"Local families a spiritual sensation"

Friday, November 25, 2005
By Terry Deboer
The Grand Rapids Press Article on MLive

Dr. Randal Baker is a Grand Rapids surgeon who knows more than medical charts.

He also composed a song that's charting on dozens of Southern-gospel radio stations nationwide. It is sung by some of his children in a family-based ensemble.

"One of the biggest thrills about it all is to be able to do things with your family," said Baker, who, with his wife, Dawn, has nine children, five of whom perform as part of the Baker-Pasma Families group.

The Pasma part of the equation is the Wayland-area family of Dale and Ginger Pasma. The couple and the four oldest of their six children also are part of the group.

With the parents included, it adds up to a virtual choir with 15 members who can sing in various configurations, in solos and small groupings. The harmonious possibilities are endless.

The song, "In Everything Give Thanks," is part of the new Baker-Pasma CD, "Livin' for the Call." The younger singers: Jordan Baker, 11, Olivia Baker, 9, and Seth Baker, 8; and Levi Pasma, 9, and Malachi Pasma, 11, are lead vocals in the upbeat tune. The teenage girls, Hailey and Taylor Pasma and Arielle and Courtney Baker, sing the bridge and background vocals.

Producer is Nashville-based Les Butler, who has overseen projects for dozens of independent Southern-gospel artists and also is a Music City session player.

"That first (radio) single with the younger kids drives home the fact that these families are all about youth and kids," said Butler, who said the theme fits well with the Thanksgiving season.

"The thing that sets them apart is the multiple vocals they can do, from the parents to the smallest child. They can do a children's ministry program or a full-blown Southern-gospel adult concert, something contemporary or a little on the country side."

The quartet of teen girls, Arielle, 13, and Courtney Baker, 15, and Hailey, 16, and Taylor Pasma, 14, sing several songs on the recording, and are the reason Randal Baker pursued the CD idea.

Last summer, the foursome reached the semi-finals of a national singing contest. When Baker connected with Butler, the producer suggested the family-style recording.

"As far as the kids go, those girls have breakaway talent," Butler said.
"And in the studio, all the kids took instruction so well. Whatever I asked of them, they did without a whine or whimper."

Ginger Pasma is choir director at Bethany United Reformed Church, the host congregation for the two benefit concerts this weekend. She will direct a multi-church choir that will sing several songs it has performed in a similar event in past years.

The combined choir also will sing with the Baker-Pasma group "Desire of Angels," a tune written by Randal Baker and included on the "Livin' for the Call" CD.

"We have people from at least five different churches singing," Pasma said.
Country Praise, a Southern-gospel group featuring members of the area Suwyn family, also will perform.

"There's really a variety of music there," Baker said.

He should know. The medical director of bariatric surgery at Spectrum Health will play keyboards for most of the program.

Meanwhile, the Baker-Pasma Families has established a Web site (www.bakerpasma.com) through which their CD can be purchased. And as listeners in different parts of the country are hearing their music, they've been getting requests to sing.

"It's been opening some doors," Baker said, even as plans are in the works to release another single to radio.

But it's the spiritual possibilities in their music that keep the families involved.

"We talk to the kids a lot about being able to share the gospel where the Lord has placed you," Pasma said. "These opportunities don't come out of the blue. Hopefully, they see the big picture of what we're here for."

Back to Home