Tag: Kingdom Heirs

JEFF TURNER

For Chris Bryant, lead singer of The Kingdom Heirs, the sweet sounds of Southern Gospel have always been part of his DNA. Growing up in a pastor’s home and watching his grandparents traverse the country sharing their musical ministry, Bryant seemed destined to follow in their footsteps. However, he’s found a unique way to blend his passion for Gospel music with something equally precious – time with his family.

As the frontman for Dollywood’s resident Gospel group, Bryant has achieved what many traveling musicians only dream of: a stable performance schedule that allows him to return home every night to his wife Rachel and their new baby.

“This is the best of both worlds,” Bryant says, reflecting on his current role with The Kingdom Heirs, a group that has been Dollywood’s house Gospel band since 1986. The journey to this sweet spot in his career wasn’t immediate. Bryant previously toured with the Kingsmen quartet, experiencing the demanding schedule typical of traveling Gospel groups.

“I remember traveling with the Kingsmen quartet. They’re a great group, great group of guys, but we were home three to four weekends a year. That was it,” Bryant recalls. The grueling schedule of a touring musician is a familiar story in the Gospel music industry, where performers often sacrifice time with loved ones to share their ministry across the country.

The Kingdom Heirs’ story begins in 1971, the group started like many others, performing in local churches and concert halls. Their breakthrough came in 1982 when they began performing at what was then Silver Dollar City theme park, now known as Dollywood. Four years later, they secured their position as the park’s official Gospel ensemble.

For Bryant, joining The Kingdom Heirs represented more than just a prestigious position with a legendary group – it offered a chance to maintain his musical ministry while preserving precious family moments. After leaving the road life behind, he briefly ventured into solo performances, which allowed more schedule flexibility. But when the opportunity to join The Kingdom Heirs presented itself, the decision was clear.

“When this was available, there was no brainer for me,” Bryant explains. “If you wanna sing and you love to sing, you love this music, this is a chance to get to do it, but still have a family life, still get to have other things that are important to you. And honestly, I don’t know how anyone would ever walk away from this job.”

In an industry where time on the road often means sacrificing family life, Bryant’s story represents a modern evolution in Gospel music careers. His position with The Kingdom Heirs at Dollywood proves that sometimes the best path forward isn’t always found on the open road, but rather in finding that perfect harmony between passion and presence at home.

DAVID INGRAM

For Southern Gospel veterans The Kingdom Heirs, 2023 brought unprecedented changes that would have rattled lesser groups. The Dollywood mainstays faced the daunting task of rebuilding nearly their entire front line within just six months, including three vocal positions and adding a new guitarist.

Yet their latest Sonlite Records release, “No Better Time,” stands as testament to the group’s resilience and musical depth. The album serves as both a continuation of their celebrated legacy and an exploration of new artistic territory, seamlessly blending their traditional roots with contemporary arrangements.

The collection of songs reflects this balance, with orchestral elements enriching songs like “Until Prayer Changes Me” while maintaining the quartet’s signature southern gospel foundation. The horn section on the title track adds a fresh dimension to their sound without overshadowing the group’s renowned vocal arrangements.

What sets this album apart from their previous work, including last year’s “Something Good, Vol. 3,” is how it showcases the versatility of their new lineup. The project moves effortlessly between upbeat numbers like “All The Way To The Gates” and more contemplative pieces such as “Already Free.” The emotional range is particularly evident in “Life Hurts, God Heals,” which features some of the group’s most nuanced vocal work to date.

Each member contributed to the album’s development, from song selection to final production decisions. This collaborative approach has resulted in performances that feel both polished and genuine, particularly in tracks like “I Went Down” and the gently rhythmic “We’ll Be Moving.”

The project’s cornerstone, “Until Prayer Changes Me,” has already found success on gospel radio, suggesting that listeners are embracing this new chapter in the group’s story. While the faces may have changed, the heart of The Kingdom Heirs’ ministry remains steadfast, evident in every harmony and lyric throughout the album.Long-time fans will appreciate how the group has maintained their traditional quartet styling while thoughtfully incorporating contemporary elements. The closing track, “Yesterday, Today, Forever Faithful,” perfectly encapsulates this evolution, providing a fitting bookend to an album that honors their past while embracing their future.

As The Kingdom Heirs continue their daily performances at Dollywood, this album stands as proof that even significant change can lead to creative growth when approached with faith and dedication. Through careful song selection and collaborative musicianship, they’ve created what might be their most cohesive and compelling project to date.

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!!”

SPECIAL: CROSSROADS MUSIC

Arden, North Carolina (July 12, 2024) — They may be a legendary group with decades of music already behind them, but the Kingdom Heirs are taking an approach to releasing music that’s as forward-looking as today’s headlines.  Less than two months after issuing what will eventually be the title track of a new collection — and just weeks after the announcement that the beloved Southern Gospel ensemble’s musicians are in the Singing News Fan Awards Top 5 — the Sonlite Records recording artists are back with new music. Cast as a stately country waltz, with pedal steel guitar and lush strings punctuating soaring vocals, “Until Prayer Changes Me” offers a heartfelt look at the transformative power of prayer.  

“From the moment I heard the first words of this song, I knew that it was a song the Kingdom Heirs needed to record,” affirms Chris Bryant, whose soulful voice is at the fore throughout the song. “It’s one of the most relatable messages in song that I have heard in a very long time. There’s not a believer out there who hasn’t found themselves on their knees asking God ‘why?’ Those are often some of the most difficult moments of our lives.”

Penned by veteran songwriter Janice Crow, “Until Prayer Changes Me” offers a vivid depiction of how prayer can bring reassurance of God’s mercy in times of trouble—and how it can change the believer rather than the circumstances they face:

Sometimes my burdens send me to my knees
With problems I don’t understand
I ask God to change it so I can arrange it
According to my master plan
But when I remember who parted the sea
And hung all the stars in the blue
I stop and surrender to the only heart mender
Who knows just what I need to do

Says Bryant, “This song reminds us that sometimes God doesn’t change our situation—sometimes He changes US! He gives us peace, assurance that He is still in control, and grace to make it through. We pray that this song touches so many people as it has us.”

Listen to “Until Prayer Changes Me” on Texas Gospel Canada!