The Childress Family has been singing and ministering together for over 50 years, sharing the message of Jesus through heartfelt harmonies and sincere worship. What began as a calling on Ken and Marlene Childress grew into a family legacy of music when they discovered their children—Teresa, Carla, and Shannon—had a natural gift for singing and playing instruments at a young age.
Before forming the family group, Ken sang with a quartet called The Golden Keys. But when the children began showing musical talent—Teresa on piano, Carla on bass guitar, and Shannon with his impressive vocal range—it was clear that God had a unique ministry in store for their family. With a blend of harmonies and spirit-led passion, The Childress Family quickly became a beloved name in gospel music circles.
Through decades of changes and growth, their commitment to sharing the Good News has never wavered. Whether in small churches or large events, their focus remains on glorifying God and encouraging hearts through song. The Childress Family continues to honor their legacy by lifting up the name of Jesus and pointing others to His love.
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Marlene Childress
Marlene has been blessed with the ability to write some wonderful songs that have been recorded by numerous artists in the gospel music industry. She and son, Shannon, wrote "From Disgrace to His Grace" which was recorded by The Hoppers and was nominated as Song of the Year at the Singing News Fan Awards in 1994. Marlene still travels and sings several songs with the family group. She has a sincere sensitivity of the Holy Spirit which reflects in every service atmosphere. Ken passed away in 2021 and Shannon passed away in 2011.
Jamey Lutz
Jamey was no stranger to gospel music. He sang with Teresa during their teen years at church, but was also a member of a church quartet called The Templemen. Jamey is a favorite with his smooth lead voice.
Teresa Childress-Lutz
Teresa Childress Lutz is the pianist and alto singer for the family group. She also writes a lot of the music for her mother, Marlene's, songs. When her brother, Shannon, left the family group in 1986 to join The Hoppers in North Carolina on a full time basis, Teresa's husband, Jamey, joined The Childress Family.
Courtney Lutz-Creal
Courtney Lutz is the daughter of Jamey and Teresa. She is a 2012 graduate of the Business Administration Honor's Program at Belmont University and a 2015 magna cum laude graduate of the Belmont College of Law in Nashville, Tennessee. She is licensed to practice law in Kentucky and in Tennessee and works for a firm in downtown Nashville. She married Drew Creal, who is a talented musician in his own right, in June, 2021. Courtney steals the heart of the crowd with her charisma and vocal ability. Due to her work and personal commitments, she travels with the family on a limited basis.
Carla Childress
Carla Childress is the soprano singer and the bass player for the family group. She picked up the bass guitar a short while after the family started singing together and is one of the smoothest bassists around. She has been blessed with the knack to pick up most any stringed instrument and be able to play something on it. In her spare time, Carla enjoys playing with her dogs and being outdoors. But most of all, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.
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