In Case You Missed It - News and Tidbits - Sept. 8

Here are news and tidbits from the past two weeks in Southern Gospel -

• Ray Dean Reese of The Kingsmen announced the addition of new baritone vocalist, Alan Kendall. Randy Crawford held the position for 12 years and announced that he would be coming off the road this summer. Kendall previously sang with Gerald Williams and the Melody Boys Quartet and Jordan's Bridge.
• Jody McBrayer announced that he will join Avalon for limited touring dates and a new recording. He will continue to be with Cana's Voice as well as doing some solo dates.
• Effective January 1, 2019 in addition to his solo minsitry, Bob Sellers will also assume the lead singer spot for The Old Time Preachers Quartet. He will also maintain his solo ministry.
• The Jim Brady Trio has signed an exclusive recording agreement with Daywind Music Group. Their new project Hope Keeps Writing The Song will release later this month.
• Prayers go out to the families of two former Blackwood Brothers members. Bill Shaw passed away on Sept. 7, and former piano player Jack Marshall passed away on August 27.
• Jordan’s Bridge announced Dale Shipley as their new lead singer following the departure of Alan Kendall. 
• The Ball Brothers announced Rhett Robert as the group's new bass singer. This announcement came as part of the group's recent article in Sports Illustrated. Read the article here. 

Anything I've missed?

Day 11 and 12 - 2018 Southern Gospel Picnic - Silver Dollar City

Well, it's been back to the real world for me, so I'm getting up my recap of last two days of the picnic finally today. Sunday, I got to see a new group, the Arenos, and the Ball Brothers and Jeff & Sheri Easter. Sunday I made it out to see Spoken 4, the Diplomats and Poet Voices before heading to Arkansas.


Here are highlights from those days -


The Arenos

This was my first time to see this group in person. They are based in Louisiana and travel with a live band! The group consists of Jonathan Areno and his children Penny and Nathan on vocals plus band members. They write and sing a lot of their own material.

• "Thou Knowest" 
• "Jesus Lives Here" 
• "Still" 
• "Little Prayers" 

The group even had a little music duel with the mandolin and guitar between father and son. Expect to hear more from this group in the future!



Ball Brothers

• "Count Your Blessings"
• "Redeemed"
• "Victory in Jesus"
• "Smile"
• "Happy Rhythm" - Stephen was filling in for them last weekend, but not really as a bass. So they had Chad sing the bass part on this song, and he did a fantastic job!
• "It's About the Cross" - Always a highlight to hear them sing this one live!

Jeff & Sheri Easter

• "Small Town Someone"
• "Over and Over"
• "Like My Mother Does"
• "Sitting on Top of the World" - So glad they sang this one!
• "He Looked Beyond My Fault - Jared played this on steel guitar.
• "Wayfaring Stranger"
• "This Flight That Is Leaving Soon" - They payed tribute to Sheri's mother
• Jared shared an original song he wrote about fatherhood and his little boy. It was precious!
• "The Seeker" - Love to hear Sheri on this song!
• "Roses Will Bloom Again" - Of course, this was a request during the second half.
• "Why Me Lord" - Jeff said they had played around and sang this one in soundcheck one day. This was a new one for me to hear them sing. Morgan and Jeff each took a verse.
• "Thank You Lord for Your Blessings on Me" - Jeff asked Mike, the Echo Hollow stage manager, to join them on this song. For the past few years, he's pulled him on stage at some point during the concert.
• "Keep on the Sunny Side" - Thankfully Duane persuaded them to sing one more before the evening ended!

Spoken 4 Quartet

• "Standing on the Solid Rock" - Love hearing them sing these standard quartet songs.
• "Jesus Cried" - This was a brand new song that featured tenor, Brandon Britton.
• "He Set Me Free"
• "There Is a Light" - Cecil showed off his bass vocals on this song. He's one of the best. The lights in the Opera House theater started flickering at one point!
• "Because He Lives" - They did a great job on this classic hymn!

Poet Voices

I forgot how many great songs that Phil wrote. It was good to hear them sing a few and remind audiences of what a talented writer he is. I really love the way this quartet is sounding together. My first time to see them back was in Memphis, and it was good to hear them live again!

• "Jesus Built a Bridge"
• "I Saw the Light"
• "When I Get Carried Away"
• "Champion of Love"
• "Yes, I Am"

The Diplomats

• "Joy in the Storm"
• "I Wanna See Jesus"
• "Buried Our Sins in the Past" - Corey is one of the most talented and underrated people in gospel music.
• "There's a Light Shining for Me" - Alex is one incredible bass singer! It's always fun to see people who seem them for the first time figure out where the big sound is coming from.
• "I Wanna See Jesus"
• "Let Your Light Shine" - They had a lot of fun with this one getting the audience to use their phones as flashlights.

In Case You Missed It - News and Tidbits - August 11

Here are some news items from this week in Southern Gospel -

• The Ball Brothers announced the departure of Matt Davis. Matt has been with the group two and a half years. Anyone interested in auditioning can send a resume, one mp3 and/or youtube links to: theballbrothers@hotmail.com.
• The 2018 Dove Award nominations were announced this week. Southern Gospel nominations include -

Southern Gospel Artist of the Year

• Bradley Walker
• Gaither Vocal Band
• Joseph Habedank
• Karen Peck & New River
• Mark Lowry

Southern Gospel Recorded Song of the Year

• "He Can Take It" - Brian Free & Assurance/ Jeff Bumgardner, Kenna Turner West and Sue Smith
• "Clear Skies" - Ernie Haase & Signature Sound/ Ernie Haase, Joel Lindsey and Wayne Haun
• "Hallelujah Band" - Gaither Vocal Band/ Becca Mizell, Sam Mizell
• "Washed By the Water" - Jason Crabb/ Dave Barnes, Jason Crabb and Jordan Reynolds
• "Just When You Thought" - Joseph Habedank/ Joseph Habedank, Michael Farren and Wayne Haun

Bluegrass/ Country/ Roots Recorded Song of the Year

• “I Will Someday”  – Bradley Walker/ Chris Stapleton, Garnet Bowman, Morgane Hayes and Ronnie Bowman
• “Chain Breaker”– Gaither Vocal Band/ Jonathan Smith, Mia Fieldes and Zach Williams
• “Jailbreak” – Joseph Habedank/ Gerald Crabb and Joseph Habedank
• “Dinner on the Ground” – Little Roy & Lizzy Show/ Jeff Bumgardner, Joel Lindsey and Wayne Haun
• “Daddy And Son” – The Nelons/ Dony McGuire, Jason Clark and Reba Rambo-McGuire

Southern Gospel Album of the Year

• Clear Skies – Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
• We Have This Moment – Gaither Vocal Band
• Still Happy – Goodman Revival
• Hope For All Nations – Karen Peck & New River
• What’s Not To Love?– Mark Lowry

Bluegrass/ Country/ Roots Album of the Year

• Blessed, Hymns and Songs of Faith – Bradley Walker
• Unexpected – Jason Crabb
• Sing It Again, A Collection of Favorites – Jeff & Sheri Easter
• Going Home– Little Roy & Lizzy Show

For all Dove nominees, go to doveawards.com/awards/2018-nominees/

Anything I've missed?

Reasons to Shout - Saturday recap of Silver Dollar City's Southern Gospel Picnic

Today was the first day I was able to be at Silver Dollar City for the Southern Gospel Picnic. My morning started at Red Gold Hall and ended at Echo Hollow with one of gospel music's most beloved family groups. Here's a look at who I saw and some highlights!

The Ball Brothers

• "It's About the Cross" - Forever a favorite song they sing! Always such a powerful response!
• "Forgiven"
• "Gentle Shepherd"
• "Count Your Blessings" - Love hearing them on the big band style songs!
• "Mercy Tree"

2nd Generation 

• "Blessed Assurance" - They started their set with this one a cappella.
• "On Business for the King"
• "Waving on the Other Side" - They set this one up by singing "How Beautiful Heaven Must Be" with the audience.
• "All Our Hope"

The Whisnants

• "I've Prayed Through It" - This is a brand new song from Susan's solo CD. She shared a little bit of testimony and how the song was written for her. What a moment this was!
• "Be Not Afraid"
• "Grave Mistake"
• "1+2+3" - I was glad to get to hear this song from Austin and Ethan's CD live.
• "New Day Dawning" - The audience was on its feet clapping only a few measures into the song!

The Hoppers

Given all this family has been through in the last few weeks, it was so good to see them. Dean, of course, is still recovering but the rest of the family was there. Shane McConnell, previously with Canton Junction, filled in for Dean.

• "Life Is Good"
• "Grace Will Always Be Greater Than Sin"
• "Grace Will Get You Through" - It was good to hear Connie on this song.
• "Jerusalem" 
• "I've Come Too Far" - Before this song is when they shared their testimony about the last few weeks and all they had been through. Dean had a successful surgery with the stent but Kim shared if they hadn't been able to do the surgery when they did, things could have been much different. They had so much to be thankful for. Also, where Dean had the stroke has caused no permanent damage. He's still walking, talking and will be able to sing again when the doctors release him.  
• "Something's Happening" - I love hearing this song live! So powerful! 
• "If I Could Help Somebody" - Claude dedicated this song to Silver Dollar City General Manager Brad Thomas. Such a sweet moment!
• "Shoutin' Time" - As soon as Claude announced it was shoutin' time, the audience was on its feet clapping along! 

Ball Brothers - Concert Recap

The last day of April I made the trip south to Pine Bluff, Arkansas to see the Ball Brothers. They are one of those groups I really don't get to see very often. The group consists of brothers Andrew and Daniel Ball, brother-in-law Chad McCloskey and newest member Matt Davis.

The thing I love about this group is that they really bring something different to the industry. They are their own style.

Here's a look at what they sang -

• "Let Your Light Shine"
• "I Wouldn't Miss Heaven for the World"
• "Gentle Shepherd" - Andrew does a great job on this arrangement of the familiar hymn. He really shows off his higher register. 
• "Happy Rhythm"  - This one featured the newest member of the Ball Brothers, Matt Davis. 
• "Count Your Blessings" - Chad shows off that "big band" sound with this song. 
• "Mary Did You Know" - Daniel said that since he got to pick the set list he was going to have them sing one of his favorite songs, which was more associated with Christmas, but  
• "Victory in Jesus" - Love their take on this hymn!
• "Mercy Tree" - Great take on a more contemporary song. I'm glad they are introducing this song to Southern Gospel audiences. 
• "Good Day"
• "Glory to God in the Highest"
• "I Smile" - The guys have a lot of fun with this one!
• "It's About the Cross" - Love this song!! One of my favorites. 

The music was, of course, great, but it was also great hearing the hearts of the guys on the stage. Daniel shared a story of how they grew up with seven kids in a relatively small house. They didn't really think about it growing up but knew they didn't have a lot of things that other kids their age had like new basketball shoes. However, they realized how blessed they were when they had the chance to go on a mission trip and visited an orphanage. Daniel said he was amazed at the living conditions of those boys, the holes in the walls, the food they had to eat and the lack of heat in the building. He realized what it was really like to be poor and not being able to have basic needs of life. It gave him a better understanding of how blessed he was and how he committed to use his platform to help kids like he saw that day.

If you get a chance to see the Ball Brothers, don't miss them!

Fun Clip Friday - About the Cross

It's Friday ... and Good Friday at that. It's the season where we reflect on the sacrifice of Christ, His death and resurrection. With it being that season, let's look at a few songs all about the cross.

Fun Clip Friday - On the Couch with Fouch

Happy Friday everyone! This has been one of those weeks where real life got in the way of blogging. I just got back from a work conference out of town, so things were a little crazy. But at least, today is Friday and I have a clip to share!

Matt Fouch has moved his popular On the Couch with Fouch Series to Facebook. Check out this month's video with members of the Ball Brothers.

Fun Clip Friday - Ball Brothers

Dollywood is now in the middle of their National Southern Gospel and Harvest Celebration. They have Southern Gospel artists on park each day singing. The Singing News has been there and has been sharing videos on Facebook.

For today's Fun Clip Friday, check out this video of the Ball Brothers! Enjoy!

Everything Is Beautiful on Day 3 - Silver Dollar City's Southern Gospel Picnic 2016

Brothers, Blood, Browns and Beauty can sum up today at Silver Dollar City's Southern Gospel Picnic. It was another day with six different artists, one soloist, two brother groups and three family groups. Here's a recap of who I saw -


Hopper Brothers 2.0

My day started at Red Gold Hall seeing the Hopper Brothers 2.0 for the first time. And I was impressed! The group consists of Mike and Dean Hopper, Matt Griffith and Reggie Smith.

They sang several familiar songs like "I Know," "Something Within" and "You Can't Give Up on God."

They started singing "The Baptism of Jesse Taylor" and were just getting into the chorus when the track messed up. They said "Thanks," and just started walking off the stage. Then somebody shouted to put another quarter in the machine. They were getting ready to just sing it again without the track when they got it start again. Loved hearing them sing this one!

Reggie went to the piano and started the hymn, "Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus." It was the moment of the concert. This is my favorite hymn, and I loved hearing these guys sing it. They ended with "I Believe in a Hill Called Mt. Calvary."


Joseph Habedank

Joseph opened the concert last night in Echo Hollow, and it was good to see him again today. He sang a couple that he did with the Perrys, "He Is Good to Me," "If You  Knew Him" and "I Wish I Could've Been There," which had the audience on its feet at the end.

He told a little about his testimony and sang "The Beauty of the Blood." Love this song! He also sang another more personal song that he said challenged him to really live out what he was singing on stage, "When the Lights Go Down."

He also sang "Almost Morning" (Thanks, Joseph!), which is my favorite song he's written! I love the message of this song!


Ball Brothers

This was my first time seeing this group with new bass singer Matt Davis. He's only 21, but the guy can sing bass! He was featured on "Happy Rhythm."

They sang a few classics like "Victory in Jesus" with a Ball Brothers twist and "Gentle Shepherd." Their harmonies on the later were great!

Daniel started telling about their CDs and product and was showing the audience an a cappella project. He asked if anyone liked a cappella music. Of course, the audience clapped for it. He changed the plan and decided to sing "I Shall Know Him" a cappella. It was incredible! Daniel joked that it was probably the only time they had gotten a standing ovation in the middle of a product pitch.

They ended with "Mercy Tree," which is a more modern hymn. Love the message of the song and their rendition.


The Browns

The last show of the afternoon was the Browns. They started their set with "Soul on Fire" from their latest project. I really like their take on that song.

They had several songs where they played their fiddles including a medley of "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" and "Majesty" and then also "Let There Be Peace on Earth." It was beautiful!

They let Andrew loose on "What a Beautiful Day," which was a song he actually wrote. Then, they ended the set with "Everywhere I Go."


Hosea Bilyeu Family

This family opened the night. Hosea normally preaches one of the Sundays of the festival and sings with his family to start the service. They have a large family group, so they had many different combinations of people on stage singing.

Their group sang several gospel songs you would recognize including, "I Go to the Rock," "When Jesus Passes By" and "I Believe He's Coming Back."


The Hoppers

The Hoppers, Dean, Kim, Karlye and Mike, started the night with their most recent single and #1 song, "Jesus the One." I was glad I got to hear this one live!

They sang the Ray Stevens' song, "Everything is Beautiful." And Karlye and Mike pulled out the flashlights on their cell phones and started waving them. The audience then followed suite.

Kim was featured on "Grace Will Always Be Greater Than Sin." I love getting to hear her sing that one live!

Then Dean brought out Claude and Connie, and the audience was on its feet welcoming them with applause to the stage. Connie sang her signature "I've Come Too Far to Look Back." She is the classiest lady in gospel music. Later on Claude sang his "If I Can Help Somebody."

The Hopper Brothers 2.0 made another appearance and sang three songs for the crowd that night.

Of course it's not a Hoppers concert without "Jerusalem," "Yes I Am" or "Shoutin' Time," which is what they ended the night on. They did several turnarounds at the end and had everyone on stage including a few members of the Hosea Bilyeu family. The audience was on its feet clapping and singing along during the entire song!

Three days down, nine more to go!

In Case You Missed It - News and Tidbits - February 6

Here are some news items from this week in gospel music -

• Congratulations to Amanda and Caleb Cowan of the Sneed Family. They welcomed a new baby boy, Baker McKee Cowan, on February 4. He weighed 6 lbs., 1 oz. Mother and baby are doing fine.
• Congratulations also to Jordan and Lauren Wilburn (Wilburn and Wilburn). They also welcomed a baby boy this week on Feb. 5. Brayden Allen Wilburn weighed 7 lbs., 3 oz. Mother and baby are doing well.
• The Ball Brothers announced Matt Davis as the group's new bass singer this week.
• Boyce Flener, 52, of the Crossmen Quartet passed away on February 2 of pancreatic cancer. His services will be tomorrow in Morgantown, Kentucky. Please keep his family in your prayers.
• The Bradys from Dothan, Alabama announced their retirement this week. The group has been ministering for more than 25 years. The Bradys offer their heartfelt thanks to the promoters, pastors, music ministers, radio stations,and friends across the country that believed in their ministry and supported or helped them.  
• Daywind Music Publishing announced the addition of Lee Black to their family of songwriters. 

Anything I've missed?

Ball Brothers Welcome Matt Davis

Yesterday via Facebook, the Ball Brothers announced that Matt Davis will be the group's new bass singer. Here's the full post -

The Ball Brothers welcome 21-year-old Matt Davis as new bass vocalist. Originally from Fairfield, Maine, Matt makes his home in Cleveland, TN, where he graduated from Lee University with a Bachelor of Arts in Music with a Vocal Emphasis. Matt traveled with the "Voices of Lee" for two and a half years. 

Daniel Ball states, "We are thrilled to have Matt join the Ball Brothers. He loves the Lord and has a passion to reach people through music. People will love Matt's wide vocal range and versatility." 

The Ball Brothers have already begun work on a new project with Song Garden Records that will be released this Summer. Help us welcome Matt to the Ball Brothers!

Matt replaces Jon Epley who was recently announced as the new bass singer for the LeFevre Quartet.

In Case You Missed It - News and Tidbits - Oct. 31

Here are some news and tidbit items from this week in Southern Gospel music -

• Congratulations to Austin Whisnant and Jordan Carter who got married last weekend in Alabama. Austin will continue to be a part of the ministry of The Whisnants with his family.
• Aaron and Amanda Crabb welcomed their fourth child this week. Eda Beth Crabb was born on Oct. 29 and was 8 lbs. and 2 oz. Congratulations to Aaron and Amanda!
• Josh Ball got to come home this week after more than 50 days in the hospital. He will have in-home health care. He will have to have more surgery later. Please keep him and his family in your prayers.
• Prayers are also requested for Michael Combs who is waiting a kidney transplant. Right now he is on the list for a donor. Pray that a donor will be available soon. For more info, check on the article on the SingingNews.com.
• Congratulations to Tracy Stuffle who celebrated 30 years with the Perrys this week! They had a special presentation during one of the Perrys' shows at Dollywood.
• Allegiance's newest single "I Will Stand" will be turned into a movie/ documentary. Allegiance sang at the Capitol Building in Nashville, Tennessee for a States' Rights and Religious Freedom Rally. Pastor Benjamin Graham approached the group after the rally about turning the song "I Will Stand" into a movie/documentary. Filming begins Monday in the Nashville area and then travels to Washington, DC., Illinois, South Carolina, North Carolina and more. Allegiance will be filming a music video of "I Will Stand" as part of the film that will feature active duty military, veterans and first responders. Franklin Graham has also confirmed an appearance in the film as well as ministers, congressmen, senators and other political figures from across the country. 

Anything I've missed?

In Case You Missed It - News and Tidbits - Oct. 24

Here are a few news and updates from this week in Southern Gospel -

• The on-demand webcast of the National Quartet Convention is now all online. You can still purchase it and rewatch the concerts online until the end of the year.
• Keep Joey and Rory Feek and family in your prayers. The couple has made several appearances on Gaither videos and are a Gaither Music Group artist. Joey has been battling cancer for a while, and they got the news this week that treatments are not working. They have decided to end treatment. Read Rory's blog for their full journey.
• Joshua Ball (formerly with and brother of Ball Brothers) had surgery this week and has had a few setbacks. He's been battling pancreatitis for several weeks. He has an infection around the drain tube. Please continue to keep him and his family in your prayers. Also, if you would like to help with expenses, check out this GoFundMe. 

Anything I'm missing?

In Case You Missed It - Sept. 26 - News and Tidbits

Here are just a few news and tidbit items from this week in gospel music -

• Please keep Josh Ball in your prayers. He's been in the hospital for more than 20 days with issues with his pancreas. He needs to be transferred to Vanderbilt because of the severity of his issues and upcoming surgeries he needs to have. Follow the Ball Brothers on Facebook for the latest updates on Josh's condition. 
• Congratulations to Jeff Hawes (formerly of Karen Peck and New River) on his recent engagement!
• The National Quartet Convention starts next week. They are offering a free live stream of the kick-off concert on Sunday night. Go to www.natqc.com for more details. (I'll be able to watch the live stream Sunday, Monday, Thursday and Friday nights in full, so look for blogs on those. I should be able to catch part of Tuesday and Wednesday nights, but not sure how much.)

Anything that I've missed?

In Case You Missed It - News and Tidbits - Sept. 12

Well, this will be a catch all of the past couple of weeks since I was in Branson. Here are some recent news items in Southern Gospel -

• Anthony Facello has announced a new season of ministry. He will be branching out as a soloist and closing the door on Beyond the Ashes as a full-time ministry. Beyond the Ashes and Friends will have some sporadic dates throughout the year.
• Tyler Vestal, who was with Beyond the Ashes, is joining Ernie Haase and Signature Sound. He will be playing piano for the group. Wayne Haun will still travel occasionally with the group and continue to serve as the musical director and producer. Wayne is now hosting a daily radio show and continues with a busy schedule with StowTown Records.
• Starting Monday, the Solid Gospel Radio Network will change to Singing News Radio. It will launch three news shows with new hosts. Find out more here. 
• A new documentary, America's Gospel Singers, The Legacy Lives On, will air on public television of the Chuck Wagon Gang. It was developed for New Haven Films by Marty Stuart. The full-length documentary chronicles the group’s 75-year history through family photographs, poignant personal stories, old recordings and new live performances.  
• Prayers requested for Joshua Ball, former member and brother of Ball Brothers, who has been in the hospital for more than a week with pancreatitis. Josh needs to have surgery to remove his gallbladder and any blockages, but he is very unstable at this point. Keep up with him on the Ball Brothers' Facebook page. If you'd like to contribute to help with medical expenses, go to his Go Fund Me. 

Anything I've missed?

Silver Dollar City Southern Gospel Picnic - Aug. 28, 2015

Yesterday morning I headed north to Branson, Missouri for Silver Dollar City's Southern Gospel Picnic. It was the second day of the festival, but my first day to attend. 

The lineup for the day included 2nd Generation, the Ball Brothers, the Perrys, Mark Bishop and The Old Paths. It's really almost impossible to see everyone while you're here. And there are some groups you want to see more than once. The park does a great job of scheduling so many different shows each day.

I'm just going to hit the highlights from each group I got to see today -

2nd Generation

• "What a Day That Will Be"  - Loved hearing Brenda sing this song! Such a sweet moment where they had the audience join in too!
• "Sheltered in the Arms of God" - Elaine sang this one. Beautiful song!!
• "Soul Searching" - Good hearing this one from their newest project!!

Ball Brothers

• "I Shall Know Him" - They started the set with this one a cappella. Amazing!!
• "Wedding Music" - Jon Epley went to the keyboard for this one. Good hearing them sing this Cathedral classic.
• "Just As I Am" - Probably my favorite Ball Brothers song!!

The Perrys

• "I Can Trust Him" - Great getting to see Libbi sing this song live! 
• "He Will Hide Me" - Always a favorite!
• "If You Knew Him" 
• "Damascus Road" 
• They sang a couple of the older Happy Goodman songs. I like hearing them do some of these older songs.
• Troy talked about all they had been through in the past couple of years. He also gave part of his testimony and set up "Calvary Conquers It All." Great hearing them stage this one again!!

Mark Bishop

• "Pray on the Little Days" - Love the message of this song!!
• "My Name Is Jesus" - I'm used to the version where he has guest singers but it's fun hearing him sing all the different roles.

The Old Paths

• "I Bowed on my Knees" - I know Michael English is known for this song but Tim's version is right there with his! Amazing!!
• Daniel Ashmore, bass singer, was featured a lot tonight! It's hard to pick one highlight from what he sang. And as impressive as his bass singing is, his saxophone playing is equally as impressive!!
• "Until Then" - Doug sang this and then had the audience join in on the chorus. Such a sweet worshipful moment.
• "If That Isn't Love" - It was good to hear them sing this featuring both Daniel and Chuck Pettyjohn.
• "Love Them to Jesus" 
• Doug gave his testimony to set up "Ordinary People." Love hearing him tell his story of how God moved. He also talked about how they are coming off the road and this being their farewell tour. 

Fun Clip Friday - The Ball Brothers

Happy Friday to everyone! Here's a great clip this morning that the Ball Brothers shared on their Facebook page last weekend. They were one of the groups in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. Before they took the stage, they practiced an a cappella version of "I Shall Know Him." Check it out below for today's Fun Clip Friday!

"I Shall Know Him" practice run. Feel free to share and let us know what you think.
Posted by The Ball Brothers on Saturday, July 11, 2015

Smiling With the Ball Brothers - Concert Recap

Sunday afternoon the Ball Brothers were just outside of Sherwood, Arkansas. The church was having a homecoming service complete with potluck and a gospel concert. The concert was scheduled to start after the potluck at 2 p.m. We got to the church a little before 2, and it took us a while to figure out that the concert would actually be the separate building where the potluck had been.

Once we got out to the building and found seats, they said that the Ball Brothers had called and were actually running late. Unfortunately their morning service had run over causing them to be late. They got to the church about 20 minutes later and had to set up in record time and sound check with a full audience. I felt bad for the guys being late and then having to take care of everything with people watching. Kudos to them for being so swift to get the concert started once they got to the venue!

I've only seen the Ball Brothers a handful of times, but I certainly hope to hear more of them after the concert on Sunday! The group now consists of the two original brothers Daniel and Andrew Ball together with brother-in-law Chad McCloskey and Jon Epley.

Ball Brothers - Andrew Ball, Chad McCloskey, Daniel Ball
and Jon Epley

They started the concert with "It's Gonna Be a Good Day." It was a good way to start the concert. Despite all the circumstances of the day, we were in a for a good time! Daniel does a great job on this song! They then sang "I Wouldn't Miss Heaven (For the World) and "Who's Gonna Stand in the Gap."

The Ball Brothers really have a unique style and sound to them. Their incredibly smooth harmonies were really showcased on "Some Day." I can see how their style can attract new fans to Southern Gospel.

After brief introductions, Jon was featured on "Happy Rhythm," great song for him to be featured on! He also sang on "Forgive Me" that really allowed him to show his range. Chad showed off his crooner style on "Beautiful One." I wasn't familiar with their rendition of this song until Sunday! Love how Chad really makes it his own. They mentioned how much Chad sounds like Michael Buble and how he's actually getting the chance to work on some demos for his next album.

One of the funnier parts of the concert was the guys singing "I Smile." Andrew said they should sing the song because it was his kids' favorite song. Daniel interrupted him saying that they really didn't have much to smile about since they were running late and apparently had a small accident with the bus when they did make it to the church. They did restart the song and Daniel tried to sing the song without smiling. You can tell they have a lot of fun with that!

Right before intermission, they sang "Just As I Am." Love this song, definitely a highlight of the concert!

Daniel talked about how God was opening some doors for their ministry to travel some overseas. They had plans to go both to Ireland and Brazil this year. They were all excited about what God was doing and how He was blessing them with new opportunities. They had been praying for a new direction, but did not realize what He would do. He started to work in their hearts about being available for new opportunities, and He opened doors.

During the second half they sang "Glimpse of Your Glory," which was probably the Ball Brothers song I first remember hearing! Loved hearing it live. Andrew was also featured on "Nothing to Bring Him." Andrew has an incredible upper range that he was able to showcase on this song. The orchestration on this song was awesome. They mentioned that they recorded the song in the studio with all the musicians there at one time to give it the sound you used to hear on older records.

It was such a great afternoon! I was glad to hear them in a concert by themselves. This group definitely brings something different to Southern Gospel and is able to reach a different audience than your typical group. I strongly recommend seeing them next time they are in your area. I know I will!

Southern Gospel Picnic at Silver Dollar City - Day 1

Today was the first day of the Southern Gospel Picnic at Silver Dollar City. It was a great start to the festival. We saw four different groups, and here are some of the highlights:

Brian Free and Assurance

They performed this morning at the Red Gold Heritage Hall. During their first set of the day, they were singing "Go Tell the World," and the lights on stage went out. The guys kept right on singing, but it did provide some comic relief!

I was glad to hear a few songs from their new project including, "I Want to Be That Man" and "Revival." Brian Free told the story of how when he first listened to "I Want to Be That Man" he was driving the bus late at night and it reminded him of his dad. He was extremely humbled to find out that his son, Ricky, had written the song. It's good to see Derrick Selph featured on "Revival."

Another highlight was hearing Brian sing "O What a Savior" during their last show of the day. He did absolutely amazing!

Ball Brothers
I haven't seen the Ball Brothers in a couple of years, so I was anxious to see them with their recent group changes. The highlight of their set for me featured newbie Chad McCloskey singing "Beulah Land." They also closed their set with "It's About the Cross," which is one of my favorite songs. They have the same great sound they've always had! They will also be on park tomorrow so maybe I'll get to see another set of theirs.

The Whisnants

We were able to catch the last two shows of the Whisnants. During their second show both Austin and Ethan were featured on songs. Both of their son have really grown as singers since I saw them last year. They released their own project earlier this year. Susan and Jeff bragged about the decisions their sons were making to serve and honor the Lord by singing gospel music.

Susan sang "I'll Pray for You" in both sets we saw. This is one of my favorites that they sing. She also sang "I'll Trust the Potter's Hand," which is #1 this month in the Singing News.

A great moment in their second show was when they had the audience join them in singing "Amazing Grace." It was such a sweet moment!

They closed their last set with "New Day Dawning," which the audience always loves!

The McKameys

They sang at Echo Hollow tonight to a crowd of 4,100. They commented that this was one of the largest crowds they sing to. Of course as soon as they started singing "God on the Mountain," the audience immediately began responding. It was a highlight of the night.

Other highlights for me were "Do You Know How it Feels?" and "I Wanna Finish Well," which featured the male trio of Roger, Reuben and Eli.

Their product table must have been a popular place during intermission because they were all late coming back from the table! Reuben was still at the top of the amphitheater when they started the second half. He made it to join in during their first song and caused some of the audience to start clapping!

It's been a couple of years since I've seen the McKameys. It did make me laugh that Peg kicked her shows off not once but twice tonight. :) The second half was pretty short compared to the first, and they ended up singing one more after chanting from the audience.


Look for more updates throughout the festival!