news-record.com

And then, there were two.

Greensboro’s Peay brothers, who sing in church every Sunday, have bested hundreds of families to perform in the finale of the “Singing Family Face Off” on CBS, which guarantees the winning group a recording contract.

“I’ve actually dreamed about picking out titles and a cover for a CD — and now it’s close, it’s really close,” said Solomon Peay, 21, the youngest of the brothers, during a break in practice Saturday.

Wednesday’s final “face-off” on “The Early Show” could be the singing family’s last television appearance as amateurs. Online voting after the event will determine the winner, to be announced April 1.

The brothers moved ahead to the finals Friday.

“I’ve always told them, 'We are a family that can’t afford to do it on our own, but that some day somebody would notice,” said an excited Joyce Peay, their mother. “Who knew it could come from sending in that tape?”

Still, there’s a lot of work before Wednesday.

Katif Peay has watched as very good singers on reality show competitions have picked the wrong song to showcase their talents — and he and his brothers are hoping not to make the same mistake. CBS gave the brothers 20 songs to choose from for their final performance. They won’t say what they chose.

“We went online and listened to all of them, and there was one that really resonated with us,” said 29-year-old Katif Peay.

The group’s competition is stiff: a made-for-Disney family of teen and preteen singing musicians from rural Bluff City, Tenn., known as J4 — for Jessi, Jedidiah, Josiah, and Josephine Smith. The oldest two have performed for a couple of years for services at the church across the street from their home, where their dad, Mark, is pastor.

The Peay brothers, too, have deep roots in church and play a variety of instruments. Majid, 33, is a married claims adjuster and father, who attended N.C. A&T. Taimine, 30, is a music and physical education student at GTCC. Katif is an A&T doctoral student in energy and environmental sciences. Solomon is an A&T mass communication and public relations major.

Along the journey to the Final 2, they visited radio stations and sang for votes at a computer lab on the A&T campus, where students came to vote.

Aggie alumni also have helped to blanket the country with e-mails to friends and family about the brothers’ talent, said Pam Johnson of Upper Marlboro, Md., president of the alumni association.

“The common theme has been to support them ... and when that’s sent out, it goes to thousands and thousands and thousands of people,” Johnson said.

Joyce Peay kept the boys singing after the death of her husband, Simon, who started the group. Sometimes, she says, she doesn’t have the words for this opportunity.

“Sometimes I think back about where we come from and how things are falling into place and it’s scary. I can only say, 'Lord, I thank you."

Contact Nancy H. McLaughlin at 373-7049 or nancy.mclaughlin@news-record.com