As you may have guessed, Roger is Roger Fortner of the McKameys,and is another Inspiration direct from Bryson City, North Carolina. Roger began playing lead guitar with The Inspirations while still a student at SCHS (Swain County High School.

    After leaving the group, he found that he just couldn't stay off the road. (Does that sound like a familiar Inspirations theme?

    Roger is married to Connie Bean (McKameys), and they are the proud parents of one of the finest young men we've ever known, ELIJAH RUBEN FORTNER. Roger is a highly sought after studio musician.

    As you can seebelow, Eli like to go with his dad to the studio where he plays guitar just like his dad. Eli also sings with the McKameys. YOU SHOULD SEE HIM! He "plays drums", too!

    In February,1999, Eli, son of Roger and Connie Fortner, was hospitalized with excessive fluid in his body -caused from nephrotic syndrome-  that had to be drained over a period of three days. After returning home he continued to slowly gain fluid and had to be hospitalized again, this time with infection present in the fluid.  He was treated with IV antibiotics for another three days as some of the fluid was drained again.

    After another two weeks of slowly gaining fluid, -12 1/2 pounds at this time- his doctor, a very good specialist in this field and a great Christian doctor, ask us to help him pray they God would show him what the problem was.  The following week for Eli's checkup, Eli's doctor at the University of Tennessee hospital in Knoxville, Tennessee, told us that God had put him flat on his back that weekend and showed him what the problem was and how to help Eli

    He put Eli on a medication not made for his type of problem, but one that had worked on other patients in the United States. There were three more hospital stays for draining of the fluid and another infection in Eli's blood which followed until the medication began working. Eli and Connie were off the road for seven weeks; (The rest of the group continuing with a lot of worry and asking everyone to pray for Eli.)

    During this time Connie's sister, Sheryl Farris, filled in for Connie. What a blessing for Connie and The McKameys that Cheryl and her family sacrificed their time during our time of need.  We appreciate Cheryl very much. (NOTE: Cheryl is one of SGM's most prolific songwriters, having penned many of the McKameys biggest songs.)

    Eli has been on this medication now, with no side effects for 9 weeks as of press time , and he is  back on the road with us and is back to his normal weight!! We praise God for showing the doctor what little Eli  needed and for taking care of Eli and showing us all that He is still in control and He has definitely "shone out" in our storm.

    Thank you for all your prayers, cards, phone calls and visits during this time. Continue to pray for Eli that God will use him in a great way and get glory out of our lives through this trial