Sad day in Southern Gospel music

One of my favorite southern gospel groups lost one of its members yesterday. The Hi-Cotton Singers are a southern gospel group in our area and they are phenomenal. I love them and look forward to hearing them play every year at the Collard Festival. I'm REALLY regretting not being able to see them this year due to being at Brittanie's competitions because it was the last time we would get to have Jim McLane playing with Hi-Cotton for us as he went to be with the Lord yesterday. Please pray for his family and the Hi-Cotton family that God will get them through this difficult time. Here is the tribute that the lead singer, Glenn, posted on their website:

Jim McLane 1965 - 2006

There are a few times in your life when you get to witness what God can do in someone’s life. Today we lost a great friend, an awesome bass player but more importantly a true brother in Christ. Today, Jim McLane went home to be with Jesus.

Jim joined Hi-Cotton in August of 2002. Funny thing is he was just filling in for the weekend. We had a trip out of town that weekend and were not going to have a bass player. I had known Jim from work for a couple of years and knew that he played. When I asked if he could help out that weekend he didn’t hesitate (except to ask his wife for permission). Jim was a great guy but was not exactly what you would call a model Christian and I would be lying if I said I didn’t have a little bit of concern about Jim coming along. I had prayed for a couple of days about someone to fill in on the trip and it seemed that every where I turned Jim kept coming up. I know now that that was God working everything out. If that weekend didn’t scare Jim away, I knew nothing would. Later that afternoon after arriving in Kentucky, we promptly wrecked the RV and trailer. Then after that, Jim had to sleep on the floor sharing a mattress with someone he had just met that morning. Then to top it off, the planned meal for the next day at the church included a healthy portion of Bar-b-Qued goat. That Saturday God worked one of those small miracles that we so often take for granted. The goat fell in the pit and burned. After supper we had one of the most special concerts we have ever had with Hi-Cotton. That night made a major impression on Jim and he was hooked.

Over the past 4 years, Hi-Cotton has been through a number of changes. Jim also went through some changes. He began to grow in Christ and develop a real heart for ministry. Jim realized that as long as we did what God had called us to do; He would take care of the rest. There have been more than a few occasions when Jim would remind me and the rest of Hi-Cotton that it’s all about the ministry. When the sound system wasn’t quite right or the crowd didn’t seem to be into the concert, Jim would remind us that it was all about the ministry. The growth in Jim’s life was evident to all who knew him. Jim’s favorite Hi-Cotton song was “I’m Not the Man I Was Before”. I truly believe it was his favorite because he felt like it was a personal testimony.

Jim, my brother and friend, play in that heavenly band like you have never played before. I look forward to the day when once again you setup behind me and play the thumping bass line for me to sing ‘Amazing Grace”. I love you my friend and miss you already.

Glenn Mills

September 17, 2006