Al Timberlane Spotlight: MIL Singers LP – Folk Wave & The 1960s Jesus Music
- Al Timberlane
- Apr 16
- 4 min read
My special guests are  Lealon Worrell and Jeanette Abernathy (formerly Thompson), two original members of this groundbreaking group that emerged during the 1960s folk music wave and the Jesus Movement. I had the privilege of meeting Lealon Worrell right here in
Mountain View.
This week on Folk Music Rewind, I’m honored to shine the spotlight on a powerful and often overlooked chapter in folk music history — the story of the MIL Singers, short for Meaning in Life.
My special guests are Lealon Worrell and Jeanette Abernathy (formerly Thompson), two original members of this groundbreaking group that emerged during the 1960s folk music wave and the Jesus Movement. I had the privilege of meeting  Lealon Worrell right here in Mountain View and recording a heartfelt interview that dives deep into their music, message, and mission.
The MIL Singers weren’t born as folk singers — they happened. In the words from their original LP, they came together as six college and university students from six different Arkansas campuses. Their fields of study read like a college course catalog:
 Lealon Worrell, a pre-law student majoring in philosophy and political science
Becky Casteel, a drama student
Danny McCauley, a mathematics major
Jeanette Abernathy (formerly Thompson), who studied psychology with plans for guidance counseling
Mickey Anders, a speech major
Jerry Blaylock, in medical school
They met during a Baptist Student Union retreat in Hot Springs National Park in the spring of 1967. After one spontaneous afternoon of singing, the spark ignited, and the group that would become the MIL Singers — Meaning in Life — was born.
In 1969, they released their first and only LP titled "MIL Singers Present Christ Our Contemporary: A Folk Song Life of Christ." It’s a folk-rock retelling of the life of Jesus told through original music, narration, and deeply felt harmonies. The album is a 55-minute musical sermon rooted in biblical and historical accounts. Much of the writing and arrangement was led by Jerry Blaylock, with several original lyrics and tunes included.
Track highlights from the album include:
In the Beginning
The Advent and Birth
Mother Among Mothers
Appointing of the Twelve
I Know Where I'm Going
The Compassion of Jesus
And By His Touch
The Triumphal Entry
Four Strong Winds
Judas Iscariot
Sit at My Table
Agony in Gethsemane
Man of Sorrows
The Lament of Judas
The Crucifixion
On the Morning After Sabbath
But this was more than an album. It was a movement. The MIL Singers toured widely across Arkansas and beyond. They performed for over 2,000 young people at the National Student Conference in Glorietta, New Mexico, and even made a missionary journey to Yosemite National Park to share their message at the International Student Retreat.
Their performances were filled with warmth, humor, and contagious energy. They brought haunting melodies, yodels, folk rhythms, and a sincere gospel message to every stage they graced. The audience didn’t just hear music — they heard a sermon. And not the kind from a pulpit, but one wrapped in realness, brotherhood, and the sounds of their own generation.
The MIL Singers dared audiences to look at themselves, ask the hard questions, and discover the meaning of life.
Today, their LP remains a rare and beautiful time capsule of folk music’s ability to minister, to inspire, and to stir the soul.
📻 Tune in Monday at 5:00 PM on KWMV 88.5 FM or stream online at www.kwmvradio.com.
This episode also comes at a special moment in our calendar — we’ve just come off a beautiful celebration of Resurrection Sunday, a time of reflection, hope, and new beginnings. Here in Mountain View, the Arkansas Folk Festival just wrapped up over the weekend, bringing together locals and visitors in the spirit of music, heritage, and community.
In the same way, we want to recognize the contributions of veterans, past and present, and all the men and women who serve behind the scenes in our communities — organizing festivals, playing music, sweeping floors, running sound boards, preparing meals, and keeping traditions alive. You are the backbone of these cultural celebrations, and we thank you.
Join me, Al Timberlane, as we rewind the tape and revisit the message, the music, and the memories with Lealon and Jeanette.
And remember, there's always something to do in Mountain View — whether you're pickin’ in the park with friends and strangers, grabbing a scoop of Bell ice cream at Mountain View Music, or soaking up live music by the Stone County Courthouse.
Thanks for listening to Folk Music Rewind, where the roots run deep, the banjos ring true, and the stories never grow old.
Spotlight presented by Al Timberlane: April 16 2025