AUBURN – The East Wind, celebrating its 19th year of southern gospel music, will present an evening of music at 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 15, at the East Auburn Baptist Church.

The East Wind was founded in 1987 when two young men, one from Auburn, and the other young man from Smyrna, Tenn., felt led to start a southern gospel quartet. At the present time they are a trio, but the southern gospel music continues.

The evening event will include music by special guests, the LaClaires, a blue grass gospel/country duet, the Townsend family from Boothbay, and Freddie Merrill, a southern gospel soloist from Richmond.

The East Wind performs in nursing homes, retirement centers, prisons, jails and churches throughout New England and Canada. The East Wind has recorded nine CDs and cassettes. A new CD will be released Oct. 15, “Sheltered in His Love.” John Guy, who sings tenor for the East Wind, will release a new solo CD, “I Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now,” on Oct. 15.

The East Wind has won several awards for their dedication and comment to the ministry of gospel music. They have participated in the Down East County Music/Gospel Association in Maine and won first place in the gospel category in 2000, 2002 and the gospel recording of the year.. In 2004 they won vocal group, traditional gospel first place.

They also have participated in the North America Country Music Association International at Pigeon Forge, Tenn. In 2001 they won first place in the gospel category. In 2002 they won the most promising gospel group of the year.