Country music has been the foundation of this family's musical heritage since 1949, but how did Gospel music find its way in?

On September 1, 1995, the McDowell Family entered a gospel singing ministry. Dave McDowell, his wife, and their eight children launched on a journey that would take them through thousands of miles, a myriad of emotions, and tests of faith unlike anything they had ever known. The three eldest children (ages 13, 15, and 17, pictured above in 1995) were full of excitement and enthusiasm for the coming adventure.

The decision to step out in faith was not made lightly. After all, they were entering unfamiliar territory. Even for Dave, with all of his musical experience and family roots, this was something he had never done before, especially with his children. In 1992, Dave worked in conjunction with the Florida-based ministry Teen Missions International to help develop an offshoot ministry managing an RV park and campground.

The work was hard, but the job was secure, and the rewards were many: a beautiful campground complete with a lake, swimming pool, playground, hayrides, fishing, boating, 150 acres of woodland, and countless campground activities. For the five younger children, it was like being on vacation all the time, with new friends arriving every week and an endless variety of exciting things to do.

Did God really want them to leave everything behind, just as Abraham did, and go, where? A man doesn't simply uproot a family of ten without knowing how he will provide for them. Yet Dave could not escape the conviction that this was exactly what God was calling him to do. The decision was made, and preparations began to "hit the road." A 40-foot, 1973 GMC bus was purchased and converted into a home on wheels. Family and friends pitched in to help make it suitable for a family of ten.

Faith grows stronger through testing, and God becomes more real to His children during difficult times. The McDowell Family witnessed daily the kind of God they served. They came to understand just how much He was in control of circumstances they could never have handled on their own. Dave's faith grew immeasurably.

Once on the road, the trials began. During their first six weeks of travel, the McDowell Family experienced three major breakdowns, with repairs totaling many thousands of dollars. After the third breakdown in October 1995, they were forced to travel in a 12-passenger van for 7 months while towing their musical equipment. Despite the hardships, they kept every scheduled engagement across the country, except the one immediately following the breakdown. The Lord faithfully provided for their needs through-out those difficult days. Dave often remarked, "You can get very close as a family, in more ways than one, when you travel full-time in a van for seven months!"

Adjusting from an entire campground to living on a bus was especially difficult for the younger children. However, after seven months in the van, the repaired bus seemed like a palace. The old coach gave them another ten months of dependable service before becoming troublesome once again. During the next five months, it required three engine rebuilds, several major repairs, and thousands of dollars more in repair bills. Once again, the Lord faithfully provided ways for the family to meet every engagement.

Not long afterward, the McDowell Family's prayers were answered with the purchase of a beautiful 45-foot Eagle motor coach to replace the aging 1973 GMC. Soon after, they also acquired a second bus, a 35-foot GMC, for the married children to use. Now the family was traveling with two buses.

From the beginning, the youngest children occasionally joined the family for a song or two. By 1998, five of the children were performing on stage full-time, singing and playing instruments alongside the family.

During 2001, the McDowell Family made the difficult decision to stop traveling. The choice was influenced in part by a health concern, and also by the realization that a third family wedding was approaching. During this time, health was restored, along with the oldest child getting married. While continuing to perform locally, the family also became actively involved in the praise music ministry of their home church in Florida.

In 2002, they realized a desire to return to the band's original sound and musical roots in Country music. They began preparing a new repertoire centered on Country and Southern music. By the end of 2002, they were once again performing full-time in their new direction, returning to the original sound of the Sweet Water Junction Band. In 2012 most of the family relocated to the border hills of the Carolinas.

Carolina family members while continuing to be involved with the Sweet Water Junction Band as well.

In 2017, while continuing to sing and perform, Reshana successfully completed chemotherapy after being diagnosed in the spring of 2016 with an inoperable cancerous brain tumor. Her recovery was a tremendous blessing to the entire family. Her band continued performing until the arrival of COVID-19 in 2020

Sweet Water Junction Band has always been a family tradition. Over the years, the group provided quality entertainment through acoustic performances for show clubs, business and civic events, concerts, weddings, family reunions, churches, corporate functions, city and state festivals, and many other celebrations. Their performances featured a wide variety of music, including new and classic Country, along with a touch of Classic Rock.

Although the Sweet Water Junction Band officially retired in 2019, the McDowell family's musical heritage continues. Some family members still sing and play in their local church, faithfully using their musical talents in worship and ministry. Others continue performing Country music, carrying on the family tradition that began generations ago. Whether it's on stage, in church, or gathered on the back porch picking guitars and singing together, music remains at the heart of the McDowell family. The Sweet Water Junction Band may have retired, but the family's love for Gospel music, and the Country roots that have defined them for decades, lives on and continues to be passed from one generation to the next.

The McDowell Family continues to offer many of the musical projects recorded during their years of gospel ministry on CD and cassette.

 
Visit  Reshana Marie  and the Sweet Water Junction Band,  links on this site.