No two Talley concerts are exactly alike, according to Debra Talley, a testament to the testimony-driven performances where the family-based trio allows God to impact each gig’s play list.
“We know the audience comes into our shows with a lot of diverse needs, and we hope to speak to those needs through God’s direction and our own personal testimonies at that time,” she said. “We don’t know what people in the audience are going through, but we will be open to tailoring the concert based on what God impresses upon us. He will be orchestrating the concert.”
For Debra, the personal testimony aspect currently involves the recent death of her mother.
“My mother passed away suddenly and unexpectedly last February, so right now, the songs that speak to me are those of comfort,” she said. “I know where my mom is right now, but sometimes, we all need some comfort, some guidance and a simple reminder.”
The trio — made up of Debra, her husband Roger, and their daughter, Lauren — will rely heavily on God’s guidance as it prepares for a Friday, July 26, concert during the 100th God’s Holiness Grove Camp Meeting at the Central Pennsylvania Wesleyan Campground near New Columbia. The performance is set to start at 7 p.m., with tickets ranging between $10-15.
“We offer a big variety of styles — from gospel to inspirational to contemporary,” she said. “We each have a diverse, eclectic repertoire of musical likes, and we assume that our audiences represent that, too. Of course, our focus points people to Christ, but we also strive to encourage the Christian and uplift our churches.
“In my personal opinion, in this day and time, if we are not uplifting God’s people and sharing the gospel, then we are wasting valuable time. Our Lord is coming back soon, and we don’t want to be lax in sharing His message.”
The Talleys were formed in 1983, showcasing the musical talents of Debra, her husband, Roger, and Roger’s brother, Kirk. In 1996, at age 13, Lauren replaced her uncle on the stage.
“She always travelled with us, but she wasn’t on stage until 13. She’s now 36, and I’ve loved sharing this experience with her during that time,” Debra said. “She’s old enough now that she’s telling me what to do in shows. It has really come full circle.”
Performing and traveling with immediate family has been a blessing for Debra, but she added that they’re no different than other typical families.
“It has been a great experience, but we’ve learned as any normal family, there are times when one of us are having a bad day. We know enough to respect that and work through it,” she said. “For the most part, though, we have great experiences on the road. We laugh a lot, we learn a lot.”
Debra admitted she has picked up a number of life lessons over the past three-plus decades of performing as a family.
“The main thing I learned over the years is to be vulnerable. We can’t get overly emotional with our own life situations when on the stage. We are there to serve the people we are in front of, but those things still affect us. The key is to try to relate it to the song we sing and being vulnerable to the song,” she said. “That viewpoint changes the dynamic from being a performance to a way of communication with our listeners.”
Debra has also learned the importance of completely relying on God through all of life’s ups and downs.
“I’m not anything on my own. I need God every day to help me do what I do,” she said. “We also get to meet great people who have such great stories to tell. Sometimes people have no one to talk to, and they feel comfortable sharing with us in the short amount of time we have. That can be challenging at times, but also so offers so many rewards.”
For those attending the July 26 concert, Debra encourages coming prepared to honor God and bringing along an open mind.
“People should be ready to come and sing songs that really move them. Come planning to have fun and putting other things aside so God can speak directly to you during the evening,” she said. “Ultimately, we are called by God to be ministers of music — we are simply the Levites preparing the way for His message. We want to make sure the salvation message comes through and to be there to help uplift our brothers and sisters in Christ.”
For more information and to order tickets, click here. You can also get more information by calling Lisa Jo Smith at the campground office at 570-538-2790.