Not Giving Up on Day 9 - Silver Dollar City's Southern Gospel Picnic

I’ve been going to the Southern Gospel Picnic at Silver Dollar City since before it was its own festival. I’ve been known to sit out in the rain to see a group either waiting in line or during the concert. And last night was another one of those nights. But before the great downpour, I had a full day of gospel music.

I made sure to get to the park this morning to see 11^th Hour. They were my first stop, and I actually saw two of their concerts. They sang several from their latest project including “No Death,” “Heal My Wounds,” “Waving on the Other Side,” “Jesus Is In the House” and “How Will You Plead.”

Jaquita was featured on “Heal My Wounds” and “God’s Still God.” It’s good to hear more from her. The last time I saw them in full concert, she had not been with the group for very long. It’s great to hear more from her. She adds a lot to the group.

I’m glad someone requested Amber sing “How Will You Plead!” One of my favorite new songs! They also asked that she sing “Adam’s Fall” in the last show. Love hearing Amber sing this one!

The Akins are a family group who I had not seen before. However, I can assure you that after their show I want to see them again! I could be wrong, but I don’t think they used any tracks, all live music!!

They started their set with “How Great Thou Art” a cappella. They sang a few more hymns and standards like “I’ll Fly Away” and “Blessed Assurance” and they sang an a cappella version of “He Looked Beyond My Faults” that was incredible!!

They also wrote a few of the songs they sang. My favorite was “I Want My Stage to be an Altar.” The father of the group said that it was his testimony song and his prayer for every concert they sing.  They ended the set with “Arise My Love.” It’s interesting that this is the second Southern Gospel group to sing this song. Still just as powerful!!

From there, I went to see Three Bridges. I saw this group for the first time at last year’s festival. They started with “House of Good News” and then sang the hymn “He Touched Me.”

They got the audience going with “I Feel a Little Song Coming On.” This is probably the song I was most familiar with of theirs. I also loved hearing them sing “Shadrach” live, but the highlight of their set was the song “Unknown Soldier” that they dedicated to all the veterans.

Gold City was the headliner of the night in Echo Hollow. But before, they took the stage, a new group called New Road sang. The group won a competition hosted by a radio station in Northwest Arkansas. They sang four songs, “Newborn Feeling,” “Oh What a Savior,” “I Would Crawl” and “Glory Road.” They were a great group!!

Gold City started with “Somebody Sing Me a Gospel Song.” It’s been several years since Gold City has been in Echo Hollow and you could tell the audience was glad to have them back there!!

It was good to hear a few songs from their latest release, a hymns project, like “I Must Tell Jesus” and “Redeemed.” They also sang the modern hymn “Power of the Cross” after intermission. This was probably a highlight of the night!!

They sang several favorites as well like “Peter James and John,” “I’m Rich,” “I Cast My Bread Upon the Water,” and “I’m Not Giving Up.”

Chris West was filling in at bass, and they featured him on “I’m Free.” He did a great job with them. I think they said he had filled in one weekend a while back but had not sung with the group much.

During the first half, the sky had been threatening rain. We all were bracing for in rain jackets, umbrellas and ponchos nearby. At intermission, it started to hit, only slightly raining at first. However, when the group started the second half the rain picked up more and more.

They were singing “When I Get Carried Away,” and Daniel got to the line “until it looks like rain,” and I think we all started laughing. The bottom fell out of the sky shortly after. At the end of the song, Duane Garren came out on stage, and they called the show with the system coming through and serious lightning in the area. So the brave ones of us who didn’t give up trekked back to the front of the park to get on a tram to get to our cars. I don’t think I had one dry thread on me by the time I reached my car! But it wasn’t the first time I sat in the rain for a concert, and it probably won’t be the last!