Ohio's Mennonite communities sing the praises of Girl Named Tom

With their recent stunning victory on NBC's "The Voice," the sibling trio — Caleb, Joshua and Bekah Liechty — who make up the group Girl Named Tom, have developed quite a following among Mennonites in Holmes and Wayne counties and across the country.

The Liechtys were raised Mennonite in a small Ohio town, and before they found fame as performers — Girl Named Tom has become the first-ever group to win "The Voice" in the 21-season history of the show — they were singing in their church in the village of Archbold.

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Local connection to singing stars

Aaron Bontrager of Wooster, who works in marketing for his family’s agritourism business at Ramseyer’s Farms in Smithville, grew up in the small community west of Toledo. His family is close friends with the Liechty family. They attended Zion Mennonite Church together, where the kids developed their singing voices.

“Our parents are still very close friends today,” Bontrager said. “Caleb, Joshua and Bekah, along with their parents, are some of the nicest people I've known. In addition to their vocal talents and heart-warming harmonies, I think their genuine kindness and humility was evident on the show as well. They are truly a blessing in their home community, and it's incredible that they've had this opportunity to broaden that impact on a national and even global level."

Bontrager believes folks across the country fell for Girl Named Tom because of their small-town charm and extraordinary talents.

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"Each one of them has an amazing voice individually, but together, their sibling voices blend with such tight-knit harmonies that are simply difficult for anyone else to match," Bontrager said. "They've been singing as a family since they were young, and their knowledge of music is a great asset as well."

Each of the siblings can play various musical instruments, notes Bontrager, and their ability to write and arrange songs is impressive.

The group had a loyal following from the start among those in the Mennonite community, according to Bontrager, which grew as they launched their singing career.

“I imagine being a part of the Mennonite community helped them gain traction in different parts of the country," he said. "As Mennonites, we love music and love sharing it with others, so it’s not a surprise that word spread quickly when three Mennonite siblings were going to be on "The Voice."

As for the rest of the country, Bontrager figures they naturally fell in love with the siblings.

“They're young, charismatic, close-knit siblings from small-town Ohio. They sing very likable music," he said. "They showcased their ability to excel in different genres throughout the season, appealing to different audiences throughout the country.”

Songs by Girl Named Tom have been charting weekly on iTunes. One climbed to No. 1, and by the end of the season they had four songs charting in the top 10 simultaneously (the first this has ever happened in 21 seasons of "The Voice").

How Girl Named Tom got their name

The band's name is based on a childhood nickname. Joshua used to call Bekah "Thomas" when she was a baby, according to information posted on the group's website.

Girl Named Tom’s sound is built on the harmonizing voices of Bekah Grace Liechty, 21, and her two brothers Joshua, 24, and Caleb, 26.

Caleb and Josh are graduates of Goshen College. They studied pre-med at the Mennonite college, and both minored in music. Joshua focused on voice and Caleb the piano. Bekah has put her college on hold, and is getting an education on her musical journey, the website states.

The band started touring nationally in 2019. During that first year, Bekah, Joshua and Caleb drove their old minivan across the country, playing 67 shows in 27 cities.

The pandemic slowed them down, but they had played in Florida, Pennyslvania, Colorado, California and at camps, churches, and dozens of house shows throughout 2020.

Girl Named tom also has performed in Wayne County at the Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale.

Jill and Bruce Breckbill of Kidron hosted the trio for a backyard concert during the summer of 2020. Jill became friends with parents Chris and Holly Liechty when they attended Goshen College.

"I think they are fantastic people, and extremely talented," Breckbill said.

In their blind audition on "The Voice," Girl Named Tom performed the Crosby Stills and Nash classic "Helplessly Hoping," which got all four celebrity judges (Kelly Clarkson, Ariana Grande, John Legend and Blake Shelton) to turn around, which allowed the performers to choose the judge they wanted to work with — Kelly Clarkson.

True to their small-town roots

“I think this victory on "The Voice" is just the beginning for Girl Named Tom's success in the music industry,” Bontrager said. “These siblings are the kindest, most down-to-earth people, so I don't doubt for a minute that they will remain true to their roots and continue to conduct themselves with humility and integrity despite their growing fame.”

Immediately after sharing the stage with some of the biggest names in music and receiving their winner's trophy on Dec. 14, the Liechty siblings announced via social media that they would be returning home as soon as possible to be with their family.

“Their father, Chris, has been diagnosed with a rare terminal bone cancer, called chordoma, and it's surely been difficult for the siblings to be away from their parents during their recent trials at home,” Bontrager said. “Family is Girl Named Tom's first priority, but they do plan to release new music in the near future.

“I hope they are able to ride off the success of this monumental accomplishment and continue to share their harmonies and lyrics with the world,” he said.

Reach Kevin at klynch@the-daily-record.com

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Girl Named Tom from Archbold has ties to Wayne, Holmes counties