Cotton has been a resident of Leiper's Fork, Tennessee since the late 1970s. In recent years, Cotton has scaled back his career as a singer and songwriter and spent much of his savings on a legal battle against the construction of a state highway (State Route 840) which would surround Nashville.
The father of two adopted children and one biological child has devoted himself to helping the underprivileged of his area by motivating them in their studies and activities through a program called Kids On Stage (KOS). KOS brings in Nashville artists to run summer classes that open the doors to the arts to kids who might otherwise never see greatness or think about greatness in their arts. Most notably, Grammy Award winner Michael McDonald has performed numerous times to bring awareness and raise donations for this program under Cotton's leadership, besides producing independent films about the plight of the poor around the world.
Cotton was instrumental in 1980s pop singer Michael Johnson's career.

Discography

"Sunshine Roses" (US Pop # 79 - December 1974 - AC # 30, 1974)

"Damn It All" (US Pop # 73 - May 1975)

"You've Got Me Runnin'" (US Pop # 33 - January 1977 - AC # 7, 1976)

"Before My Heart Finds Out" (US Pop # 23 - April 1978 - AC # 3, 1978)

"You're A Part Of Me" (w/Kim Carnes) (US Pop # 36 - August 1978)

"Like A Sunday In Salem (The Amos & Andy Song)" ( US Pop # 40
November 1978 - AC # 35, 1978)

"If I Could Get You Into My Life" (US Pop # 76, 1982 - AC # 22, 1982)






Gene Cotton


Michael Johnson















Vanguard Records continues to score coups in signing some of the best in the business and the diversity of their roster is impressive. It includes a classically trained guitarist, an off-Broadway actor and an ex-member of the Chad Mitchell Trio. The artist credits encompass two #1 Country hits, a #1 Pop hit and a #1 R&B song. Actually, all of the above describes just one musician, Michael Johnson.
A series of strange occurrences led Johnson, a native of Denver, into music. At thirteen, he contracted a severe case of pneumonia. Concurrently, his twenty-year-old brother, Paul, was in an auto accident and suffered a badly broken leg. Faced with two invalids, the Johnson family moved hospital beds into the living room, placing the brothers side by side to recuperate. Desperate to keep them entertained, their father bought them a guitar. It proved to be a stroke of genius. The boys taught themselves together: exploring unique chord changes and progressions, experimenting with different fingerpicking and tunings, sharing everything they had learned and challenging the other to surpass the latest achievement. By the end of the year, the Johnson boys had their first gig at the local VFW hall. "They paid us $5 and all the screwdrivers we could drink," Johnson recalls. With that inauspicious beginning, Johnson had found his calling. Lessons learned early would not be forgotten: Keep trying new things and do not be bound by convention; Strive for excellence and let the music be your guide.
In 1963, Johnson went off to Colorado State University to study music but his college career was truncated when he won an international talent contest two years later. First prize included a deal with Epic Records. Epic put out "Hills," written and sung by Johnson, as a single. It barely made a ripple in the music world. Twenty-three copies were sold (13 of which Johnson can still locate) and they sent him an 11 cent royalty check, which he framed, earning him the ire of their bookkeeping department. Another part of the prize was a two week stint in a Chicago pub, although Epic didn't bother to mention he wouldn't be paid. However, that two weeks stretched into twenty-two and the last twenty were paid. Johnson began extensive touring of clubs and colleges, finding a receptive audience everywhere he went.
Wishing to hone his instrumental skills, 1966 found him in Barcelona, Spain at Liceo Conservatory studying with the eminent classical guitarist, Graciano Tarrago. Upon his return to the States, he joined Randy Sparks in a group called the New Society and did a tour of the Orient. When the band dissolved in 1967, he signed on with the Chad Mitchell Trio for a year, spending some of that time co-writing with another member, John Denver.
When the Chad Mitchell Trio came to an end, Johnson made a radical departure from everything he had done previously by taking on a major supporting role in the off-Broadway production of "Jacques Brel is Alive And Well And Living In Paris." The show visited New York, Los Angeles and Chicago over the next year and by then Johnson was ready to return to creating and performing his music. In 1971, he signed with Atlantic Records to release his first album, There Is A Breeze, produced by Peter Yarrow and Phil Ramone in New York.
Feeling this first effort wasn't a true reflection of his music, Johnson self-produced his next LP in 1975, For All You Mad Musicians, relying solely on his voice and guitar for a jazzy, folk feel. He followed this up with Ain't Dis Da Life, where he added a rhythm section, With each new recording and his continued touring, his popularity was increasing. It was time to make a move on the national market.
Teaming up with Brent Maher and Steve Gibson in Nashville, Johnson created a two-song demo consisting of "Bluer Than Blue" and "Almost Like Being In Love" from the Broadway musical Brigadoon. EMI America took one listen and wasted no time in signing him, quickly getting The Michael Johnson Album out in 1978. The first single, "Bluer Than Blue" went straight to Number 1 on the Pop and Adult Contemporary charts, leading to its being nominated for a Grammy. "Almost Like Being in Love" went to Number 1 with R&B while hitting the Top 5 in Pop and AC. His next EMI album, Dialogue, provided his third big hit, "This Night Won't Last Forever" and a Gold Record for European sales of "I'll Always Love You."
EMI America put out three more albums with Johnson: You Can Call Me Blue (1980), Home Free (1981) and Lifetime Guarantee (1983) in addition to re-releasing his first three recordings in 1981 and 1982. Then, in 1985, a duet with Sylvia, "I Love You By Heart," on RCA became a Top 10 Country hit and led to a recording deal with them. With his first RCA album, Wings (1986), Johnson conquered the Country charts. "Gotta Learn To Love Without You" moved into the Top 10. "Give Me Wings" rocketed up to Number 1 and was the Billboard Country Song of the Year, earning a Country Music Association nomination for Song of the Year. "The Moon Is Still Over Her Shoulder" also went Number 1 and was the Billboard #4 Song of the year.
His 1988 RCA release That's That produced three more hit singles, including the title cut, "I Will Whisper Your Name" and "Crying Shame." Johnson also moved into recording songs for movies and television specials. By now, Johnson had circled the world with this music, performing in Spain, Japan, Holland, Switzerland and the Philippines. He has appeared on both the CMA Awards and the ACM Awards, along with pretty much every show the Nashville Network offers, including Nashville Now, Music City Tonight and Austin City Limits. In 1993, Johnson went on the road with Wynonna and Clint Black, opening the show as a solo in 91 cities.
Departure is Johnson's debut release with Vanguard and the title signifies his desire to move away from all of the different designations for his music. He has always been an artist that defies categorization. As fast as the industry tries to fit him into a box, he stubbornly persists on moving into a new one. This guy was "crossover" when everybody else thought it was something you used to get from one side of the street to the other. Through it all, Johnson has continued to turn out honest songs of depth and emotion beautifully rendered in his smooth baritone. With Departure, he's leaving the labels to others and, as he puts it, "I am singing the music of my life."



Shannon Tanner


















I would like to introduce myself, my name is SHANNON TANNER. I am a family entertainer who loves to perform for people all over the world. I am in my 21st season performing my Summer Family Show at the outdoor amphitheater at Shelter Cove Harbour in Hilton Head, South Carolina. I spend winters performing in the Park Hyatt Hotel in World Famous Beaver Creek, Colorado. It is my 19th season at the Hyatt.
I write a variety of children's and family songs. My family show includes many well-known sing-alongs, which are geared for all ages! My performances deliver a lighthearted and often humorous array of songs and stories incorporating children and adult involvement. I always hope crowds leave with a sense of spiritual uplifting.
I am a veteran of many family festivals and fairs around the country. I have shared the stage with Amy Grant, the Beach Boys, America, and many others. I have also had the honor to perform private shows for such notables as President Ford, Vice President Dan Quayle, and Henry Mancini, just to name a few.
Most recently, I have just returned from a tour of Australia, Southeast Asia, and South America, where my shows were  fun and well received.



Jeff Francisco
General Manager and Artist
Jeff grew up in Louisville Ky, attended Asbury College for 3 years, then graduated with a BS in Marketing from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.  He worked in Sales, Management and Small Business Administration for 20 years at Frisco Food Service, his family’s business, started by his father in 1974.
In 2005 Jeff went to The Cliffs in Travelers Rest, SC to work in Outdoor Retail and Member Relations.  In 2008 he returned home to Kentucky to take a fund-raising position at the University of Kentucky.
Jeff’s relationship with me and Heart of Love Ministries began on a lake at Camp Awanata in 1986.  In 1992 I asked him to become our General Manager and manage our finances.  He still continues to serve in that capacity.
Jeff is married to Dana Medlock of Titusville, FL.  Katie, his daughter,  just finished her freshman year at Asbury College.  They live in Lexington, KY.


Bryson, Taylor, and Danny Nicholson















The Nicholson household is full of music.  From the time Taylor and Bryson were born, I placed a guitar in their crib and played my favorite songs for them on the record player.  They grew up going to concerts and frequently joining me on stage.  I have written songs for them and spent hours teaching them how to play guitar and sing.  It has been the joy of my life.  Truly, one of the legacies that I am most proud of in their lives.  God help Debra, my wife and their Mother, who has had to put up with all of our noise!!

Taylor is now the best guitar player in our family. He can play anything and I am amazed as I watch him play and sing with such command of the instrument.   Bryson is a good guitar player (and getting better everyday) but he has shown incredible promise with writing songs and performing some of his original stuff.  In fact, 5 of the songs on Legacy Road will be his offerings.

Taylor is 20 and going into his junior year at the University of South Carolina.  He is a member of SAE and enjoys his friends at the University.  Bryson is going to be a junior at Waccamaw High School and has a band called the Hooligans.  They played their first concert in Pawleys Island in June 2009 and received rave reviews.  Both Taylor and Bryson ran cross country in high school and enjoy hunting and fishing with Debra's family.  Bryson recently returned from the Domincan Republic on a missions trip and fell in love with the children. His story is shared on the website.

In relation to my career, I have served in higher education advancement for the last 25 years.  I began my duties as the Senior Vice President of University Advancement and External Relations at Glenville State College in West Virginia on July 1, 2008. 

I am a native Hartsvillian, the son of parents who worked with the Darlington County School District in Hartsville, South Carolina.  My early life was spent in Hartsville where I attended Hartsville High School, graduating in 1980. I enjoyed athletics, lettering in Basketball and Track.  I was captain of both teams and received the Coaches Award for Basketball and the Most Valuable Player for Track, placing 3rd in the State and setting Hartsville High School record for the mile.  Upon graduation I was awarded a athletic scholarship for Track at NCAA Division I Charleston Southern University (CSU) in Charleston, South Carolina.  I led the CSU Cross Country team to win the Southeastern Independent College Cross Country Championship and received the Wynn Christian Athlete Award my freshman year.  I received a B.A. degree in Communications from CSU in 1984.

         I started writing music at Charleston Southern University and performing at churchs, schools, and events at the college. This is the same time frame that I met Kevin Jones, Mike Gunter, Steve Johnson, Matt Buckner, Brian Turner, Darryl Horne, Shannon Tanner, Jeff Francisco, Barbara Mead, and Gene Cotton. It was these individuals that nurtured my creative writing and music. We called ourselves "Heart of Love" and worked for a number of years  sharing the love of God through our music and service.

In 1990, I accepted a position at Coker College as Director of Development back home in Hartsville, S.C. I was responsible for every area of development and it was also the year that we recorded our first album entitled," In the Hands of God." We travelled extensively with the band while I mananged my job and  began a family. Taylor was born in 1989 and Bryson in 1992.  

In 2000, I accepted an appointment with the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina, as Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations. During this time, Gene Cotton, Jeff Francisco and I worked on recording two additional albums entitled, "Heart of Love" and "Love Wont Leave You Lonely." In 2001, I received my Masters of Education at the University of South Carolina with an emphasis in higher education administration and in 2002 was approached about assuming the Vice President of University Advancement at Coastal Carolina University. I accepted this appointment and worked to plan and implement the University’s first comprehensive campaign. 

In 2006, I received my doctorate in higher education administration from the University of South Carolina.  Following the completion of myadvanced degree, I received the Grezebach Award for Educational Research which is presented annually by CASE International for the best dissertation in educational fundraising.  Since this time, I have been published in the International Journal for Educational Advancement, CASE CURRENTS, and presented numerous lectures in Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, California, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia.   In July 2007, I was chosen to participate in the prestigious Harvard Graduate School of Educational Management Institute.

Debra, my wife for 24 years, Bryson and I live in Pawley’s Island and have always been active in community and civic affairs. I was named Rotarian of the Year for the Hartsville Rotary Club in 1995 and Alumnus of the Year at Charleston Southern University in 1990. Debra has been an elementary school teacher for the past 18 years and has a special love for mentoring underprivileged kids. She was named Darlington County Teacher of the Year in 1997.  I have continued my love for running and recently completed my second Boston Marathon.  

LEGACY ROAD is a project that is made up of all the people, music, memories, and meaning of the last 25 years. It brings together faith, family, and friends to use all of our God given talents and resources to help meet the needs of others. If through this album/concert, we are able to place a stake in the ground for what is truly important in this life and then see others join us on LEGACY ROAD... then it will all be worth it. Out of all the dreams in my life, this is the one that matters most. I finally figured it out....

                                                                                                               THIS DREAM LIVES ON....     


Legacy Road Artists
Kevin Jones



Kevin is a 1989 graduate of Charleston Southern University. During his Senior Year, he launched a prosperous career in real estate sales, development, and marketing… where he has since brokered over $500 million dollars in real estate sales. But thats only one small part of this man on a mission...

Besides building a successful career in real estate, Kevin has played a pivotal leadership role through the years, not only in our musical family, but also in every place he has worked and found his being. Kevin has a rare love and compassion for people and used it to make good things happen in the lives of people in really incredible ways. As you read about the places he has been and people he has touched....remember...it is Kevin's ability to connect his heart to others and reach out beyond himself that has been the impetus for his success in everything he touches

On February 17, 1999, Kevin created the non-profit 501c3 organization, Hometown Heroes International, where he served as Founder and CEO for over 7 years. During this time, Kevin was the Torch Bearer Manager for the 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Torch Relay, traveling through 46 states for 72 days and over 18,500 miles. He later accepted the role of Torch Bearer Manager for the 2004 Athens Olympic Torch Relay, where he managed the first truly global Olympic Torch Relay in seven (7) countries around the world.

Nominated for:
Oprah Winfrey’s Angel Network “Use Your Life” Award
South Carolina Governor’s “Volunteer of the Year” Award
JC Penny “Golden Rule” Award
WYFF “Jefferson” Award

Kevin has been a Cliffs Property Owner for over 16 years and a Cliffs Resident for over 13 years. He and his wife of 19 years have three incredible children ages 8, 9, and 12 (7 children if you count their firstborn “Chelsea” – Cocker Spaniel and their two Labs “Charlie” and “Linsey Lou”). Kevin is an avid fly fisherman. He brings over 19 years of real estate experience in his role as a Sales Executive and Broker for The Cliffs at Walnut Cove.



Michael Gunter








Michael met Danny in the Fall of 1985 while attending the Baptist College at Charleston (now Charleston Southern University).  Shortly thereafter, Heart of Love was launched.  For the next eight years, Michael played guitar with the band and developed “brotherhood” friendships with his band mates that would last long after the music ended.  During the Heart of Love years, Michael finished his college education and married Tammi Bush, the band’s sound engineer.  He left the band in 1994 to follow the Lord’s leading him into church ministry.  In 1997, he graduated from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina and accepted a call to Riverton, Wyoming.  There he served as Minister of Education in a local church and director of the Baptist Collegiate Ministries at Central Wyoming College.  In 2001, Michael and his growing family relocated to Cleveland, Tennessee where he served for five years on staff at another local church.  Michael and Tammi currently reside in Richmond, Virginia with their two children, Erik and Shea, and their dog Hans.  Michael is a Minister of Education and Senior Adults.  Tammi is a nurse.

In 2001, Michael discovered a passion for the written word.  After dabbling with short stories, he found his niche in books.  He has written six books, one of which was published by Gazelle Press in 2005, and is currently working on his second novel.  He still plays guitar in his church’s praise band, and offers an occasional music lesson.  His other interests include Christian spirituality, history, reading, Irish music and culture, and meaningful conversation – all of which, he has discovered, is best enjoyed in the environment of a coffee shop.