Cathy Wideman

Cathy Wideman is Dale's wife of 28 amazing years and has lived and worshipped in Gormley since they began dating. She counts Dale as one of her greatest proofs that God does hear and answer prayer. Truly, Dale is one of her most cherished gifts from God. She also feels so blessed to be a mother to three great kids, a son and two daughters who are still attending Post Secondary School. Heise Hill Church is their family's home church where they serve in several different capacities, especially in music. Both she and Dale are actively involved on the Worship Team and in a Home Church based out of their home. She also works full time at Canada Post Corporation in Gormley.

Cathy attended a small country church with her Mother and Grandmother as a little girl. When she was just small, she and her brother used to sing duets for a special Sunday services and were often given parts in the Christmas Pageants that required a singing part. She gave her life to God when she was only 6 but really never developed a close relationship to God until her teen years. Though she grew up loving music in many different forms, it wasnít until she was in her late teens that a friend taught her to play guitar and sing many of the contemporary gospel songs of the day. After marrying Dale and having children, she got involved in the Kids Worship program at Heise Hill and began to use her love of music to serve God in a different way. When asked to sing with her husband and kids for a special Sunday service, their family happily agreed and thus began their journey. Soon, they were singing regularly with Dave and Judy and with encouragement from a friend, Mike, they sang out at other venues. It took some courage and lots of prayers, but eventually, they became comfortable with their newly formed ministry as Hilltop Vocal Band. That was over 15 years ago and she still loves to Praise God and use her gift of singing to give honour and glory to the One who saved her at age 6.

Dave Foster

Dave Foster is a man of many talents, not just in the vocal genre but in the handyman category, too. We affectionately refer to him as our “Mr. Fix It”. He works at Shanahan Ford in Newmarket as a car detailer but often finds himself busy doing much more than just working an 8 hour day, especially with his talents at fixing cars. Dave committed his life to the Lord at a fairly young age and attended many youth activities while growing up. This is where he met his wife of 26 years, Beth and now they reside in Newmarket with their two sons, Andrew and Travis. Their daughter Vanessa has blessed them with a beautiful baby grand-daughter named Sophie who visits often to make Grandpa & Grandma “very proud”. Both Dave and Beth can be found spending any extra time entertaining Sophie, or maybe, she is entertaining them!

Dave has a very full and rich voice that lends itself well to a strong lead for Hilltop Vocal Band. When the group first started to sing together, he was often the lead for many of their original songs but over the years has very nicely adapted to the role of Bass singer. Though Dave grew up singing with family in church, it wasn’t until he began singing with HVB that he was challenged to learn the bass part in order to achieve the four part harmony that gives the full sound to this group. Judy, Dale and even Cathy, have also learned to adapt their vocals to various parts so that the group is capable of more versatility in many of their chosen arrangements.

Though Dave loves his family dearly, he also enjoys spending time with another love of his life…..his rebuilt classic cars. He owns a 1932 Five Window Ford Coupe that’s a vivid azure blue. Sooo Coooool!!! His classic red and white 1955 Chev Belair Hot Rod sometimes allows a wedding couple the joy of arriving at the church on time and then riding off into “wedded bliss” in a Heavy Chevy. HVB can’t help but be a little proud of Dave and his car sense.

Judy Steckley

Judy is single and resides in the Town of Stouffville where she has developed her own cleaning business for the past 16 years. She enjoys spending free time with her siblings and their families. She inherited a green thumb from her ancestors and enjoys gardening, too.

Her love of gospel music began as a small child who was fascinated with the performers at the All Night Sings held at Massey Hall, Toronto. Some of her favorite groups were The Downings, The Blackwood Brothers and the LeFevres, to name a few, and while they sang she dreamed of the day that she would sing in a group herself. As her interest in music developed, Judys Dad encouraged her by sitting down at the piano and teaching her to sing a harmony part. He also showed her how to play guitar by using three simple chords.

In her teen years, she banded with cousins to form a group that played and sang across Ontario, called ìThe Happy Cousinsî. They were even asked to sing at the Canadian National Exhibition one year setting another of Judys dreams into motion. It was in her high school years that she sang with ìThe River Brethrenî while attending Niagara Christian College. In 1977 she recorded her solo album called ìMy Tributeî and then later went on to sing in a mixed group called ìThe Viscountsî. All of this experience has benefited Judy as she pursued her love of gospel music.

About 15 years ago she rejoined with her cousin, Dale, to start a new group that has been together ever since. ìHilltop Vocal Bandî was an inspiration that came from attending the National Quartet Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. Though they started out small singing at local venues, HVB has now purchased equipment and expanded to a multi-booking ministry that travels all across Ontario and even into the USA. Judys dreams have become realtiy. She plays in the Worship Team at her home church of Heise Hill and enjoys getting together to ìjamî with friends and fellow musicians.

Dale Wideman

Dale is a father of three children, a son and two daughters, and a husband to Cathy. Together, they reside in a cozy home in Gormley, Ontario, close to Highway 404.

Dale is a true lover of Gospel Music and has been from the time he was a small boy who attended the All Night Sings at Massey Hall. Because Judy is his cousin, their families often attended these events together and it was not uncommon to find them both standing on top of the dining room table with broomstick microphones wailing out a gospel song for weeks after the event night. And so began their desire to serve God with their musical abilities. Dale is a self-taught player of guitar, bass, mandolin and banjo and often spends time relaxing with an instrument in his hands. When he was younger he played in a country band that eventually crossed over to the bluegrass genre. He is the bass player in the Worship Team and every Sunday that heís not out with HVB, youíll find him using his gifts to praise God at Heise Hill Church.

Dale is a carpenter by trade and always has a list of folks waiting in line to receive his help with some form of handiwork. He is meticulous in all that he does, including singing his part with HVB. The ìperfectionistî quality does come in handy most of the time but can cause some tension when trying to learn new materials. One of his favourite genres of music is Bluegrass and loves to attend festivals where the quality of performance is top notch. The acoustic sound of Bluegrass music has always been inspiring to Dale, who appreciates the difficulty and complexity involved in playing an instrument that well. He enjoys the gospel harmony of The Isaacs, Jeff & Sherri Easter, The Grascals and Daley & Vincent to name a few.

Mt. Albert, Ontario

Hillside Missionary Church

@ 10:00 AM

February 20, 2011

Cobourg, Ontario

Church On The Hill

With Roxanne & Terry Sheridan

@ 7:00 PM

March 19, 2011

Elmira, Ontario

Benefit Concert

HVB, The Reflections & Freedom

@ 3:00 PM

April 17, 2011

Stayner, Ontario

Stayner Missionary Camp

Afternoon Concert

July 23, 2011

Sarnia, Ontario

Gospel By The Bay

@ 6:00 PM

August 20, 2011