ANDERSON — Kevin Marshall, of the Mission 33:1 gospel group, said he learned long ago that his vocal skills weren’t the those of a songbird.

“As much as I would love to sing, the Lord gave me the gift of playing (instruments),” he said Saturday night at the Paramount Theatre after serenading the audience with his tenor saxophone and wind synth.

The first county-wide Gospel Concert Saturday night showcased for more than 650 Andersonians in a variety of gospel acts that worshipped in different ways, including a praise dance team, a Spanish-singing choir, Marshall’s modern gospel band, and even a four-man a cappella group featuring Mayor Kris Ockomon. The admission price – one canned good per person – and donations will benefit Operation Love, Madison County Fire Rescue House and the Paramount.

“We wanted diversity,” said Anderson firefighter Skip Ockomon, who spearheaded efforts to build the Fire Rescue House. “A diversity of language, diversity of people, diversity of denominations, we just wanted everyone to worship.”

Gayle Jones-Burris, coordinator of the event and Paramount Heritage Foundation director, said she called all the mayors in Madison County for suggestions for acts. There weren’t acts from every city and township in the county Saturday as she’d hoped, but she said the different kinds of acts were intentional.

Crystal Brown, of the Bethesda Missionary Church said she’s never been outspoken and doesn’t like attention on her. But she wanted to thank God some way.

“I decided dance was the way that I could praise,” she said.

She put together a praise-dancing community group of children, about 30 of whom performed Saturday. Twelve-year old Alexandria Jones, who performed with the Triple J dance-team, said she chose to dance with Brown’s group because it’s even better than praising through song.

“When you sing, you give praise with your emotions,” she said. “But, when you dance, it’s with your entire body.”

Contact Christina M. Wright, 640-4883, christina.wright@heraldbulletin.com.