2018 Southern Gospel Picnic - Silver Dollar City - Day 7

It was a rainy day, but that did not stop the crowds at Silver Dollar City or the almost 4,000 people who came down to Echo Hollow to see the return of the Collingsworth Family to the park. I didn't make it out as early as I intended, but I did manage to see three different groups.

Here are highlights -


11th Hour

This was my first chance to see Logan Smith with the group. He's sounding great with Amber and Jaquita.

• "Silence the Stones"
• "Power in Prayer"  
• "Bound" 
• "What Heaven Means to Me" - They let Logan sing a Vestal Goodman song since that's what he was known for when he was younger. 
• "He Welcomes the Beggar" - Love, love, love this song! It's always a highlight to hear this one live. 
• "Mountain Moving Faith"

Tribute Quartet

• "Standing on the Solid Rock"
• "Mary Did You Know" - It's not even close to Christmas, but I'm glad someone asked Riley to sing this one. No one does it better!
• "Homesick Angel"
• "Never Forsaken"
• "His Tomb Is Empty" - I hadn't heard them stage this one before, but it was definitely a highlight of the afternoon. 
• "God of the Storms"

You never know what's going to happen with Tribute Quartet, but the biggest surprise of the afternoon came from Duane Garren, emcee of the festival. During "Over the Moon," Duane made a surprise appearance on stage with a new Silver Dollar City ride - a scooter wearing a mask and earmuffs. Josh decided to sit on his knee and enjoy the ride for a little bit! It was hilarious! I'm sure there will be a video floating around on social media soon!

Collingsworth Family

This is a group that I don't see live very often. I saw them at NQC, but it had been years before that. And a 20 minute set at NQC isn't the same as a full concert. This family was absolutely incredible last night. There were so many goosebump moments.

• "Fear Not Tomorrow"
• "Mercy and Love" - Loved this song from their new project!
• "His Ways Are Higher Than Mine" - I saw the video they posted of this song a few weeks ago and fell in love with it. I am SO GLAD that Courtney sang this one last night. It's an incredible song!
• "This Is My Father's World" - They did an a capella arrangement of this song!
• "The Lamb" - They said it was the first time they had sung it live, and it was amazing!
• Anytime Kim stepped up to the piano, it was a highlight. She ended the night with the "Hallelujah Chorus," probably my favorite piece that she played.
• "Burdens Are Lifted at Calvary" - They gathered around the piano with no track just piano for this one. 
• "Casting Our Crowns at His Feet/ Worthy the Lamb"

A Night With 11th Hour - Concert Review

Last month, I got the chance to see 11th Hour in Sheridan, Arkansas. Logan Smith had just accepted the position with 11th Hour, but was at Matthew Gooch's wedding that weekend. KC Brandon filled in for the group that weekend.

Here are a few highlights from the concert -

• "Power in Prayer" - This was my first time hearing this song in person. It's such an incredibly powerful song!
• "Doin' What's Right"
• "Let Grace In" - Jaquita shared a little bit about this song before singing it. She wrote the song several years ago, but talked about how much the song had come to mean to her recently. I love hearing a little bit of the story behind the song and how God uses different songs at different times not only to minister to us but to minister to the writers and the singers. 
• "He Sees What We Don't" - I always love hearing this song. This song is one of my favorite gospel songs, period. 
• "Way Maker" - They sang this one just around the keyboard, incredible moment!
• "My God Will Deliver Me" - They got the pastor of the church up to sing with them on this one. He did a great job!
• "You Can Start All Over Again"- They featured KC on this one. It was another great worship moment. I hadn't heard KC before, but he's a great talent both vocally and on the piano. 
• "Take Me to the King"
• "I Trust" - Love hearing Jaquita sing this song, another song that she wrote.
• "He Welcomes the Beggar" - This has become one of my favorite 11th Hour songs!

Back to Blogging

I have returned from my blogging sabbatical. I've got several CD reviews, concert recaps and more to post in the next few weeks. Hopefully now that summer is here, I'll be back to a more routine blogging schedule!

For this post, here are a few news items that I missed during the break -

• Logan Smith joined 11th Hour. Grant Gibson's departure (to Karen Peck & New River) left the third vocalist spot in the group empty. Logan filled in after Grant's departure and has now officially become the third member of the group.
• Karen Peck Gooch was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. The ceremony was held on May 8 in Nashville.
• Jason Crabb was inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame on May 11, 2018 during an induction ceremony in Mount Vernon, KY at the Renfro Valley Entertainment Center.
• Congratulations to Destiny Rambo McGuire and Joel Khouri on their marriage. The two were married on March 10, 2018 in a small private ceremony at the Nashville home of her parents, Dony McGuire and Reba Rambo McGuire.
• The top 5 Singing News Fan Award nominations were announced a couple of weeks ago. Voting will begin in July, but see the nominees here.

In Case You Missed It - News and Tidbits - March 31

Here are news items from this week in Southern Gospel -

• Karen Peck & New River announced that Grant Gibson will join the group this week. Grant was with 11th Hour previously.
• Logan Smith will be filling in with 11th Hour during this transition time as they look for a new singer.
• The Hoppers will be inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will take place in October 2018.
• Season 4 of Main Stage started last weekend on TBN with Jason Crabb as the host. It has a refreshed format featuring performances from the 2017 NQC.

Anything I've missed?

Grant Gibson Joins Karen Peck & New River

Grant Gibson has joined Karen Peck & New River. Grant fills the position with the popular group following the departure of Ricky Braddy. Grant has been singing with 11th Hour for the past five years.

Here's the full release from Karen -

Five time GRAMMY® Award-nominated and six time Dove Award-winning group, Karen Peck & New River is excited to announce the addition of Grant Gibson to the group.

Karen Peck stated “We have spent the last few weeks praying and seeking God’s will for KPNR. There is a lot to consider when choosing the right person for the job. We are happy to announce Grant Gibson as our new vocalist. Grant is very talented and has an incredible heart to serve the Lord. He has a bright future and will bring a new excitement to KPNR. We are looking forward to the next chapter in our ministry.”

Grant has been singing since he was 14 years old and professionally since 2011. He is from Jasper, Alabama, but currently resides in Hoover, Alabama. Grant received his Bachelor’s degree in Communications from Liberty University.

Grant said, “I fell in love with Gospel music soon after I came to Christ at the age of 13. Since that time, I’ve known exactly what I wanted to do. As I’ve gotten older I’ve realized that this it what God has called me to do. I first heard Karen Peck & New River at NQC in the early 2000s, and I’ve been a fan ever since. It’s truly an honor to be apart of this ministry and share the stage with Karen, Susan, Kari, and Matthew as well as working with Rickey. I’m excited to see where God takes us and the new doors He will open for New River.”

Grant’s first appearance with Karen Peck & New River will be Friday, March 30, at Mud Creek Baptist Church in Hendersonville, North Carolina.

Logan Smith will be filling in with 11th Hour for the time being. Amber Eppinette of 11th Hour added in a release from the group, “Of course, it’s always hard to see someone go, especially when they have been here for five years. Grant became not only a friend but a brother to us. I along with Jaquita are thankful for the years shared with him. We bless him in this new season and journey.”

Grant Gibson adds, “It’s been an honor the past five years to be a part of 11th Hour. I’ve seen countless people come to Christ, watched the group rise to places it had never been, and made so many new friends. The Eppinette family have become an extended family, and I’m so grateful for the opportunities they’ve given me. Amber and Jaquita will always be sisters to me, and this transition won’t change that. Life is full of seasons, and this season of my life is coming to an end. I ask that you continue to pray for 11th Hour and myself as we continue to seek God’s will.”

11th Hour will be auditioning to fill the lead vocal position starting immediately. Interested vocalists should send resumes to 11thhourgg@gmail.com.

Silence the Stones - 11th Hour - CD Review

11th Hour's newest release Silence the Stones released a couple of weeks ago. This is the group's third release with its current lineup of Amber Eppinette, Jaquita Lindsey and Grant Gibson. 11th Hour's previous release What a Moment set the bar high for their next project. However, this group only continues to get better and better.

"Doin' What's Right" kicks off the project and is the group's first single. It's a fun, catchy song with a simple message. It's impossible not to get this song stuck in your head.

Grant then is featured on "God Will Deliver Me" that has a country flair with guitars and banjos. My favorite of the songs that Grant has a solo on is "Hallelujah." This is a modern hymn that really showcases his voice with its simple arrangement and powerful lyrics.

"I'd Like to Meet the Preacher" is a great song that talks about the legacy of faith; it's not only about the preacher who led us to the Lord but the preacher who influenced him. Amber does an incredible job on this song. This is the first of Amber's four co-writes on the project. She wrote this one with Kenna West and Jason Cox. I'd love to see this as a single as well!

Jaquita is featured on the soulful "I Want to Praise Him" that is upbeat with nice brass and organ work. Jaquita also shows off her songwriting skills on "Let Grace In." This is such a great closer to the album. It's a song that is so relatable and will speak to so many people. Jaquita does a beautiful job on this song.

"Silence the Stones" has a more progressive sound. Grant and Jaquita share the verses on this song. It takes the idea from Luke 19:40 that if believers kept quiet that even the stones would cry out. Let our praises silence the stones. I love how this song uses the verse, and it was a great choice for the album title!

"Power in Prayer" is another one of my favorites. This is another Amber co-write and one that she is featured on. This bluesy sounding song is one that you'll find yourself hitting repeat on.

After several listens of Silence the Stones, I'm sure that it will be among my list of the best albums of 2017. It's a must buy this year!


Songs to Turn Up - "God Will Deliver Me"
Song to Take a Second Listen - "I'd Like to Meet the Preacher"
Song to Put on Repeat - "Doin' What's Right" and "Power in Prayer"
Song that Will Take You to Church - "Hallelujah"


Song List -
1. "Doin' What's Right"
2. "God Will Deliver Me"
3. "I'd Like to Meet the Preacher"
4. "I Want to Praise Him"
5. "Hallelujah"
6. "I'll Be the First One"
7. "Silence the Stones"
8. "Power in Prayer"
9. "I Want You Beside Me"
10. "Let Grace In"

11th Hour - Concert Recap

June has been a busy concert-going month so far! The first group I got to see this month was the popular trio 11th Hour. Their last album What a Moment was one of my favorite projects of last year. It was good to hear them sing several from that project as well a few older favorites.

11th Hour - Grant Gibson, Jaquita Lindsey
and Amber Eppinnette

Here are a few highlights of the night -

• "How Will You Plead"
• "Room With a View" - I've always been a fan of this song, but I loved how Amber then led the congregation in "How Beautiful Heaven Must Be" after. It was a sweet moment of the night.
• "He Welcomes the Beggar" - This is my favorite song from What a Moment, so glad they staged it! Such a powerful song!
• "I Trust" - I don't remember getting to hear this song live before. The song features Jaquita, and it's one she wrote. She shared a little bit of her heart before the song talking about how it's hard to trust what God's doing in our lives sometimes. When we can't trace His hand, we can trust His heart - love that line! 
• "Bloodline"
• "Adam's Fall"
• Worship set - Grant was not feeling well that night. He had driven most of the night. In fact, he was losing his voice and told Amber and Jaquita to take over. It's interesting how God really used that because Amber went to the keyboard, and she and Jaquita just led in a few worship songs. It was the sweetest spirit in the room. I know the situation wasn't ideal for the group, but God used that and the trio followed God's leading of how to guide their set.

If you've somehow missed this group, be sure to check out the next time they are near you!

Top CDs of 2016

It's time to look at the best of 2016. There were many "must-buy" projects this year, but who came out on top? Of the 25 projects I reviewed that were released this year, here's my list of top 10 -

10. Undivided - Master's Voice 
Favorite songs - "Lord of Mercy" and "Everything the Blood Touches"

9. Only Faith Can See - The Erwins
Favorite songs - "Chasing After You" and "He's My Everything"

8. Family Harmony/ Stronger Together - The Nelons
The Nelons released two projects this year on the same day. I went back and forth on this, but decided to call it a tie and put them in the same spot at #8. 
Favorite songs - "We Shall Behold Him," "I Just Can't Make It By Myself," "Family Chain" and "You Can't Make Old Friends"

7. In the Hands of a Carpenter - Legacy Five
Favorite songs - "In the Hands of a Carpenter" and "Grace Will Find You"

6. Life Is Good - The Hoppers
Favorite songs - "Jesus, the One" and "Life Is Good"

5. This Changes Everything - Cana's Voice
Favorite songs - "Jesus Never Fails," "Same Hands" and "All My Reasons Are You"

4. Refreshing - Second-Half Quartet
Favorite songs - "Cheer the Weary Traveler," "Remind Me of Calvary" and "The Prodigal Son"

3. What a Moment - 11th Hour
Favorite songs - "When God Shows Up," "He Welcomes the Beggar" and "I Trust"

2. Nature's Symphony in 432 - The Isaacs
Favorite songs - "Rocks," "I Love You More" and "This Is the Year"

1. Here for You - Tribute Quartet
Favorite songs - "Nothing Stops the Savior's Love," "God of the Storms" and "Somebody Sing Me That Song"

When I first heard Tribute's new project this year, I knew it was the best they had ever released. Every song on the project is worthy of repeating. It was hard just picking the top three of my favorite songs. To me, this was the best CD released in 2016.

What are your top albums of 2016?

11th Hour on the 11th - Concert Recap

Last Friday was Veterans Day, 11/11, so it was only fitting that I see 11th Hour following through on the 11 theme. They were in Ward, Arkansas that night at Dayspring Baptist Church. The church has several concerts throughout the year and this was their last one for 2016.

The current lineup of 11th Hour is Amber Eppinette, Jaquita Lindsey and Grant Gibson. I love the sound that these three have together. They might be younger than most groups on the road, but they do an incredible job of communicating timeless lyrics with wisdom beyond their years.

11th Hour sang several songs from What a Moment, one of my personal favorite releases of 2016. Here are some highlights of the night -

• "He Welcomes the Beggar" - I love this song, and this was my first time to see them sing the song live. I'm so glad to see them staging it!
• "He'll Roll You Over the Tide" - I first heard them sing this one back in February. It had an incredible response from the audience. Then they staged it again at NQC. This young group does an incredible job on bringing new life to this classic and really making it resonate with a younger audience.
• "He Sees What We Don't" - Every time I hear this song live, it's always going to be a highlight. This song never fails to speak to me. Incredible message, and Amber always communicates it so well!
• "How Will You Plead" - Great song written by Amber and Dianne Wilkinson

They sang a really good mix of some of their most well-known songs like "Bloodline" and "Room With a View." It was also good to hear them stage a few of their first big songs like "Tomb to a Table" and "Adam's Fall." I had not heard Grant sing "Tomb to a Table" before; I'm glad they are doing that one live. I was also really glad that someone had asked to hear "Adam's Fall."

They also sang several more from What a Moment like "Can You Burn," "Mountain Moving Faith" and "I Am Bound." 

This lineup of 11th Hour has now been together for several years, and I think they are sounding better than ever! Be sure to check out their schedule and don't miss them if they are near you in concert!

Wrapping Up Southern Gospel Picnic 2016 - Silver Dollar City

Well, I am back in the real working world, so my last recap of Silver Dollar City's Southern Gospel Picnic is a little late coming.

The last day of the picnic wrapped up with me seeing 11th Hour, the Kingsmen and the Isaacs, who typically close out the festival each year.


11th Hour

They started their set with "Mountain Moving Faith," and then Jaquita was featured on "Bound," two great songs from their most recent project.

Then Grant and Amber were featured on the verses of the classic "He'll Roll You Over the Tide." Love hearing them sing this one live!

Amber sang "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" a cappella and wow! She did an incredible job! They sang two more of their most popular songs, "Jesus Is in the House" and "Room With a View" before the end of the set.


Kingsmen Quartet

This was my first chance to see the Kingsmen with new tenor Joshua Horrell. He's doing a great job with them so far and brings a lot of energy on stage. He was featured on "He's All I Need," beautiful job!

It was good to hear a mix of classic Kingsmen with some of their newer songs. They started the set with "Beautiful City" and then sang "Battle Cry" and "I Know" both from their most recent project.

They ended with "Saints Will Rise," which was a fun one to close with!


The Isaacs

The Isaacs took the stage for the last night of the 12-day festival.

They just released their new project Nature's Symphony in 432. They sang several from that project. It was great to hear all of the new songs. They sang a couple of more uptempo ones like "Bird on the Wing," "This Is the Year" and "Rocks." One of my favorites they sang from the new project was "I Love You More." Sonya gave her testimony about her miscarriage and explained where the song came from.

It doesn't get much better than the Isaacs a cappella. They sang "The Lord's Prayer" right before intermission; it was incredible!!

It's good to see the next generation of Isaacs on stage. Levi is playing with his family now and was even featured singing on the John Denver song, "Back Home Again."

They, of course, sang several favorites like "Walk On," "If That Isn't Love," "Stand Still" and "I Have a Father Who Can." They ended the night and the festival with "He Ain't Never Done Me Nothin' But Good." I can't think of a better way to close it!

Fun Clip Friday - Drive Thru Demos - Jaquita Lindsey

Happy Friday to everyone! A Front Row View has put out some great videos lately on social media with several different artists. Here's the latest Drive Thru Demo featuring 11th Hour vocalist Jaquita Lindsey. Join their car ride as they talk about the latest 11th Hour CD, Jaquita's writing, music choices and how she and another writer are making their home state (Arkansas!!) proud!

Enjoy!

Having Church with 11th Hour - Concert Recap

With 11th Hour's new release What a Moment, it's evident that this group is just getting better and better. I'm glad they made a stop in Arkansas just a couple of weeks ago for an afternoon concert. It had been more than a year since I'd had the chance to see them.

11th Hour - Jaquita Lindsey, Amber Eppinette and Grant Gibson

It was good to hear them stage so many songs from What a Moment. To me, one of the marks of a really great project is when groups will sing many of the songs during their concerts and not just the new single. However, the thing that most stood out to me that afternoon was how they let the Spirit guide the service. The group was very attentive to how the Lord was leading and working and adjusted the service and their songs according.

The afternoon started with Jaquita singing "Bound" from their latest release. I liked the choice to start with this song. It is definitely one of my favorites from the project. Then Grant was featured on "He's Alive and So Am I" also from What a Moment. Amber sang "Jesus Is in the House" next, which was the group's first #1 song. I liked how you really got to hear from each group member on the first three songs of the afternoon.

Then, they sang "Can You Burn." I'll be honest, this wasn't a song that really stuck out to me, but really enjoyed seeing and hearing it live. Then, Amber sang "How Will You Plead." I love this song! Always good to hear Amber sing this one!

Jaquita then sang a song that she wrote entitled "I Trust." She does such an incredible job on this song! She is not only a talented vocalist but also writer. Grant then started "Nothing But the Blood" a cappella, which led into "Bloodline." This is another favorite 11th Hour song.

At that point Grant said they were supposed to take a break, but he could sense the Spirit moving and that he felt that they needed to keep going. He then started "He'll Roll You Over the Tide." You could definitely see church break out at that point. They kept singing pretty much continuously from 11th Hours to classic Southern Gospel to some praise and worship. It was incredible to see how the afternoon unfolded with people coming to the altar and surrendering to God's leading. The rest of the afternoon included -

• "I Still Trust You"
• "When God Shows Up"
• "The Potter Knows the Clay"
• "Adam's Fall"
• "Holy Spirit"
• "Take Me to the King"
• "In the Presence of the King"
• "He Sees What We Don't" - My favorite 11th Hour song, and the perfect song to close such a great service with!

Amber made the statement that in order for us to stand like we're supposed to, we have to learn how to kneel. We have to take away our pride and die to self to draw closer to Him. When the altars opened, you could feel the Spirit moving and knew that God was working in lives around that building. We had an incredible afternoon of worship. It was amazing to see how this group was so perceptive and just surrendered the service to the Spirit's leading.

What a Moment - 11th Hour - CD Review

11th Hour celebrated its first #1 song earlier this year and has now released its third album, What a Moment. This is the second project featuring the lineup of Amber Eppinette, Grant Gibson and Jaquita Lindsey. And I have to say this is their best project to date!

Amber is one of the bright young songwriters in the industry. It's no surprise that her name is among the writing credits. Jaquita also has talent as a writer with a cut on this project.

What a Moment starts with "Mountain Moving Faith" that is an uptempo song to get you going. This is the first single off the project. "Look at Me Now" is another one that you'll find yourself tapping your foot along to. These two are great choices to kick off the CD.

I have to say my favorite song on the project is "He Welcomes the Beggar." An incredible song with a great message and reminder that we are nothing without him, just a beggar. Amber sings this one, and it's also one she cowrote. I love the buildup of the song, and the picture it presents.

Jaquita has the feature on "Bound" which is a fun song with a fun play on words. I like that we hear more from her on this project. However, my favorite song of hers is "I Trust," which she wrote. The beautiful ballad is the perfect closer to this project. I love the line - "When I cannot trace His hand, I trust His heart."

"Love Still Holds Our Scars" is another great ballad that Grant sings. It's great to hear him on this song that really showcases what a great voice he has. He also sings the verses on "He's Alive and So Am I" which is a strong Southern Gospel number.

"When God Shows Up" is another great ballad featuring Amber. The soft piano track at the beginning sets the tone perfectly for the song. The song is a powerful reminder of the times when God showed up in your life. With the dynamic writing trio of Lee Black, Kenna Turner West and Dianne Wilkinson, you really can't go wrong!

I know it's only February, but I can already see this project being among the top albums of the year. If you've never heard 11th Hour, you're missing out! Make sure that you don't miss picking up a copy of What a Moment!

Song List -
1. "Mountain Moving Faith"
2. "Look at Me Now"
3. "Love Still Holds Our Scars"
4. "Bound"
5. "He Welcomes the Beggar"
6. "He's Alive and So Am I"
7. "When God Shows Up"
8. "Can You Burn"
9. "Ain't No Bones"
10. "I Trust"

In Case You Missed It - News and Tidbits - November 28

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday! Here are some news items from the past week in Southern Gospel -

• 11th Hour has its first #1 song with "Jesus Is in the House." The song will be #1 in the January issue of the Singing News.
• Michael Howard has stepped down from Soul'd Out Quartet. He was with the group as piano player for seven and half years.
• Steven Hickinbotham has rejoined Spoken 4 Quartet as the group's baritone singer. Brian Arnold had been filling in that role. With a busy solo ministry, Brian and the group decided that it was best for the two separate ministries to work together still but with Brian not being a full-time member of Spoken 4. 

Anything I've missed?

Fun Clip Friday - 11th Hour and Pat Barker

Happy Friday to everyone! A few weeks ago, Pat Barker had his second Pat Barker and Friends concert at Meadowbrook Baptist in Oxford, Alabama. He had 11th Hour as his guests that night. 11th Hour consists of Amber Eppinette, Jaquita Lindsey and Grant Gibson. You can check out a full recap at MusicScribe by Diana Brantley.

For today's Fun Clip Friday, here's a clip of 11th Hour with Pat singing "Glory Road." Looks like they had some fun with this one!

How Will You Plead - Amber Eppinette and Dianne Wilkinson - Songwriter Series

Amber Eppinette

Let’s take a look at another story behind a song today with young songwriter Amber Eppinette. She shared the story of writing “How Will You Plead” with Dianne Wilkinson. 11th Hour recorded the song, and it was released on the group’s Picture This project.

“I met up with Dianne Wilkinson at her home in Tennessee for cowrite, and we had many lines and hooks for different songs, but God had another plan for us that day,” Amber shared. Even though Amber had cowritten with Dianne before, this was her first time meeting her. “It was as if I had found my long lost Grandmama. There was definitely a kindred spirit there. We got to talking, sharing our beliefs on certain things and all of sudden the urge hit me to write about something that would catch the attention of the nonbeliever and the believer. And I believe with the guidance of God and the help of Ms. Dianne, we did just that.”

Amber loved being able to cowrite this song with Dianne Wilkinson. “Just by the name people know, she is in the Word and knows just how to word the song to bring out the whole gospel in three minutes.”

The lyric of the song came first. Amber said that she loves the line - “There is redemption for all who will trust Him. So what will you say when you’re judged on that day? How will you plead?”

Amber said that she felt more determined after hearing the song recorded. “I was determined to witness more, determined to encourage believers our job isn’t done and there are still souls to be won,” she said.

“This song bring many different feelings for me,” Amber shared. “One, it sparks a fire to continue the path God has paved for me. Two, it excites me to know that by Jesus’ precious blood, I can plead NOT GUILTY!”

Thanks to Amber for sharing a little bit of the story behind the song!

He Sees What We Don't - Amber Eppinette - Young Songwriter Spotlight

Today is another feature with young songwriter Amber Eppinette. This time the song is "He Sees What We Don't" which is a co-write with Joseph Habedank. This is probably my favorite song that 11th Hour has recorded, so I was glad when Amber chose to share how this song came about.

"I had written the first verse and chorus of this song during a time of joy and happiness," Amber said. "If you hear the song you'd wonder how a song so dark could come from a heart of joy. Little did I know, God was sending me words of comfort for what was yet to come." Amber didn't realize how God would later use the song and her words to help her.

She met with Joseph Habedank for a co-write session, and he helped her finish the song. "He really helped me bring the words to life by the order of the lyric in the 2nd verse and bridge," she said.

As soon as the song was finished, Amber's aunt Taisha passed away. "It was a very hard time for my family. Right at the moment of her death, I knew that song was for that particular situation to bring comfort in a time of mourning and sorrow," she said. "Years later, it is still comforting when trials and tribulations hit."

God saw ahead and knew that Amber would need the words to come back to her and comfort her. The line that means the most to Amber from the song is "He knows the end from the beginning. He looks ahead past the hurt and the pain to a place where the peace passes all understanding. He sees the sun through rain."

11th Hour recorded the song on its Stepping Out project in 2012. "It's as if I felt the hand of God placing His arms around me, sweeping over a gentle breeze of peace through His presence," Amber said after she heard it recorded.

The song not only helped her through a trying time, but helps and encourages people each night they sing it. "It was written out of a dark time but now, it means there's hope when we think there is none and there is another road ahead when we feel we've entered a dead end," she said.

Thanks for sharing, Amber! Look for more stories behind songs by young songwriters in the weeks ahead!

Adam's Fall - Amber Eppinette - Young Gospel Songwriter

I am so excited to start a new series on the blog this week! This series will feature some of the younger songwriters in the industry and the stories behind songs they have written. While we hear the finished product at a concert or on a CD, we often don't think about the process and how the idea for the song came about. We have so many great talented songwriters in the industry, but for this series, I'll be talking to the younger ones and inspiration behind the songs they have written.

Amber Eppinette

I'm kicking off the series with Amber Eppinette of 11th Hour. The first song she's sharing about is "Adam's Fall."

At age 16 I was going through a time that most writers would consider a time of fog or had "writer's
block," Amber said. "It lasted for a few months and I started praying for God to give me a song like never before." She didn't pray for just any song, but a song that would speak of salvation and the experience she had and has. She sat down in her home studio and started playing the melody. Just two hours later, "Adam's Fall" was penned.

The song has gripping lyrics. “There are many lines that really grab my heart strings but one in particular comes to mind the most, ‘Now I have eternal life for His blood has been applied. He placed it on the Mercy Seat and now I stand in HIM complete,’” Amber said.

11th Hour recorded this song on its Gather Round project in 2010. Amber was very touched the first time she heard the song after they recorded it. “I bawled like a baby,” she said. “Gordon Mote produced this song and the orchestration that was added really brought what I wrote from my heart to life. Almost to the point where I felt like I could touch the music that was surrounding me.”

The song is now eight years old, but it’s still just as moving. “I am now 24 years old, and this song will never become old to me simply because salvation is more real every day to me and gets sweeter in the journey too,” Amber said.

Look for more songs from Amber in the coming weeks. And check back next week to hear from another young songwriter in the industry!

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! 

11th Hour - Picture This - CD Review

11th Hour will release Picture This on June 17. I had the chance to get the project when I saw the group a few weeks ago, which was the first weekend they were carrying it with them.

This is the group's first project since 2012 and the first one with the lineup of Amber Eppinette, Grant Gibson and Jaquita Lindsey. From what Amber said at their concert, Jaquita joined the group just a short time before they went into the studio which accounts for Amber and Grant having a much stronger presence on the project.

Amber continues to show that she is making her place among the top young female vocalists of Southern Gospel. "Wounds" is a really stripped down ballad that features Amber. It's simple arrangement really allows her voice to shine through.

Amber not only adds her strong vocals, but also her songwriting chops to the album with "How Will You Plead" that she wrote with Dianne Wilkinson. This is one of my favorites on the CD. There will come a day when we will be guilty of our sins, but can we plead that we have been pardoned through Jesus? This type of song suits Amber so well vocally. It was great to see in a live setting with her on the keys singing it.

Grant has the feature on "This Changes Everything." I love the way the song builds, and the message of this song is great. Grant has been a great addition to the group as the male singer, and definitely one to watch in the future.

While I love the slower ballads on this project, the CD is full of great uptempo songs! "No Death" really gets the project started off right! "Picture This" (another Dianne Wilkinson song), "Jesus Is in the House," "Everlasting Arms" and "Step In" are also great faster songs. "Jesus Is in the House" is stylistically very different from the other songs, but I think it's a great addition.

11th Hour continues to emerge as a strong mixed trio in Southern Gospel. This project only solidifies their place in the industry.

Song List -
1. "No Death"
2. "Picture This"
3. "Jesus Is in the House"
4. "This Changes Everything"
5. "Wounds"
6. "Everlasting Arms"
7. "Waving on the Other Side"
8. "Step In"
9. "How Will You Plead"
10. "Saints Are Born"