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Biographies
Robby Heath - Lead Guitar/Vocals
When life in the fast lane turned down a dead-end street, I turned to the God I'd met in my youth. Even though I knew who Jesus was, I thought it was too late for someone like me. On March 16, 1997, Pastor Charles Gray convinced me that Jesus still loved me and was standing ready to grant me forgiveness. I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior that Sunday morning and have made it my life's mission to tell as many as I can that there is a better way and it is not too late. If He can change me, He can change anyone.
Gail Heath - Lead Vocals
I was brought up in church with a "praying mom," but the lifestyle did not seem very exciting at that time. I began at an early age to seek satisfaction in worldly things, and that was the life I lived until a search for inner peace brought me to my knees in the church where I grew up. That day, in 1997, I sold out to God and never looked back. I married Robby in 1989 and we have a beautiful Christian daughter, Katelyn. I am so thankful for my Christian home and the wonderful circle of friends in this ministry. I am humbled by God's plan for my life, and I plan to praise and worship Him and touch as many lives as I can until the day He calls me home.
Alton Jones - Lead Vocals/Background Percussion
Raised by God-fearing parents, I was dragged to church twice on Sunday and at least once during the week, and I thank God for that. At the age of thirteen, I gave my heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. At the age of sixteen I realized I had a calling on my life, and that was to spread the gospel through song. In the winter of 1980, I joined a gospel group based out of Union Chapel Church of Richlands, and I knew I was doing what God had called me to do. A few years later, we started a group in our church by the name of The Golden Gate Crusaders, and then I sang with a group called the Willing Vessels. In 1997, Robby Heath started coming to my home church, Gospel Chapel, and he and I became very close friends. Robby knew how to play guitar and sing, and I had always wanted to sing in a live band. Now my prayers were being answered. As of December 31, 2009, Living Proof is celebrating ten years of spreading the gospel and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.
Tammy Hansley - Lead Vocals/Backup Vocals
I have lived in
North Carolina all my life. I had my first son, Austin, at the age of twenty. Two years later I found myself divorced by my own will and living the life, or so I thought. When
Austin was five, I met my second husband but, before we married, I had my second son John. I lived several years in an abusive relationship. I thought I was useless and ruined because I had been married twice and I had two children with separate fathers. I began to use marijuana almost as an antidepressant, because it felt like the only way to escape from reality. I found myself divorced again, and this time it wasn't easy because he was the one who left me. A few weeks later I let our son John visit with his dad, and John never lived with me since that day. It almost tore my heart out, but God brought me through it, and He continues to bring me truth from my heavenly Father that He is working this all out for good. Then came my present husband Matthew, also the bass guitarist for Living Proof. He is a wonderful man of God, and we have a beautiful daughter Abigail and also Matthew has a son named Dakota. We are all amazed at how God brought us to Living Proof and thank God every day that He brought us here. God continues to bring us to closer to Him, and because of our imperfections we are able to minister to others; because God is continually healing our hurts we can help others learn to live a victorious life though Jesus Christ our Lord. Serving God is the most awesome thing I have ever done. Every day is an adventure, and I look for the next person that God puts in my way to help. To me there is no better way to live. As a song I love says, "I was afraid to give in and now I'm afraid to let go."
Matthew Hansley - Bass Guitar
I was raised in
North Carolina as the son of a preacher. I went into the Navy right after graduating high school and saw the world, running from the Lord and His calling on my life. I led a life of partying and sex addiction. After leaving the Navy, I met my first wife and we had my first son Dakota out of wedlock. Still running from God's call on my life, I became a law enforcement officer in
Leland,
NC, for a year, then went to
New
Hanover
Memorial
Hospital as special police and did that for six years. In this time of being an officer, I believed that everyone I arrested deserved their punishment. I felt I was better than them and all those around me, and one day God reeled me back in. I found myself in jail; I had accusations against me that sent me to prison for five years. I lost my wife, my home, and my relationship with my son all in one day. My life as I knew it was in shambles. During my time in prison, God used me tremendously and souls were saved. God did a mighty move in my life, giving me the opportunity to live with men who were murderers, thieves, drug dealers, child molesters and some just mentally crazy but also they were grandfathers, fathers, sons, and friends, which was what I'd refused to see before. I grew to realize that these men had hearts and a need for love that only a Savior could give them. My compassion was restored for these men, my love had returned and finally I could see with my spiritual eyes where God was in this journey. During the last year and a half of my sentence, I received a letter from Tammy Parker. I had never known her before, but God had sent her to be my wife. She stuck by me and helped to restore the relationship with my son during the last year of my sentence by bringing him to visit me as often as possible. I was released on December 13, 2006 and also married Tammy that day. On December 1, 2007, I became an ordained minister, and the next day, our daughter Abigail was born. Since then the journey has become really exciting. God sent my family to Living Proof. It has almost been a year now and it has been the best year for serving the Lord. What an awesome group of friends that God has delivered to my family! Now I get to minister to every walk of life and share the love of Jesus everywhere we go. I have loved and am loving every minute; there is no better way to live than this.
Joe Gillette - Drums/Backup Vocals
I ran into my old friend Robby Heath at my wife's aunt's funeral and told him I needed a guitar player. He said that was funny; he needed a drummer. I didn't know Christ at the time but I joined Living Proof a week or two after that. Within six months, I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior and have tried to serve Him diligently ever since. I give Christ all the Glory and honor for my new life with him and will never go back to the old Joe.
Pam Gillette - Keyboard
You might say I started at the same time Joe did, as a "praise-and-worshiper" in the background. I rededicated my life to Christ in May of 2001 and I started playing piano in 2005. When our previous keyboard player Jerry Koonce was called to preach, I stepped up to the keyboard for Living Proof and have done so ever since. It is a blessing to my soul to be able to lift up the name of Jesus through song in this ministry. All glory, honor, and praise be to the Lord Jesus Christ for all he has done and is doing in my life and in the lives of my family. I will forever praise His holy name.
Brenda Jones - Product Manager
My name is Brenda Jones and my husband's name is Alton Jones. We have two girls, Courtney and Megan. I would like to start by saying that we are all saved by the grace of God and we are very excited. I truly believe that God has already completed this group to continue to carry the gospel for Him. I love the Lord and will serve him until it's time for all of us to meet in Heaven.
Austin Williams - Sound Technician
Austin Williams is the son of Matthew and Tammy Hansley. After his parents joined Living Proof full time, he began to show an interest in being our sound technician, a position that had been left unfilled for quite some time.
Austin truly has a heart for serving God and is of great assistance to Living Proof on the technical side.
Peggy Johnson - Minister/Prayer Warrior
Peggy Johnson is our traveling minister and prayer warrior who keeps us filled with the word on our long trips to spread the gospel. She has been a close friend of Robby and Gail's family for several years and now holds a special place in the heart of Living Proof as a ministry.
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Robby Heath |
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Gail Heath |
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Alton Jones |
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Tammy Hansley |
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Austin Williams |
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(Pictures of some band members are currently unavailable and will be uploaded shortly.) |
