Part of my original plan was to get around to Susan Boyle, who became an overnight Internet sensation thanks to this video, eventually on a slow news day.

The announce of her debut album, entitled (to nobody’s surprise) I Dreamed a Dream, has pushed this up the priorities list. Sound clips, up on her website, show that the track list will include “How Great Thou Art” and “Silent Night.” Just yesterday—oddly—the track list also included, and included a clip of, “Amazing Grace.”

So . . . does SuBo have what it takes to make it as a Southern Gospel soloist, to stand alongside the likes of Ivan Parker and Mark Bishop, in the unlikely event she should choose to try?

Pros: Stylistically, her choice of instrumentation isn’t that far off from what our genre uses—piano-driven reflective songs, and big orchestrated ballads.

Cons: I can’t think of any besides, perhaps, her personality. She cracked under the stress of the Britain’s Got Talent final in a pretty public way. Granted, there is nothing quite so stressful in our genre, but an NQC mainstage meltdown is not what our genre needs! Other than that, I don’t see her use of vibrato as a drawback; after all, our genre has had its share of singers who employ vibrato extensively, notably James and Jimmy Blackwood.

So what’s your call?

But no matter their talent level (or if they are full time), it’s not easy for a group that is literally off the beaten path to attract top-notch songs from top-notch songwriters. Between producer Phil Cross and then-baritone/pianist Doran Ritchey, they managed to come up with a number of strong songs on each project, but not enough to equal that five-star rating.

Until now.

The Journey proves that creative and progressive don’t have to be synonyms in the Southern Gospel thesaurus. Instead of relying on soundtracks to create a fresh sound, Liberty does it with their vocal arrangements. When was the last time you heard someone put a fresh spin on “He Came Down to My Level?”

The project starts out with the title track, easily one of its most memorable songs. The song is kicked off by an “almost exotic” drum solo (hat tip, Aaron Swain), before piano and orchestra kick in to carry this uptempo track along.

Nine of the twelve tracks are new songs. Besides “He Came Down to My Level,” the other two classic tracks are “Till There Was Jesus” by W. Elmo Mercer and “Welcome to Heaven” by Phil Cross & Carolyn Cross English. The latter track is a straight-ahead big ballad featuring lead singer Dan Gilbert that isn’t remarkably different from the Singing Americans original. But in this case the old adage “if it ain’t broken don’t fix it” applies, and it should be a concert favorite for the group.

For a second straight recording, Liberty Quartet and a major east coast group both simultaneously cut a Rodney Griffin song. With Amazed and Triumphant Quartet’s Everyday, it was “Amazed at the Change.” For this project, Liberty and Tribute Quartet both cut “I Love Living In Grace.”

Former Liberty Quartet baritone / pianist Doran Ritchey was still a part of the group during the recording process; he contributed five of the project’s songs and did a guest solo on “The Welcome.” He has since left to be a part of Phil Cross’ musical endeavors (including the group “Crossing”), but hopefully he will continue to send some of his best tunes to Liberty.

This project introduces new Liberty Quartet baritone Jordan Cragun (who, as has been mentioned before, is Kim Collingsworths’ nephew). He is featured on “I Made it Mine” and “In the Day of the Lord.”

Keith Waggoner unfortunately only had one solo, on “He Came to Me.” Bass and manager Royce Mitchell is featured on three, “He Came Down to My Level,” “Till There Was Jesus,” and “Too Long.”

Lyrics are included in the CD booklet. One would think this would be default in a lyric-driven genre, but unfortunately, it’s not, so it’s worthy of mention.

This project easily earns Liberty Quartet another 5-star rating—their second on this site, and first for a recording of new songs.

Rather than just write about it, though, I have received permission from the group to feature several tracks in the flash player for the month. So , for the remainder of this month, enjoy “The Journey,” “In The Day of Our Lord” (featuring Jordan Cragun), “God Made a Way” (featuring Dan Gilbert), and “Till There was Jesus” (featuring Royce Mitchell).

Rating: 5 stars. ♦ Average song rating: 4.33 stars. ♦ Group members: Keith Waggoner (tenor), Dan Gilbert (lead), Jordan Cragun (baritone), Royce Mitchell (bass). ♦ Produced by: Doran Ritchey, Phil Cross, Roger Talley. ♦ Available from: Group. Review copy provided. ♦ Song list: The Journey; He Came Down To My Level; I Made it Mine; I Love Living in Grace; Till There Was Jesus; God Made a Way; He Came to Me; The Welcome; Too Long; He’ll Come Through; In the Day of the Lord; Welcome to Heaven.

“Rejoice evermore. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16, 18)

This is probably the hardest passage to apply; yet if you are trying to discern God’s will for your life, start here. Praise has a way of lifting us up out of the valley so that we meet God and can hear His voice. Why stay in the valley of despair if you don’t have to?

I’ve been going through a very dark valley lately so I’m speaking from experience.  However, as I begin to thank God for the good things that He is continuing to do, my burden begins to feel lighter and I begin to see sunlight at the end of the tunnel. Although there are times when we fail to see God’s goodness, there’s never a time when He isn’t good. I think the greatest blessing in trials is that they force us to cling to God’s hand. It occurred to me the other day that if God were a man, I would be crushing His hand right now with how tightly I’m clinging. Slowly but surely, however, I’m lightening up and will once again get to the place where, instead of me fearfully clinging (even kicking and screaming), I’ll be walking beside Him allowing Him to lead me where He will and then that joy will return and I will have a deeper faith and trust in Him which this time is designated to produce.

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” (James 1:2-4)

So many songs I listen to are about Heaven yet “eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for them who love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9) I can’t imagine that much splendor and glory but it’s there just the same.

I look around at this beautiful earth sometimes and remind myself that I have a Home far greater than this. However, no matter how beautiful – no matter how big or small my mansion is – Jesus will be what makes it Heaven for me. How I long to see His face and to rest in His embrace. To know I’ve entered by His grace, that’s what makes it Heaven.

It’s when I take my eyes off Him that I lose sight of just how blessed I am but the joy that floods my heart when I think of Him is stronger than I can begin to describe. It makes me understand why Jacob would cling to Him declaring, “I won’t let You go until You bless me” but my cry is, “I won’t let You go because I don’t want to walk through life without Your continual blessing!”

Are you depressed and discouraged, or do you have that “joy unspeakable and full of glory”? Let’s make sure we are being faithful to daily count our blessings. As we do, the joy will overflow.

• Interviews. Do you prefer one or two per month? I know past responses have generally been “the more, the merrier.” Because of time involved, I can’t pull off more than two per month, but I can aim for that goal (especially in post-NQC season, when I have a couple in the queue).
• CD Reviews. Once or twice per week? My spare hours have been tied up getting the underlying formatting done for the reviews of projects I picked up at NQC, so I have been several weeks running with few reviews. Once I have all the blog formatting set up (and revised in compliance with the FTC’s new arbitrary review guidelines that apply only to bloggers and not to more established forms of media), there will be quite a few in the queue. And I don’t want to overwhelm you with more than you want.
• Contests. I loved the first two. Any ideas for a third?

“Let the Word of Christ dwell in your richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” (Colossians 3:16)

There are so many verses I could quote which mention singing but, as the Scriptures came to my mind this morning, I realized that singing is not a suggestion; it’s a command.

Battles have been won while people sang, folks have been encouraged, but most of all, God is glorified when His people lift their voices in song.

Praise is sometimes referred to as a sacrifice in Scripture, and I think singing is a sacrifice too at times but don’t we owe it to Him? I am thankful that, more often than not, God puts a song on my heart to sing. It’s at those times that the burdens feel lighter, the sky looks clearer, and His presence seems nearer. It’s those times when I want to praise Him with my whole heart because greater is He that is in me than He that is in the world. Satan may want to bring depression, discouragement, and defeat but he can’t because I have a Father who loves me and who won’t let satan touch me. Now THAT is something to sing about!

• Grand Prize (#10,000): Tyler for this comment
• Gold Prize (#10,0001): J.C. Johnson for this comment
• Silver Prize (#10,005): Andrew Fountain for this comment
• Bronze Prize (#10,010): J.C. Johnson for this comment

Winners: Email your mailing addresses to us. And congratulations!

And to everyone who has commented over the last three years: Thank you for making this such an interesting and lively place to discuss what’s going on in the best genre out there!

• Grand Prize (10,000th comment):
  • Liberty Quartet’s brand new CD The Journey—which hasn’t yet been reviewed here yet (but I can already tell you it will get 5 stars. It’s that good.)
  • Voices Won’s brand new CD Something For Everyone
  • Dixie Melody Boys Vintage (cassette – with Harold Reed, Devin McGlamery, Derrick Selph, and Ed O’Neal)
  • The Wilburns’ Where He Leads (cassette – with Loren Harris on lead)
  • The Greenes And The Walls Came Down Live with Orchestra (cassette)
• Gold Prize (10,001th comment)
  • Dixie Melody Boys Heading Home (cassette)
  • Paid in Full In All I Do (cassette)
• Silver Prize (10,005th comment)
  • The Wilburns Blessings (cassette)
• Bronze Prize (10,010th comment)
  • N’Harmony Keep On (cassette)

All titles are either sealed or played once before I realized they were duplicates.

A couple of rules:

1. If one of the prize-winning comments is made by one of the staff of this site (that’s a fancy term for Sony and me, who are volunteers!) or members of their immediate families, the next qualifying post will be the winner of that prize.
2. Inconsequential posts such as “Lol,” “Yeah,” “I agree,” or “great post” will not be counted. The next qualifying post will win. (Edit: If you post a number of identical posts on different threads, they will be counted as inconsequential posts!)

And if you’d like post suggestions, here are a couple of posts that didn’t get the attention they deserved:

• Publicity in a Post-Radio Genre
• A Conversation with Kim Collingsworth
• An Interview with David Ragan
• An Interview with Randy Byrd
• Blackwood Brothers Sign with Daywind
• Singer/Songwriters in Southern Gospel
• An Interview with Libbi Perry Stuffle
• I Buy a Dixie Echoes CD

And here are a few more that did spark interesting discussions:

• Re-branding Southern Gospel Music?
• What Should We Call Regional Groups?
• DVD Review: Nashville Homecoming