Since his own transformation from drug dealer to gospel recording artist to preacher, John P. Kee has rescued a thousand or so men and women from a life of drugs, prostitution and crime.

John P. Kee drifted into crime and drugs in his youth. After witnessing a friend die in a drug dead gone awry, he reversed course and later became a gospel recording artist and preacher. (Courtesy photo)

“I’ve been doing this all over the country. And to say a thousand wouldn’t be exaggerating,” said Kee, who will be in Memphis Saturday for a 6 p.m. concert at Solid Rock Christian Center, 4100 Ross Rd.

He said setting an example is the key to leadership. “When you lead by example, people will follow.”

Kee also will deliver an anti-violence message as part of Heal the Hood Foundation of Memphis’ 106 Days of Decreased Violence Campaign that began Oct. 2.

Heal the Hood is a nonprofit that uses positive messages and entertainment to counteract hopelessness, youth crime and violence.

The purpose, said LaDell Beamon, founder/CEO of HTH, “is to use an innovative push to inspire, encourage and call the Christian community to social engagement of violent behavior.”

Beamon is hoping that Kee’s presence and HTH’s anti-violence videos and commercials will encourage ground-breaking solution-driven dialogues in Memphis.

Born the 15th out of 16 children in Durham, N.C., the Kee family attended church regularly during which time the young John was exhibiting a talent for singing and instrumentals.

The budding singer/musician was sent to a special school for the musically gifted and launched his musical career at the age of 14. With his brothers Al and Wayne, Kee moved to Northern California where he studied music.

Later, he moved on to Charlotte, N.C., to the Double Oaks Community where he drifted straightway into crime and drugs. By his early 20s, he had strayed away from the values his family had given him.

After witnessing the death of one of his friends in a drug deal gone awry, Kee decided to rededicate his life back to God. Years later, he said he found his calling as a preacher.

In the mid 1980s in Charlotte, the gifted singer married his passion for music and change by forming the New Life Community Choir. In 1990, he founded the Victory in Praise Music and Arts Seminar Mass Choir.

In 1995, Kee founded the New Life Fellowship Center, also in Charlotte, the same community where he’d previously sold drugs and engaged in destructive behaviors.

“I’m coming to Memphis as a testimony that it can be done – that you can change your life,” said Kee

With renewed vigor and a new direction, Kee said he and the church soon rid the community of prostitution, drugs and violence. “It diminished to nothing,” he said.    

Memphians can take their community back as well, the pastor pledged. “If you love your community, you can take a stand. I know Memphis is another city, but young men need answers; they have no hope.”    

There are more than 3,000 churches in Memphis. Beamon believes the connection between the church and community is broken.

“In Memphis, this is a huge problem,” said Beamon, a filmmaker, producer, writer, composer, youth minister. “There is a church on almost every street corner, yet social and emotional issues are at an all-time high and people are losing hope.”

Kee said the church could do more to eradicate drugs and crime in the community if pastors would take their ministry into the community and approach the walking wounded.  

“The activists, pastors, ministers have to do more than talk about the problem. It’s so much bigger than talk,” said Kee, referring to church leaders and activists who use television and newspapers to push their agenda. “I don’t do talk. I don’t do news interviews. That’s not important.”

Kee said he’s personally taken more guns off the street than the police. “You have to be proactive. You got to take risks. You have to step out on faith. I didn’t send nobody, I sent myself.”

Churches have to take action and not be afraid, said Kee. “Don’t blame society for all the problems. We can blame society to some degree, but it’s a crutch that somebody can hide behind.”

The church, he said, has failed the community. “If your ministry isn’t reaching (people), you can’t blame anybody for it.”

The gospel great has a message for Memphians: “You can change your community. If you are stable, it’s a testimony that you can bring to your community.”

Kee said singing gospel music is secondary to his calling to save souls. “It’s an attention-getter (that gets people to come to church). Then they get the real message.”

At a glance

The John P. Kee and New Life Community Choir concert is sponsored by Heal the Hood Foundation of Memphis and PK Productions.

The concert begins at 6 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 24) at Solid Rock Christian Center, 4100 Ross Rd.

Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door.

For more information, call Natasha Hill at 901-482-1615 or 901-650-1110.