Born and raised in Vivian, Louisiana, Phil Robertson came from a large family with seven children and little money. Hunting was in his blood from early on.

As a high-school athlete, Phil earned All-State rankings in football, baseball, and track, which afforded him the opportunity to attend Louisiana Tech University on a football scholarship. There, Phil played first-string quarterback - ahead of Terry Bradshaw, who later went on to lead the Pittsburgh Steelers team to 4 Super Bowl championships. Phil said, "Terry went for the bucks, and I chased after the ducks." After receiving his Bachelor's degree in Physical Education and a Master's in Education, Phil spent several years teaching in Louisiana schools. Acclaimed as an excellent teacher by his students, Phil came to the conclusion that his time and talents would be better spent in the woods.

Phil and his family, which by this time included his wife Kay and four boys -- Alan, Jase, Willie, and Jep - began a quest to turn his passion for hunting and fishing into a livelihood.

Never satisfied with the duck calls on the market, Phil began to experiment with making a call that would produce the exact sound of a duck. A duck call for duck killers, not for, as Phil described, "world champion-style duck callers." Phil stated, "No duck would even place in a duck calling contest." In 1972, Phil Robertson gave up a coaching career for his love of duck hunting when he whittled a better duck call than any on the market, the first Duck Commander call. His first year, Robertson sold $8,000 worth of duck calls and his wife, Kay, somehow managed to feed four boys on that salary. The same year, he received a patent for this call and in 1973, formed the Duck Commander Company.

The Robertson family home in West Monroe, Louisiana, became the Duck Commander factory, from where he and family members assembled, packaged, and shipped all the calls. Phil traveled from store to store and state to state in those early days, with most of his attempts to sell the new product line ending in rejections.

In the beginning, Kay and their sons not only helped Phil with the Duck Commander business, but they also ran the nets and took fish to market in a side commercial fishing business that kept food on the table.

Since 1973, Duck Commander products, which is now the premiere destination for sporting goods, have been sold in all 50 states and in several countries.

Phil's biography, Happy, Happy, Happy has recently spent many weeks at number one on the New York Times Best Sellers list. He has been married to Kay for 50 years.

The Browns (preshow)

It's truly a family affair when the Browns hit the stage with their gospel music. The five-voice musical styling of Shelly, Michaela, Adam and Andrew exude excitement on the stage and offer a life-changing experience to all who hear them. The Browns deliver the powerful message of the gospel through word and song that engage audiences of all ages.

The Browns have been touring across the United States since the group began its full-time ministry six years ago. The heralded group began on the local and state level and has expanded and grown into a national touring group.

For the second year in a row the Browns received the prestigious honor of a Horizon top-five group of the year nomination. The awards are given to the best up and coming groups. The Browns will be attending the Singing News Magazine fan awards at the National Quartet Convention in Louisville, KY. "It started out with the Singing News magazine fans voting for the top ten," Michaela said. "We had no idea we were up for this ward until we got an e-mail to tell us. We were up with some wonderful groups. This honor is very rewarding coming from the fans and knowing that we've touched their hearts or ministered to them in some way."

The Browns have released seven recordings, including their newest single "My Name is Already There." The group has just returned from finalizing the music tracks for a new CD due for release the first of the year. They are produced by the award winning talent of Roger Talley at Crossroads and Summitt studios. Their booking is affiliated with Michael Davis of the Dominion Agency based out of Wade, N.C.

Even when they're not on stage or on tour, the Browns manage to stay plenty busy on their farm property west of LeMars, Iowa, which has served to become somewhat of haven for the family away from the road. "We have to work a lot, cleaning and washing our bus," Adam said. "We enjoy life at home. There's just something about being in the country. I've always enjoyed it." Andrew, the self-proclaimed life of the party, said touring on the road can get a little crazy, but he's been able to put things into perspective. "I'm thankful for what I'm doing," he said. "I think it's a special thing that we do." To add to the family experience, Shelly's husband Keith is the chief bus driver and sound technician. "It's definitely something that would be hard to do if you weren't called to it," Shelly said. "Because we know we're called, it's been worth it all. God has opened the doors and there are adventures and blessings behind each one."

From singing over 30 shows at the Americana Theatre in Branson, MO to being voted top 5 Horizon Group Of The Year this award winning family will inspire you with their close-knit family harmony. The Browns love what they do, love each other, and the audiences to whom they sing. And as long of the Lord continues to open doors of opportunity, the Browns are committed to follow his leading.