GMF was saddened to receive news of the passing of Rev. Janice Brown-Stephens. Brown-Stephens, the youngest of 14 siblings, transitioned on August 30, 2024. She was 80.
Born September 13, in Rocky Mount, NC, the singer, preacher, and pastor became most widely recognized as the singing partner of Bishop F.C. Barnes. Together, they gave us the massive traditional gospel hit, “Rough Side of the Mountain,” along with other favorites like “Uncloudy Day” and “The Lord Will Fix It For Me.”
An excerpt from the NC Music Hall of Fame’s biography of Bishop F.C. Barnes reads,
The Reverend Barnes met The Reverend Janice Brown around 1979 while doing a radio broadcast in Rocky Mount on WSRV. On a reel-to-reel tape recorder, they recorded “It’s Me Again, Lord” for a radio broadcast; the response from listeners was overwhelming so they recorded it in a studio. In addition to “It’s Me Again, Lord,” they recorded “Come On In The Room.” AIR Records executive Wendell Parker heard it and brought it to the attention of Ron Freeman, owner of AIR, the Atlanta International Records, a subsidiary of Malaco Music Group. Freeman offered them a recording contract.
The Reverends Barnes and Brown recorded eight albums; their biggest hit was “Rough Side of the Mountain” which reportedly sold half a million copies and reached number one on the Gospel Chart.
Following Brown-Stephens’ departure from the duo in the late 1980s, she left the music industry and became a pastor in a small Jones County, NC town. Two decades later, she reemerged in the industry with a new duet partner, Monte Stephens, a former radio station owner who was the founder and then-president of Freedom Records in Murfreesboro, TN. The partnership began after Stephens’ now-deceased wife Dee heard one of Janice Brown’s recordings, insisted on meeting her, and ultimately invited her to record a project with Monte. Dee produced the new project and even titled it Alive and Well to clap back at Internet misinformation that the gospel singer had died. Unfortunately, Dee herself passed away from cancer before the album’s release. Several months later, Janice and Monte united in marriage and continued their singing and preaching ministry under the name of Ebony and Ivory Ministries.
Brown-Stephens and her husband were the pastors of Full Circle Church of God in Friendsville, TN.
A celebration of life service is scheduled for September 14, at 10 a.m. with a pre-celebration one hour prior. The services will take place at Deeper Life Church Ministries in Goldsboro, NC.
GMF extends condolences to the entire Brown and Stephens family.
Libra Nicole Boyd, PhD is a musician, award-winning author, gospel music aficionado, and the founder and editor of Gospel Music Fever™. Her commitment to journalistic integrity includes bringing you reliable gospel music content that uplifts and advances the art form. Libra is presently working on several scholarly projects about gospel music in the media as well as gospel music in social movements.