With the release of their self titled debut album this month, BEYOND THE BLUE-- the vocal trio of Steve Smith, Marty Funderburk and Richard Kelly--finds itself with the status of seasoned professionals. Since becoming "official" last June, they've performed 97 concerts, toured extensively with Mark Lowry, and were invited back out on the road with Lowry and Kathy Troccoli--a pretty good track record for a bunch of guys just getting started. Smith, Funderburk and Kelly are three men from different Southern locales, with contrasting musical backgrounds, but with a single vision. "We want to reach a generation of the church," says Smith. "We want to encourage the church."

The musical journeys of these artists are rather dissimilar. Steve Smith got his musical merits working for Sea World and Disney World. Marty Funderburk earned his working as a session singer for top artists such as Steven Curtis Chapman, Steve Green, Dallas Holm and Gary McSpadden. Meanwhile Motown was calling Richard Kelly with the opportunity of a lifetime, but God's call proved to be irresistible. "When you meet someone, you go 'There's no more spare time. [Yet] this just feels right,'" remembers Smith of his first meeting with Funderburk and Kelly. "It just felt right from the beginning. Since then it's been a whirlwind which has really taken off. God has shown favor and really blessed us."

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