Chuck Day celebrates 50 years of music
Chuck Day Anniversary
By Hannah Day
When most people consider visiting their parent's workplaces, they remember outdated computers, well-worn desks, and the smell of stale coffee. They remember dad coming
home late from the office to provide for their family and going out together on the weekends.
When I think of visiting my father’s workplace, it’s altogether different. It’s backstage, or sitting at the record tables, and memorizing the words to the “Midnight Cry.” I can’t say the same for everyone, but I had the pleasure of growing up watching my dad
do his dream job. Chuck Day is celebrating 50 years in the ministry, and 50 years in the music business.
Chuck was born into the ministry. His mother, Grace Day, was a Church of God preacher, and his father was an Air Force mechanic. Everywhere their family was stationed, Grace preached, as she had been preaching since she was 16 years old. This was the foundation Chuck had to launch into the ministry, though it wasn’t his original
plan.
Somewhere along the line, being a submarine captain was exchanged for being a guitar player, and at age 10, Chuck, his mother, father, and younger brother Greg founded the Day Family Band. This instilled a love for music in Chuck at a young age.
Grace was a songwriter and taught both of her sons the fundamentals of writing songs that touch the spirit. He was inspired by men such as Rusty Goodman and Kenny Hinson. He always shares a story of how Goodman spent time with him helping him sing his part
on his family’s album, during the season when dad’s voice was changing into the deep sound he has now.
At age 18, Chuck left his family and joined Wendy Johnson and the Messengers Quartet as their guitar player. This was the first time that Chuck was out on his own, away from his family band and the rules that kept him close to a Christian walk all his life. Those of
you who have had the pleasure to hear Chuck minister have heard the story of him leaving home and, without a real relationship with God, beginning a downward path that lead him to battle with drugs, and alcohol, squandering the gift that God had given him.
However, no matter how far Chuck ran from God, God tracked him down. At one of Chuck’s lowest points, he received a phone call while setting up to play in a bar in Brewton, Ala., from a pastor he’d known almost all his life, Paul Ward. It was Ward’s influence reminding Chuck of the love of God that eventually helped Chuck find his way back to his heritage, a heritage of music in the service of Christ. But most importantly, it brought him into a deeper relationship with Christ that wasn’t about rules but was instead
about the love that Christ has for us all.
This deeper relationship with God has been a gift that my father, Chuck, has given to everyone he meets. It’s been rooted deep in his music. This grace message has been the real secret behind Chuck’s multiple No. 1 successes. It also opened the door for Chuck,
with his brother in the band the Days, to be an influencer in many genres of music.
My dad was a charter member of the Christian Country Music Association (now called Inspirational Country Music Association), became president and is currently a board member for the International Country Gospel Music Association (ICGMA), and was a
regular on the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) in the early to mid-1990s. He has also won many awards for the songs he has written over the years. As his career and the
accolades continued, he has displayed an amazing humility, focusing more on his ministry rather than playing the politics of the industry.
It is evident to see how God has blessed him through his 50-year career.
His talent has not faded over the decades, yet his influence has increased and grown, not only in the music industry but as a pastor of a small but faithful church, Family Ministries. Chuck and Selena Day have opened their home to a congregation since 2001. God’s
amazing faithfulness has been on this home church as both Chuck and Selena have taught from their own experiences in ministry. They have shared their ever-evolving faith and trust in God’s completed work, encouraging their group to share the Christ inside of
them. After all, as Paul said, it is “Christ in you the hope of glory.”
Chuck and Selena’s ministry in their church and in their travels opened the door for them to become coaches for Adventures in Missions’ extreme mission trip, the World Race.
Chuck, Selena and a handful of others were among the first coaches to support more than 200 young people in their missions to 11 countries over 11 months. Those trips overseas opened Chuck’s heart up to the many people in the world starving, not only for food and
water but also for the love of God.
Through the World Race, Chuck and Selena have traveled to more than 37 countries. They’ve touched the lives of orphans in the Philippines, gypsies in Romania and Latvia, and women sold into sex trafficking in Thailand. Their hearts have been poured out
across the globe as they have loved on missionaries, and locals alike. Chuck and Selena continue to support missions, by sitting on the board of organizations such as Beacon Missions and His Boats Ministry.
Recently, my father has asked me to come alongside him and his brother to reform their original group, the Days. Growing up backstage, or watching from the record table as my
dad was on stage, I never imagined how honored it would make me feel to be asked to join him or how much it would open my eyes to the depth of my father’s love for others
in Christ.
Most fathers instill a love of God in their children. They instill a hard work ethic and many other great lessons. I have the honor to not only have all these gifts but many more. Chuck has been an excellent teacher. Although he’s never sat me down to give me a
lesson, he’s shown the strength and dedication to follow your dreams no matter what advice you might get to give up. He’s shown me that when you follow God, you never know where you’ll end up, whether it is in Thailand ministering to girls sold into prostitution or standing on stage singing to thousands.
The most important thing that Chuck has taught me and countless others that he’s been around is to have the grace of God pour out of you. As the Father first loved us, we should love each other.
Congratulations, dad, on 50 years of music and ministry. I can’t wait to see where God is going to take you in this new season of your life and career.
