JEFF TURNER, TEXAS GOSPEL CANADA MUSIC REPORTER

The Wardlaw Brothers and Legacy Five are well known within their own genera of Gospel music. While Southern Gospel listeners and perhaps most visitors of TexasGospel.ca are familiar with Legacy Five, The Wardlaw Brothers may be unfamiliar to our readers.  But that doesn’t mean they are unknown.  The Lyons, Georgia group spreads the Gospel message with a very different sound than Southern Gospel. The group’s web page says they are often described, “…as gospel music’s answer to Boyz II Men.” So what would motivate Legacy Five and The Wardlaw Brothers to release a song together?

“9 Makes Us 1″ is the result of both gospel groups blending their talents. It’s a powerful song of unity that the world needs to hear.  It’s unfortunate that racial divisions are so prominent today.  It’s even more unfortunate that they exist in Gospel music.  A post on YouTube from Daywind Records puts it this way, “Racial barriers exist in an industry of believers who write and sing about the one God and His one Kingdom.  Also, the current climate of our nation is plagued with reoccurring racial injustices and cultural clashes.  But now, Legacy Five and The Wardlaw Brothers have joined together to be an example of one unified body.”

Divisions between people have been around since recorded history. We’ve divided ourselves for political reasons, religion, and social preferences. We want things to be the way WE believe is best. Notice I said “we” and not God. Without God the only way to assure things go the way we want is to be in charge. Humankind seems to struggle against unity because that implies equal distribution of authority.  Our fleshly desires; that is, our sinful nature, wants to be in charge.  Not just in charge of our own destiny, but of those around us. It’s something that will be so until our Lord’s second coming. It’s also something that unfairly punishes those in the minority. Because of this, shouldn’t we as Christians submit our authority to God? Shouldn’t we as a people lead the charge to resist divisions that sprout from power struggles? Shouldn’t we especially resist those divisions that can result in violence?

I hope the sentiment behind the lyrics of 9 Makes Us 1 lives long after the song has faded from the gospel music charts. I also hope you enjoy listing to the new release playing now on TexasGospel.ca.