The Gospel Lights - Tommy Bond

I was born in Brownsville Tennessee, a city with the population of about 11,000 in Haywood County on January 11, 1951.

My parents were Clarence and Maggie Lean Bond. They were sharecroppers in a small community near Brownsville Tennessee.

I attended Hopewell Elementary and Junior High School.

My first involvement in music was singing in the choir at Lower Salem Baptist Church in Brownsville Tennessee.

My first experience with God was in 1967 when I received God in my life.

I am an active member of the St John Baptist Church that is located in a small community called Jarrell, near McKenzie Tennessee, where I am presently the chairman of the Deacon Board, Sunday School Superintendent, member of the senior choir, and president of the Senior Choir.

I worked at Gaines Manufacturing Company for seven years and twenty-one years for Atlantic Hones near Paris Tennessee.

I presently work for New Generation, a fine furniture manufacturer that is located in McKenzie Tennessee, where I am a supervisor.

I have been married for thirty-two years. My wife is Cathrene and we have four children; Diane, Clarrisa, Lecia and Tommy Bond Jr. We have three grandchildren; Jordan, Isaac, and Seneca.

It was interesting how I got started with The Gospel Lights. I was told by a lady that is a member of St. John that a gospel group was been started at The New Reedy Creek Church in McLemoresville Tennessee and I went and joined. I have been a member since then, which was about twenty years ago.

The group means a great deal to me, I love being in the group and we get along very well.

My hope for the group is to get better and better singing for the Lord and I hope things go well for us in the future because I love singing God's praises.

Tommy L. Bond
August 2004