The International Country Gospel Music Association is the oldest of all Christian country music organizations. Known primarily by its acronym (ICGMA), It began in 1957 as the brainchild of Dr. W. Lindsey Thompson and Billy Holcomb. Their goal was to unite and work together with artist not just from a state side vision, but internationally. They felt that by working internationally they could spread the message and the music to a much larger and global audience.