Jan 19

Top 100: #20 Preparing the Way (Gold City)

Release Year: 1996

Album Rank for Group: #8 of 15

Here’s a blurb: The top twenty of my countdown kicks off with the first  recording by the Gold City lineup that will find itself all over these rankings now, with six albums in the top twenty.  The quartet had already shown that they would be just fine after the great turnover of the earlier part of the decade when LeFevre, Parker, and Free departed.  The addition of Jonathan Wilburn built on that momentum and launched the group to the top of the genre in the post-Cathedrals era.  Preparing the Way was a terrific start.  The album contains the familiar hard-driving and polished quartet sound that would be this lineup’s trademark, but has enough stylistic variation to keep the listener on his toes, without straying too far from straight-up southern gospel.

Knock my socks off: He’s Still on the Throne, It’s Still the Cross, When the Lamb Becomes the Light, You’re at the Well

Don’t skip that one: Hello in Heaven, I’m Going Over, God Unlimited

I could honestly do without: Every Moment (this is certainly an exquisite performance, just not my style)

Jan 17

Top 100: #21 Gospel Parade (Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver)

Release Year: 2001

Album Rank for Group: #1 of 7

Here’s a blurb: For over thirty years now, Doyle Lawson, leader of one of the most respected bands in bluegrass, has kept a toe in the waters of southern gospel.  For one recording, Quicksilver dove right on in.  The prominent piano and convention style may have made traditional bluegrass fans squirm, but for anyone who enjoys both genres, this project is a pure delight.  Here you get a full view of Lawson’s boyhood influences from the golden era of gospel music, including black gospel.  There are songs you’ll recognize from the Statesmen (“I Have a Desire”), the Blackwood Brothers (“He Knows How Much You Can Bear”), the Swanee River Boys (“Gloryland Boogie”), the Golden Gate Quartet (“I Heard Zion Moan”) and even Gold City (“Movin’ Up”), all performed in the Quicksilver way, with textbook precision.  The group didn’t jump all the way off the bluegrass ledge, as the project opens and closes with two pure bluegrass numbers (“Be Living” and “Have You Met My Friend”).  And I have to mention that this album has, in my opinion, the best version of “The Heavenly Parade” you will ever hear.

Knock my socks off: The Heavenly Parade, Movin’ Up, Gloryland Boogie, Be Living

Don’t skip that one: I Have a Desire, Have You Met My Friend, He Is Risen, The Best Is Yet to Come

I could honestly do without: My Heavenly Home

Jan 17

Poet Voices is back!!!

With the release of this video, Phil Cross has announced that Poet Voices is back in Southern Gospel Music.

It is so good to hear this song again.  It was one of the highlights on the groups’ 1997 project, Trust The Truth, and this new arrangement is fantastic.

I can’t wait to hear what this group has to offer.  The journey for Poet Voices began back around 1991 when the group burst onto the scene with their hit song, “Jesus Built A Bridge”, and for years the groups didn’t look back. Around 2002, the group disbanded for a couple of years, but reformed again briefly from 2004-2007.  I hope that the group is successful in their relaunch and that their music ministry is anointed and blessed.

Joining Phil Cross is Donny Henderson, who was previously with group back around the turn of the century and was a great baritone vocalist. Dan Callahan will round out the group at tenor and is a new comer to me. Perhaps some of you are familiar with him and if so, I look forward to hearing your stories.

BONUS – Here’s a complete concert from one of my favorite iterations of PV:

Jan 12

Top 100: #22 God Is Good (Gaither Vocal Band)

Release Year: 1999

Album Rank for Group: #1 of 7

Here’s a blurb: My favorite Gaither Vocal Band recording to date is packed with high-flying vocals and exciting arrangements performed by one of the most dynamic lineups in the history of southern gospel.  Any Gaither work is going to set the standard for production quality, and this is no exception.  It contains probably the group’s most signature song, “Let Freedom Ring” along with several fun dips into country and soul sounds, and even a couple of old standards.  The bottom line is that you’d be hard pressed to find any recording with more jaw-dropping singing than this one.

Knock my socks off: Let Freedom Ring, He Touched Me, God Is Good All the Time, He Came Down to My Level

Don’t skip that one: Satisfied, The Star-Spangled Banner, Good Good News

I could honestly do without: Mercy

Wait, there’s more!: A full retro review

Jan 11

Top 100: #23 Pillars of Faith (Gold City)

Release Year: 1992

Album Rank for Group: #9 of 15

Here’s a blurb: Widely hailed as one of the greatest albums of southern gospel’s modern era, Pillars of Faith combines great song selection, a terrific vision from producer Garry Jones, near technical perfection, and a powerful quartet vocal lineup to deliver a project that sounds as fresh as ever twenty years later. (Wow, 20 years?)    I love how the opening a cappella hymn gives way to the rolling banjo of the sensational second track (“If God Be for Us”).  It contains one of the great showstopper ballads (“There Rose a Lamb”) as well as a variety of uptempo numbers, all with outstanding tracks.

Knock my socks off: There Rose a Lamb, If God Be for Us, He Sent Me Running

Don’t skip that one: ‘Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus, Where Is God?, One More Time Will Do It

I could honestly do without: Beneath This Armour

Jan 09

Top 100: #24 We Will Stand Our Ground (Kingdom Heirs)

Release Year: 2011

Album Rank for Group: #1 of 10

Here’s a blurb: My favorite album of 2011 kept climbing up this list the more I listened to it.  The Kingdom Heirs did nothing groundbreaking here, besides hiring one of the best tenors in gospel music.  I don’t know if any of the songs will go on to be all-time greats (although the title track could be one of the quartet’s signature songs).  Maybe a lot of the songs sound similar.  I happen to really like songs that sound that way, though.  The point is this: from top to bottom, I enjoy listening to this Kingdom Heirs album more than any others.  When you take a great-sounding quartet and combine it with lots and lots of Dianne Wilkinson, it’s going to be hard to miss with me, and they didn’t.

Knock my socks off: Heaven Is My Goal, We Will Stand Our Ground, I’m Gonna Hit the Ground Running

Don’t skip that one: Where’s John, It’s Real, When Heaven’s Gates Swing Open Wide, Just Preach Jesus, I’m a Brand New Man, I’m Not Worried About Forever

I could honestly do without: If You Give the Devil an Inch

Jan 04

Top 100: #25 Heritage (Rochesters)

Release Year: 1998?

Album Rank for Group: #1 of 1

Here’s a blurb: As we near the top of the countdown, we’ll start seeing some big-time quartet recordings, right?  Here’s a curveball for you.  The Rochesters have been a fixture at Les Butler’s Front Porch Fellowship Awards at NQC for several years now, and they were fixtures at my church in the late 1990s, around the time Heritage was recorded.  You can call it a sentimental childhood favorite, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other reasons to like it.  I have enough bluegrass gospel music to know what good bluegrass gospel music is, and this is it.  The Rochesters have always recorded great songs with Biblically sound lyrics, and have built their sound around two outstanding vocalists: siblings Becky and Ben.  After Heritage, they would go on to more success and record three projects with Crossroads, but this one will always be my favorite.  If you happen to find a copy online, do yourself a favor and get it.

Knock my socks off: In My Father’s Eyes, Blessed Old Book, He’ll Do What He Said

Don’t skip that one: More Than I Asked For, How Long Has It Been, Across the Miles

I could honestly do without: Let Me Be the One