The Down East Boys’ EP,There’s A Song For That, out now

CROSSROADS RECORDS

Arden, North Carolina (April 21, 2023) — The Down East Boys broke new ground for Southern Gospel in January with the release of “Celebration At The Empty Grave,” the first song from Sonlite Records to be presented in the immersive spatial audio of Dolby Atmos. Now, the quartet is releasing There’s A Song For That, a six-song EP that touches on a variety of themes even as it focuses on the unique ability of music to reach hearts with Christ’s message of salvation.

The collection loses no time in getting to the point, open with lead singer Ricky Carden’s delivery of the title track, a country-flavored look at the power of Gospel songs:

When it feels like the enemy steals your victory 
Remember in your heart there rings a melody

If you’re down, you can sing a chorus of “love lifted me”
And if you’re bound, sing “glory to God, He set me free”
No matter what you’re facing, what kind of day you’ve had
There’s a song for that

And, indeed, the rest of the set offers just such songs, whether in the majestic ballad, “Love Worth Dying For,” which features glistening orchestration, sympathetic piano from GRAMMY-nominated producer Jeff Collins and a soulful performance by tenor Doug Pittman, or in the similarly full-bodied closer, “Until He Comes,” a Dottie Rambo classic that contrasts Carden’s and Pittman’s voices in a meditation on perseverance, hope and the assurance of God’s grace. And with “The Song Of The Redeemed,” a snappy reminder that there’s a “song of freedom for all that will believe” sung by the full quartet, and the thoughtful “Song About Going Home,” where central insights are shared by Pittman, bass Alex Utech and baritone Daryl Paschal, the deep truth of the title is fully revealed:

Just imagine the sound
In that glorious place
As the saints are singing
To Jesus face to face

There are anthems being lifted
Around the Savior’s throne
But the one song you won’t hear
Is a song about going home

From start to finish, then, There’s A Song For That amply fulfills the vision described by Ricky Carden, who says, “Songs have always had a way of lifting our hearts on the tough days and helping us rejoice on good days. This project reminds us that in every day of our lives, no matter where we are, ‘There’s a song for that!'”

Listen to There’s A Song For That HERE.

About Down East Boys
For more than 30 years, the Down East Boys quartet has traveled from coast to coast, Canada and Mexico. Starting in eastern North Carolina the group chose the name from that region called Down East, but quickly expanded its ministry and has now recorded more than 20 projects and has had more than 40 songs reach the top of the Singing News charts. The Down East Boys features lead singer Ricky Carden, baritone singer Cayden Howell, bass singer Alex Utech and tenor singer Doug Pittman, who each bring a richness to the group’s music and have been noted by industry leaders and singers as some of the best. The Down East Boys have been afforded many great accolades to their credit. Three songs — “Beat Up Bible,” “Testimony Time” and “I’d Like To Tell It Again” — from their album, One Day In The Past, reached the No 1. position on the Singing News Chart, and “Amazing Amounts of Amazing Grace” from their most recent album, Faithful Still, also made the top spot. From performing with many evangelists through the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, singing at Southern Baptist State Conventions and Evangelism conferences all over the country, to all the awards and nominations and the hit songs, nothing changes the goal of this group and that is to share the gospel of Jesus unto all the world.

Heaven’s Mountain Band continues to top Bluegrass Gospel chart

SPECIAL FAMILY MUSIC GROUP

Nashville, TN (April 18, 2023) Family Music Group and the FMG Bluegrass label would like to congratulate multi-award-winning, Heaven’s Mountain Band for their #1 song, “Better Times,” on both the Singing News Bluegrass and the SGN Bluegrass charts!

“Better Times,” is the title track of Heaven’s Mountain Band’s latest album, written by group patriarch, Roger Johnson. The song tugs on the heartstrings and gives the listener a glimpse into yesterday, reminding them of our Godly heritage.

Heaven’s Mountain Band is no stranger to radio or to the music industry. In their 37 years of ministry, they have established themselves as one of Bluegrass Gospel’s top groups. They have garnered ten consecutive Singing News #1 songs, multiple Singing News Fan Award Nominations, and have been featured in many prestigious venues like Shadow Valley, Hominy Valley, and Dollywood.

This charting news came at the same time as the Johnson Family and Heaven’s Mountain Band were celebrating the homegoing of Roger’s wife and group matriarch, Debbie Johnson. So, the news was bitter-sweet, yet fitting. Debbie left this world, with success in the world’s eyes, but entered Heaven with the REAL success of meeting Jesus, her Savior!

For more information on Heaven’s Mountain Band, visit them online at: heavensmountainband.net

Dr. Charles Stanley dies at 90

STAFF

Texas Gospel Canada has learned of the death of Dr. Charles Stanley, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Atlanta and host of In Touch.

A message on the ministrie’s website says, “We are saddened to share that our beloved pastor, Dr. Charles Stanley, has passed away. We are forever idebted to him for his Godly example, biblical teaching, and devotion to the gospel. Please join us in prayer for the Stanley Family.

Charles Stanley was 90.

Here is a link to Dr. Stanley’s obituary.

How do you respond when your faith is questioned?

Floyd Rogers – Texas Gospel Volunteer, Christian writer

Matthew 11:1-6 NASB: When Jesus had finished giving instructions to His twelve disciples, He went on from there to teach and preach in their cities. 2 Now while in prison, John heard about the works of Christ, and he sent word by his disciples, 3 and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or are we to look for someone else?” 4 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: 5 those who are blind receive sight and those who limp walk, those with leprosy are cleansed and those who are deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is any person who does not take offense at Me.”  

Matthew 11:1-6 comes immediately after Jesus gave his apostles instructions as they headed out to preach to the lost sheep of the tribe of Israel.  In these verses, John is in prison and sends messengers to Jesus to ask if Jesus is the one, or if it is someone else. John is the one who baptized Jesus, but now that he is in prison for preaching the Gospel he asks if Jesus is the one!

We shouldn’t be surprised that John is in prison for preaching the Gospel. These verses follow Jesus telling his apostles they will be persecuted for delivering his message. An important lesson here is that hard times can make one question if his or her understanding of God’s word is correct. And even an Apostle of Jesus can lose faith.

Matthew told us in earlier verses  that Jesus’ disciples were in a boat with Jesus as a storm hit. Even though Jesus was in the boat with them, they lost faith until Jesus calmed the sea. Now we hear of John asking questions while he is in prison. Some say John lost faith and one could infer this from what Matthew wrote, and it would not be the first time an Apostle lost faith. But I think it’s more likely he’s questioning whether Jesus will be a military-political leader or if someone else is coming to rule on earth.  Could he be questioning his understanding of Messiah? I ask this because Matthew’s theme seems to be to convince Jewish people that Messiah will rule the Kingdom of Heaven.  He uses this phrase 32 times when other Gospel writers exclusively use the phrase Kingdom of God. I think he uses Kingdom of Heaven to drive home his point. 

My point in all this is it’s OK to ask God for faith when we have questions. It’s OK to ask God if we have it wrong. There’s no sense in being dishonest with God because he knows your thoughts whether you express them or not. The apostles in a boat, and John in prison began to have doubts.  But in both cases, they reached out to Jesus for answers rather than let any doubts they have fester. They were short sighted.  Jesus saw the whole picture which ended with his resurrection and salvation for anyone who accepts his call.

Shouldn’t our first response when doubt starts to creep in be to ask Jesus to strengthen our faith and to open our eyes to his will?

What are your thoughts?

Also on the web:

Talented Musical Family, The Browns, Release Breakthrough

SPECIAL STOWTOWN RECORDS

Nashville, TN (April 14, 2023) â€“ StowTown Records has announced the release of a brand new album from The Browns. Breakthrough features the gifted musical family at their very best, with the moving, rich harmonies and first-class arrangements that have made them a favorite among audiences nationwide. Breakthrough is distributed by Provident/Sony and is available today for download and streaming HERE.

Growing up near the quiet town of Le Mars, The Browns enjoyed the simple pleasures of life on a farm in rural Iowa. Their natural love for music quickly began to capture the attention of the locals and before long, that local attention turned to national acclaim. Over the years, their musical talents have afforded them the opportunity to travel across the country, yet their love for their home community runs deep. A testament to this lies in their commitment to develop the Browns Century Theater, a historic building in downtown Le Mars that the family bought and remodeled just a few years ago in order to present concerts and theatrical events in their hometown. Although the majority of their time is spent at the theater, the group continues to travel nationally, presenting live events in support of new music like their brand new release from StowTown.

Breakthrough is the eighth recording on which The Browns have partnered with multi-award winning producer and arranger, Wayne Haun. “I remember seeing The Browns for the first time in Owensboro, Kentucky, at a talent contest,” recalls Wayne. “They were all kids. In fact, Andrew was so small they had to stand him up in a chair to be seen. I knew there was great potential even then. Here we are some 20 years later, and they are all grown up and hitting a home run every night. Their voices are mature and unique. They have created their own sound that is fresh and commercial. I’m just grateful they let me be a part of the journey.”

The Browns have enjoyed a great relationship with Wayne through the years, and with his guidance, their primary focus continues to be on the songs themselves. “We love making music!” exclaims Michaela Brown. “These songs we chose for the Breakthrough album are songs that we not only love to sing, but also relate to on a personal level. We love the messages they convey, the hope they bring and the joy they spread to those who hear them!”

The debut single, the title cut “Breakthrough,” was shipped to radio in January 2023, and quickly made its debut in the Top 50. The success of the single was no surprise as the group has consistently appealed to radio listeners over the years and has enjoyed numerous Top 40 radio hits. Written by veteran songwriters Sue C. Smith, Shane Dunlap and Haun, “Breakthrough” is a song of encouragement to anyone who has ever faced life’s challenges. The song’s powerful message is complemented by a masterful arrangement that enraptures the listener to a place of confident peace.

In addition to “Breakthrough,” the recording is filled with several other original songs from talented writers like Don Koch, Joel Lindsey, Jeff Bumgardner and Marcia Henry, including “Move,” a fun song that combines fiddles with the electric guitar on a melodic line – a musical pairing first for Wayne Haun. Don Koch was a big musical influence for many, including Haun, during the 1990s; and so recording his brand new song “No One Greater” is a highlight for all involved. Lyrically, the song celebrates the victory Christ offers during life’s storms. And the Browns always feature a classic on their albums. “Try A Little Kindness,” originally recorded by Glen Campbell, is sure to become a concert favorite among fans of The Browns. 

For almost 20 years, The Browns have brought pleasure to listeners with their musical talents, rich family harmonies and exuberant on-stage energy. This latest release will no doubt bring listeners even more musical pleasure for decades to come.

Breakthrough Track List:
The Song We Sing
No One Greater
Breakthrough
Try A Little Kindness
My View from the Valley
Move
The Tomb is Empty Now