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.

Wrapping Up Southern Gospel Picnic

Well I'm finally getting a chance to wrap up the rest of Southern Gospel Picnic at Silver Dollar City. On Sunday, we enjoyed a great morning service with Dennis Swanberg. I got to see Voices of Lee, Jeff Stice and the Martins later that day. Then on Monday, I enjoyed the last day of the festival with Spoken 4 Quartet, the Diplomats and the Isaacs before heading back to the real world.

Here are highlights from the last two days -

Voices of Lee

This was my first time seeing this group live, and I was impressed!

• "The Lord's Prayer"
• "No Longer a Slave" - This song featured Tripp Hess (son of Judy Martin Hess). Since the Martins sang that night, his mom and other family members were there to support him. He did a great job on this feature!
• "Higher"
• "Gloryland Medley"

Jeff Stice

• Andre Crouch Medley
• "Hallelujah Chorus"
• He brought Maddy on stage to sing "Sing." At 12 years old, she has quite a good voice!

The Martins

• "He Leadeth Me"
• "Love's Gonna Drive This Train"
• "The Promise" - One of my favorite gospel songs ever. Love hearing this long live!
• "Out of His Great Love"
• "On Days Like This" - This is a new song that will be on their upcoming album. I think I have the title right. It was great hearing new material from them!
• "You'll Never Walk Alone" - No one does a cappella like they do!
• "Love Enough"
• "I'm Still Standing" - Another new one that featured Judy!
• "So High" - They were about to close the night when Duane Garren came out and said they had to sing this song! I'm glad he did!

Spoken 4 Quartet

• "I Know My God Can Do It"
• "Blessed Assurance" 
• "Because He Lives" - Love hearing them on the classic hymns.
• "Light at the End of the Darkness" - Great hearing Cecil featured on this song!

The Diplomats

• "Sheltered in the Arms of God"
• "Walking With Jesus"
• "Scars on the Hands of Jesus" - Harold Reed was featured on this song. Love this one!
• Their live band is incredible!
• "I Wouldn't Take Nothing for my Journey Now"

The Isaacs

• "Rocks"
• "I Love You More" - Love hearing Sonya's testimony with this song. Definitely the moment of the night!
• "If That Isn't Love"
• "I Find It All in You"
• "Yours Amen"
• "Lord's Prayer" - You can't beat family a cappella harmonies.
• "Walk On"
• "If That's What It Takes" - Ben gave a bit of testimony before singing this song talking about how much it meant to him. 

It was a great festival again this year! Thank you Silver Dollar City, Brad Thomas, DA Callaway and Duane Garren for all you do to make this event happen each year!

Everyday Miracle - Spoken 4 Quartet - CD Review

Spoken 4 is a quartet based out of Branson, Missouri. The group is anchored by founding members lead Jon Charles Taggart and bass Cecil Stringer to help them produce the same consistent, quality sound since the group's inception.

Their latest project is Everyday Miracle. It has 12 songs that includes a little bit for everyone. From modern worship songs to hymns to progressive to country, this quartet proves their versatility.

The project starts with "The One Thing." The song has a great, progressive sound. It's got a great guitar in the mix. It's refreshing that the one thing that doesn't change and we can always count on is God in our lives.

"Can't Keep a Good Man Down" is one of my favorites on this project. It's got a great country sound that again is more out of the box for Southern Gospel. You can't help but tap your foot along. I love that they are bringing all these songs to gospel fans.

Bass singer Cecil Stringer sings the Larry Gatlin song "Light at the End of the Darkness." Cecil shows that he's one of those guys who is not just a great bass singer but a great singer. It's good to see them bring this song back.

The title track was actually penned by tenor singer Brandon Britton. Jon Charles takes the feature on this song. Sometimes we don't need the Red Sea parting-moments, we just need an everyday miracle, a smile or a prayer. We forget how those simple things that we are all called to do can affect people. I love how the song makes you think about those things. Jon Charles does a great job of communicating these convicting lyrics.

Some fans might recognize songwriter Brian Arnold from the group Chosen Few (another Branson-based quartet). Spoken 4 covers a song that the group previously recorded, "What Would Jesus Do." Brian also wrote "Lay It Down." It's so comforting that God encourages us to take our burdens to Him and just lay it down. My favorite cut of his on the project is "Jesus Cried," which tells the story of Lazarus. The song features Brandon who shows a great tender side to his voice. It really offers a unique perspective on what Jesus' tears were really for that day.

The project includes two more contemporary worship songs, "Come Now Is the Time to Worship" and "Our God Saves." The first features baritone Steven Hickinbotham and doesn't stray much from what you would be used to hearing in church except the bass notes. Jon Charles is featured on the latter.

The album closes with the beloved hymn, "It Is Well With My Soul." It's just the guys and a piano. Traditional quartet and gospel fans will find themselves hitting repeat over and over on this one.

Seriously, this project has something for everyone. If you're not familiar with this group, let this be the first project you pick up of theirs. You're guaranteed to find something you'll love. I think it's their strongest project to date!


Song List -
1. "The One Thing"
2. "Lay It Down"
3. "Come Now Is the Time to Worship"
4. "Jesus Cried"
5. "Our God Saves"
6. "Can't Keep a Good Man Down"
7. "Light at the End of the Darkness"
8. "Everyday Miracle"
9. "Can't Shake Jesus"
10. "More Than Enough"
11. "What Would Jesus Do"
12. "It Is Well With My Soul"

In Case You Missed It - News and Tidbits - February 25

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

• Congratulations to Gold City Quartet with the announcement this week that the group will be inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. The event will take place on Tuesday, May 9 at Lipscomb University. 
• Messiah's Call announced that Caleb Kelley of Savannah, Tennessee has joined the group at baritone.
• Tony and Julie Griffith welcomed vocalist and pianist Joseph "Bryce" Lee as the newest member of The Griffith Family. Bryce moved from Dallas, Georgia, to join the group full-time.
• Spoken 4 Quartet announced this week that baritone Steven Hickinbotham is stepping down from the group to pursue his career as a chef full-time. 
• The first round of nominations for the Singing News Fan Awards is now open. Subscribers may vote at SingingNews.com.

Any thing I've missed?

Spoken 4 Quartet - Concert Recap

Spoken 4 Quartet was in Hot Springs Village last Sunday night. This quartet is based in Branson, Missouri and has been together for about 10 years now. The group consists of Brandon Britton, Jon Charles Taggart, Steven Hickingbotham and Cecil Stringer.

It's always great to see these guys and see their hearts for the ministry. They are never afraid to stand for the truth of God's Word. They boldly proclaim him through song and through their own personal testimonies -

Here are highlights -

• "Grace Runs Deeper" - This was actually the song they ended the night on, but I love this song from their last project. Jon Charles does such an incredible job on this song. 
• "There Is a Light" - Cecil showed off his bass singing skills on this song. If you haven't heard Cecil, he's one of the best!
• "When the King Comes to Claim His Throne"
• The quartet sang a few hymns like "Blessed Assurance" and "Because He Lives." I think I along with the rest of the audience always enjoys when a group pulls out a hymn.
• "When He Set Me Free"
• "He Was There All the Time" - Before this song, Steven shared his testimony about how his parents faithfully prayed for him during a time when he was far from God. It was a touching testament of how God was always there with a plan and purpose for his life. 
• "Oh What a Savior" - Brandon shared his testimony before this song. He talked about his struggle with depression, suicidal thoughts and his mom's death because of suicide. He talked about how God helped him through it and how thankful he was for a Savior like Jesus.

With Spoken 4, I love their singing, but I love how they always show their hearts and are willing to share their stories for the glory of God. If you haven't seen this group before, you are in for a treat! Check out to see if they are in your area soon. For people in Arkansas and Southern Missouri, they have two big event coming up soon -

• Dec. 11 - Homer Lee & Friends - Christmas Homecoming at Hamner Barber Theater in Branson
• Dec. 18 - Spoken 4 Quartet Homecoming at Ozark Mountain Assembly of God Church in Kimberling City

Six Artists on Day Two of Silver Dollar City's Southern Gospel Picnic

Today I was reminded of why I love this festival so much. The worship experienced during this time is just a sweet preview of Heaven. It was a day full of hymns and sing alongs where the groups led in worship.

We saw six different artists today, so here are the highlights - 

Melody Boys Quartet

I was able to attend the Melody Boys farewell concert in 2012 when they came off the road. The quartet does select dates each year, and Silver Dollar City was one of their stops this year!

Gerald Williams has still got it! His voice is as great and strong as ever. They sang several songs that showcased him like "Pray" and "This Ole House." 

They sang some great older classics like "Peace in the Valley," "Let the Lower Lights Be Burning" and ended the set with "Just a Little Talk with Jesus."

Spoken 4 Quartet

It was great to see these guys again! They had Tommy Fairchild playing the keys for them while at the City.

If you haven't hear bass Cecil Stringer, you're missing out. He's one of the lowest on the road today. He was featured on "Life's Evening Sun." The thing I love about seeing this group is not only hearing them sing, but it doesn't matter where the concert is, they aren't ashamed of speaking truth into the lives of the people in the audience. 

Their set also featured a couple of hymn including "Because He Lives" and "Blessed Assurance." They are in the middle of recording a new project (a volume 2) of hymns and favorites. They ended the set with "Jesus Is Coming Soon."

Hyssongs

This was my first chance to see the Hyssongs live. Hymns really were the theme of the day because they did a medley at the end of the set that was incredible. It included "There's Something About that Name," "My Tribute" and "How Great Thou Art."

I loved hearing them play the trumpet and trombone live. They did a fantastic arrangement of "Majesty" and a fun arrangement of "When the Saints Go Marching In."

They also got the crowd singing along with "It Is Well" and "I'll Fly Away." Glad I finally got the chance to see this group live!

LeFevre Quartet 

The LeFevre Quartet was actually a trio, but to put your mind at ease, they don't plan to stay that way. They started the set with their popular "Something," which has become favorite of mine that they sing. 

Josh Townsend is playing piano for the group. He's such a great young talent! 

During the middle of the set, Mike asked for requests from the audiences. People kept calling out titles. He joked that they wouldn't sing any of the songs, but it was good to hear the audience's favorite songs. One of those requests was "Come and See." Jordan was feeling sick  but did a great job on it! They sang a hymn medley with "Amazing Grace" and "How Great Thou Art." Of course, people wanted to hear Mike sing "When I Get Carried" and Jeremy sing "Oh What a Savior."

Joseph Habedank

Joseph opened the night in Echo Hollow. He started the night with "Welcome Home." He sang a few hymns from his Take Time to Be Holy project, "What a Day That Will Be" and "It Is Well." Loved getting to hear him sing "Beauty of the Blood," which he calls his testimony song.

He sang the Goodman classic "I Wouldn't Take Nothing for my Journey Now." He sang a few that he did with the Perrys, "He's So Good to Me" and ended his time with "If You Knew Him," which had the audience on its feet!

The Whisnants

The Whisnants ended the night down in the Hollow. Always love seeing this group! They got the crowd going with "I'm Gonna Go Out Singing" from their most recent project. They also sang "A Grave Mistake" from that same CD.

Austin and Ethan were both featured during the night. They sang "I Lean on You Lord" with Jeff and "1+2+3" with Susan. Both boys sound great! Austin then sang Susan's part on "Not Afraid to Trust Him."

They sang several Whisnants classics, "Be Not Afraid," featuring Aaron and "New Day Dawning," which they ended the first half with and Joseph joined them on!

Susan sang "All Is Well" and "Worry Ends Where Faith Begins," one of my favorites! Thanks, Susan! She also sang "I Love You This Much." I think this was my first time to hear this song live, and it was probably the moment of the night!

They ended the night with "I Believe He's Coming Back," the Goodman classic. Joseph again came out and joined them. It was another great night in Echo Hollow!

In Case You Missed It - News and Tidbits - April 23

Here are news items from this week in gospel music -

• Prayers for the Riley Family (Gold City) with the loss of Barbara Riley, wife of Tim Riley, unexpectedly on Tuesday. Along with Tim, keep children Danny and Amy in your prayers. Services were held this morning in Glencoe, Alabama.
• Chris West, also of Gold City, lost a parent this week. His father, Sammy, died on Friday of cancer. His service will be held tomorrow in Nauvoo, Alabama. Please remember all of his family in your prayers as well. 
• Congratulations to Jon Charles Taggart of Spoken 4 Quartet. He and his wife Amanda welcomed baby boy Charlie on April 20.
• The second round of voting is now open in the Singing News Fan Awards. Voting is open for all subscribers. Vote online here. 

Anything I've missed?

Two for One - Spoken 4 and Representatives - Concert Recap

I hate running late. And as I sat in my car in a deadlock on the highway a few weeks ago, I knew that the concert would be starting without me there and there was nothing I could do about it. Thankfully I'm guessing I only missed a song or two.

The concert I was headed to see that night featured the Representatives and Spoken 4 Quartets. The Representatives are based in Arkansas, and Spoken 4 is a group based in Branson, Missouri. The two joined forces that night for a great night of worship and quartet singing.

The Representatives were on stage when I got there. Gospel music fans might recognize the quartet's tenor singer, Johnny Parrack, who spent many years with the Kingsmen. They sang several songs you might be familiar with including "Plan of Salvation," "Walking With Jesus," "When They Rings the Bells of Heaven" and "Sail Away Home."

I've seen this group a few times, and they always do a great job. One thing that impresses me is they don't use tracks on every song. Many times it's just the guys' voices and the keyboard. Their bass singer is a recent addition to the group. He was featured on "Even So Come Lord Jesus."

Standout moments from the first half were Ryler Wilson featured on "It Made News in Heaven." and an a cappella song "The Judgment" that they ended with.

After the Representatives, Spoken 4 took the stage with "Holy Spirit Thou Art Welcome." They sang several familiar favorites like "He's My Song," "Standing on the Solid Rock," "Who Am I" and "When the King Comes to Claim His Throne."

Cecil Stringer showed off his low range on "Life's Evening Sun." He has to be one of the lowest bass singers out there.

They also sang a few from their new project Undeniable. "A King and a Pauper," which features Jon Charles Taggart, was definitely a highlight. They ended the first half with "Grace Runs Deeper," another highlight of the night!

The thing I love about this group is how unashamedly they are about their ministry. They know it's a way they make a living but it's nothing if they don't draw people to Him. Jon Charles made the statement that it's all about Him, no one should care about them. They want to stay hidden behind the cross.

Each group came out and sang a few more songs in the second half before the two groups sang a few together. The Representatives featured Johnny on "Oh What a Savior," and he's still got it! Great hearing him sing this classic! They also sang "Whiter Than Snow," another highlight of their set!

Spoken 4 sang "Hold Me" and "I Know My God Can Do It" before Brandon Britton gave his testimony. He has a moving testimony of how God worked in his life through depression, suicidal thoughts and his mom's death. Great to hear his honesty and how he allowed God to use his life and how He delivered him. This set up another new song, "Hope Was Carved in a Rolling Stone." Steven Hickingbotham closed their second set with "That's Why He Died."

The two groups joined forces for "Rock of Ages" and "Glory Road." Loved hearing all of them together! It was a great evening with both groups.

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?

In Case You Missed It - News and Tidbits - July 4

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

• Luke White passed away on Sunday after battling double pneumonia. He most recently worked for IMC Concerts and previously worked with Aaron and Amanda Crabb and the Greenes. Read more here.
• Congratulations to Keith Erwin who wed Lindsey Barefield on June 13 in Ripley, Mississippi. Lindsey plans to join the family on the bus while working on her Master's degree. 
• Spoken 4 Quartet announced this week on Facebook that Brian Arnold will be joining the ministry. Baritone Steven Hickinbotham is no longer with the group. Brian has been traveling in a solo ministry for many years and was previously with the group Chosen Few.
• Prayers requested for Carolyn Kirksey, wife of former Singing News editor-in-chief Jerry Kirksey. She has been undergoing medical treatment and in-patient physical therapy since February. 
• The 2015 Absolutely Gospel Music Awards show is now available to watch online. You can watch the replay here. 

Anything I've missed?

Enjoying a New Day - Silver Dollar City Recap Day 6

Since I had to miss Tuesday, I wanted to make up for it. It was a new day, and I wanted to see all I could. I got to the park early yesterday to see the first shows of the morning. In fact, I had the chance to see several groups twice!

My morning started with Spoken 4 Quartet. I walked into the front of the park just a few songs into their first show. They had a special guest performing with them Tuesday and Wednesday, their producer Jeff Stice! I was able to catch part of their first show and all of their second show. They did sing a few that I heard them sing Monday, but I didn’t mind! Jon Charles sang the song about the prodigal song, “Back to Me,” love this song from their latest project. Steven was featured on “Who Am I” and “Beulah Land,” love hearing him sing those classics. Cecil showed off his bass skills on “Life’s Evening Sun.” Jeff Stice made him repeat the chorus and go even lower!! Of course, when you have Jeff playing keys for you, you’re going to let him show what he can do. Jeff played a couple of songs solo. It was great to hear him play again, because he is definitely one of the best!! The highlight of both sets had to be the song “That’s My Boy.” They closed the second show with this song!

I also two shows of the Taylors. They started each show with “New Day Dawning,” but from there did completely different sets. I love that they sang several from their latest project like “I’m Committed to You, Lord,” “He Goes Before Me” and “Measure of Grace.” However, my favorite had to be “I Tremble.” I’ve always loved this song. They featured Suzanne on the song. They brought out Leslie’s husband Aaron Perkins and son Isaiah in each set I saw. Jonathan told that he was a miracle baby. Not only had doctors told Leslie that she would probably never be able to have children of her own, but he was born with one functioning kidney and doctors thought that it wouldn’t be functioning at the level it needed to be. However at the last checkups, it was functioning at 100%. Aaron is a bass singer, so he joined them for two songs, one in each set, “Roll Away” and “Up Above My Head.” Leslie held the baby as the five of them sing together. Little baby Isaiah seemed perfectly content on stage in his mom’s arms. They had two great sets!!

The Kingsmen were at Red Gold Hall yesterday afternoon. I had the chance to also see them twice. They sang a mix of favorites and new songs. It was good hearing “Meet Me at Table,” “Travelin’ Home” and “Glory Road.” They sang probably my favorite Kingsmen song, which is “That’s All I Need.” They sang a couple of newer songs including their single, “Oh Yes I Am,” which they closed both sets with. They also sang “Beautiful City,” a newer one and Randy joked they might have to sing watermelon a bit with this one. Ray Dean threw watermelon in there a few times at the end for some laughs. Chris, their tenor, sang “Look for Me at Jesus’ Feet” in both sets, which was a definite highlight. However, one of the sweetest moments occurred in the second set. They told that a brother and sister came to the table and requested a song for their dad who is serving in Afghanistan. They didn’t know the song that the siblings requested but still wanted to sing something for them and their dad, so they sang “Land of the Free.” The siblings and family were on the front row and the group acknowledged them. I’m not sure there were many dry eyes in the house!

The Martins were the headline group tonight! I love seeing them back in Echo Hollow. The night started with “New Day” featuring Judy. They sang several of their a cappella songs, which I love to hear them do! They sang some classics like “Holy Holy Holy” and “Softly and Tenderly” and a couple from their new project like “Shut De Door” and “Never Walk Alone.” The last one was a highlight of the night!! They even sang a little bit of “Count Your Blessings” a cappella, but it wasn’t exactly intentional. Apparently the sound guy couldn’t find the track, so Joyce just started singing a bit of the chorus and Jonathan and Judy just jumped in!

Being from Arkansas, their parents were there sitting proudly on the front row and Jonathan had several family members there as well. Jonathan recognized his mom and talked about what an incredible influence she was on their lives. She’s the one who taught them to sing. She and his daughter Amelia were celebrating birthdays this week, so he had the audience sing to both of them.

Each sibling gave a bit of testimony. Judy talked about her struggle with depression and how God had allowed this struggle to remain in her life, but it was a reminder to her that we all have a desperate need for Jesus. Then they sang "Wherever You Are." Jonathan talked about the struggles in life and no matter what we face there is nothing that hasn't passed through the Father's hands. This set up "The Promise." I love this song, and for me this was the highlight of the night!!

Joyce talked about how they started out at Silver Dollar City at the gazebo. Then, they gradually moved up and now had sung at Echo Hollow for several years. She talked about their challenges and struggles that they have overcome over the years as a family. Then, they sang "Unredeemed."

They ended the night with "Love's Gonna Drive This Train" with everyone on their feet! It was a great night!!

Bringing the Heat and the Ice - Day Four - Silver Dollar City's Southern Gospel Picnic

So far there have been plenty of groups bringing the heat, but last night Triumphant Quartet brought the ice… in a whole new way. Duane Garren teased to something happening that had never been done at a gospel concert before last night at Echo Hollow, so the crowd really didn’t know what we were in for! The night ended a little icy, but there was plenty of heat during the day.

Mark Bishop

The day started with Mark Bishop at the Riverfront Playhouse. It was great to see him again back at Silver Dollar City. He sang a lot of familiar ones like "Remember Who He Is," "Perfectly Honest," "Listening for the Call" and "Can I Pray for You?" It was great hearing all live. I forget not only what a great vocalist he is but incredibly gifted songwriter. He talked about writing songs and how he has the greatest resource for songs in the Bible, but the difficult part was that all Christians have the same resource. Therefore, we all know how the stories going to turn out. He said no matter how he paints a song about Lazarus, we know in the end, Jesus is going to raise him from the dead. He sang "Bring Lazarus Back," which I don't remember hearing much before. It's offers good possible insight into what Jesus was thinking at this miracle. He also sang one of his newer songs, "Love's Gonna Get You Yet." I really enjoyed it, very different from anything he's ever written. In fact, he said that his daughter said it was the first cool song he had ever written. He ended with "My Name Is Jesus." I love this song, but it was interesting to see him sing it live and do all the different parts since I'm used to hearing it with several different singers. Still just as powerful though!!!

Spoken 4 Quartet

After his show, we made our way to the front of the park to see Spoken 4 Quartet at the gazebo. They started with "Try a Little Kindness." Then Steven was featured on "I Hold a Clear Title to a Mansion," but he really shined when he went to the keyboard and played and sang "Who Am I." Lead singer Jon Charles was featured "Back to Me," a song about the prodigal son. He gave a brief testimony saying he had once been that prodigal son and wondered away from God and then returned. They sang "Swing Down Chariot" a cappellla! Bass singer Cecil Stringer showed off his chops on "Life's Evening Sun." They also sang a few more from their latest project "I Know I'm Going Home" (a favorite and highlight of the set) and "That's Why He Died." I'm looking forward to seeing them again tomorrow, and they'll have a special guest with them!!

Freemans

We caught two of the Freemans' afternoon shows. They did completely different sets, I think only repeating one song which was "Lead Me Home," great powerful song that Darrell sings. Chris Freeman has to have the most recognizable voice in gospel music. She sang a newer song that I had not heard before, "Last Time I Looked." Incredible song that she absolutely tears up!! Love it!! Someone requested Misty sing "Faith, Hope and Love." I'm so glad they did. That's one of the first songs I remember hearing from them. Great to hear her sing it live again. She and Caylon also sang "Water Grave." A few more highlights were "Three Rugged Crosses," "Ole' Tresspasser" and "What a Day That Will Be."

While we were in the last Freemans show apparently it decided to rain just for a bit. So when we came out the ground was wet and the steam was rising from the pavement. It did eventually cool the air a bit, but the outdoor amphitheater for the night's concert was pretty wet! The crew did a great job of getting the stage set back up in record time and helping dry as many seats as possible. But that also meant Mark Bishop did his sound check with half an audience. He opened the night before Triumphant took the stage. We got to hear some repeats but a few songs we hadn't gotten to hear yet like "I Can Rejoice," "Pray on the Little Days" and "I Got Here as Fast as I Could." He said during the day he was able to sing in the air conditioning, so he wasn't used to the heat. He offered a free DVD to someone who would come fan him during one of the songs, and he had two takers! Haha!

Triumphant Quartet took the stage last night to close the day. This is normally the only time I get to see them during the year, and I forget how incredible they are to see live. They started the night with "Because He Loved Me" and repeated the chorus a cappella. From the first song, you could tell this was going to be a great night.

Triumphant Quartet

They sang a couple from their most recent project. Clayton sang "I Will Rise," and David sang "This Blood." I love the concept of their latest album, and it's great to hear these songs Triumphant Quartet style. "This Blood" was definitely a highlight of the night!!!

Eric sang "Long Black Train" which seems to always be a crowd favorite. They sang other favorites too like "Somebody Died for Me," "Movin' Up To Gloryland," "Take It From Me Meschach," and "Love Came Calling." That last song is still my favorite that they do. Love hearing Scotty sing it live!! And of course, they sang "The Old White Flag." I don't know how Clayton puts as much into it every night as he does, but it's always so fun to watch him on this song. I was sitting with several who had never seen the group before and had no clue that all of Echo Hollow was about to pull out handkerchiefs and white napkins to wave in the air. It's always such a fun environment for this song!!

G.W. Southard was playing piano with them and he and David did an instrumental duet of "I'll Fly Away" on keys and harmonica.

Duane Garren teased to something big happening in the second half. Well, Eric said that they had been challenged to do the ice bucket challenge at Silver Dollar City. So they set up chairs for the entire group to take the challenge together, and they did like champs!! Danny Jones of the Singing News got a great video of it! Be sure to check it out on their Facebook page. They challenged the Booth Brothers to do the same Monday night, so we will see! The irony of it is that they sang "I Wish It Would Rain" right before that.

But even after the challenge, they sang one more song soaking wet, "When the Trumpet Sounds." It was such a fun night!!

I've spent most of today driving, which is why this post is a little late. But I drive back to Branson tomorrow and will be there the rest the time! Looking forward to six more days of gospel music!!

Spoken 4 - Spoken 4 Quartet CD Review

I've been a Spoken 4 Quartet since day one of the group's formation. They formed in 2006 out of Branson, Mo. Being an avid Branson-goer, I was familiar with original members already from previous groups.

The group released their latest album entitled Spoken 4 earlier this year. I have to say, I think it's their best one yet. The project features 11 songs and nine of them brand new. The album was produced by Jeff Stice of Triumphant Quartet.

The album starts with "I Know I'm Going Home," which is also the first single. And I've been hearing it played a lot. It's a great uptempo song that features Cecil Stringer, bass singer. It's definitely one of my favorites and one of the highlights of the project. Something about it reminds me of the style of "I'm Still Feeling Fine." Another song where Cecil really shines and shows what an incredible bass singer he is is "Hold Me."

"It's Quite a Valley" is the same song that was previously recorded by Brian Free and Assurance. The instrumentation on this song is a little bit more stripped down than the Brian Free version, but it doesn't stray too far from that version. I like Spoken 4's take on it just as well as BFA's. It features Jon Charles Taggart, lead singer, but my favorite song of his on the project is "Back to Me." It's a beautiful song that tells the story of the prodigal son.

"That's Why He Died" is a great song with such a strong message. He was the only One who could be the perfect sacrifice for us. He knew how we would fail and still chose to die for us. Baritone Steven Hickinbotham sings this one. The song fits his voice so well! Another favorite for sure!

Tenor Brandon Britton really shines on "I Find No Fault in Him." The track of the song is simple to really showcase his voice and what he can do. It soars and builds at the end to make for a great song and arrangement!

"When the King Comes to Claim His Throne" is a personal favorite as well. It's a great song that really showcases the group's quartet-style singing. "We're in the Same Boat" is another great uptempo song.

Album Rating - 4 stars - There's no question to me that this a group to watch. This album is only further proof of what this quartet is capable of. The album is full of 11 great songs with a strong mix of uptempo and slower songs. If you're a fan of quartets, get this project. You won't be sorry!

Song List -
1. "I Know I'm Going Home"
2. "It's Quite a Valley"
3. "That's Why He Died"
4. "Back to Me"
5. "When the King Comes to Claim His Throne"
6. "I Find No Fault"
7. "We're in the Same Boat"
8. "Legend of the Fall"
9. "In the Valley I Can Hear His Voice"
10. "You'll Find Me There"
11. "Hold Me"

Spoken 4 Quartet and the Representatives Quartet - Concert Recap

Friday night I had the chance to see the Representatives Quartet and Spoken 4 in Searcy, Ark. I saw the Representatives for the first time earlier this year when they opened for the Kingsmen in Beebe. They are an Arkansas-based group, and Arkansas is glad to have them.

The group consists of Brian Wilson, his sons Ryler and Chantry, Sam Riley, Ronnie Faith, Donnie Faith and Gregg Thurman. One thing that really stands out about this group is the live music aspect. Most of the time singing to tracks doesn't bother me. I don't even think about it, until I see a group who does it all live. The group has a number of instruments on stage.

The group has incredible young talent as well with Ryler and Chantry. Ryler's voice has a maturity far beyond his teenage years, and he is a great piano player. Chantry is already handling playing the drums and being the featured singer on a few songs at a young age.

They sang a number of familiar songs including "Beautiful Home" (personal favorite of mine by the Kingsmen) and "Hallelujah, I'm Ready." They also did "Power in the Blood" instrumentally that was great!

The one song they sang with a track  was "Here Comes the Lamb." Beautiful song and a highlight of their set, tracks and all! They closed the night with "We Will Sing a Happy Song."

Spoken 4 took the platform next. They started the night with "You'll Find Me There" from their latest project. Then Steven Hickinbotham was featured on "Hold a Clear Title to a Mansion."

One of the things I love about this group is hearing them share their hearts on stage. Each of them took time to share a story or testimony from his heart. Jon Charles Taggart talked about how he could identify with the story of the prodigal son because of how he had strayed from God as a teenager. He sang the song "Back to Me" that is based on that story. Beautiful song, and Jon Charles does a great job on it!

They sang several of my favorites including "Try a Little Kindness," "I Know My God Can Do It," "I  Know I'm Going Home" and "Hold Me." They also sang the classic "Beulah Land" with Steven accompanying them at the piano. They did the last chorus with just their voices, and it was beautiful! Steven also gave his testimony and sang "Who Am I" with just the piano.

They also sang "Rainbow of Love" that allowed Cecil Stringer to show off how low he could go, and believe me it's low! Brandon Britton also got to show his range with a high note at the end. Brandon was also featured on "I Find No Fault in Him," which is a favorite from their most recent project! He spoke before the song about how we need to stop tearing each other down as Christians and work to love one another more.

Jon Charles talked about how we have given up so much ground as Christians, we almost have nothing left to stand on. As Christians, we need to take a better stand for the truth and stand our ground. And then they ended the night with "We Believe." This is one of my all-time favorite songs they sing!

It was a great night of gospel music! If either group is close to your area, don't miss them!

Spoken 4 Quartet - Names You Might Not Know Yet

Spoken 4 Quartet is a group based in Branson, Mo. that started in 2006. The group consists of Brandon Britton (tenor), Steven Hickinbotham (baritone), Cecil Stringer (bass) and Jon Charles Taggart (lead).

I've had the chance to see them multiple times when singing at Silver Dollar City's Southern Gospel Picnic and most recently when they made their way to Hot Springs, Ark. They are a great group of guys that have a heart for their ministry and seeing people drawn to Christ. Get to know Spoken 4!


Question: When did you become interested in singing Southern Gospel music? What are some of your earliest memories of Southern Gospel?

Jon Charles Taggart - Spoken 4: When I was growing up in my hometown of West Point, Miss., my family attended First Baptist Church, and I always loved hearing the FBC men's quartet sing. I love their harmonies and seeing them work together. While I was attending college at Mississippi College in Clinton, I started following the Gaither Vocal Band because I loved hearing Guy Penrod singing with them. He had the perfect blend of style to me, because I grew up listening to country music as well, and he embodied the best style blend of Gospel, country and humbleness to me. So when I got asked to join a quartet with some friends of mine that I met at church while attending college, I jumped at the opportunity!

Some of my earliest memories of Southern Gospel include watching the Cathedrals, the Stamps and of course the Gaither Vocal Band.


Q: How did you get started as the Spoken 4?

Jon Charles: I met Cecil Stringer while working at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Mo. We both sang with their "in-house" Gospel group for four years when we got news that they no longer wanted to have a full time in-house group, We along with our friend who sang baritone at the City, asked a tenor singer from the Presley's show here in town if he wanted to join forces during the down season here in Branson and do some concerts. He said sure, and we had no idea how God would move and bless this group, but that's how we started out.


Q: How did you come up with the name the Spoken 4?

Jon Charles: After several bad name ideas from us all, I was traveling with my wife home to Mississippi when she had a thought. She asked me what I thought we all had in common, I started naming a wide variety of things from faith to sports, and she said well you are all "spoken for" by Christ so you could try SPOKEN 4. I thought at that moment, That's it! So I called Cecil and Jeremy (baritone singer) to see how they felt about the name possibility, and they liked it. And that's how God helped us figure out our name.


Q: Do you have a favorite song that you sing? And what song from another group has ministered to you?

Jon Charles: I have a bunch of songs that I love and connect with very strongly, but since you want me to pick just one, I think it would have to be "We Believe." The words are so ministering to my soul every time we sing it, that I get fired up and excited to proclaim it like its the first time that we have ever done it.

I love the song "The Promise" by the Martins and "Why Me Lord," the Guy Penrod/Gaither version.


Q: What artists have been your biggest influence musically and/or personally?

Jon Charles: Lots of answers here! I love a wide variety of music, but the artists in our field( besides the guys I sing with)that I have had the privilege to meet and work with,and whom I genuinely respect and have been influenced by:

• Jeff Stice 
• Danny Brown  studio engineer) 
• Tim Riley 
• Danny Funderburk 
• Mike Bowling and Family 
• JD Miller 
• Jerry Trammel 
• Brian Arnold 
• Roger Fortner 
• Bill Gaither 
• Mike Pillow 
• Jeff Steele 
• Guy Penrod 
• Larry Gatlin 

**haven't met the last two


Q: What has been your favorite memory so far in your ministry? Do you have a particular concert that stands out?

Jon Charles: Seeing God move by saving people's souls, and rededication's or people just being moved to serve Him more.....has been the best parts of our ministry! Just knowing that because we chose to make our talents and time available for God to use in a mighty way for His glory to reach His children is so humbling and rewarding! One that sticks out in my mind is when we sang in a town called Houlka, Miss., and a very respected coach from the community who had just been diagnosed with a very serious cancer came forward and gave his heart to Jesus after he heard our witness and music. He took the time afterwards to share that said he saw God in us, and knew that Jesus was speaking directly to him through us. All I can say is Wow, what a real and mighty God, full of grace, we serve!!!


Q: What new things are coming up for the Spoken 4?

Jon Charles: We have just completed a new and what we believe to be very anointed project with Jeff Stice who arranged, played and produced it all. He was a complete hard working professional who brings the best out of people! And he is such a genuine, God Loving, good man. Can't express how awesome it was to work with him, Danny Brown, and all the musicians that played their hearts out! And we are so excited to share these songs with everyone very soon!!! We expect this next year to be incredible for us all, and we can't wait to see how God is going to work! It's all about Jesus, and without Him there would be no hope for any of us, but when you believe in Him, serve Him, and seek His will, Nothing that the devil throws at you can bring you down!

For more on Spoken 4, visit their website - http://www.spoken4quartet.com

Spending Father's Day with Spoken 4 Quartet - Concert Recap

Spoken 4 Quartet

Spoken 4 Quartet is based in the Branson area, but it's a treat when the group gets to Arkansas because it doesn't happen very often. Usually I get to see them in Branson at Silver Dollar City during the Southern Gospel Picnic, but it was great to see them in Hot Springs Village, Ark. on Sunday night, Father's Day.

Spoken 4 Quartet consists of Brandon Britton (tenor), Jon Charles Taggart (lead), Steven Hickinbotham (baritone) and Cecil Stringer (bass). These guys are top notch. It was good to see them in a full concert setting and not just a 30 minute set at the City.

Here's a breakdown of the night:

• "In the Garden" - They started the concert with this song a cappella! And wow, what a way to start the concert!
• "Try a Little Kindness" - Love this uptempo song, such a fun one!
• "I Hold a Clear Title to a Mansion" 
• "Every Step You Take Brings You Back to Me" - I might have the title wrong on this one. Jon Charles said he was hesitant to sing this one since it was a knew song that they weren't as familiar with. He had the feature on this song, and he really is one of the most underrated lead
  
  singers in the industry. Great new song on the prodigal son, hope to hear it on the new album! And the guys all seemed to know the song, so the worry was for nothing!
• "Somebody Touched Me"
• "Hold Me" - Cecil was featured on this one. He has such a classic-sounding bass voice. He told a story of his daughter learning to ride a bike and how she wanted to try on her own. He compared that to how we so many times tell God that we don't need His help and then fail on our own. Thankfully He will always be there to hold us. 
• Intros - Jon Charles asked how many people were seeing them for the first time. Not very many raised their hands. So they decided to have a little fun with the group members' names and introduce each other with fake names! It was funny to hear what names of famous people they gave each other!
• "Put Your Hand in the Hand" - They had the audience join in with them on this one.
• "Who Am I" - Steven went to the piano and sang this one as he played. Loved hearing him sing this classic with just the piano. He also shared some of his testimony before singing. 
  
• "Rainbow of Love" - This song allowed Cecil to show how low his voice is, and you could feel your seat vibrate! At the end Brandon also got to show off his upper range. 
• "Bigger Sins" - Brandon gave his testimony and opened up about personal struggles and trials he had gone through. Then he sang this one with such power and conviction after a very touching testimony. 
• "I Know My God Can Do It" 
• "It's in Your Hands"
• "We Believe" - Incredible song to end the night on!! 

If this quartet comes anywhere close to you, don't miss them! They are so strong vocally at all four positions, and they really do a great job of giving each member a chance to show what he can do.

It was an incredible night not only full of great music and quartet singing, but also stirring testimonies from personal stories to the story of how the group survived a 45-vehicle pileup in 2010. Not only will their songs and music impress you, but also how their faith shines through what's said between the songs. Thanks guys for a great evening of music and worship glorifying our Father on Father's Day!

Spoken 4 Quartet's Music Video

More groups are starting to have music videos produced. One of the latest groups to do this is Spoken 4  Quartet. They've done it with their song "Give God Your Storm." I really think this could be a break-through song for this group. I got the chance to hear them sing this live last week in Branson. It's one of the standout songs on the group's latest album, Faithful.

Check out the video below, and let me know what you think!

Short Day Eight at Silver Dollar City

Isaac caused us to change our plans. We decided not to go to Silver Dollar City until the afternoon. Our family has followed Spoken 4 Quartet since they first formed, so we definitely did not want to miss them. We got to see all three of their shows and also the Collingsworth Family at night.

Spoken 4 Quartet 

This was my first time seeing Spoken 4 Quartet with new baritone singer, Steven Hickinbotham. I was anxious to see them, since Jeremy Wilkerson was the original baritone for the group. Steven not only lends his vocals to the group, but also plays the piano, which is a great addition. Spoken 4 made a great hire with him!

The quartet opened its first show with an a cappella arrangement of “Great Is Thy Faithfulness/ How Great Is Our God," which was great! :) They also sang "In the Garden" a cappella during their second show. I love hearing groups sing a cappella because it can really show you what a group is capable of vocally, and this group really shined on the a cappella songs!

They showcased bass singer Cecil Stringer's capabilities during each show. And each time he rattled the chairs and the speakers and everything in the theater! He's definitely one of the lowest in Southern Gospel and definitely that we have seen during the festival.

A song they sang that I had never heard before is "Give God Your Storm." This one features Jon Charles Taggart, lead, and has such a great message. I think this could be the song that really launches this group.

Jon Charles had Steven sing the song that he did when he auditioned with the group, "Who Am I." He played and sang it at the piano, and did an outstanding performance on it.

Another song that I love to hear them sing is "He's My Song," which tenor Brandon Britton sings.

Collingsworth Family
Silver Dollar City moved the concert to the largest indoor theater because of the weather. Kudos to Silver Dollar City for not canceling the concert and getting everything ready to go inside instead of in the amphitheater. But just because they weren't going to sing in the rain, didn't mean that we didn't have to wait in the rain... for an hour. Many people waited more than that, because we were probably at the halfway point of the line. Now, it wasn't raining extremely hard or anything, but the crowd that was there showed that they are some dedicated gospel music fans to wait in the rain!

That being said, I was really disappointed that instead of the usual hour and a half concert at night, it was only an hour. After standing in the rain waiting, I really was hoping that they would sing longer than we were waiting.

It has been since last year's gospel festival since I've seen the Collingsworth Family live. I was very impressed with Olivia this year. She seems to have really come into her own and turned out to be quite a singer. She sounds a lot like Courtney to me, which is a definite compliment. It seemed that the family is featuring her more as well.

The Collingsworth Family sang a number of songs from their Christmas project that they had just received. Phillip and Brooklyn sang "Silent Night," and it was gorgeous. However, the songs did seem a little out of place in August. But I guess not so out of place, since they just came out with a new Christmas album and wanted to showcase songs from it. Still it's August!

The highlights of the concert for me were "The Prayer" and "At Calvary." Brooklyn and Courtney played "The Prayers" on their violins. It was absolutely beautiful. I love the family's arrangement of "At Calvary," and it's what they ended the night on. Great song to end the concert on, but it ended too soon, if you ask me. I was really disappointed that they cut it short. We thought at first they were wrapping up for the intermission and not the end of the concert. The Booth Brothers earlier in the festival went over their time to show appreciation for the fans who waited in the rain, and you would think groups would tend to lean that way instead of cutting it shorter!

Spoken 4 Quartet Welcomes Steven Hickinbotham

Spoken 4 Quartet announces Steven Hickinbotham as the new baritone. Original baritone Jeremy Wilkerson left the group to pursue other avenues and to spend more time with his family at the end of 2011. J.D. Miller had been filling in as baritone and pianist during the time of transition.

Steven was previously with the Melody Boys Quartet. After leaving them, he continued to sing locally and moved back to his hometown of Thayer, Mo. Later, he helped co found the group Faith's Journey where he sang lead for several years.

Steven is excited about joining Spoken 4 Quartet. "Singing along side these guys I know this is where God wants me to be. I'm honored to be able to share the message of Christ to the world. There's something special here and I'm just glad that I'm a part of it," he said.

Spoken 4 Quartet is based in Branson, Mo. They are a group that I have been following since they formed in 2007. Owners Jon Charles Taggart and Cecil Stringer sang together in the Cumberland Quartet, which was formerly Silver Dollar City's in-house gospel group. It was during that time that I was introduced to them. They are very well known throughout the Ozarks areas. And when they come back to perform at Silver Dollar City, they always draw a large crowd! If you haven't heard Spoken 4, I encourage you to check them out!

For more information on Spoken 4 Quartet, visit their website.