Dwayne Grey Friend was born September 16, 1936, near Dawson, Missouri. Dwayne grew up in the Dawson community and attended school in a one room schoolhouse. He was saved and called to preach at the age of seventeen and remained faithful to his calling in the gospel ministry throughout his life serving as an evangelist and pastor for many years.

In the mid 60’s Dwayne joined the Happy Goodman Family and played guitar for them all across the country. Later, he was with the Blackwood Brothers Quartet. In 1969, Dwayne was the first instrumentalist to win the Dove Award. The following year, 1970, he became the first instrumentalist to win a second Dove Award. That same year he also won a third Dove Award for song of the year, “The Night Before Easter.” With his musical success, Dwayne became known as “Mister Gospel Guitar.”

Later, Dwayne went back to preaching and was the evangelist of the “Area Wide Crusades” along with Harold Friend, David Gourley, and Ray Bradley. They ministered in auditoriums and on 43 television stations across the United States and Canada and witnessed thousands of people receiving the salvation of Jesus Christ.

Dwayne went to be with Jesus on July 17, 2019.