A devastating plane crash in northern Wyoming claimed the lives of seven people, including three members of the beloved family southern gospel family group, The Nelons.
In a statement issued by Gaither Management Group late Friday (July 26), Kelly Nelon Clark, her husband Jason Clark, their oldest daughter Amber Kistler and her husband Nathan, their assistant, Melodi Hodges, the pilot, Larry Haynie and his wife, Melissa, were killed in the fatal crash.
The group was on its way to join the Gaither Homecoming Cruise to Alaska when their plane went down.
Kelly and Jason’s youngest daughter, Autumn, and her husband Jamie Streetman weren’t aboard the plane and were informed of the news upon their arrival in Seattle. Autumn issued a brief statement via Gaither Management that read:
“Thank you for the prayers that have been extended already to me, my husband, Jamie, and our soon-to-be-born baby boy, as well as Jason’s parents, Dan and Linda Clark. We appreciate your continued prayers, love and support as we navigate the coming days.”
Confirmed details about the crash have yet to be released, but reports indicate that the plane went down around 1:00 p.m. (Mountain Time) in a remote part of northeastern Wyoming, about 8 miles south of the Montana-Wyoming border.
Campbell County Undersheriff Quentin Reynolds told news agencies that a distress signal was sent out by the plane before the crash. Witnesses reported seeing smoke columns near the suspected crash site, Reynolds also said.
A wildfire was sparked by the crash but was extinguished by responding “aircraft, heavy equipment and engine crews.”
Just before noon, Kelly Nelon Clark shared a post to Facebook as they departed Nebraska City en route to Billings, Montana, where they planned to have lunch, according to a comment she posted a few minutes later.
Who Are The Nelons?
The Nelons were founded in 1977 by Rex Nelon and went on to become one of southern gospel music’s most iconic groups. The original group included a rotating lineup of some of the genre’s greatest voices, included Rex’s daughter, Kelly Nelon.
Kelly released five solo albums in the ’80s and ’90s and was named Favorite Alto and Favorite Female Vocalist by the Singing News Fan Awards five times between 1980 and 1990.
In 2014, Kelly, her husband Jason, and oldest daughter, Amber, took over the group, with Amber earning Female Vocalist of the Year honors at the Absolutely Gospel Music Awards the same year. Their youngest daughter, Autumn, later joined the group. The Nelon’s were inducted into the Southern Gospel Hall of Fame two years later.
Earlier this year, the Nelons appeared on Family Feud where they sang a gospel tune for host Steve Harvey.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, the entire Southern gospel community, and all who knew and loved the Nelons.
Hear Amber Nelon Kistler sing “How Great Thou Art” in the video below.