of the Cathedrals, Greater Vision, and Gold City as huge influences on his life. Nick shares, "I wouldn't trade the time spent with those men, and women (since I was around the wives more) for anything in the world."

Tracy Stuffle of the Perrys says, "Nick has the potential to be one of Southern Gospel music's finest singers. He's already a seasoned road veteran and during the time that he's been on our bus, he's shown that his personality and talents don't stop with the stage. He's an excellent people-person and he's already proven to be a favorite with the fans and other groups. We're excited about the possibilities Nick brings to the Perrys."

For more information on Nick Trammell and the rest of the Perrys, visit their website at: www.perrysministries.com. With the addition of Nick as baritone, former Perrys baritone Joseph Habedank has moved to the lead vocalist position. Playing piano for this talented line-up is Matthew Holt. Matthew is one of my favorite pianists and I consider him to be a great friend. Tracy and Libbi Stuffle have assembled a great group and during each performance, it's obvious why fans have voted them the Favorite Mixed Quartet in Gospel Music!