The Jody Brown Indian Family

The Jody Brown Indian Family (JBIF) is a professional Southern Gospel group from Robbinsville, NC. The family records on the Crossroads Recording Label.

The band is comprised of Jody Brown who sings baritone, plays bass guitar and also serves as the band bus driver; Donna Brown who sings alto; Jeremy Brown who sings bass/baritone, plays both the guitar and mandolin; Stephanie Brown who sings mezzo-soprano, plays mandolin and also writes most of the material for the group. Finishing out the group is Ashley Brown, who sings soprano for the group.

The family was known for their Progressive Southern Gospel sound but also incorporated traditional southern gospel as well as some Bluegrass flavor to their concerts. Due to the fact that most of the group were tribal members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the group performed several songs in the Cherokee language in almost every concert.

The group had increased success in the Singing News charts in the last few years. Songs such as "Life is Good", "Jump Out Of The Boat" and "God Is Great" all placed in the top 25 in this national chart.

The JBIF also enjoyed a number of accolades during their decade in Southern Gospel Music. In September of 2000 they were nominated for the Singing News Magazine Horizon Group Fan Award. In May of 2004 they were given the honor of singing for the Klaudt Indian Family at Lee University for the Klaudt Indian Family scholarship presentation.

By 2007 however, the road life grew tiresome, and the family retired from the road, returning home to their comfortable family lives in the mountains of North Carolina. Stephanie Brown soon married Dale Scragg and the couple has now made their home in Huntington, West Virginia. Jeremy Brown continues to persue a career in music, doing studio work and filling in with various Christian bands from time to time. Jody and Donna Brown continue to perform locally.

While not in the southern gospel limelight for a terribly long period of time, the Jody Brown Indian Family has certainly made an impression on listeners and lovers of gospel music, both traditionally and progressively. Their sound was all their own, and it is certain that this fine family group will be remembered for years to come.