Trinity III entertains, nurtures with music

Growing up in Mary Alice Weigand's family meant that you grew up singing. Weigand, administrative associate for the Dean of Students, recalls entertaining the neighborhood as a young girl by singing on the porch with her parents and siblings on hot summer evenings.  

The singing tradition continued when she married Glenn Weigand, and they raised their children to sing. "They called us the von Weigand Family Singers," said Weigand, referring to the famous von Trapp Family singers from The Sound of Music. While the Weigands didn't tour Switzerland music festivals wearing dirndls sewn from the bedroom drapes, they did spend a lot of time performing in Methodist churches around Posey County. 

When Weigand's children grew up and started their own families, she was left without a singing group, but was content to sing in the church choir. That changed when she heard fellow parishioner Jerry Taylor singing at a church service and immediately recognized his talent. She knew he had a singing background and that his family had performed in churches up and down the east coast, until they stopped traveling to perform following the death of his wife. Weigand summoned her courage and approached him about becoming her singing partner. A duet was formed and sang acapella or with Weigand playing the guitar until the addition of Jerry's daughter, Kelley, when the gospel trio Trinity III was born.

"You don't just keep your light under a bushel, so we decided to try our act in  nursing homes," said Weigand. "So many times, the residents would talk about how the old hymns took them back to when they were kids in Sunday School. For them, it was a better time in their lives. I always wanted to help others, and this is the way God has helped me do it. And, in return, I get as much from them. It's humbling to see how I can be an instrument of God's love through music."

After completing a successful nursing home tour, Weigand returned to her roots with Trinty III by playing in local Methodist churches. This time they not only bring their voices, but their first gospel CD "What A Friend We Have In Jesus." All profits from CD sales go to local charities. Trinity III has provided money to various food pantries and to a child who was receiving a kidney transplant. Later this summer, the group will head back to the studio to record a second CD.

As a grandmother of four, Weigand enjoys nurturing the love of singing with her grandchildren. Her father always encouraged her to sing out, and she looks forward to the day when she can encourage her grandchildren to do the same. And, maybe down the road, a new generation of von Weigand Family singers will be entertaining in Posey County.