2018 National Quartet Convention - Saturday Night Recap

I was back watching tonight for the final night of singing. The schedule overall ran early which allowed for Bill Bailey a little leniency. It was good that he asked a few artists back on stage for one more song or asked them to repeat a chorus of a previous song.



Highlights and Commentary - 

• I missed seeing the Kingsmen earlier in the week, so this was my first look at the new lineup. Thought they are sounding good together already!
• It's always fun to see who artists might pull up to join them during their sets. Lauren Talley joined Mark Bishop during his set for "With Me Always." The Erwins had a full choir from First Baptist Sevierville with them during their set. 
• The stretch from the Kingdom Heirs to the Whisnants was some of the best singing of the week in my opinion.
• I'm sad that Second Half Quartet will not be making appearances anymore (though I certainly understand why). They are quartet singing at its finest.
• I liked how they worked in the power hour artists into the program tonight. I wish that could be done every night.
• I wish the finale tonight had been different. I get that they wanted to do something different than the typical #1 parade of songs (which I do love every year). However, the thing that separates this music from everything else is that at the center is Jesus. I wish the culmination of the week had not been focused on America but on Jesus. 

Favorite Performances - 

• "In the House of the Lord" - The Erwins
• "Saints Will Rise" - The Kingsmen
• "What An Anchor" - Mylon Hayes Family 
• "Until You've Known the Love of God" - Greater Vision
• "Midnight Cry" - Jonathan Wilburn
• "Heaven Just Got Sweeter For You" - Kingdom Heirs
• "The Broken Ones" - The Talleys
• "Going Home" - Second Half Quartet
• "That Sounds Like Home to Me" - Jim Brady Trio
• "The Greatest of All Miracles" - Jim Brady Trio
• "Nothing Stops the Savior's Love" - Tribute Quartet
• "I'll Pray for You" - The Whisnants

2018 Southern Gospel Picnic at Silver Dollar City - Day 3

I was able to catch two groups today - the Talleys and Triumphant Quartet. The Talleys sang in Red Gold Hall this afternoon and then Triumphant closed the night off down in Echo Hollow.

Here are a few highlights from the day -


Talleys

• "There Is Coming a Day" - They sang this one by request. A couple had told them of a family member who passed away and this was the only song they played. 
• "The Broken Ones"
• "He's Alive"
• "Grab Your Umbrella" - Love this new song from them. It's a fun one to see staged!
• "Naaman" - This is one of my favorites to get to hear live!
• "When the Answer Is No" - I loved getting to hear Debra sing this one from their latest project. One of my favorites from Finest Hour. 
• "People in the Line"
• "When Death Was Arrested - This was such a great worship moment. I'm glad they have taken this song to the Southern Gospel world. 

Triumphant Quartet

• "Thankful, So Thankful" 
• "Saved By Grace"
• "Chain Breaker" - This is a song that has taken off in the Southern Gospel world. It resonates with so many people and it's always so evident when you see it live. 
• "Hallelujah" 
• "Amazing God"
• "When the Trumpet Sounds"
• "Long, Black Train" - Eric does an incredible job on this song!
• "I Can Only Imagine" - I had never heard them sing this one live, so it was so good to hear Scotty on this song.
• "The Old White Flag" - Always a fun one especially at Echo Hollow!

Finest Hour - The Talleys - CD Review

The Talleys released their latest project Finest Hour on March 30. This is the group's first release since 2015 and also the first release where Lauren Talley has been a writer as well as vocalist.

Finest Hour features 12 songs as opposed to the normal 10. I love longer when projects give listeners a bonus track or two! And none of the songs fill like just "filler" songs.

The project starts with "Look Up" with each member of the Talleys having solos on the verses. I love the recitations during the song. This song also contains a line with the project's title - Finest Hour. I got to see this song live on the Abraham Production cruise, and it's definitely a powerful song live! I look forward to seeing them stage this a lot.

"Jeremiah 29:11 (You Have Plans)" is one of the highlights to me. I think this song voices fears that we all have. It's that reassuring ballad that we all need sometimes when life can seem to get the best of us. Lauren is featured on this song, and it's also one that she wrote. The other incredible ballad on this project is "Home At Last" which is a great song about Heaven featuring Debra and Lauren.

Debra's rich alto sings the verses of "When the Answer Is No." This is another great ballad that is very relatable. It takes the story of Jesus praying in the garden for this cup to pass from him on the first verse, the second verse is that application verse that talks about our own prayers not being answers as we hoped. We can be assured that God knows best when the answer is no. Debra is also featured on "That's What the Teacher Taught." The song goes through several of the life lessons of Jesus from His teachings and His life. It's one of those songs that you have to listen to a few times to find all the nuggets from these lyrics.

"Joy" picks up the tempo a bit and has a fun feel to it. Lauren takes the lead on this song that you really can't help but bob your head to. "Grab Your Umbrella" is another fun song. Roger sings this song that talks about Elijah praying for rain. It's a great song that talks about how God works behind the scenes so prepare for His blessings - grab your umbrella. "Get Me There" is another groovin' tune that talks about Heaven and features Roger.

Lauren is such a good communicator on story songs. "We Are Witnesses" is an incredible song that is from the prospective of Jesus' followers. This is another one that she co-wrote with Tony Wood and Kenna West.

The last track is "Begin Again God," which is also the first single. This song is just standard Talleys song that will make you want to push "begin again" on the project to give it another listen.

This project had a lot to live up to after After All This Time, but it certainly does not disappoint. It's one of those rare projects where you don't find yourself skipping over songs but listening to all 12.

Song to Turn Up - "Begin Again God" and "Joy"
Song to Put on Repeat - "Jeremiah 29:11 (You Have Plans)"
Song to Give a Second Listen - "That's What the Teacher Taught"

Song List -
1. "Look Up"
2. "Jeremiah 29:11 (You Have Plans)"
3. "When the Answer Is No"
4. "Joy"
5. "We Are Witnesses"
6. "Grab Your Umbrella"
7. "When Death Was Arrested"
8. "That's What the Teacher Taught"
9. "Get Me There"
10. "Home At Last"
11. "He Restoreth My Soul"
12. "Begin Again God"

Going Cruising - Abraham Productions Crystal Caribbean Cruise

Last week I had the opportunity to go on the Abraham Productions' Crystal Caribbean Cruise. It was an incredible week and experience. This was my first cruise and my first Abraham Productions event, but it won't be my last of either.

The groups who were on the ship were - The Talleys, Jeff and Sheri Easter, the Whisnants, Karen Peck & New River (who arrived a little late because of being at the Grammys), the Hoppers, Brian Free & Assurance and Ivan Parker. This was one of the best lineups I could have asked for!

Dr. Herb Reavis was the speaker for the event and spoke on Sunday morning, Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. He is the pastor of North Jacksonville Baptist. This was my first time to hear him speak, and I was definitely blessed and challenged by his speaking. The best news of the week was that 11 people were saved during the cruise! I love how Abraham Productions made sure that the gospel was presented not only through songs but also through preaching.

We had concerts each day where each artist sang around 20 minutes each. When we had the chapel services in the morning a few of the artists got up early and would sing twice on those days. We took over one of the lounge areas on the cruise ship. It was a more intimate setting that was packed full of gospel music fans. One of the things I noticed and loved to watch was how the artists supported each other. They all sat over to the side of the lounge and watched and encouraged each other. It was neat to see them singing along to other groups' songs or making special requests of their favorite songs or even joining other groups on stage.

I didn't take notes to recap everything, because I just wanted to enjoy the music. There was one night that stood out that was full of reminders of God's incredible love for us with songs like -

• "Jesus Loves You" - Jeff & Sheri Easter
• "I Love You This Much" - The Whisnants
• "For God So Loved" - Brian Free & Assurance
• "His Life For Mine" - The Talleys

I don't know if the artists planned how the night went or not, but it was amazing to see how God brought a clear theme to the night. 

A few other memorable performances were - 

• "Something's Happening" (The Hoppers) - Kim is still recovering from foot surgery so she was on crutches and sat to sing most of the week. Kim still nailed the end of the song sitting down early in the morning!
• "Goin' Away Party" - Jeff Easter pulled Lauren Talley on stage to sing the second verse with them.
• "Midnight Cry" - Ivan Parker got Brian Free & Assurance to join him for this one
• "All Is Well" - The Whisnants
• "My God Will Always Be Enough" - Karen Peck & New River

If you ever get the chance to go cruising, I highly recommend this one! It was a week full of great preaching and singing and one I won't soon forget. 

2017 Christmas Releases

'Tis the season for Christmas music. If you are anything like me, Christmas music actually started about a month ago. I'm not a wait until after Thanksgiving kind of person.

If you are looking for some new music to add to your collection this year, several artists have released new Christmas projects. Here's a closer look at these albums -

The Perrys - A Very Perry Christmas

The Perrys released their first Christmas project in the history of the group. The project has many traditional songs along with a few fun expected ones like "Mele Kalilimaka." Libbi's rendition of "Silver Bells" and Andrew's version of "O Holy Night" are not to be missed!

I really enjoyed "Silver and Gold" that featured Troy. It's not a song that overdone, so I was glad to see this one make the cut. Another highlight is "We Need a Silent Night/ Silent Night." It's a nice mix of a new song with a Christmas classic. "Love Is Alive Forever" is a old Poet Voices song that I was not familiar with. It's not super Christmasy; however, I think it's a great addition to this album. I really liked that this project didn't have a lot of the standard Christmas songs, but really offers listeners something different with song selection.


Doug Anderson - Back Porch Christmas

Back Porch Christmas is a collection of eight Christmas songs. I'll be honest the opening song and title track just made me laugh because the lyrics are so true to life for what many of our family Christmases look like. It's a great song that I'm sure I'm not the only one who will relate to it.

This project also offers listeners a variation from your typical Christmas songs. "I'll Be Home for Christmas" is the probably the most recognized song. I love all the new Christmas songs. Most of the songs are Christ-centered. I love how these songs make you think about the story we are all so familiar with in different ways. "When I Think of Bethlehem" is not a song to be missed! "Christmas in Heaven" is sweet song that can make the holidays a little more bearable when thinking about the loved ones no longer with us. The highlight of the project for me is "The Manger and the Cross,"


Roger Talley - Christmas Piano Classics

If you don't already have your tree up, this is the perfect project to turn on while you are decking the halls. The first half has a lot of your secular favorites like "Silver Bells," "The Christmas Song" and "I'll Be Home for Christmas" while the second half has more of our church favorites. You'll find traditional carols like "Silent Night" and "The First Noel" as well as "Do You Hear What I Hear."

Roger Talley is known for his arrangements and this album is no exception. I love the tracks where he's meshed two songs like "O Come, O Come Emmanuel/ O Come Let Us Adore Him" and "We Need a Little Christmas/ It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas."


High Road - Wonder

This is an EP of six Christmas songs. It starts out with "I Wonder as I Wander," which has a nice classic, almost Celtic feel. "The Night Before Christmas" has a more country feel. It sounds familiar but I can't find that it's a previously recorded song. "Let Us Not Forget" is another great country-flavored song that reminds us what Christmas should really be about. It's my favorite song on the project.

They also have a great version of "O Holy Night" with a simple piano arrangement. The group included two instrumental songs on the project "For the Beauty of the Earth" and "Winter Wonderland."

National Quartet Convention - Thursday Night

Day four of the National Quartet Convention is in the books. I attended the afternoon showcase of Aaron Wilburn and the Gaither Homecoming sing-along. I have to say that the two-hour Homecoming sing has been my favorite part thus far of convention. I've never had an experience quite like that one. When I've been to Homecoming concerts in the past, there have never been that many artists on stage at one time.


So for the evening concert, here are highlights -

• Tonight was a sell out. Of course, the Gaither Vocal Band was the closer tonight. They had an extended set as well as the Hoppers.
• The reminder of Heaven was a major theme tonight. Jim Brady shared of his dad's passing and the song that came out of that. Mike LeFevre said goodbye to his mom only a few weeks ago and shared about her passing and then they sang a tribute to her.
• Patriotism was another theme of the night as it has been all week. The Nelons sang several from their recent Americana project. Selah actually joined the Nelons during their set. Of course, Legacy Five sang and played a couple as well. 
• Bill Gaither came up during the Hoppers' set talking about the new album he just worked on with them. Mark Trammell paid a touching tribute to Gaither before singing his song "The King Is Coming."
• The Gaither Vocal Band set was great tonight and gave us something different from what we had been hearing this week. Mark Trammell Quartet, the Hoppers and Tribute Quartet also had some of my favorite sets of the night.

Key Performances -

• "I'll Worship You Again" - The Taylors
• "To Say Goodbye" - LeFevre Quartet
• "When Grandpa Sang Amazing Grace" - The Nelons
• "Hallelujah, Praise the Lamb" - The Talleys
• "It Is Well" (a cappella) - The Isaacs
• "The King Is Coming" - Mark Trammell Quartet
• "Farewell, But Not Forever" - Jim Brady Trio
• "What a Meeting in the Air" - Tribute Quartet
• "Be An Overcoming" - The Hoppers
• "Facts Are Facts" - The Booth Brothers
• "'Til the Storm Passes By" - Gaither Vocal Band
• "It Is Finished" - Gaither Vocal Band

National Quartet Convention - Tuesday Night

Night two of the 2017 is now complete. The last few hours of the night were packed with highlights. For those who left before the power half-hour missed a lot of great up and coming groups. Here are my thoughts on the night.


Highlights and Commentary -

• I am really enjoying the longer sets for featured groups. Last night it was the Whisnants. Tonight it was the Jim Brady Trio and Greater Vision.
• The entire Daywind set was incredible. It featured Legacy Five, the Hoppers, Greater Vision, Joseph Habedank and Tribute Quartet. 
• If for some reason you didn't love Katie Erwin before, you would after tonight. She and Joseph Habedank hosted together. She looked just as comfortable and at home up there as he did. They did a great job!
• I was impressed by the unity and support of groups tonight. From artists in the artists circle supporting each other to actual on-stage support. Jason Crabb had several younger artists back him up on a new song. He returned the favor for Highroad's song. Jaquita Lindsey of 11th Hour filled in for Lisa Williamson, whose grandmother just passed away. Riley Harrison Clark joined the Talleys set for "What Grace Is Mine," a duet with Lauren.
• Josh Townsend of Legacy Five gave a stirring testimony before playing and singing "God's Been Good." Today was his 20th birthday and he told everything that he'd been through in his 20 years. He's a walking miracle. He gave such a touching performance singing and playing "God's Been Good." It's one of those moments people will be talking about for years to come. 
• The power half-hour tonight featured a lot of great playing and picking from the live music of Highroad and the Lindsey family to the incredible piano playing of Jacob Klutz with the Troy Burns Family.
• It was another night for a lot of new songs. The Perrys had all songs from Testament, their latest project. Jason Crabb sang a song he wrote after the recent hurricanes that had never been sung before.

Favorite Performances -

• "The Greatest of All Miracles" - Jim Brady Trio
• "It's About the Cross" - Ball Brothers
• "Give Me Jesus" - The Talleys
• "What Grace Is Mine" - Lauren Talley and Riley Harrison Clark
• "Find Me Faithful" - The Perrys
• "Love in Your Heart" - Jason Crabb
• "God's Been Good" - Legacy Five
• "Something's Happening" - The Hoppers
• "Still" - Greater Vision
• "Here He Comes" - Joseph Habedank
• "Beauty of the Blood" - Joseph Habedank
• "When the Prodigal Comes Home" - Tribute Quartet

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

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

• Jason Crabb will join Selah on the “Your Love Is Unbreakable” tour this fall. It is presented by World Vision and will start tonight. It is scheduled to be in 13 cities during the months of September, October and November.
• Smacker Bats has partnered with Matt Felts to release a special edition bat. The company is now offering a “Matt Felts Signature Series” baseball bat. The bat has Matt Felts signature and logo on the barrel of the bat.
• The Griffith Family reached an exclusive recording and distribution deal with Newday Records, a division of Daywind Music Group and Newday Distribution.
• Karen Peck and New River, the Talleys, Highroad and Emily Ann Roberts have kicked off The Gospel Through Girls and Guitars Tour. This tour will be in fall 2017 and continuing into the spring 2018. 

Anything I've missed?

Songs and Testimonies - The Talleys - Concert Recap

You know when a pastor starts a service by telling the group to "sic 'em" you're going to be in for a good night. The Talleys were special guests at Hilltop Assembly of God in Malvern a few weeks ago.

The Talleys - Roger, Lauren and Debra Talley

I love hearing the music and certain songs, but I love hearing the artists' hearts. That's what I loved about this night. They each shared about certain songs, testimonies or memories throughout the night. We got to see their hearts in not only what they sang but what they said and shared.

Here's a look at how the night went -

• "After All This Time"
• "The Promise"
• "What Is This Thing Called Grace" - This is a song that really didn't stand out to me until that night. And wow, what a moment it was. Debra talked about grace being too much for us to comprehend. It's what our lives as Christians are based on, but it's so hard for us to understand. It's such a beautiful song about the power of grace in our lives. 
• Piano Medley - They let the audience call out songs for Roger to put together for a medley. The first song shouted out was "Keep on the Firing Line." Roger protested a little at first but Debra and Lauren insisted that it was in the hymnal so it should be included. The other two called out were "He Set Me Free and "Amazing Grace." He managed to put those three together!
• "Hidden Heroes" - There were a few families in the audience that night that Lauren dedicated this song to because of how it represented their family life. This is always a touching one to hear live. 
• "My Hope Is in the Lord"
• "When He Calls Me I'll Fly Away"
• "He's Alive"
• "Namaan" - Always love hearing this song live!
• "Thinking About Home" - Debra talked a little bit about her dad's homegoing before she sang this one because the day before was the one year anniversary. She said she could imagine when her dad walked through the gates of how he was completely healed at that point. Heaven will be more than we can ever imagine; we have something to be excited about. 
• "People in the Line" - This song is convicting every time I hear it! It's so easy to go by people every day, get frustrated with them and not thinking about what they might be going through. 
• "The Broken Ones" - This is such a beautiful song. Lauren talked about how Jesus talked more about how we treat other people than anything else. How we treat people matters. She said sometimes the best thing we can do for a hurting person is just to be kind. We've all been where we feel broken and have needed that kind word or a smile. We all need to be reminded that Someone cares. 
• "Hallelujah Praise the Lamb" - So glad that they closed with this song!

2016 National Quartet Convention - Saturday Night Recap

The 2016 National Quartet Convention is now complete. It was a great year. I am looking forward to seeing some of the performances again on demand and also catching what I missed Friday night. Here are my thoughts and highlights from the last night of NQC -

Commentary/ Highlights -

• It was great to see so many of the younger generation in Southern Gospel highlighted tonight. I loved what the Erwins did by having so many of them join them on stage for "I Choose to Be a Christian." It was definitely a highlight of the night. The Bowling sisters singing "At the Cross" was another incredible moment. That sister harmony cannot be beat!
• The hour of Tribute and Triumphant Quartets were the best of the night. These two groups had the longer sets of the night. Tribute again sang a lot from their new project again. I loved hearing all the new songs; their new project is a must buy! They ended their set with Triumphant joining them on "I Remember the Day." Triumphant then did a lot of favorites and requests. They closed with "He Is," great moment!
• Gerald Wolfe had some chest congestion so he asked Mark Trammell to join Greater Vision on stage to help him sing. During their set, he said he felt like he could sing bass like J.D. So they did the Cathedrals arrangement of "Wonderful Grace of Jesus" with him singing bass. 
• I have to say I was expecting more during the finale. I was a little disappointed that several groups didn't come back to the stage and sing some of their hits. 
• Voices of Lee, though not officially on the program this year, made an appearance during Gordon Mote and Mark Trammell Quartet's sets. They also sang a great arrangement of "Good, Good Father." 

Favorite Songs/ Performances of the Night -

• "I Choose to Be a Christian" - The Erwins
• "At the Cross" - Bowling Family (sisters)
• "Only Jesus Can Heal This Hurting World" - Gordon Mote
• "Holy Shore" - Perrys
• "My Faith Still Holds" - Mark Trammell Quartet (with Voices of Lee)
• "When the Prodigal Comes Home" - Tribute Quartet
• "He Is" - Triumphant Quartet
• "His Life for Mine" - The Talleys
• "Wonderful Grace of Jesus" - Greater Vision with Mark Trammell

2016 National Quartet Convention - Wednesday Night

Overall this has been the strongest night so far of the convention. I started watching during the end of the Mylon Hayes Family's set tonight. I was in and out a bit, but got to see most of it from then on.

Commentary/ Highlights -

• I am struggling to crown a set of the night. It's a toss up between the Hoppers and the Second-Half Quartet. It was good to hear from the Hoppers' new project as well favorites like "Jerusalem." I also was glad that the Hoppers included the Hopper Brothers 2.0 coming up and singing "I Know." I think after this week people are going to be interested in seeing more and more from the Second-Half Quartet. I think people love their sound and the voices with just piano and bass. 
• Kudos to the Ball Brothers for doing an a cappella number tonight. A cappella is challenging anyway, but especially at NQC. However these guys pulled it off with "I Shall Know Him."
• It's good to see Trey Ivey step out from behind the piano. I really enjoyed hearing him sing "In the Hands of a Carpenter."
• Susan Whisnant singing "I Love You This Much" was definitely one of the top moments of the night. It was sweet how she asked where her parents where in the audience before singing and how she paid tribute to her mom. 
• I don't know who came up with #DaywindBusKaraoke, but thank you. Hilarious, especially Legacy Five's impersonation of Tribute. 
• Ernie Haase joined Legacy Five on stage for "He Made a Change" for a nice Cathedral tribute. 
• The webcast cut out for me during the Talleys set. I saw the first song and then it came back in during them singing with the audience "What a Day That Will Be." 
• I would have rearranged the schedule a bit tonight. Nothing against the Browns, but the part where all the Daywind artists came back to the stage and sang some of their most popular songs felt like the finale. It was one of my favorite parts of the night. 

Favorite Songs/ Performances -

• "I Shall Know Him" - Ball Brothers
• "It's Almost Over" - Mark Trammell Quartet
• "Pray Now" - Karen Peck & New River
• "Sometimes I Cry" - Jason Crabb
• "I've Come Too Far" - Hoppers
• "Standing on Holy Ground" - Second-Half Quartet
• "After All This Time" - Talleys
• "I Love You This Much" - The Whisnants
• "God of the Storms" - Tribute Quartet
• "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" - Legacy Five
• "Jesus The One" - Hoppers
• "Christ Is Still the King" - Legacy Five joined by Tribute Quartet

Sunday at Silver Dollar City - Southern Gospel Picnic 2016

While I was out of my normal Sunday routine of being at church, we definitely experienced church today at Silver Dollar City. We had worship mixed in with a little bit of honking and Elvis impersonating. Here's a run down on my day - 

Sunday Drive

The first show of the day was Sunday Drive. I got the chance to see them last year and then just reviewed their latest project, Special Edition, so I was anxious to see them again in person. They sang a few songs from that project including "A Good Song," "Don't Forget My Senior Discount" and "If There's a Rocking Chair in Heaven." I didn't realize when I was reviewing the project that the song actually features Jeff's mom singing the second verse. This song went to #21 in the country in 1986 for Jeff's family's groups, so they brought it back and still featured his mom's voice on it.

They sang probably their most well-known song, "Happy, Happy, Happy." Great song!

In addition to the Senior Citizen discount song, which had the audience erupt in laughter, Jeff also sang his comedy song "Honk if You Love Jesus," which was another one that had the audience in stitches. 

The Talleys

From Sunday Drive, I made my way to see the Talleys this afternoon who were singing in the Red Gold Heritage Hall. They opened their first set with "After All This Time" from their most recent project by the same name. Love this song, and it's a great opener! The other new but old song they sang from that project was "Namaan." 

Debra talked about the recent death of her father and how they saw the faithfulness of God. She asked Lauren to come forward to sing "Great Is Thy Faithfulness." I love their arrangement of this song!

Lauren also sang "Hidden Heroes" and then they ended the first set with "He's Alive." This is always such a powerful moment that has the audience on its feet!

Jeff Stice

Pianst Jeff Stice started the night in Echo Hollow. One of my favorites that he played was "Through It All." He paid tribute to all the military branches with a medley of all their songs. He had veterans of each branch stand as their song was played. 

He talked a little bit about how he got started and some of those who influenced him which included some impressions of Elvis, Ray Charles and Floyd Kramer. He ended his part with the "Hallelujah Chorus.

Brian Free & Assurance

Brian Free & Assurance closed the day down in Echo Hollow. They opened with "I Keep Looking Up." They kept the crowd going with a lot of their uptempo songs like "You Can Be the Difference," "Anything Is Possible" and "Tell It Like It Was."

The group featured also several songs from Live Like We're Redeemed. They sang "You Could Be the Difference" and "He Will Carry You," love this song! They also sang "Forever Home." This is a beautiful song about the promise of Heaven. Brian talked about losing his parents, and Bill his brother and Mike his grandfather. After intermission, they sang "That's Just What Grace Does," which is one of my favorites from that CD!

Bill requested that Brian show off his tenor skills, so Brian sang "Glory Road." I don't know how he gets as high as he does, but I'm so impressed every time!

Another highlight of the night was "Say Amen." It's always so moving to hear them sing this live with the audience echoing "Amen" during the song. 

Of course, it wouldn't be the same without "Long As I Got King Jesus." They sang this before the break and to end the night!

Day four is complete, ready for day five!

Reminder of Faithfulness - Talleys Concert Recap

I'm trying to get back in the swing of blogging. Sorry I've been sporadic lately! A few weeks ago, I had a string of concerts, so I'm trying to get around to all the recaps.

The Talleys had several concerts in Arkansas at the end of June. I was able to catch them in Jacksonville, Arkansas. It was the first time I had seen them since the release of their latest project After All This Time. Here are highlights of the concert that night -

The Talleys - Lauren, Debra and Roger Talley

I loved how many of their new songs they sang that night, including "After All This Time," "Naaman" and "There's Never Been a Mountain." All of these songs were great to see in person. "Naaman" is one of my favorites from the project. It was also good to hear "The People in the Line," a definite highlight of the evening. They played the concept video as they sang. If you haven't seen it, check it out here!

That night, Debra talked about how her dad had not been doing well. She was afraid she wouldn't be able to make the trip at all. Debra talked about how she was thankful for every day they had with him. "God is faithful in every circumstance of our lives," she said. "If he had passed right then, God would still have been faithful. If he passes tomorrow, God will still be faithful. Because it's not about our circumstances, but it's about who He is." It was an incredible reminder from her. And Debra's dad actually did pass on later that week. It was inspiring to see that in a time when they were struggling personally with his illness that they still pressed on in ministry and were able to proclaim the faithfulness of God. After Debra talked, they sang "Great Is Thy Faithfulness," such a great moment!

Debra was featured on "Thinking About Home" later on that night. It was such a sweet performance. It was so special that night knowing the state that her dad was in that night.

Dennis Dugger who sang with Tribute Quartet for several years was there that night. The Talleys called Dennis on stage to join then for "Searchin.'" Great seeing him back on stage and singing with them!

Another new one that I didn't mention earlier is "There Is Coming a Day." Lauren talked about the promise of Heaven and the hope we have in Christ before the song. If we place our hope in the things and people of the world, we will have disappointment. However, as a believer, we have a promise that we can stand on that one day we will see Him face to face. After this song, Lauren started "What a Day That Will Be" a cappella. Incredible moment of the night!

It was great as always to see the Talleys! It was such a sweet time of worship and reminders of just how faithful God is. No matter what we are facing or what may be ahead, we can rest in the promises of God. Thankful that they reminded us of that!

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

Here are news and tidbits from this week in Southern Gospel -

• The final round of voting for the Singing News Fan Awards is now open. Subscribers can go here to vote. 
• The 2016 BMI Christian Awards were held this week in Nashville. BMI honored the songwriters and publishers of the top 25 songs of the past year played on Christian radio. The following songs were honored - 
• "Everybody's Going Through Something"
• "Glorybound"
• "Joys of Heaven"
• "Love Them to Jesus"
• "Oh Yes I Am"
• Prayers go out to the Talley family with the passing of Debra's father this week. 
• Daywind Music Publishing is proud to welcome singer/songwriter and comedian Tim Lovelace to its expanding roster of talented songwriters.

Anything I've missed?

In Case You Missed It - News and Tidbits - April 16

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

• Congratulations to Riley Harrison and Megan Clark on their newest addition to their family. Big brother Colbin welcomed sister Charlee Rae on April 14. She was 7 lbs., 9 oz. and 20.5 inches long. She was born via emergency c-section, but both mother and baby are doing better.
• Daywind Music Group announced the addition of Daywind Roots to its family of award-winning music labels. Daywind Roots strives to fill a void left in Christian music. The rich, classic sounds of Christian, country and gospel artists will be the foundation of this label; providing these timeless artists with a home to create new, quality music to be heard by fans around the world The first project on Daywind Roots comes from the GRAMMY Award winning country group, Shenandoah. 
• The Absolutely Gospel Music Awards were held this week. Check out the full list of winners.
• Gospel music songwriter Tina Sadler-Stark passed away this week after a battle with an aggressive form of cancer. She is known for "God Is Good All The Time" (Gaither Vocal Band), "Meanwhile In The Garden" (Tony Gore & Majesty), and "Something In The Upper Room" (The Wilburns). Services were held this week in Poplar Bluff, Missouri.
• Pat Barker announced the start of PB&J Productions. This will include promoting, broadcasting with webcasts and an internet music school. Check out his full video announcement -
  
• The Talleys debuted their new concept video "The People in the Line" at the Absolutely Gospel Music Awards on Tuesday. The video stars Lauren Talley and Jedda Meyers. Watch it below -
  
  
  

Anything I've missed?

The Talleys - After All This Time - CD Review

The Talleys' latest recording After All This Time releases tomorrow. I have to say this is the best
Talleys' album to date. It's without a doubt a must buy this year. I'm sure it will be in my list of top albums this year.

The project starts with the title track. This song has a fun country feel that simply talks about the faithfulness of God. Love this song to get the project started!

"The People in the Line" was a song I heard live via webcast during NQC. Lauren talked about how convicting the lyrics are, and the more I listened to the song, the more I found out she's exactly right. We never know what people are us are going through from the people in the line to the people on the road to people on the stage. We forget how other people maybe hurting. We can be quick to judge when they aren't doing as we think they should. This song featuring Lauren is sure to do well for the group!

"Jesus' Blood Is Enough" is a song you need to hit repeat on over and over again. The soothing song is a beautiful reminder that He is enough to make us new, to cover our sins, to bring us hope or to help us through whatever we may be going through. Lauren does such an incredible job on this song. This is my favorite Lauren feature of the project. Although "There Is Coming a Day" is a close second. The song is a great picture of the promise of Heaven.

Debra has such a tender performance on "I Need You More." The arrangement is simple to really allow her beautiful alto voice to soar through. It's to the tune of Elvis Presley's "Love Me Tender." Debra's favorite performance of mine though is "This Thing Called Grace." It's such an amazing song written by Dianne Wilkinson and Rebecca Peck. Debra turns in an incredible performance on this track.

I wasn't familiar with "Naaman" before this project. But it quickly became one I found myself hitting repeat on and then I discovered the song was actually a remake. The Talleys also recorded the song in the 1980s when Kirk was with the group. I like when groups can pull up an old song, give it a new feel and newer fans (like myself) a chance to hear it for the first time! This version is a must listen!

"My Hope Is in the Lord" is not the same song the group recorded just a few albums prior. I wonder how many groups have recorded a song by the same name! This upbeat very Southern-style song is a great song that really features all three members.

Roger is featured on "Somebody's Story." This song has a similar message to "The People in the Line." The song has such a different feel though and the message definitely bears repeating!

Lauren shows off her soulful side with "Who But God." This is another song that was a hit in the 1980s written by Ronnie Hinson and Mike Payne.

This time of year I really like to just listen to Christmas. But it's been hard not to keep listening to this CD once I got it! Every cut on the project is worth listening to. This project shows the Talleys' strengths and how consistent they are at producing great projects. I really think this is my favorite CD of theirs. From orchestration to song choice to vocals, it's hands down a 5-star recording!

If you're looking for a great Christmas present for the gospel music fan in your life, pick this CD up, but be sure to also get one for yourself!

Song List -
1. "After All This Time"
2. "There Is Coming a Day"
3. "There's Never Been a Mountain"
4. "This Thing Called Grace"
5. "Naaman"
6. "Jesus' Blood Is Enough"
7. "My Hope Is in the Lord"
8. "But I Need You More"
9. "The People in the Line"
10. "Somebody's Story"
11. "Who But God"
12. "I Love to Tell the Story/ Blessed Assurance"

Roger Bennett Memorial Concert - Talleys & Mark Trammell Quartet - Concert Recap

Arkansas has several claims to fame in the Southern Gospel community. One of the most notable figures in gospel music from our state is Roger Bennett. He was from Strawberry, Arkansas. He passed away in 2007 after a long battle with leukemia. For several years they have had a memorial concert to honor Roger's memory and legacy. This year it was held at First Baptist Church in Cave City, Arkansas with the Talleys and the Mark Trammell Quartet on Oct. 17. It was a great night honoring Roger with two great groups!

The Talleys took the stage first that night. They started their set with "I Love the Tell the Story." Great to hear them sing this classic hymn! Then, Lauren was featured on "The Promise," one of my favorite Talley songs! They sang a few more from the The Test of Time project including "Isn't the Love of Jesus Something Wonderful," "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" and "When He Calls I'll Fly Away." Their version of "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" is definitely one of my favorites!

The Talleys - Debra, Lauren and Roger

Lauren set up the next song by telling a story about her grandparents. When her grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, her grandfather dropped everything to take care of her. For 10 years, he cared for her faithfully. Lauren was featured on "Hidden Heroes." This is such a great song, and it won the Dove Award for Southern Gospel Song of the Year earlier that week!

Roger was featured on "God Leads Us Along" on the keyboard before they closed their set with "He's Alive" and "The Broken Ones." "He's Alive" is always such a powerful song! I also love the tenderness of the broken ones. I love how Lauren comes into the audience ends it a cappella with no mic just her voice and lets the lyrics of the song speak for itself. What a comforting thought of how God cares for His broken children and a challenge that we need to love and minister to the broken ones around us more.

The Mark Trammell Quartet took the stage next. For many people, there were two new faces on stage. Tenor Blake Buffin has been with the group just a few months now, but that night Keith Inman was filling in on bass. Randy Byrd's daughter was getting married that Saturday, so he was not with the group that concert. Keith is no stranger to gospel music and has sung with several groups and is brother to Clayton Inman of Triumphant.

The Mark Trammell Quartet - Blake Buffin, Nick Trammell,
Mark Trammell and Keith Inman

They started the night with "Leave Your Sorrows" before singing "To Know He Knows Me" from Your Walk Talks. They sang several from that project including the title track, "Don't Stop Running" and "God's Been Faithful." The last one is a personal favorite. I love hearing them sing this one live.

The quartet pulled out some older songs as well like the Cathedrals' classic "Wedding Music." Blake was featured on "Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus." He does a great job on this hymn! Keith was featured on "Wonderful Time Up There." This is always a fun one to see live!

They ended the set with "The King is Coming." This song is always a highlight. I love the group's version of this song. Mark does such an incredible job on this song!

To start the second half, Debbie Bennett along with her children Chelsea and Jordan came up and said a few words. The family was extremely grateful to the groups for being there and for this concert to take place to honor Roger's life. Several other Bennett family members were in attendance.

The Talleys came back on stage and sang a few more including "Searchin" and "Mountain Mover." Debra was featured on "Thinkin' About Home." I love hearing her sing this one! They ended their set with Lauren on "His Life for Mine," again this is always a powerful song and a highlight!

The Mark Trammell Quartet sang "Meet Me Over on the Other Side" and "Guide Me O Jehovah." They closed with "Almost Over." Mark said if he had to pick one song to sing this would be it. Such an  incredible song!

The two groups took the stage together and sang "I'll Fly Away." The pastor came up to close the concert. Once he got on stage he made the comment that he needed someone to take his picture with all these famous people. The last time he had his picture made with a famous person he was 14 and it was a former president from Arkansas, and he didn't know better! Mark told him that there were some things better left unsaid. The pastor encouraged the groups to sing just one more, so they just asked him to join them, and he did! They ended the night with "Standing on the Solid Rock."

It was a great night with two incredible groups. It's not often that you get a full concert with two of the top groups in the industry. It was also a sweet night honoring the life and legacy of Roger Bennett. It was easy to see how he impacted the lives of the singers who took the stage that night, Southern Gospel music and the lives of all the family and friends who were there to honor him.

National Quartet Convention 2015 - Friday Night Recap

I just want to say how thankful I am for the webcast. For those of us who aren't able to make the trip to Pigeon Forge, it's great to be able to watch so much of the concerts online! I watched tonight but was also doing other things, and now I'm having to check out a little early. But here's what stood out to me tonight.

The Booth Brothers once again proved why they are at the top of this industry. I know a lot of people don't like when they take time talking away from singing, but you can't argue with what he said. They started with "Look for Me at Jesus' Feet" and then sang the new song "I Am the Word." They ended with "Jesus Saves" with the Collingsworth Family. Such a great moment of worship!!

I really like the "This Is My Story" segments they are showing paying tribute to different artists. It was a sweet tribute to Claude and Connie Hopper and all they've overcome this year. The Hoppers had a solid set as usual. Legacy Five also had a great set tonight with Trey Ivey getting a featured vocal solo!

Many groups staged songs for the first time this week which isn't that unusual. I was driving home listening to Wilburn and Wilburn's newest song written by Gerald Crabb and couldn't catch the name, but loved the song. Extremely timely, because it started off talking about a school shooting. Also loved hearing a couple of new ones by the Collingsworth Family. Their That Day Is Coming project is full of amazing songs!

It was good that several lesser-known groups got time on main stage tonight - the Littles, the Rick Webb Family and the Childress Family. Claude Hopper also brought up the Hall Sisters who sang "I Will Arise" a cappella, beautiful!

I liked how Tribute Quartet and the Talleys had sets back to back. We got a glimpse of their "Good News He's Alive" tour. Lauren Talley and Riley Harrison Clark's singing "The Prayer" was an early highlight of the evening! Also loved hearing Lauren sing "Hidden Heroes."

Apparently several groups got the Christmas memo tonight. It was interesting to me how many groups broke out Christmas songs. I love all things Christmas, but it is a little early even for me. That being said, I loved Riley Harrison Clark's (Tribute Quartet) version of "Mary, Did You Know."

Highlights -

• "The Prayer" - Riley Harrison Clark and Lauren Talley
• "There Is Jesus" - The McKameys
• "Jesus Saves" - Booth Brothers with Collingsworth Family
• "Little Is Much" - Dixie Melody Boys
• "Shoutin' Time" - The Hoppers

National Quartet Convention 2015 - Tuesday night recap

I tuned in tonight just in time to catch the end of the Lesters' set. I'm sure I missed some highlights and I know I missed several good groups early in the night! But here is what stood out to me from what I saw:

The Collingsworth Family absolutely nailed it tonight! Definitely one of the strongest sets I saw. I loved getting to hear so many of their new songs, "That Day is Coming," "Gotta Get to Jesus" and "You're About to Climb."

The night ended with the Cathedral Family Reunion set with Gerald Wolfe, Scott Howard, Mark Trammell, Ernie Haase, Danny Funderburk and Pat Barker. They used photos and clips of George and Glen in tribute to them. They gathered around the piano for "Jesus We Just Want to Thank You." It was a beautiful moment, but I loved them ending the night on "We Shall See Jesus."

I tuned in just in time to catch Jonathan Lester recognizing his dad for his years of service to the group. The Lesters have carried on the tradition of singing gospel music longer than any other group on the road today and a great deal of that credit goes to Brian Lester. He was featured on "He Didn't Throw the Clay Away," great moment!

The Taylors and the Talleys both had solid sets! I loved hearing Suzanne Taylor Hise on "I Tremble," always been a big fan of that song! The Talleys sang a new song "People in the Line." Lauren does an outstanding job on it and such convicting lyrics! We never know what the people around us are going through. 

It was neat seeing Mark Bishop share the stage with his daughters tonight. They are a great young talent. He also had a full band on stage with him. 

Greater Vision also had a solid set. It was good hearing Chris featured on "Hallelujah Square!" I also love the song "As We Speak" from their new project that Gerald sings. 

Of the quartets I saw, I really enjoyed the Inspirations' set. I haven't heard this group in a while (I missed them in Branson a few weeks ago.), and they pulled out several old familiar favorites. They sang a version of "Beulah Land" that was incredible!!

Highlights

• "He Didn't Throw the Clay Away" - The Lesters
• "I Tremble" - The Taylors
• "Hallelujah Square" - Greater Vision
• "As We Speak" - Greater Vision
• "People in the Line" - The Talleys
• "Beulah Land" - The Inspirations
• "Gotta Get to Jesus" - Collingsworth Familiy
• "We Shall See Jesus" - Cathedral Family Reunion

In Case You Missed It - News and Tidbits - June 13

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

• McCray Dove and Tony Peace announced this week that they will be forming the New Dove Brothers. Watch this video announcement. More details will be announced later.
• Phillip Hughes resigned from the Harvesters and has joined the Anchormen as lead. He was with the Anchormen previously for four years starting in 1997.
• The Good News! He's Alive! Tour which features The Talleys and Tribute Quartet launches June 27 in Houston, Texas. For more dates on the tour, check out the Harper Agency's website.
• Tammy Jones Robinette signed a new agreement with Rural Rhythm Records.

Anything I've missed?