Category: Top articles

Jim and Melissa Brady Reflect on Friendship and New Music

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AMY TURNER

Jim & Melissa Brady have been a beloved part of the Gaither Homecoming Friends, occasionally joining the legendary tour for special performances. For Melissa, the tour is about more than just singing—it’s about the deep relationships that have grown over the years. Reflecting on her experiences, she says, “I’m just grateful for that homecoming family. It’s just one of the most loving… I call them family, right? Because they’re friends who become family and I love every single one of them.”

Melissa fondly recalls the special moments behind the scenes, particularly the camaraderie with her fellow artists. “My favorite moments were with the girls in the dressing room,” she shares. “The God conversations and the funny stories that happened back there. It was just really great.”

As Jim & Melissa continue to make an impact through their music, their latest song, “Covered,” is another heartfelt reminder of the comfort and grace found in faith. Fans of the couple are blessed by not only their incredible talent but also the warmth and authenticity they bring to their performances and relationships.

Listen for Covered on Texas Gospel Canada!

Cole Watson Marries His Best Friend and Celebrates New Beginnings

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AMY TURNER

Congratulations are in order for Cole Watson, lead singer of The Kingsmen Quartet, who celebrated a major life milestone this past weekend—his wedding! In a heartfelt Facebook post, Cole shared his joy, writing, “I got to marry my best friend. The one that God, The creator of all things, hand picked for me and put in my life right when I needed her most. This will forever be my greatest accomplishment! Here’s to forever babe!! I love you, Mrs. Watson.”

It’s clear that Cole is excited to start this new chapter with his wife, Brooklyn, and we wish them a lifetime of happiness together. Meanwhile, The Kingsmen’s latest song, Keep Praying For The Prodigal, continues to inspire listeners as they share their message of hope and faith. Congratulations to the happy couple!

The Kingdom Heirs announceupcoming album, No Better Time

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SPECIAL CROSSROADS RECORDS

Arden, North Carolina (September 10, 2024) —  “2023 was a year of change for The Kingdom Heirs,” Dollywood’s resident Southern Gospel group observe at the start of the liner notes to No Better Time, their upcoming album for Sonlite Records, now available for pre-save/add ahead of its November 1 release. What follows proves that they’re masters, not just of legendary singing, but of understatement.  “In our 40-plus years of ministry, we had never seen anything quite like it. Within a six month span, we replaced three out of four of our front line vocals and added a guitar player/vocalist. This project is nothing short of a miracle from God along with help and encouragement from so many people!”

Indeed, though the turnover has been substantial since last year’s collection of genre classics, Something Good, Vol. 3, the release of three singles in advance of the full project reassured longtime and recent fans alike that the Kingdom Heirs sound and spirit were as strong as ever. From the classic, jaunty opening piano of the “The Lord’s Been Good to Me” to the more contemporary flavor of the closing “Yesterday, Today, Forever Faithful,” No Better Time offers up a rounded portrait of multi-dimensional artistry placed in the service of the Gospel.  

Yet while a string section makes appearances on radio favorite “Until Prayer Changes Me” and the meditative “Already Free,” and horns enliven the title track, country flavors, soulful harmonies and traditional touches predominate on numbers such as the up-tempo “All The Way To The Gates,” recent single “I Want To Live Like Jesus,” the gently syncopated “We’ll Be Moving” and focus track “I Went Down.”  And though there are somber moments in the empathetic “Life Hurts, God Heals” and “He Still Is,” with its aching tenor lead vocal, most of No Better Time’s themes are perfectly summed up in the chorus of its title track:

No better time than the present
No better time than the now
No better time than the moment
To be touched by His power
And see once again He’s so faithful
He’s always changing lives
No better way, no better day, no better time 

“This album is something every member of our group should be very proud of,” the liner notes affirm. “Each guy was involved in every aspect of the finished product. There also would not be a ‘finished product’ if not for all the songwriters who submitted material that took a considerable amount of time to process. There were so many great songs, and we feel that we chose the best of the best. Thank you, songwriters, for your talent and commitment to keep sharing words that change people’s lives! 

“Last but certainly not least, THANK YOU to our family and friends, who not only support what we do, but more importantly, you BELIEVE in what we do! Without each one of you who are sitting in our audience on a daily basis or sitting at home praying for us daily, this ministry would be nothing more than a bunch of guys playing music! We love you and thank you…YOU make this possible!!”

Why Wouldn’t I Run by Lee Park Worship: A Fresh Take on Faith-Filled Music

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JEFF TURNER

Lee Park Worship continues to bridge the gap between modern worship and traditional church music with their new single, Why Wouldn’t I Run. This unique blend of sound and message speaks directly to the heart of worshippers, combining fresh, modern tones with the deep roots of the faith.

The song came together through an inspiring collaboration between Shane Dunlap and two of southern gospel’s finest songwriters, Sue Smith and Nathan Woodard. Shane shared how the song came to life in a moment of inspiration during a writing session. “Sue Smith is phenomenal. She’s one of my dearest friends. And then Nathan Woodard is just, he’s just great too. So we were sitting in the writing room and we were trying to come up with some kind of an idea. But we had something that we were going with. And then Sue mentioned, she’s like, I look at it like, you know, why don’t we just run to him? And I looked at Nathan and he looked at me. And we immediately, I mean, it clicked. We’re like, we’re writing that. Why wouldn’t I run. And so we wrote it and we had the song in an hour and a half. It was pretty cool. It was really magical and we sang it the next week at church.”

Why Wouldn’t I Run captures the heart of turning to God, expressing the simplicity and urgency of running to Him. With its powerful message and captivating melody, it’s already making an impact in worship settings.

Listen for Why Wouldn’t I run on Texas Gospel Canada!

Fan’s Suggestion Sparks Joseph Habedank and Chris Blue Collaboration

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JEFF TURNER

Do fans have an impact on what Southern Gospel artists do? In the case of Joseph Habedank’s latest song, Jesus Walked In, the answer is a resounding yes!

Joseph Habedank’s collaboration with The Voice winner Chris Blue came directly from a fan suggestion. Joseph recalls the moment it all came together: “I met Chris Blue on the Gaither tour, and I have to tell you, he quickly became not only one of my favorite singers, but one of my favorite people.” The two were part of the Gaither Homecoming cruise when inspiration struck in an unexpected way.

A fan came to the front of the stage and motioned for me. So I went down, and the person said, ‘Would you ever consider doing a song with Chris Blue?’ And I said, ‘Absolutely I would. He’s one of my favorites,'” Joseph shared. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. “I literally went back to my seat. Chris Blue was sitting right behind me. I turned around and said, ‘Hey, you want to do a song together?’ And he said, ‘Absolutely, let’s do it.'”

That fan’s suggestion sparked a collaboration that led to Jesus Walked In, a song that blends the talent of two artists from different musical worlds, bringing together the rich tradition of Southern Gospel and Chris Blue’s soulful voice.

This unexpected partnership shows that fan engagement can play a significant role in shaping an artist’s journey. Sometimes, all it takes is a single suggestion to create something extraordinary. In this case, a fan’s request gave Southern Gospel a new, powerful song that’s sure to bless many.