About Wing and a Prayer

Back in late 2004 Carl Bone, our Chapter President at the time in the King’s Kruizers chapter of the Christian Motorcyclists Association, approached fellow CMAer  Cindi “Right Turn” Cunningham about her possibly forming a band out of the chapter members who had musical talent, as an alternative to what was already in existence in CMA and for the purpose of ministry particularly, but not exclusively at motorcycle rallies and Biker Sundays, and in prison ministry. Cindi started rounding up members and the Wing and a Prayer Band was born. The first practice occurred in Cindi’s living room the last week of December 2004 with Cindi, Janis Vaughn, and Charley Smith and only a flat-top guitar. The first song played was a song by Selah, “I Bless Your Name” which we still do today.  Quickly other chapter members were enlisted and the practice was moved to the garage of Jim and Alice Finney. We had no equipment to speak of, but everybody brought what they had, along with their enthusiasm. We soon added more songs and started buying equipment. Early on, Cindi and Charley agreed that to minister to bikers in the “secular” world, we needed to play songs recognizable to them, and it was decided that blues and rock-based songs and Christian contemporary would be our mantra rather than the Southern Gospel songs being performed by our contemporaries. We just desired to be different, and we are that. We play covers, but with our own arrangements, and are starting to do originals now. We are Christians first, bikers second, and our desire is to minister to those that wouldn’t walk into a church or approach a pastor in a suit and tie, but still needing and desiring the answer, that being how they can get to know our Savior, Jesus Christ and be touched with the blessings and assurances that come with being a Christian. We play these familiar tunes with a Christian slant as a means to find common ground, along with our mutual love of all things motorcycle. We exist to minister, not to entertain.
Wing and a Prayer Band had numerous changes through it’s early life, sometimes even using people that didn’t ride motorcycles to fill out our band, but now all are members of CMA and the King’s Kruizers. With Cindi’s leaving for sunny Florida in late 2008 (she continues to minister in music there), current members are Charley Smith, lead vocals, harmony, and lead guitar; Janis “Hard Rock Chick” Vaughn, vocals and guitar, Dr. Evan “Doc” Yeager on electric bass, John “the Pulse” Smith on percussion, and those we jokingly call the “Doo-Wop Sisters” (they don’t Doo-Wop), our harmony singers Alice Finney, Leatha Smith (wife of John), and Beth Smith (wife of Charley), who also provide a lot of percussion critical to our unique sound and arrangements. (Janis’ husband) G.E Vaughn and also Jim Finney (Alice’s husband and our current chapter president)  man our mixing console, assist us with setup and takedown, and are assets as listening ears, providing an objective view from the perspective of a listener. It also would be remiss to not mention the unwavering support we get from our friends and brothers and sisters in the King’s Kruizers. We also must mention our friends in the band THEOS, who share in our goals and mission and have provided support, friendship and opportunities. Without  those our efforts would be futile. We have played numerous churches, Biker Sundays, secular rallies, and CMA events. As the band matures and we continue to hone our unique sound we have been able to play more biker-related venues, which is our main focus and thrust. God has opened many doors for us and continues to amaze all of us as to the opportunities that have come our way. Highlights so far include being asked to provide worship music on the Strand in Galveston, Texas at one of the five simultaneous CMA services held on the island during the 2007 Lone Star Rally and also the 2008 ROT Rally in Austin, TX. Our goal and purpose, like that of CMA is to ”Change the world, one heart at a time”.