Lincolnton, Ga.- State and local officials honored a music icon in a big way, Monday afternoon. Friends and family gathered in Lincolnton to dedicate a highway to James Roy "Pop" Lewis.

It’s a music legacy that started more than 50 years ago.

"He stole Mamma from a second story window in 1925. They eloped. They had all of us. We bought a bus and started singing," said “Little” Roy Lewis, Son.

Little Roy Lewis is the youngest son of James Roy "Pop" Lewis. He remembers the musical foundation his father laid down to create the First Family of Bluegrass Gospel music. It all unfolded in Lincolnton.

"I remember getting into a Model “A” Ford and going to our piano lessons. My grandmother was in the other room listening to opera. We would hear the guitar and fiddle and knew we wanted to do something other than play the piano,” said Lewis.

But this bluegrass gospel group wasn't always a Christian band.

"We use to play hillbilly music back in the '40s. But we got booked on a Christian Radio station. My mamma said you can't sing what you've been singing. So that day we started to sing religious songs,” said Lewis.

After that switch, the rest was bluegrass gospel history. To this day, the Lewis family carries on Pop's legacy. His hometown of Lincolnton is paying tribute to the man who never forgot his roots. Just take a drive along State Route 378 in Lincoln County; you'll see a sign dedicated to remember this music legend.

Pop Lewis died in 2004. Monday would have been his 103rd birthday.

"Little" Roy Lewis tells NBC Augusta their old house in Lincolnton will be converted into a museum. It should be finished by next year.

The Lewis Family will be performing live at the Imperial Theater this Thursday, Sept. 25th, at 7:30. It will be their first live concert in Augusta in 40 years.