LINCOLNTON, Ga. - After six decades, the Lincolnton group known as the "first family of bluegrass gospel" is calling off the show.

But it was news to Janis Lewis Phillips when she heard her group the Lewis Family was retiring.

“We heard we were retiring before we said anything about it,” Phillips said.

Still despite the confusion the news was true. The group known as the first family of gospel bluegrass recently announced that their last performance will be in September.

“We've been thinking about it for a while my sister Miggie is 83 and my sister Polly is 72 and she has Louie Body Dementia.

The family group from Lincolnton has been performing bluegrass gospel together for nearly 60 years and received national attention.

“This is how we looked when we first started singing,” Phillips said.

For her retiring is hard in some ways.

“The only sad part is we're not going to be able to continue what mom and pop would have wanted us to do but a time comes,” Phillips said.

Saying good-bye to the fans will also be very tough. But there are some parts of retirement Phillips is looking forward to.

“I'm going to get the kitchen fixed,” Phillips said. “We're getting all new appliances.”

The retirement does not mean the end of the Lewis Legacy thanks to the family's younger members like Phillips' son, Lewis who's been a part of the group since he was four.

It's always nice to carry on the tradition and be able to take new fans back to where you came from.

Other family members are working to restore the old Lewis home. Lewis Phillips says he'll also keep the legacy alive by passing the family's history and music down to his daughter.

“I'm just going to explain what my family has always done and let her hear the music,” he said.

The Lewis Family's final performance will be September 5th in Pennsylvania. They also have several other tour dates around the country between now and then.

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