Dwayne Friend

Growing up in Mountain Grove, Missouri, Dwayne taught himself to play guitar in the style of Chet Atkins and became well known for his classic fingerstyle playing. He would go on to perform with The Happy Goodman Family, The Blackwood Brothers, The Oak Ridge Boys, and The Smitty Gatlin Trio, among others, and he was hired to play on numerous Gospel albums over the years. He also recorded several solo albums, appeared multiple times at the Grand Ole Opry, and performed at Rex Humbard’s Cathedral of Tomorrow.

In 1969, at the very first GMA Dove Awards, Dwayne was the winner in the Instrumentalist category. Then in 1970, he won in the same category and also received an award for Song of the Year as one of the writers of “The Night Before Easter.” In addition to that song, Dwayne wrote or cowrote many others, including “The Little Boy from the Carpenter Shop” and “I Came Here to Stay.”

During the 1970s, Dwayne traveled for a while with Jimmie Snow (son of Hank Snow) and Carol Lee Cooper (daughter of Wilma Lee Cooper). He sang harmony, played guitar, and even preached occasionally during their evangelistic meetings.

Dwayne had a passion for preaching and evangelism, and he started his own ministry, Dwayne Friend Ministries, in the 1970s. He had a successful 30-minute Sunday morning television show, performing music and preaching, and he also held crusades from coast to coast, seeing thousands come to know Christ.

Dwayne Friend Moves To His Heavenly Home. (2019, July 18). Retrieved December 27, 2019, from Singing News website: https://www.singingnews.com/news/obituaries/dwayne-friend-moves-heavenly-home/