Brooks inducted into SGMA of West Virginia Hall of Fame

May 5—Music is part of Scott Brooks' heritage and, on April 22, he became a permanent part of West Virginia's southern gospel music history.

Brooks was one of eight new members inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Association of West Virginia Hall of Fame during ceremonies at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Elkview.

The youngest of six children, he grew up in Mallory.

Though he can't remember when he first began singing, he believes he might have been as young as two.

"My next sibling is eight years older than me. We all sang. We were like the Osmonds.

"Nobody ever said, 'It's time for you to sing.' You just did. We all did."

His dad, Ray, taught shape note music, the "do-re-mi" pitch scale for harmonizing, in churches across southern West Virginia.

"My dad had an amazing voice. He could sing with any group around today," Brooks said. "He was that good."

His mom, Athleen, sang alto. Along with a couple of friends, his parents organized The Mallory Quartet. Brooks has a photo of the quartet, but hadn't been born when they were performing.

"I can remember singing at Dad's funeral. We all gathered around the piano and sang a few songs," he recalled of his siblings. "That's what we did."

Over the past five decades, Brooks has sang with several gospel groups, including The Scott Brooks Family, New Life Singers, The Crossmen, among others.

Today, he is lead singer for the internationally-known Gospel Harmony Boys.

"I started filling in with the group in 2005. In 2008, there was an opening and I felt the Lord's calling to join the group.

"When I was growing up, I wanted to earn my living by singing," he said.

"But God's timing was better than mine," he said with a smile.

"I got to have a family, earn a living and still sing."

Performing with a gospel quartet is "not all glitz and glamour," he said.

It requires a lot of traveling, especially weekends, which takes performers away from their families, and there isn't a lot of money for the majority of groups.

"There are a few groups that make some money, but most are just eking out an existence," he explained.

Brooks has been a New York Life agent for more than 30 years, with his business based in Oceana. Prior to that, he worked for more than a decade in the coal mines.

"I spent 13 years in the coal mines and, thank God, I never had a serious accident," he said.

"My mother prayed me out of the coal mines."

His wife, Anita, who also has a beautiful singing voice, assists with the business.

Brooks notes he could not have pursued his singing career had he not joined New York Life, which allows him to be his own boss.

Their two children are also involved in music at their respective churches and his son is a high school band director.

Sharing the gospel through music is something that Brooks loves doing and he has no plans to retire.

He also loves talking with people and both careers allow him that.

"God sometimes gives us the desires of our heart," he emphasized.