Interviews by Emily Darrell
Photos by Patrick Dobbs

When husband and wife team John and Sue Pass started the gospel band Just Us four years ago, it was just the two of them, singing and playing guitar in their church. The band has since grown to nine members and meets every Friday night at the Pass household for dinner and a practice session in the Pass’s garage. They’ve played at churches and other locations around Powhatan and throughout the state. Later this month Just Us will be recording their first album at the Slipped Disc studio in Ashland. Powhatan Today reporter Emily Darrell dropped in one recent Friday night to chat with the band.

This question is for John and Sue. What made you decide to start Just Us?

John: It wasn’t up to us. It was up to God. If you’d have told me we’d be playing in a gospel group a couple of years ago, I’d have told you “You’re crazy. No way I’m gonna get up in front of a crowd and play and sing. It’s just not gonna happen.” But He’s got a different plan for us.

Sue: This is like a dream for me, actually. I’ve always loved music and as a kid dreamt about being with a group like this, but never really believed it would happen. But here we are.

So what sort of gigs does a gospel band play? Is it just churches?

Everybody chiming in at once: We play festivals . . . churches . . . senior centers . . . benefits . . . horse shows . . . the Powhatan Free Clinic . . .

Have you ever had a bad gig? One that just didn’t go like you planned, that was just awful?

Mark Swineford (lead vocals) : Yeah, there was this one time when our lead guitarist George actually showed up. It was terrible. (Laughter all around.)

Are all of you of the same denomination?

John: No. We’re a Heinz 57 variety, really.

So I asked you about a bad gig you’ve had. What’s the best gig you’ve had, the most memorable?

Brandon Noel (keyboards): Well, for me, I believe the best one we did was at Powhatan (Community Church). That was actually for a benefit for George. It was to benefit the Hope Aglow Prison Ministries. And it was the most memorable because I saw so many people, so many smiling faces, and the music was very good. I just enjoy playing to help out with worthy causes.

Now this is a bit subjective and probably no one is going to want to answer it, but we’ll see: Who is the best musician in the band?

George Smith (lead guitar): Me, without a doubt. It’s got to be me. (Laughter.)

Sue: They’re all very good, really.

Bob Goolsby (dobro): I don’t think any of us classify ourselves as best, because we all admire what each and every one of us does. There’s no way I could play the drums like [Tim] plays the drums, there’s no way I could play the lead like George plays the lead. There’s no way I could play the keyboard or sing like this guy . . . what’s- his-name . . .  Mark. (Laughter.) That’s my own opinion. But we’re all the best. It takes all of us to make the music.

I know John, that you said a few years ago you’d never thought you’d be playing with a gospel band. Did any of the rest of you – 10 or 20 or 15 years ago, however long, think that you’d be doing this?

Bob: How long ago? (Laughter.)

However long ago – in your, um, younger days.

Tim Timberlake (drums): Actually, when I was in college, I played gospel music on Sunday afternoons. I played in the Three Graves Pub on Friday and Saturday nights. And we had a little gospel group and on Sundays we’d go around and play at all the Baptist churches down in North Carolina.

George: I physically started playing the guitar when I was 11. I was in my first band when I was 16, but it wasn’t really a gospel band. And I never thought I’d be playing in a gospel band. I got saved in 1997, and I took those old honky-tonk licks that I used and I try to play ‘em for Jesus now, instead of the devil. Amen!