The Watkins Family is no newcomer to gospel music, as they began their musical journey in 1970’s. Hailing from Toccoa, GA, Matriarch Judy Watkins and children, Lorie, Shanon & Todd are carrying on the musical tradition started several years ago by parents, Don & Judy. They sing a range of gospel styles which include acoustic, bluegrass & southern. The group broke new ground in 1988 becoming the first bluegrass gospel act to perform on Capitol Hill in the Capitol Complex in Washington D.C. attended by dignitaries from around the world.
This latest release features all of these styles, so there’s a little something for everyone on this project. To me, anytime that you can through bluegrass and drums in the same song, something good is going to happen. There are driving country tunes, like “Love And Grace” & “She Found Jesus Alive”, which Carroll Roberson also released several years ago. This may be the same song, but the arrangement is sped up and given an acoustic country flair. There are also some songs with a contemporary feel, such as “What A Wonderful Name” & “To Know You More” and ballads like “Love That Wouldn’t Let Go” and the gospel standard, “Peace In The Valley”. “Peace In The Valley” also includes a recitation by Judy Watkins and closes by transitioning to “Heaven Will Be Worth It All”. Then there are the straight ahead bluegrass tunes like “Captain Reached Down For My Soul” & “Closer To Home”.
Track Listing:
- She Found Jesus Alive
- Love That Wouldn’t Let Go
- What A Wonderful Name
- Captain Reached Down For My Soul
- She’s Working On Her Testimony
- Love And Grace
- To Know You More
- Sometimes You Gotta Rock The Boat
- Closer To Home
- What Love Has Grown
- Peace In The Valley
While not everyone likes straight ahead bluegrass gospel music, there are enough other flavors of songs mixed in on Heaven’s Worth Waiting For that everyone can find something to enjoy.
Final Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Produced by: Mark Fain, Karen Peck Gooch & Danny Jones
Group Members: Judy, Lorie, Shanon & Todd Watkins
Available from: The Watkins Family
Review copy provided
Recent Comments