Band Bios
Worship Team
Fred McKinnon :: Worship Leader/Producer
Fred McKinnon has been leading worship and producing modern worship music in the Golden Isles area for over 10 years. Originally from McRae, GA and a graduate of Georgia Southern University, he received a music degree double-majoring in Piano Performance and Theory/Composition. In the m. Proficient on a long list of instruments, Mack will be playing acoustic guitar for “Worship Under The Stars”.
Jay Sellers :: Electric Guitar
Jay Sellers has been playing guitar since he first picked one up at the early age of 14.
Involved in ministry since 1998, Jay has played guitar and led worship in several different settings, with audiences that range from 1 to 2500 people.
Jay and his wife, Brooke, live on St. Simons Island.
Ken Mullis :: Electric Guitar, Keyboards
Ken Mullis is a musician’s musician. Standing on the shoulders of his very musical family, Ken began playing the piano and making homemade trapsets at a young age. Throughout his teens and early 20s he developed those gifts in a variety of bands ranging from the high school-marching-variety to rock-n-roll and even country bands. Ken’s beat changed in 1982 when he met Jesus and began his Christian music journey under the early influences of Keith Green. For the past 20 years Ken has been involved in many aspects of Christian music from leading praise and worship, playing several instruments, writing, recording, and producing, as well as, co-producing his first two live CDs– “I Will Run to You” and “No Alibis.” Ken can be found traveling as a journeyman musician of sorts, filling in with international ministries and helping the local body establish prophetic praise and worship teams at the grass roots level. You can read his Tree of Life Insights at www.kenmullis.com where you can catch a glimpse of his heart for the restoration of the church. Ken resides in Jesup, GA. with his wife Christy and their six children.
Shannon Hutchinson :: Drums
Shannon is an award winning drummer and songwriter that has won numerous awards at the local,state and national levels. He began playing the tambourine to his Fathers gospel albums at the age of four. At the age of seven he began playing the drums. Shannon received his talent from the Lord Jesus when he had a personal encounter with Christ. That same year Shannon gave his heart to the Lord and has been playing music for His glory. Shannon has played and recorded with many bands that vary in styles, showing his versatility. Shannon resides in Brunswick Georgia with his wife Robin and daughter Rachel. They attend the Golden Isles Church of God.
Phillip Walker :: Bass
Phillip’s musical interests began with his first guitar at the age of eight years. After playing trombone briefly during middle school, he got serious with the guitar at age fourteen. By his late teens, he was playing professionally. After high school, he was a full time musician and worked with several touring bands. On July 25, 1982, he met Jesus! After a radical encounter with Christ, he realized his musical abilities had a higher calling, but continued to struggle with secular professional music until 1989. During this seven-year period, he played in working bands and opening act groups for nationally known music artists. In 1989, Phillip left secular music completely after having a revelation from God that there was no longer room for that in his life. Since then, he has been in three Christian bands as a singer/songwriter/musician. He plays several instruments and has been a guest musician/singer on various studio- and live-recording projects. He is a worship leader and a proponent for worship team-building and prophetic ministry to the body of Christ. He is a registered architect living in Waycross with his wife, Kristine and their three sons, Elias, Seth and Riley. His oldest son, Joshua, is a sophomore at Georgia Tech in Atlanta. Phillip and his family attend Crossway Church in Blackshear.
Dutch Heidler :: Saxophone
Dutch Heidler is the Worship Pastor at Believers Church in Statesboro, GA. HeÕs been involved in ministry for 13+ years including 3 church plantings, multiple conferences, and worship team building. He and Fred McKinnon have been making worship music together since they were both attending Georgia Southern University. After graduating from Georgia Southern in 1993 with a degree in music, Dutch began to lead people in to the presence of God through worship. He has also produced his own compositions and been a part of many praise and worship recording sessions as a saxophonist, keyboardist, and vocalist. In addition to this, Dutch was the saxophonist and co-artist on the “QuietTimes Volume 2″ Keyboard/Sax Instrumental album released by Fred McKinnon in 1995. Dutch and his wife, Tami, live in Statesboro and are also the proud parents of three beautiful boys: Ian, Evan, and Aiden.
Carlos Torres :: Percussion & Woodwinds
For over twenty years, Carlos has been playing flute and percussion. With a sound, rhythm and style unique to himself, he has been a sought after studio musician over 15 years and has had the privilege to record with people like: Don Potter, Tommy Simms, Bob Carlisle, Mike Weaver (Big Daddy Weave) among others, also played with: Rita Springer, Kent Henry, John Mark McMillan, Leon “Timbo” Seymore Jr., Rob Stearns, JoAnn McFatter, Jeremiah Bowser, Kelanie Gloeckler, and song writers and worship leaders for Integrity music such as Rusty Nelson, Paul Wilbur, Ron Kenoly & Randy Rothwell, among others. He has been featured in MorningStar’s recordings: “In the Spirit”, “Fly me like the wind”, “Prepare the way”, “Generations”, “Draw me up” and “Awake” also in Jeremiah Bowser’s “Don’t go away” and “Stole my heart”, the list goes on. Last year he released his first solo recording “listen”…a prophetic journey into the secret place. He believes that music and sound is more than a thing you hear, it is a texture that goes deep in to the spirit of man and ushers God in.
He, his wife Holly, and children, Alexandria, Abraham and Matthew recently moved from Jacksonville Florida to Huntsville Alabama where they reside today
Heather Blankenship :: Vocals
Heather is a resident of Brunswick, GA, where she attends St Simons Community Church with her husband Jon, who is the youth pastor. Together they serve in the youth ministry where Heather helps with the worship team and small group ministry. Heather also volunteers as a trained primary facilitator for Living Well Ministries Inc. They have a seven year old daughter, Taylor, who is a source of joy in their life.
Kim Dixon :: Vocals
Kim is a resident of St. Simons Island, GA. She works for Gathering Place Ministries, Young Women’s Ministry. She is a 2004 graduate of Shorter College.
In addition to singing background vocals, Kim will be featured soloist on “Restore My Heart”, an intimate prayer song of repentance and restoration.
Shannon Lewis :: Vocals
Originally from Georgetown, Ohio, Shannon has been writing, performing, recording, engineering, and producing original music for more than 14 years. After fronting a sophisticated alternative rock project known as Set on Edge in two different Athenses (Ohio and Georgia) he has now settled in Brunswick and is praising God with his wife, Cyle, in the contemporary worship band Saint Lewis.
Shannon is the Assistant to the Chief Professional Officer at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Georgia. He and his wife have a beautiful son.
Jermaine Johnson :: Vocals
Since the vibrant age of twelve, Jermaine L. Johnson has been singing and playing to the glory of God. The native of Brunswick, Ga was a former high school standout in baseball and football and also drafted by the Kansas City Royals. Following his desire to further his education, Jermaine attended Lake City Community College and Valdosta State University. He earned All-Conference 1st Team Academic and Athletic Honors. He also received The Ben Jackson Award which was the Blazer baseball player who best exemplified Christian character on and off the field. As an honor graduate and dean’s list student, he continued to study business management and music. Answering the call of God to return to Glynn County, Jermaine has been faithfully working with high school football teams and other Christian organizations in the community. One of his favorite songs includes “Jesus Saves,” which is what he lives by and loves to share with others. As God continues to mold this passionate psalmist and gifted instrumentalist, he always remembers to remain humble and dedicated to God first. He is married to the most beautiful woman in his world, the former Alisha Marie Spencer.
Technical Team
Adam Ogden :: Technical Director, Lighting Director
Adam is the Technical Director at Canyon Ridge Christian Church, the largest church in Las Vegas, Nevada. He has over 13 years of technical experience, including live sound, set design, lighting design, and corporate Audio/Video. He originally came from Northside Baptist Church in Brunswick, and moved to Canyon Ridge in 2003. “Transparency is Success” is Adam’s technical motto, and refers to how technology should enhance the worship experience, but never be thought about or “seen” by the audience.
Stage Front Presentation Systems :: Live Sound and Lighting
Since 1978, Stage Front Production Services has been supplying the Southeast with professional lighting, audio, video, staging, and special effects.
We supply services for the corporate, concert, theatrical, worship, educational and entertainment industries. Production services, consumable supplies, rentals, sales, repairs and consultation are available to meet any requirement.
Stage Front Production Services uses the latest design tools for lighting, video, staging and audio including Cast Lighting/ETC WYSIWYG, Auto CAD, and JBL Ease.
Team Coordinators
Kay Oplinger :: Event Coordinator
Kay Oplinger is the main Event Coordinator.
Brent Barbee :: Marketing and Advertising
Brent Barbee heads up the Marketing and Advertising through Joseph David Advertising, a generous sponsor and underwriter of “Worship Under the Stars”.
