The Lighthouse Boys celebrated 50 Years in Southern/Country Gospel Music in 2024. The Lighthouse Boys are described as Progenitors of the Bakersfield Sound, some have called them “Southern Gospel with an Attitude”, they were called “A breath of fresh air” in the Gospel Voice magazine and Vibrate.com calls them “A ray of hope in the Christian music industry”.
The Lighthouse Boys began with founding members Mark Underwood and Steve Johnson writing songs in an effort to be more involved in their home church. Mark’s brother and Steve’s Brother In-Law Bill Underwood would soon join, bringing his signature vocal foundation to The Lighthouse Boys sound. The Lighthouse Singers as they were known in the beginning made their first local TV appearance on the 1975 March of Dimes Telerama on March 15. They would also appear on the local broadcast of the MDA Telethon in September that same year. The Lighthouse Boys have recorded six albums, released three compilations and six singles, as well as appeared on other artist recordings over the years. Jim Shaw (Buckaroos) who produced & engineered The Lighthouse Boys debut album at Buck Owens Recording Studio told The Bakersfield Californian in 2004 “They were fun sessions, I just remember they had a nice, gospel-flavored country sound and that we enjoyed working with The Lighthouse Boys.” The Lighthouse Boys have always been known for both their original songs, and for putting their own style to Southern Gospel favorites, CrossRythms.com said of their 2015 single “From Heaven’s Point Of View” “blends their signature sound with a Southern Gospel classic.
The Lighthouse Boys won The Californian’s Choice Award “Best Gospel Band” in 1980, they received a “Gospel Award” in 2016 from The Bakersfield Country Music Awards, and they have also been nominated for many other awards including the BT Digital Music Awards and others, they have appeared at such events as The Great Western Quartet Convention / Fan Festival (Fresno, Sacramento & Visalia, CA), Suwanee River Jubilee (Live Oak, FL), Western States Quartet Convention (Upland, CA), Western Desert Gospel Sing (Victorville, CA), The Bakersfield Country Music Awards to name a few. The Lighthouse Boys have also appeared in many magazines, newspapers and webzines, like Gospel Voice, SGNscoops.com, Absolutely Gospel Music, Singing News, Gospel Music Today, CCAuthority.com, Mackie’s “Blessed Mixings” and many others.
“We’re no different from a keyboard, or a guitar,” Mark Underwood said in a 2003 Interview with CCAuthority.com, “All the parts are there, but they are useless without a player. We’re the instruments, and God’s Spirit plays through us.” The Lighthouse Boys still continue to minister with a strong commitment to a call that was given to them by God 50 years ago. Performing at Churches of all different denominations, their desire is to see the Church ready for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Lighthouse Boys pray that when you attend a service or concert, your life will be changed and you will feel the presence of God in song and the word.
