Open24

 

Lead Singer For Open24 Gets Call To Play Music For God

It was New Years Eve 2001.  A local skating rink in Griffin Georgia was scheduled to host a Christian concert featuring many bands. According To John, Caedmon’s Call, Anavox and Jubal’s Kin would celebrate the new year with praises for the Lord Jesus Christ. Cameron Parker was a sophomore at Spalding High School and was deeply involved with the high school’s golf team. He was also an accomplished athlete in cross country running and track & field. He did not know it then, but he was about to give all of that up in the name of Jesus. Cameron’s Dad worked for FedEx in Atlanta and his boss, John Paone; was a promoter of one of the south’s largest Christian music festivals called 4-Nights in October. All of the bands that would be playing in Griffin had appeared in the 4-Nights event. Cameron’s Mom & Dad were invited to attend the concert at the skating rink and they wanted Cam to go with them. But Cameron was not interested. E wanted to do something else because this was a special night for him. Not because it was New Years, but because it was his birthday!





Cameron’s parents insisted that Cameron go to the concert insuring that he would have a good time. For Christmas the year prior, Cameron’s Dad got him an electric guitar and amplifier. Cameron showed some interest in it at first, but only played around with it for a few minutes every now and again.  He never took any formal lessons and only knew a couple of chords his Dad had showed him. Cameron’s Dad secretly placed his guitar in the trunk of the car before leaving for the concert with a plan to have all the musicians autograph the guitar and then present it to him on stage during the show for his birthday. When they arrived at the skating rink, John Paone met them at the door and immediately took Mr. Parker to the green room to meet the bands. While back stage, one of the musicians from According to John, Jason Hoard, asked Mr. Parker why he was getting the guitar signed by everyone. He explained that that he had hopes of inspiring his son to start learning music and play it for God. He told Jason that his son had a natural ability to excel in everything his set his mind to and felt that he would be something special for Jesus to use.



At that moment, another musician from Jubal’s Kin, Sean Word and Jason called everyone over to the center of the room. Jason laid the guitar in the floor and with hands being held in a circle around the guitar, prayed for Cameron and his guitar to become a musician for God. At the stroke of midnight, Michael Corin with Anavox called Cameron on stage and presented him with the guitar.  Cameron looked at it and immediately a sparkle was seen in his eyes. Cam took the guitar by the neck and held it high over his head like some famous rock star would and screamed to the top of his voice! The power of prayer had overcome Cameron. Almost immediately, Cameron started playing his guitar for hours each day. He got onto the internet and found lesson plans that taught him chords and how to read tabs.



It wasn’t long after that when Cameron’s youth Pastor asked him to start a band. Cameron put together a band of young men who called themselves Nuthin’ Fancy.  There were only around 25 kids coming to church on Wednesday nights. But when word got out about a band performing each night, excitement grew and on the first night they performed, 80 kids were there! Since that time, Cam has left Nuthin’ Fancy and is now attending Voice To The Nations Worship Center in Griffin Georgia. He has joined up with Jake Dycus, a phenomenal lead guitarist and together they formed Open24. They have shared the stage with national acts like Kids In The Way, Ezekial’s Eye, Fireflight, The Steve Deal Band and Jubal’s Kin.



And a wonderful side note to this story is that one of the performers who prayed for Cameron that night is now Open24’s manager, Mr. Sean Word of Jubal’s Kin! Cameron and the rest of the guys in Open24 have had a big impact on a lot of young people and some older ones too. They have just recently been invited to host a youth rally for Road Atlanta and Motor Sport Ministries and is sponsored by 104.7 The Fish Atlanta on September 28th in Gainesville, Georgia at Jentenzen Franklin’s Free Chapel. Showtime is 7:00 pm and admission is FREE! Cameron’s take on all of this: “It’s not what I do, it’s who I am. God has made it very clear what he has planned for my life”.





Lead Guitar/Backup Vocals
Jake lives in Griffin Georgia with his family that includes a younger brother and sister.  He graduated from Griffin High School in the spring of '05 and attends Voice To The Nations Worship Center in Griffin.  Jake has phenomenal talent as a guitar player.  Non stop playing and practicing has paid off for this guy.  His natural ability to play lead guitar places him in a world of his own while he tears off one riff after another.  Jake's admiration and love for God reflects on the others inside Open24.  A true leader in worship and praise, Jake's influence is addictive to his band mates.



"I love seeing change in people who become spiritual in God's love.  Being a part of and getting to see the changes people go through is a reward in itself.  A gift from our Lord Jesus Christ." Jake is the driving force behind Open24 and has written and composed many of the songs that are featured in their arsenal.  "Whispering" is a song that relates to Jake's background and testimony and was featured on a local FM radio station during a Battle of the Bands that O24 participated in.  The song brought rave reviews and boosted Jake's and the band's confidence to another level.



When we speak of Jake, we may as well speak of Heather Henderson also.  Heather is the Bass player for O24 and just happens to be Jake's fiancé.  They plan to be married in the summer of 06.  As for Jake's long term plans, he wants to Pastor his own church someday; another Voice To The Nations.

Another Creation of   MMIWORLD®  ©2006 MMI World Communications® All information contained herein is copyrighted and may not be reproduced in any way without prior written consent from MMI World Communications® Christian Concert Authority®