Sensational Brothers to release CD at gospel fest

He has always loved to sing, and when he was a young man he told God he wanted three sons so he could form a quartet.

“God was listening,” said a smiling Fred Griffin Sr. of Columbus.

For 30 years, he and his boys have been performing together as The Sensational Brothers.

It is not a quartet, however, as Gary White of Phenix City has also been a member of the gospel group since 1986 and others have contributed.

Currently, the act features 12-year-old Altavious Williams of Phenix City as the drummer.

“He’s good,” Griffin Sr. said.

The three sons are Rev. Fred Griffin Jr. of Phenix City, Jerald Griffin Sr. of Columbus and Al Griffin of Columbus.

“We started singing together at home when they were just little boys,” said Griffin Sr., who fondly recalls being a boy sitting around a campfire and singing with his grandfather.

The Sensational Brothers just finished recording their second CD.

“The first was in 2011 and did well,” White said.

It will have an official release on Sunday at a gospel fest featuring The Sensational Brothers along with David Hammond & Chosen Disciples, The Valley Girls and Prodigy.

A family member, Jerald Griffin Jr., performs with Prodigy.

The event is being held at 4 p.m. at Believers in God A.O.H. Church of God on 2403 Cusseta Road in Columbus. Tickets are $20 at the door.

“It should be a terrific show, one we are looking forward to doing,” Al Griffin said.

The CD features five songs and the group will be performing some of them at the gospel fest. A couple are “If I Trust Jesus” and “It’s Your Time.”

“We write our own songs,” Jerald Griffin Sr. said. “That makes us a little different from other groups,”

“We all play a role in the writing,” added Al Griffin, who, like his brother Jerald, plays the guitar.

“We put out heads together and make it work,” Fred Griffin Sr. said of the songwriting.

Fred Griffin Jr. and Al Griffin had the idea for forming the act. They were performing with another group, but were not the lead players.

“We were just background. We wanted to get our voices out there,” Fred Griffin Jr. said.

“I was inspired to do something different,” Al Griffin said.

Driving back from a performance they decided to make the move. They went to a pawn shop to purchase microphones and instruments.

“A big difference between us and many acts like us is that we are sincere. It is all about the message, not the money,” said Fred Griffin Jr., pastor at Shady Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Pittsview, Ala.

Al Griffin said most of the act’s performances are in area churches.

“We work to be the best,” Jerald Griffin Sr. said.

The Sensational Brothers rehearse every week, even when no show is scheduled in the near future.

The Sensational Brothers plan to continue performing for a long time.

Discussing the act, White remarked, “it has not always been easy but it has always been great.”

This story was originally published December 2, 2016 at 8:30 PM with the headline "Sensational Brothers to release CD at gospel fest."