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BREAKING: Three Members of Family Gospel Group The Nelons Killed in Plane Crash

BREAKING: Three Members of Family Gospel Group The Nelons Killed in Plane Crash
Photo: Three members of The Nelons on Oct. 16, 2018, at Allen Arena in Nashville.Annette Holloway / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images file

A tragic plane crash in northern Wyoming has taken the lives of seven people, including three cherished members of The Nelons, a beloved southern gospel family group.

In a statement released by Gaither Management Group late Friday (July 26), it was confirmed that Kelly Nelon Clark, her husband Jason Clark, their eldest daughter Amber Kistler, and her husband Nathan were among the victims. Also on board were their assistant, Melodi Hodges, the pilot Larry Haynie, and his wife Melissa.


The group was en route to join the Gaither Homecoming Cruise to Alaska when their plane went down.

Kelly and Jason’s youngest daughter, Autumn, and her husband Jamie Streetman were not on the plane. They received the heartbreaking news upon arriving in Seattle. Autumn shared a brief statement through Gaither Management:

“Thank you for the prayers that have been extended already to me, my husband Jamie, and our soon-to-be-born baby boy, as well as Jason’s parents, Dan and Linda Clark. We appreciate your continued prayers, love, and support as we navigate the coming days.”

Details about the crash are still emerging, but reports indicate the plane went down around 1:00 p.m. (Mountain Time) in a remote area of northeastern Wyoming, roughly 8 miles south of the Montana-Wyoming border.

Campbell County Undersheriff Quentin Reynolds told news outlets that the plane had sent out a distress signal before the crash. Witnesses reported seeing columns of smoke near the suspected crash site, according to Reynolds.

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The crash sparked a wildfire, which was quickly extinguished by responding aircraft, heavy equipment, and engine crews.

Just before noon, Kelly Nelon Clark had shared a Facebook post as they left Nebraska City, heading to Billings, Montana, where they planned to stop for lunch, as mentioned in a follow-up comment she posted.

Who Are The Nelons?

The Nelons were founded in 1977 by Rex Nelon and have since become one of southern gospel music’s most iconic groups. The original lineup featured some of the genre’s greatest voices, including Rex’s daughter, Kelly Nelon.

Kelly released five solo albums in the ’80s and ’90s and was named Favorite Alto and Favorite Female Vocalist by the Singing News Fan Awards five times between 1980 and 1990.

In 2014, Kelly, her husband Jason, and their eldest daughter Amber took over the group, with Amber earning Female Vocalist of the Year honors at the Absolutely Gospel Music Awards that same year. Their youngest daughter, Autumn, later joined the group. The Nelons were inducted into the Southern Gospel Hall of Fame two years later.

Earlier this year, The Nelons appeared on Family Feud, where they performed a gospel song for host Steve Harvey.

Our hearts go out to the family, the entire southern gospel community, and all who knew and loved The Nelons during this difficult time.

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