Blackwood Gospel Quartet - A Concert Review

On a tip from my good friend John Crenshaw, my wife and I were privileged to take in a wonderful evening of Southern Gospel Quartet music with the Blackwood Gospel Quartet the other night, March 12, 2006 at Bethlehem Christian Church near Elon College, North Carolina. While actually finding the place in the middle of nowhere was a doting task, after arriving and taking in the wonderful music, it was well worth the find!

Currently consisting of Cecil Blackwood’s son, Mark Blackwood, along with former Kingsmen/Carolina Boys members Bryan Hutson and Derrick Boyd and former Dove Brothers Quartet bass, Burman Porter, the name “Blackwood” is a name synonymous with Southern Gospel Music. As far as I am concerned, the name represents Southern Gospel royalty and has proven itself to be one of the most respected names in not only gospel music circles, but in all musical genres. Not many groups have that reputation to boast about.

Anyway, we arrived about 30 minutes before the service was to begin, and as we looked to the platform, we realized we arrived not long after the group did; as they had gotten lost and arrived late. After setting up and getting dressed, about 20 minutes after the service was to begin, the Blackwood Gospel Quartet hit the stage with the quartet classic, “Your First Day in Heaven”. Going through several time honored favorites like “Because He Lives”, “Jesus is Coming Soon”, “The Lighthouse”, “Who am I” and “How Great Thou Art”, the crowd of probably over 250 continued to give their approval to the music they heard. The group also did several songs popularized by some of the groups the members had been a part of in the past like “Getcha to the Other Side”, “Glory Road”, “Come and See the Rising Son” (Bryan Hutson turned in a phenomenal performance on this song!) and “Gonna Rise”. My one gripe was I felt like I was at a Kingsmen/Dove Brothers Quartet concert instead of the Blackwood’s, but they did churn out one old Blackwood favorite, “The Old Country Church”, which was great to hear.

After the usual break for the offering and sales pitch, the group (who was without a piano player) took requests from the audience before John Crenshaw was called upon to help play the piano for the group. It was neat hearing some of the songs being called out from the audience and hearing the group tackle some of them on the spot like “He Touched Me”, “The Old Ship of Zion” (excellent performance of this old Kingsmen favorite), “Sweet Beulah Land”, “House of Gold”, “I’m Feeling Fine”, “Victory in Jesus”, “Peace in the Valley”, “Mansion Over the Hilltop”, “I’ll Fly Away”, “Til the Storm Passes By” and another Blackwood standard, “I’ll Meet you in the Morning”. One interesting tune that was called out was the parody to the Oak Ridge Boys tune, “Go Jonah” (“Elvira”), but the guys pulled it off, much to the crowd’s delight.

Before the night was over, Derrick Boyd shared his testimony of being adopted as a child, and finally coming to meet his real family 6 years ago through some interesting circumstances; after which the group turned in an acapella rendition of the classic, “Oh What a Savior”. Bryan Hutson gave a very touching and heartfelt invitation to the tune of “I Surrender All”, before the evening closed nearly 2 hours after it had began.

It was a great night hearing some great singing by some great singers. All 4 vocalists are stellar vocalists in their own right, and putting them together in one quartet makes for a rich sound and one I’d love to hear again soon. I look forward to hearing them on a recording soon.

Cream of the Crop

If I may borrow an idea from my friend David Bruce Murray, I’d like to give special mentions to a few releases over the past couple of months that I think are the cream of the crop.

Crabb Family – “Blur the Lines”
This is an exceptional piece of work. Not many artists can pull off what the Crabb Family did with this new release by recording all previously recorded works and making each song unique and different from the original. The Crabb Family took each song, and made it their very own. It’s almost like a recording of all new material. It’s a fun recording to listen to and is a defining moment for them.

Brian Free & Assurance – “It’s so God”
I will admit, while I have always liked and enjoyed their music, I would not consider myself a big fan of their music…that is until now. This new recording is absolutely phenomenal and Brian Free & Assurance has set a new standard and this recording will be the benchmark whereby all other quartet recordings will be measured by. This a career recording, and one that I believe people will still be talking about 20-30 years from now.

Mark Lowry – “Be the Miracle”
For some reason, there hasn’t been a lot of fan fair with this release, but there should be. I never thought Mark could top previous vocal release from a few years ago, “But Seriously”, but he did. I was never overly impress with his last vocal release, “Some Things Never Change” and was pretty much expecting a similar opinion of this, but I was dead wrong. This is and will be one of the best releases for 2006. It’s a superb piece of work and masterfully done.

Gaither Vocal Band – “Give it Away”
This recording probably ranks as one of the most anticipated releases over the past year. For me, there is a lot to love about this new recording. This is the best one since “God is Good”, which I rank as their best effort ever. Though there are a ton of previously recorded tunes, much like the Crabb Family’s new release, they are done with fresh, new arrangements and have captured a newfound excitement, not previously accomplished by other artists.

Anthony Burger (1961-2006)

All I can say is, what a shocking blow this is to the industry! We’re all just trying to deal with the death of Doug Riley, and then Anthony Burger. But what a way to go…doing what he loved best, playing “We Shall Behold Him” and then slipping right on into glory beholding the King of King and Lord of Lords, face to face. Anthony is where we all long to be, in the Presence of God Almighty!

I have been a fan of Anthony’s piano playing for years. I only met him a few times and he was always very cordial. The first time I actually met him was when I did a radio interview with him back in 1988. We talked his playing and about the formation of a brand new record company he was a part of called Pinnacle Records…now known as Horizon Music Group. He was so excited about that and being able to produce and play more of role in the musical creation of artist’s recordings.

One time, I brought a friend with me to see the Kingsmen back in the early 1990s. My friend was an aspiring piano player. I did an interview with the Kingsmen for radio that night and in my talking with Anthony, I told him about my friend. He went out of his way to make them feel special and throughout the concert, he would look and smile and wink, making them feel like he was playing just for them.

Anthony took piano playing to a whole new level within Southern Gospel Music. He literally could tear up a piano, and made people want to learn to play as well. His life exuded music. It was obviously his passion and joy, and his music brought much joy to literally thousands upon thousands of people. His music lives on though, through not only his recorded works, but through the countless number of people his music has inspired.

The last time I saw Anthony play was at Jubilate' on New Years Eve. As usual, he gave an awesome performance. I am so glad I got to see him play one more time.

Thank you Lord, for sending people like Anthony Burger to inspire us, delight us and through their music, help us draw closer to You.

Rembering Doug Riley (1971-2006)

The Southern Gospel Music world awoke to shocking news on Tuesday morning, January 31 when they found out that Doug Riley had been tragically killed in a car accident. I’ve never been privileged to meet Doug Riley, but from the things I have heard and read over the past two days have afforded me the wonderful opportunity to get to know him in some form; and I have come to the conclusion that Doug Riley is a man I wish I had met.

I knew Doug Riley to be one of the best musicians and songwriters Southern Gospel Music has to offer, but over the past two days, I have found him to a committed Christian, devoted husband and father to his wife and children, much beloved son and brother to Tim and Barbara and Daniel Riley respectively, and a great friend to those privileged to call him as such.

What a wonderful legacy he has left behind and his life is a beautiful testimony of a good life lived, though seeming cut very short. I hope in some small way I can resemble that legacy and as my life continues on, I pray I am able to take in each new day and just drink in the many pleasures that life has to offer. I believe that being a Christian affords me so many awesome opportunities to enjoy life and all the simple things it has to offer.

Daddy!  (Originally posted 11/02/04)

There is no sound or word as sweet as when I walk through the door after a long day at work and here my little girl running down the hallway with arms wide open, screaming “Daaaaadddyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!” Those of you who are parents can probably relate, I’m sure. Emma is a daddy’s girl. There is no one on this earth like her daddy! And I like it that way! (Sorry dear!)

I am so proud of my little girl and the person that I see her becoming. Even at 3 years old (she’ll actually be 4 in a few days), she knows about Jesus and will frequently ask for prayer. It is wonderful that through the example of her mother and I, she knows she can pray to Jesus, and everything will be ok. There have been times Emma has even prayed for me. One time I was sick lying on the couch and she asked if I was sick. I told her I was and that she needed to pray for daddy. She then proceeded to put her hands on me and mumbled a few words and then she said, “I did daddy.” My heart was overwhelmed be her tender act of faith.

Ever since she was a baby, I always sang a little medley of songs to put her to sleep. Even still today those songs, “Jesus Loves Me”, “Jesus Loves the Little Children”, “Oh How I Love Jesus” and “There’s Just Something About that Name”, sung respectively, will soothe her when she’s tired, scared or hurt. She’ll tell me, “Sing to me daddy” and no matter what is going on, I’ll sing those songs for her and she’s fine. I have vowed that one day I will record those songs, even if just for her, and call it “Emma’s Medley.”

She has really started getting into “Daddy’s Music”. (Interpretation: Southern Gospel Music). Her favorite CD’s are the Greenes “Hold On” and the Isaacs “Heroes.” One day after listening to the Isaacs song, “Heroes”, she declared that her mommy and daddy were her heroes. That made us feel good inside. I hope that in 5, 10 or 20 years from how, her mom and I will still be her heroes.

I am a proud daddy. I love my little girl more than she will probably ever know. Even as a father, I still cannot fathom the love my Heavenly Father has for me. And I can’t help but think sometimes about the day that I walk through the door of Heaven, and see Jesus. I can see me running to Jesus like a child with my arms open wide and probably shouting to the top of lungs, “Daddy!”

What Are You Looking At?  (Originally posted 10/06/04)

I love looking at people. I’ve always been that way. I love going to the mall, going to concerts, etc. and looking at people and just wondering about their lives. I’ll be the first to admit that I am about as nosy as they come! But I do wonder…what do they do? What is their life like? What kind of person are they? Why do they look so sad? What are they smiling or laughing at? What are they talking about with their companion? Do their kids act like that all the time? Do they know Jesus? Do they know who Vestal Goodman was? (Just kidding with the last one…LOL!)

I really do wonder though, about these people. Even driving down the road or at a stoplight, I will turn and look at whoever is in the car next to me. Sometimes I notice they seem sad. Sometimes I breathe a prayer for them, for whatever they may be going through. Sometimes they seem happy, and I ultimate find, that I end up smiling myself!
One time I was sitting at a stoplight. I turned and looked at the car next to me and in the passenger’s seat was the most beautiful head of thick, long red hair I had ever seen. I thought, “She must be a beautiful person”. I kept staring hoping she would turn around so I could see her face. Just before the light changed, her head started to turn. I could feel the excitement boiling within me as I anticipated what she would look like. Just as the light changed, she turned and looked at me and she was the most beautiful red longhaired, Labrador retriever I had ever seen! With my mouth wide open with surprise, the car drove off and left me sitting at the light, laughing my head off!

As George Younce would say, “That didn’t happen, I just made that up!” But, it made you laugh!

I have seen some interesting sights in my life though, watching folks and looking at them and observing them. Sometimes I wonder, “God…what were you thinking?” God has such a sense of humor! I look at the mirror everyday and wonder what He was thinking when he made me! LOL! But I know God is sovereign, and He knew exactly what he was doing when He made us. I am thankful that no matter what we look like, how we dress, or what we’ve done with our lives, He loves us, and desires to have an intimate relationship with us.

Maybe I’m Just Out of Touch (Originally posted 10/28/04)

Yesterday my wife and I went to vote in the election at a local high school here in town, figuring we’d beat the rush come Election Day next week. (Side Note: GO VOTE!) We waited in line in the hallway of that school for over half an hour. The wait wasn’t too bad, as the line was moving pretty good. But it gave me a chance to glance around at our current public high school situation. There were signs around telling students that if they did certain things, disciplinary action would be taken. The regular ones like gum chewing, eating or drinking in class and such were naturally listed. They’ve been on the list of no-no’s in school for hundreds of years it seems. But the last one caught me off guard. The last item listed said you were not allowed to bring a book bag to class. Maybe I am just out of touch because I don’t have any children in public school…YET! I do have a 3 year old, who will be 4 years old next month. But I have only been out of high school for 14 years. Have schools changed that drastically that bringing a book bag is a security risk? I realize that the school shootings changed a lot of things, but I didn’t realize bringing a book bag could get you in so much trouble.

I live in an area where race is always an issue. But, when I was in school I never saw race riots between students like it is today, never had an instance where kids brought guns to school and never even thought about school shootings. I never felt threatened in high school and never feared for my life. Where has society today taken us? Where have we gone wrong as parents?

In the hallway there were even big posters showing kids how to dress. Dress was never a huge issue when I was in school. Are our children really that ignorant? Surely as parents we know how to send out kids to school dressed properly? Or are our kids ruling us instead of us ruling our kids? Or do we allow the fashion industry to rule what we are supposed to where? Shouldn’t the parents be the parents, or have we failed miserably somewhere? Like I said, maybe I am just out of touch. I am sure the reality of things will set in when my little girl becomes of age and I am sure it will hit me like a ton of bricks too! Lord I pray for wisdom!

Things have changed so much since I was in school. (Gosh that makes me sound old!) I fear for my child and the world she will face when she grows up. But I also remember the words to a song that says we can face all those uncertain days because Christ lives.

Remembering: Dale Shelnut (originally posted 04/07/05)

Dale Shelnut was quite a colorful individual. I never had a chance to meet Dale Shelnut or see him sing in person, but as I was growing up the mid to late 1970’s, a television show called The Gospel Singing Jubilee introduced me to him and to the music of the Dixie Echoes. I can still remember that giddy feeling I would get inside every time they’d sing “Heaven’s Echoes.” Man, I loved that song, and still do! I also loved to see them sing, “I’ll Take Jesus” as well. Both are great songs and are forever etched in my memory. I grew up really appreciating the great voice Dale possessed and for me, watching him sing was a royal treat.

As I started working in radio back in the late 1980’s, one record that I loved to pull from once in awhile and play songs from was their Today album from 1975. Today, that record still remains one of my favorites. As I grew older and started collecting records, the Dixie Echoes were one of the groups I intensely sought after. I only had 7 of their records in my collection at that time, and I desperately wanted more. A couple of records that I eventually came across and consider to be real gems in my collection are “Live” and “My Real Home” from 1973 and 1974 respectively. That live album was so much fun to listen to. I loved the song “I Want to See Jesus”, but the highlight for me was hearing Dale Shelnut rip into “Come into the Prayer Room” and “Trouble in my Way.” Those two songs, done back to back, were and are a real delight to listen to.

Dale was such a comedian, and had such a great rapport with the audience. I have an old video of the Dixie Echoes in a live concert from around 1970, and the Dixie Echoes stole the show. This was due not only because of the Dixie Echoes superb singing, but also in large part because Dale was a master showman. They did “Trouble in my Way” and they tore the place up. With Dale’s quick wit and Joe Whitfield playing the straight man, it just made it all the more funnier as they set the song up and Dale gets into his role as the “swingin’ lead singer”. It’s hilarious and totally priceless. And Sue Whitfield, who always seemed to have her faculties fully intact, was literally in stitches before Dale was finished. A friend of mine recently shared with me a story about Dale Shelnut. There is a part in the song where Dale sings several different lines over and over and over again, much like a black group would do. One night the group was singing in Winston Salem, North Carolina and the group closed their part of the program with “Trouble in my Way”. He must have sung, "hey father" and “call Him Jesus” a thousand times over and the crowd was all over it. Earl Carney, the concert promoter, had the microphone to introduce the next group, and Dale busted back on stage shouting, “Get out of de way, Earl…I gotta sang it agin!” They were on stage for another ten minutes. The Dixie Echoes were a group that other groups hated to follow on stage, because they’d leave a crowd completely wore out!

Now, Dale wasn’t using his great sense of humor to cover up any bad singing on his part, as Dale is one of the greatest lead singers to ever grace a concert stage. Not only could Dale sing those old spirituals almost like their original counterparts, but on songs like “My Real Home” and “Hallelujah Square”, Dale exemplified his stellar singing abilities better than anything. He could do something as serious as “My Real Home” or “The Runt” and then turn right around and sing something as fun as “It’ll Be Joy” or “Get on Board” or as comical as “The Singing News Blues.” (Those who’ve never heard this little song really need to find it and listen to it!) Either way, he could move you to tears…either with an emotional song, or with something comical!

One of my favorite versions of “The Lighthouse” is by the Dixie Echoes. Whereas in most quartet versions, the tenor would usually take the chorus of the song, Dale Shelnut and the group’s tenor at that time, Bobby Clark, would swap the lead part back forth during the chorus and it really showed off the great range Dale possessed. I think it’s one of the greatest performances on record. Another one of my favorite Dixie Echoes songs featuring Dale is the song, “I’ll Praise the Name of God” from back in the mid 1960s. You can really hear the power in the voice on this song.

Dale passed away suddenly in 1983, which was far too soon, as I believe there was still a lot of music left in him. But he lives on through the music he made. His love for music and his zeal for life are shown through each and every song he sang. How appropriate that one of the last songs he ever recorded was a great song of promise, “I’ll Meet You on the Other Side of Jordan.”

I Believe You!  (originally posted 12/09/04)

“Yes…I believe you!” I think that is the greatest compliment you can give a singer or performer. It’s great to win awards and receive standing ovations night after night, and maybe even have them running up and down the aisles, but to have someone come up to you and tell you that they believe what you are singing about is, in my opinion, the greatest compliment one can receive. For someone to sing with such conviction and emotion, that they MAKE you believe what they are singing about is an art and in some cases, simply a God given talent. You can sing like the angels, have the best-trained voice in the world and do everything “just right”, but if you don’t have that final “believability” element, it’s the opinion of this writer, that you have failed as a communicator. That may be a strong statement for me to make, but I believe it with everything that is within me.

Now I am not talking about dramatic theatrics or taking your audience on an emotional roller coaster by crying and screaming and jumping up and down, but there is a certain dynamic or believability that separates certain singers. This element shines through loud and clear in their voice and delivery. Unless you can sing with passion and believability, you’re just singing a song, instead of living the song.

Dottie Rambo once wrote a song that said, “You will have to live the song before you know.” How can someone sing and successfully communicate the message unless you’ve lived the song? How can you effectively sing about heartaches, when you’ve never really experienced it? How can you sing about the love and passion of Christ, when you have no personal knowledge of that relationship? You have to live it before you can sing about it. You can’t sing about having joy unspeakable and full of glory, unless you have it yourself.

You’ve heard the expression, “Sing it like you mean it” or “Sing it from your heart.” I believe that is what sets apart someone who just sings a song from someone who is a singer. Anyone can sing a song, but it takes that something special to be a singer, a communicator. I’d pay big money to hear a singer, but I wouldn’t go across the street just hear someone sing a song. When I leave a concert, I go back in my mind over the concert and think, “Did they convince me with their music? Do I believe them?” Sometimes, the answer is yes, and sometimes the answer is a resounding no!

Before I close, let me make one thing very clear. I am not calling into question anyone’s spirituality or their salvation, just their ability to communicate their message effectively. This is the gospel…we have something exciting and real to say. We need to sing it like we mean it, and convey that message as effectively and yes…as passionately as we possibly can. So when people leave our concerts, they too can say, “YES…I believe you!”

Remembering: The Orrells (originally posted 06/21/05)

I grew up listening and loving Southern Gospel Music, and the first records I remember ever listening to were those by the Happy Goodman Family, Inspirations, Hemphills, Sego Brothers & Naomi, Oak Ridge Boys, Dixie Echoes, Wendy Bagwell & The Sunliters, Thrasher Brothers, Florida Boys, Speers, Rambos and Kingsmen. It wasn’t until a bit later in my growing up years that I came to love the music of the Statesmen, Blackwood Brothers, Hinsons, Greenes, Cathedrals, JD Sumner & The Stamps, Imperials, Weatherfords, Gold City Quartet, McKameys and others. When I was 19 years old, I went to my very first Grand Ole Gospel Reunion in 1991, and it was there that I discovered the wonderful world of record collecting, and thus I embarked upon this fantastic and sometimes expensive journey of collecting records; and through this love I came to appreciate and become a fan of such groups as the Downings, Lanny Wolfe Trio, Couriers Quartet, Goss Brothers, Bill Gaither Trio, LeFevres, Dallas Holm and Prophets Quartet. One group in particular that I came across and fell in love with was a group called the Orrells from Detroit, Michigan, and from the very first time I heard their music I was hooked!

Back in the early 1970s, the Orrells were an immensely popular male trio consisting of Larry Orrell (son of famed concert promoter Lloyd Orrell), Gordon Jenson (a wonderful young songwriter) and Wayne Hilton. The group became known for introducing some of Southern Gospel Music’s most celebrated songs such as, “Redemption Draweth Nigh”, “Tears are a Language (God Understands)”, “I Should Have Been Crucified”, “Jesus Will Outshine them All” and a host of others. Boasting a unique and identifiable sound, which at times fused Southern Gospel with the popular sounds stemming from the Jesus Movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s, the group had a short but lasting impact on Southern Gospel Music. They had a smooth sound with Larry and Gordon switching out the lead and baritone parts and Wayne, a wonderful lyric tenor, taking the high part. With Jensen on piano, Wayne on Rhythm Guitar and a bass player named Mark Chadwell, the group made great music together.

The Orrells were born out of a popular male quartet from the 1960s aptly called (are you ready for this?) the Orrell Quartet. Several well-known singers came from that group including Buddy Liles, who sang bass with the Florida Boys for over 25 years. The Orrell Quartet reformed with Orrell, Jensen and Hilton around 1969 as a male trio and recorded about 4 albums before hooking up with Heartwarming Records in 1971. Their debut album on Heartwarming entitled, “Enough of God’s Love”, brought much success with the inclusion of such memorable songs as “Redemption Draweth Nigh”, “Sunrise”, “There’s Enough of God’s Love” and “Tears are a Language”, which were all written by the young Gordon Jensen.

To my knowledge, the Orrells only did 4 albums for Heartwarming. The first 3 albums “Enough of God’s Love”, “Live!” and “Forever is a Long, Long Time” (A really, really great record, by the way) were released before the group “unofficially” retired in the early part of 1973. During their brief hiatus, Wayne and Larry both recorded solo albums, but the group eventually came back together in 1975 and recorded their fourth album for Heartwarming entitled, “Together Again”. In 1976, though the singing personnel in the group remained the same, the Orrells went through a name change and became Gordon Jensen & Sunrise and recorded on their own independent label. They continued singing and recording under that name for 2 or 3 years and to my knowledge, only recorded 3 albums during that time.

Eventually the group disbanded around 1978 or so and each member basically went in their own direction. Gordon Jensen carried on as a soloist, recording several solo albums throughout the 1980s and into 1990s and he continued writing great songs as well. Larry Orrell also recorded a few solo projects and eventually joined ranks in the 1990’s with the short-lived group called Friends 4. (Which was an awesome and extremely underrated group.) Wayne Hilton became an executive for Heartwarming Records, producing some great music back in the 1980s with HeavenBound, Hemphills, Kingsmen and other groups associated with Heartwarming Records. In fact, Hilton produced the Hemphills 1986 Dove Award winning album, “Excited”. The Orrells did come back together, albeit very briefly, back in the mid 1980s. I don’t recall them ever doing any sort of touring at all, but I do believe they did end up recording one album.

As mentioned earlier, the man behind most of the Orrells great songs was Gordon Jensen, who was a songwriting machine back in the 1970s and early 1980s. Jensen wrote many songs that the top artists of the day ended up recording including the Downings, Inspirations, JD Sumner & The Stamps, The Galileans, Couriers, Jimmy Swaggart, Kingsmen, Oak Ridge Boys, Rusty Goodman, Nelons, Speers and Cathedrals. Even in recent years, his songs have found a home on recordings by Janet Paschal with “Written in Red”, Greater Vision with their rendition of “Redemption Draweth Nigh”, HisSong and Promise with “It’s Still Real Today” and just this year, he had a chart song with the Hayes Family’s version of his song “I’d Never Miss Heaven for the World” that he wrote back in the mid 1970s. Other artists in recent years who have recording Jensen’s songs include Amy Lambert, Greenes, Down East Boys, Richard Simmons, Imperials, etc. Some of Jensen’s other well known compositions include “Bigger than Any Mountain”, “It Made News in Heaven”, “A Song Holy Angels Cannot Sing”, “Before He Calls Again”, “Precious Old Story of Love”, “God Has not Changed”, “The Coming of the Lord”, “I’ve Got My Heart Set on Heaven”, “A Song to Sing at Midnight”, “He’s as Close as the Mention of His Name” and a poignant song about abortion that was written in the late 1980s called, “Sometimes they Cry.” One of his more obscure songs from the mid 1980s entitled, “Joy in the Journey” still remains one of my all time favorite Jensen songs as are “Jesus will Outshine them All” and “Redemption Draweth Nigh.” As a side note, “Redemption Draweth Nigh” (which is arguably Jensen’s most well known song) has gone beyond the confines of Southern Gospel and has crept over into the Black Gospel market with the late Ronald Winans (of Winans Brothers fame) recording the song on his final recording, “Family and Friends: A Celebration”.

The Orrells had an enormous and electrifying but yet very delicate sound. Their studio recordings had some pretty elaborate arrangements, complete with strings and brass, but their concerts were a bit more subdued musically, with just piano, bass and rhythm guitar for accompaniment. Vocally they were a powerhouse and could sing anyone off the platform with their powerful renditions of “How Great Thou Art”, “Jesus Will Outshine them All”, “Revival is Here” or their signature song, “Redemption Draweth Nigh”. They could create exciting moments with their upbeat numbers like “Let the River Flow”, “The Christian Way”, “Will You be Among the Missing” or “We’re Together Again” and on their more soothing numbers like “Sunrise”, “He’s Changing Me”, “Forever is a Long, Long Time” and “I’m So Unworthy” they really showed how they could capture a song and its quiet emotion and hold an audience right in the palm of their hand.

It’s a shame that the Orrells’ career as a group was an on again, off again affair, because I really feel that if they had kept things going, their name would have been breathed in the same breath as the Kingsmen, Happy Goodman Family, Rambos, Inspirations and other groups who were trailblazers during the 1970s. But because of their extremely segmented musical career as a group, a lot of people really missed out on a great thing and many people have either forgotten who the Orrells were, or don’t even remember them. I’ve always said that I was born during the wrong time period because since I was born in 1972, I feel I missed out on some great stuff during the 1960s and 1970s. I missed seeing some wonderful groups, the Orrells being one of them. History has already proven the excellent contributions they made to Southern Gospel Music, and I am glad I have this forum to remember them, the magic they created and the great music that they made.