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The Inspirations, McKamey Legacywin Singing News Fan Awards

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SPECIAL CROSSROADS RECORDS

Arden, North Carolina (October 5, 2022) — Horizon Records artists The Inspirations and McKamey Legacy are winners of Singing News Fan Awards this year. The awards were presented last week at the National Quartet Convention in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

The Inspirations’ album, What A Wonderful Time LIVE, was named Favorite Album of the year. The album — recorded at NQC in 2020 â€” highlights the newest generation of members, Roland Kesterson, lead vocal; Isaac Moore, tenor vocal; Wyatt Austin, bass vocal; and Luke Vaught, baritone vocal and keyboard; and captures the energy they bring to the stage. 

“We are honored that our fans voted our album the favorite of the year. This album will always be special to us as being our first with this lineup, and for it to go down in history as winning album of the year is just confirmation that we are doing what God wants as well as what our fans want,” says Kesterson. “It’s our prayer that we be better servants than better singers. Thank you so much to all who support us in what we do as we continue to promote the gospel to this world that we live in.”

Bass singer Wyatt Austin received further honors as he was named Favorite Young Artist. “To say I was surprised is an understatement,” he says. “I am extremely honored for the support that you all have shown me and I love each and every one of you! This is a memory I will never forget, thank you!”

McKamey Legacy, who released their self-titled album earlier this year, was voted Favorite New Artist. The group picked up where Southern Gospel legends The McKameys left off and is composed of Ruben and Peg McKamey’s daughter, Connie Fortner, her husband, Roger, and their son, Elijah, who were already integral contributors to The McKameys’ sound.

“We are truly honored by the love and support from each and everyone who voted for McKamey Legacy in the Singing News Fan Awards for Favorite New Artist,” they say. “We were surprised, but pleasantly surprised by this honor and we pray that we will continue to carry the gospel in song that is pleasing to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!”

Listen for these great artists throughout the day on Texas Gospel Canada!

The Booth Brothers Enter New Season With StowTown Records Release, Speak Jesus

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SPECIAL STOWTOWN RECORDS

Nashville, TN (September 30, 2022) – StowTown Records has announced the highly-anticipated release of the newest recording from The Booth Brothers. Speak Jesus features the multi-award winning trio at their very best, delivering smooth harmonies with an energy and excitement that has catapulted them to the forefront of the gospel music genre.

The rich heritage of The Booth Brothers began over four decades ago as two young brothers, Ronnie and Michael, developed a deep love of harmony and chose to follow in their father’s footsteps, pursuing a career in the music industry. Before long, the brothers and their dad began to garner national attention and became one of the most awarded groups in gospel music.

In 2021, Ronnie made the decision to retire and longtime group member, Paul Lancaster, resigned after the passing of his precious wife, Michelle. After the departure of these great men from the group, Michael contacted friend and former group member, Jim Brady, to see if he would join him and the incredibly talented Buddy Mullins to forge ahead and carry on the ministry of The Booth Brothers. The three have joined forces and are taking the country by storm with the unmistakable smooth harmony that their listeners so dearly love.

This new recording from Michael Booth and his longtime friends offers twelve songs, most of which are written or co-written by Jim and Buddy, that appropriately convey the faithfulness of a loving Savior. “We serve an awesome God whose faithfulness has been proven time and again,” states Michael Booth. “Over the past year or so, The Booth Brothers have experienced our share of changes and uncertainty, but God has never failed us, and this latest recording is a testament to how He speaks to us as seasons and circumstances change, even through the chaos and uncertainty that often surrounds us.”

The first single, “Room Full of Stories,” can already be heard on radio stations across the country. Fans and friends of The Booth Brothers know how well they connect with their audiences, and this song is a nod to that. From the stage, Michael, Buddy and Jim see many faces in the crowd, but behind each face is a story, and each story differs from the next. While we all have our own stories, a common theme can be found: the grace and faithfulness of our loving God.

Speak Jesus reunites The Booth Brothers with Grammy®-nominated songwriter, engineer and producer Barry Weeks. Michael expressed his appreciation, “Barry’s leadership brought out the best in each of us, in addition to bringing out the best in the musicians and the songs. We absolutely love working with him. He’s worked with some of the most notable artists in the business, and we are honored that he would lend his talents to help us produce what we believe is truly one of our most meaningful projects yet. We are so thrilled with the finished recording, and we think our listeners will be as well.”

President and CEO of StowTown Records Landon Beene shares, “It has been my great honor to work with the Booth Brothers over the last several years, as both their former manager and a concert promoter. To now have them as artists on the StowTown Records label and to represent their music during this new era of ministry is an absolute privilege. Our team is thrilled to walk alongside them and cheer them on in this new season. We are excited to be releasing what we feel is one of their best recordings to date and can’t wait to see how the Lord uses this music to touch the hearts of those who will hear it.”

With Speak Jesus, The Booth Brothersdeliver a powerful message of hope during challenging times and seasons of change. This recording features progressive, tight harmonies that have become synonymous with The Booth Brothers. The album reaffirms that although situations and circumstances change, and chaos and uncertainty can bring about fear, God’s grace is always sufficient. Each song conveys that there is victory on the other side of the valley and encourages all who listen to simply Speak Jesus in those trying times.

Speak Jesus is distributed by Provident/Sony and is availableon all digital platforms worldwide, and wherever fine Christian music is sold, including christianbook.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com. 

The Chitans’ Shoulder to Shoulder joyously embraces the power of God’s love

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SPECIAL CROSSROADS RECORDS

Arden, North Carolina (September 30, 2022) — Reminding us once again that the sounds of Southern Gospel and the timeless message of salvation they convey know no boundaries, The Chitans return with Shoulder To Shoulder â€” their second full-length album with Horizon Records â€” out now.

The title and opening track lays out the story almost as if it were written to order:

“We are brothers and sisters, we’re part of the family of God
We’ve faced many battles together, God brought us thru every one
Now we don’t always agree, we don’t always see eye to eye
But all of these things will not stop us, for we have made up our mind

Shoulder to shoulder, we will go forward, united together as one
We’ll not be divided, we’ll not be defeated, as a family we’ll keep standing strong
Shoulder to shoulder, we are helping each other make it home”

Set to a soulful, gently swaying rhythm, the song lifts up the entire group — sisters Kaiziah, Kayandra and Karlainah, along with brothers Jesse and Jayden â€” and sets the tone for the album, which reflects a joyously embrace of the Gospel spirit and the power of God’s love. And while there is room for expansive orchestral arrangements that underline the majesty and power of their message, most of the songs on Shoulder To Shoulder favor more organic sounds to match the simplicity of youthful belief, giving the album a warm, intimate family atmosphere.  

Similarly, while there are a few touchstone songs that listeners may recognize, including “Goodness Of God,” the group’s reworking of Charity Gayle’s take on “New Name Written Down In Glory,” and a nod to the family’s Caribbean origins in “Hush (Don’t Cry),” first recorded by the group Acapella, the bulk of the songs are fresh and new, carefully chosen by the group and their producer, Roger Talley. And though the glistening, heartfelt vocals of Kaiziah and Kayandra are most prominently featured — that’s Kayandra taking the lead on the first single, “God Like That” â€” there’s plenty of room for all of The Chitans to shine, emphasizing the close-knit feeling of the family as they stand shoulder to shoulder.

“We are so excited to announce the release of our brand new album,” offer The Chitans. “God is so good, and we are so grateful to be able to sing about Him. It was such a fun and enjoyable time working with our producer, Roger Talley, and the folks at Crossroads Studios. There are some awesome songs on this album, songs of encouragement, hope and peace — some songs you may know that you can sing along to, and some brand new ones that will have you singing along in no time. We are so thrilled to be able to share this with you all!”Listen to Shoulder to Shoulder

The Down East Boys’ “Ready To Leave”goes No. 1 on SGN Scoops chart

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SPECIAL: CROSSROADS RECORDS

Arden, North Carolina (September 20, 2022) — The Down East Boys have once again claimed the No. 1 spot on the monthly SGN Scoops Southern Gospel Chart with a song from their album, The Stories We Tell. “Ready To Leave,” a horn-driven cover of the popular Hemphills song, has quickly climbed the chart since its release, debuting at No. 13 before jumping to No. 1. The song follows the group’s last single,  “Your Sins Are Forgiven,” which was No. 1 on the SGN Scoops chart in May.

“Ready To Leave” talks about living a life that prepares you for heaven, as the chorus shares, “​​Ready to leave in a twinkling of an eye / making investments in the bank up in the sky! / I’ve made preparations — not a reason to grieve. / Are you in that number getting ready to leave?”

“We are overwhelmed by the response to this great classic song,” says Ricky Carden, the group’s lead singer. “Fifty years after it was first recorded, the message has become more real in the days we are living in. We are getting ‘Ready To Leave’!” 

The song is the latest single from the Down East Boys’ album, The Stories We Tell. The album is the first featuring the current lineup of singers (Carden, baritone Daryl Paschal, bass Alex Utech and tenor Doug Pittman), and offers a sampling of all the elements that have contributed to the success of the group’s musical ministry — uplifting songs; thoughtful, creative arrangements relevant to today’s faithful while keeping strong links to tradition; and, above all, singing that gives each voice an opportunity to testify within a tight-knit quartet setting.  

Listen to “Ready To Leave” and the rest of The Stories We Tell 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 Daryl Paschal, 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.

Lauren Talley’s This Is For You launchesa new era for the Christian music artist

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SPECIAL: CROSSROADS RECORDS

Arden, North Carolina (September 20, 2022) — Rarely has an album been so well named as This Is For You,Lauren Talley’s first collection in three years, and the first since The Talleys, the family trio in which she’d sung for more than 20 years, elected to retire from touring in 2020. From the opening line of the title track (and next radio single) to the last notes of the restrained, yet deeply emotional “Lord’s Prayer,”This Is For You is a finely crafted yet revelatory exploration of the wellsprings of faith through music.

The album is now available for pre-order, add or save ahead of its November 11 release.

“I’ve been making records for a long, long time,” says the artist. “But I think This Is For You may be the pinnacle of my recording career thus far. It’s the first album I have recorded as a full-time solo artist since the retirement of The Talleys, and working alongside producer Gordon Mote injected the whole process with fresh creativity. I love the songs, I love the sounds, and well, I’ve lived the lyrics.” 

“Several of the songs are from my pen and my life,” Talley continues. “‘This Is For You,’ ‘Say Yes I Am,’ ‘In The Room,’ and ‘That’s What I Love About Him’ contain bits and pieces of my story, and I sing them because I want you to know it, to know me, but most importantly, to know Him.”

That intent animates each of the Gordon Mote and Lauren Talley-produced collection’s 10 songs, which reach beyond Talley’s heartfelt originals to include a carefully chosen set that includes nods to African-American Gospel in a joyous, spirited reading of “How I Got Over” and to worship music in a ringing take of Charity Gayle’s “Thank You Jesus For The Blood.” With every song, Talley and her gifted team have created fresh, contemporary, yet varied arrangements that center her compelling voice, delivering a message of redemption that shines through each moment, whether in hushed or powerful passages, as the title track’s very first words make clear:

“This is for you, the ones who are broken
Deep down inside and you’re trying to hide
This is for you
….
I see every tear, I feel every heartbreak
I know every fear, And I love you just the same
….
Just look at my wounds
Just look at my blood spilled
I gave it for you”

“This album was crafted for you,” Lauren Talley concludes, “But our stories are all made possible by the One who gave Himself….For You.”Pre-order, add or save This Is For YouHERE.

About Lauren Talley
Lauren Talley is one of Christian music’s most dynamic talents and has inspired a generation of young people to serve the Lord.

Born into a rich musical heritage, Lauren sang her first solo at age 2 when she toddled onto the stage, interrupted her family’s concert and announced she wanted to “thing.” Lauren went on to make her own mark on the gospel music world as a member of her family group, The Talleys, with whom she received numerous awards, including a 2015 Dove Award for their song, “Hidden Heroes.” Lauren’s lead vocals shine on eleven number one hits for the group.

She has recorded seven solo albums, including 2019’s unprecedented release of two albums simultaneously, Glorious God: Songs of Worship and Wonder, and Loudest Praise: Hymns Of Mercy, Love and Grace. Her 2017 album, The Gospel, reached the number one position on Billboard’s Top Christian Inspirational chart. She is also the author of Songs In The Night, a companion devotional book to her 2010 album of the same title. Lauren performs solo concerts and is a featured singer and speaker for many women’s conferences and special events across the country. She is frequently recognized for her appearances on numerous Gaither Homecoming videos and concerts, RFD-TV’s The Music City Show and In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley. In 2014, she was awarded an honorary doctorate degree in Worship Arts from John Wesley University.

When not traveling or recording her own music, Lauren often serves as a studio background singer and producer for other recordings and works with emerging artists as a voice and performance coach. Lauren is a busy lady but always finds time to cheer on her beloved Tennessee Volunteers, drink sweet tea and spend time laughing with family and friends.

“My job as a communicator is to give people the truth of the Gospel,” Lauren says. “I want people to know that Jesus is everything — He’s the Answer the world is searching for, He’s the solution to all problems and He’s the only One in whom we have real hope. He called me to give people His message when I was 12 years old, and fulfilling that call is all I’ve ever really wanted.”