Three Members Of The Family Southern Gospel Group The Nelons Were Killed In A Plane Crash In July
The Nelons have earned a Grammy nomination for their final album, Loving You.
On July 26, a plane carrying three members of the family Southern Gospel group The Nelons crashed in a remote part of northeastern Wyoming on the way to Seattle. Nelons members Kelly Nelon Clark, her husband Jason Clark, and their oldest daughter, Amber Nelon Kistler, were all killed.
The crash also claimed the lives of Amber’s husband, Nathan; The Nelons’ assistant, Melodi Hodges; the pilot, Larry Haynie; and his wife, Melissa.
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The sole surviving member of The Nelons, Kelly and Jason’s daughter Autumn Nelon Streetman, learned about her family members’ deaths when she arrived in Seattle.
Autumn and her husband, Jamie, traveled on their own and weren’t on the plane that crashed.
“They took Jamie and I up to the hotel room, and when I opened the door, Bill and Gloria [Gaither] were standing there, and I looked to my left, and Karen Peck was standing there,” Autumn recalled while speaking with Woman’s World.
“They were all crying, and they didn’t have to say anything. I knew. I looked at Bill, and I said, ‘I just lost my entire family, all of them.’ They took me in their arms and we prayed.”
How Autumn Nelon Streetman Has Coped With The Loss Of Her Parents And Sister
Autumn has relied heavily on her faith to get through this unimaginable time. She’s also relied on music and has vowed to keep singing in her loved ones’ honor.
Autumn, who is currently pregnant with her first child, joined The Issacs to sing a beautiful rendition of “Family Chain” at her family’s funeral service.
RELATED: DETAILS EMERGE ABOUT FATAL PLANE CRASH INVOLVING SOUTHERN GOSPEL GROUP THE NELONS
Six weeks after the crash, Autumn stepped into the Circle to sing at the Grand Ole Opry. She performed “How Great Thou Art.”
The Nelons’ Final Album, Loving You, Earns A Grammy Nomination
Shortly before the crash, the Nelons had finished recording a new album, Loving You. The album was slated for an August 30 release.
The album’s release came into question after Kelly, Jason, and Amber’s deaths, but Autumn followed through and released it in their honor.
The album cleary resonated with listeners and The Nelons’ peers in the music industry. On Friday (November 8), Autumn shared that The Nelons received a Grammy nomination for Best Roots Gospel Album.
“Thrilled to announce that my family’s last album has been nominated for a Grammy,” Autumn said. “we worked so hard on this and we are so proud of it. I know my family is looking down smiling.”
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If you’d like a physical copy of Loving You, you can order it here. Plus, listen to one of the album’s beautiful songs in the clip below.
Our hearts and prayers go out to Autumn Nelon Streetman. We’re so happy her family is being honored with this Grammy nomination.