Janet Paschal is an inspirational vocalist and writer, often hailed as one of the most soulfully versatile voices in Christian music.
From the pulpit of her grandfather’s church in Reidsville, North Carolina, to the world’s most renowned stages, Paschal’s journey is marked by passion and dedication. With more than twenty recordings to her credit, her passion and vulnerability are evident in her inspiring music, including her latest release, Beginnings. Her recordings have earned numerous Grammy and Dove Award nominations, and she is consistently named among Gospel Music’s favorite soloists by the genre’s top trade magazines.
Paschal grew up in a musical family. Her dad and his brothers played bluegrass instruments and sang in churches in neighboring states. Her sister, Kay, played piano and the sisters formed their own gospel-singing group.
At eighteen years old, Paschal was invited to audition for the gospel singing family, The LeFevres. They hired her at the audition, and Janet left her small town and moved to Atlanta. After two years, the group changed its name to The Rex Nelon Singers and they became one of southern gospel music’s most sought after mixed singing groups.
A few years later, she was invited to travel and perform as a soloist for televangelist Jimmy Swaggart’s international crusades. She performed to tens of thousands in arenas and stadiums around the world. She shared the stage with presidents and high profile personalities. She quickly became one of the most recognizable faces and voices in any music genre.
In 1986, Paschal began touring as a soloist. She signed with Word Records and moved to Nashville. She composed songs such as Another Soldier’s Coming Home, God Will Make A Way, The Body and Blood, and If I’d Had My Way, which found broad audiences in multiple music genres. Shortly afterwards she was invited to tour with Bill and Gloria Gaither. She became a featured artist on the Homecoming Tour.
In 1999, she met her husband, John, an airline pilot, and they married shortly afterward.
After battling breast cancer in 2005, Paschal resumed her touring schedule, including concerts, women’s conferences, and cancer awareness events. In November, 2008, the popular singer released a brand new book, Treasures of the Snow, which chronicled her triumphant battle with cancer as well as stories from three decades in Gospel music. Her first literary work, The Good Road, became a best seller.
Paschal’s travels have taken her to seven continents, performing in such venues as Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, and the Sydney Opera House. She started a radio program, Walking The Good Road, which airs on more than 30 stations in the U.S. and Canada. She began the Annual Cancer Walk at Gospel Music’s premier weeklong festival, NQC.
In 2017, Paschal realized a lifelong dream when she earned a Master’s degree with honors in Accounting from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, as well as induction into the University’s Beta Gamma Sigma Chapter, the most prestigious international society for college business schools. This was a “bucket list”, she states.
Most recently. Paschal released the third edition of her book, Treasures of the Snow, finding broad success in both Christian and secular markets.
As often happens, Paschal’s journey has come full circle, as her sister, Kay, now tours with her and they share their music together. Janet states, “God gave us different, but parallel, paths. A couple of years ago they converged and we are having a blast!”
