Tag: hyssongs

The Hyssongs bring daughter Makayla into the family harmony with new Worship Medley single

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AMY TURNER

Makayla Hyssong may not have known what to expect when the Hyssongs walked into the studio and she stepped up to the microphone. She just wanted to sing “Shout to the Lord” the way she’d always heard it in her head.

“Her emotional rendition of this anthem brought tears to everyone in the studio while recording,” says her father, Richard Hyssong, still sounding a little amazed by it. It’s the kind of moment that doesn’t come around often, even for a family that has spent nearly three decades making music together.

The Maine based Southern Gospel trio is barely getting comfortable with their new label home, Horizon Records, where lead single “Good News Savior” is just now finding its way to radio. But The Hyssongs have never been a group content to sit still, and their new “Worship Medley” arrives close behind their last release, “It’s Not Over Yet,” a song that turned Makayla’s own health struggles into a testimony about faith and healing. This time, rather than singing about her, the family is singing alongside her, and it marks the first time Makayla has been featured on a Hyssong recording.

Working again with producer Jeff Collins, the family threads together three worship standards into one continuous, sweeping performance. It opens with the propulsive energy of “You Are Good,” settles into the emotional core of Makayla’s “Shout to the Lord,” and closes with “Awesome God,” a version built around a string arrangement that swells into a full orchestral finale.

For Richard Hyssong, the medley isn’t just a showcase for his daughter’s voice, it’s meant as something closer to an offering. “With all of the noise and issues in this world,” he says, “these songs will help us reflect on almighty God and bring us to the point of worship.”

That instinct, to cut through the noise with something plainspoken and sincere, has defined The Hyssongs since they started singing together as a family 29 years ago. Their sound draws on classical training as much as gospel tradition, and it shows in the tight harmonies and unusual chord voicings that set them apart from other trios on the circuit. Add in a horn section featuring trumpet and trombone, plus the easy humour that runs through their live shows, and you get a group whose ministry feels less like a performance and more like an invitation.

The accolades have piled up accordingly. The group took home the Singing News Fan Award for Favorite New Trio in 2014 at the National Quartet Convention in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and they’ve landed among the Top Ten Trios of the Year every year since. Their chart run has been just as consistent, with songs like “There Is A God,” “Choose Life,” “Run The Race,” “I Tell Them Jesus” and “Let the Hallelujahs Ring” all reaching number one on the Singing News Radio Charts. AbsolutelyGospel.com tapped them as an artist to watch back in 2015, and their album Faith & Family was named a Top 10 record of the year by Singing News Fans in 2017.

None of that history explains what happened when Makayla stepped up to sing, though. Some things you can build over 29 years of family harmony. Others just arrive, fully formed, in a single take.

Dell Hyssong’s Faith-Filled Journey to Health

Published on by Texas GospelLeave a comment

JEFF TURNER

Dell Hyssong, a member of the beloved Southern Gospel trio The Hyssongs, recently experienced a health scare that tested his faith. The Hyssongs, consisting of Dell, his wife Susan, and their son Richard, have been traveling and performing together for more than 27 years, touching hearts with their music at over 225 events annually across Canada and the United States. Their latest release, There Is, continues to inspire audiences with its message of hope and trust in God.

However, just a few months ago, Dell faced a personal challenge that made the words of Proverbs 3:5-6 particularly poignant. “About three months ago, the doctor said, I think maybe you need to have some tests. Maybe you’ve got cancer, we’re not sure, but the percentages are high that you might,” Dell shared. For a man whose life and ministry are centered around his faith, this news was a moment to lean on that very faith.

Dell chose to trust in God, even when the future seemed uncertain. “I could worry, I could fret, or I could lean on God, I could trust him,” he reflected. During this period of waiting and uncertainty, Dell found strength in his faith, choosing to believe that God would guide him through whatever lay ahead.

Last Tuesday, Dell underwent an MRI, a moment that could have been filled with anxiety. But, true to his commitment to trust in the Lord, Dell faced the test with a calm spirit. The following day, he received the news he had been praying for: “Everything is benign. You don’t have cancer. You’re perfectly fine,” the doctor told him. Dell’s relief was palpable, and his gratitude was immeasurable.

Reflecting on the experience, Dell shared a moment of humor and hope: “In fact, [the doctor] said, since your mom and dad are 98 and 99, he said, I believe you’re going to live a long, long life. So you’re stuck with me for a long time. I tell that to Richard all the time. I might as well tell you.”

Dell’s story is a powerful reminder of the importance of faith in the face of life’s challenges. As he continues to travel and perform with The Hyssongs, his testimony of trust in God will undoubtedly resonate with audiences everywhere. His experience serves as an encouragement to all who face uncertainties to remember the words of Proverbs and lean not on their own understanding but to trust in the Lord with all their heart.