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Back in Southern California, Love Song prepared for yet another first in the history of Christian music. Of course, no one realized that the May evening concert, billed as "The Love Song Festival," at Knott's Berry Farm was going to be such a big deal. Four Maranatha groups were scheduled to perform in various parts of the park, with Love Song playing in the 2,000 seat John Wayne Theatre. Nothing spectacular. The Knott's entertainment people had sponsored some of the biggest names in the music business Certainly a bunch of local Christian musicians weren't going to attract unusual crowds. So everybody thought. As it turned out, all attendance records were shattered that night. More than 20,000 people, the largest single crowd in Knott's 53-year history, poured through the gates to see the festival.
"The Knott's Berry Farm concert was neat in that it was unprecedented," says Chuck. "It was the first time a Christian music festival had been held in a popular amusement park, where Christians were able to share their testimonies as a body. And we, as a group, were fortunate to have had a part in establishing that precedent"
John Wayne Theater |
Following an extensive tour of the southeastern states in the summer of 1973, Bob left Love Song in order to spend more time with his family. As had been the case in the past, when members left the group to take on new and more diversified ministries, the guys saw Bob's departure as an integral part of the Lord's overall plan for their ministry. And as had been the case with the sudden emergence of Bob more than eighteen months before, the Lord provided a new lead guitarist when Love Song least expected it.
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