CD Review: What You Hear is What You Get (Randy Byrd)

Randy Byrd, bass singer for the Blackwood Brothers, isn’t the sort who needs a big orchestration or Auto-tuning to sound good. And that’s a good thing, because neither are to be found on his debut solo project. Except for the fact that the recording technology was undoubtedly digital, this...

CD Review: I’m Looking Through New Eyes (The Primitive Quartet)

The Primitive Quartet have put out another great project with five of the ten songs written by lead singer Reagan Riddle. I love the way he writes and I’m really glad to see him writing more. The CD starts with a song the quartet recorded years ago called “Come Back Home.” It’s an...

CD Review: Then and Now (Olivia Collingsworth)

Several years ago, when the Collingsworth Family first came on the national scene, one of the first things people noticed was that their little four- or five-year old girl had an incredible voice and control for her age. Olivia Collingsworth started singing on stage at age two and recorded her first song at...

CD/DVD Review: Live at Dollywood (Kingdom Heirs)

It has been at least over three years, five CDs, and several #1 hits since the Kingdom Heirs last recorded a live concert video. One could say it was about time. The video opens with a behind-the-scenes montage of preparation for the film, with sound check, makeup, banter between group members, and greetings...

CD Review: I’d Rather Have Jesus (Dixie Echoes)

Probably, the best adjective to describe the Dixie Echoes is “consistent.” For ten or fifteen years after lead singer Dale Shelnut’s sudden 1983 death, they experimented with different styles in an attempt to find their niche. Not too long after they added Stewart Varnado as their pianist...

CD Review: Peace on Earth (Mark Trammell)

This project may well be the best solo Southern Gospel Christmas CD ever released. Unlike the Mark Trammell Trio’s Home for Christmas project, reviewed last week, Mark Trammell’s recent solo Christmas project features all-new tracks. Legacy Five’s Tim Parton arranged the tracks and probably...

CD Review: Home for Christmas (Mark Trammell Trio)

Home for Christmas was actually released last year, while Eric Phillips was still with the group, but as I did not get it in time to review last year, I decided to hold it over to this Christmas season’s review section. On first glance, if that first glance is at song titles and soundtrack choices, one...

CD Review: Just Stand (Legacy Five)

Over their first ten years on the road, Legacy Five has produced several landmark recordings. Their debut, Strong in the Strength, set a high standard that only one or two other CDs in the following decade—namely, London and Live in Music City—would approach. Just Stand redefines just how magnificent a...

CD Review: The Journey (Liberty Quartet)

My journey with Liberty Quartet started several years ago, when I started hearing good things about them from a number of west coast friends (particularly John S. in California and Elysse B. in Idaho). At the time, I chalked up the rave reviews to local pride. So when I met them at NQC 2007, and they gave me...

CD Review: The Answer (Collingsworth Family)

When I interviewed Phil Collingsworth for this site’s April feature article, he explained why the Collingsworth Family only releases a project every other year: It might be interesting for you to know that our cost of recording an album is almost triple what some of the other ones are. That’s what we...