Tag: Southern Gospel Radio

The Cathedral Quartet

StowTown Records Releases Vault Series Edition From The Legendary Cathedrals

Published on by Texas GospelLeave a comment

Special StowTown Records

Nashville, TN (November 30, 2020) ā€“ StowTown Records has announced a brand new release from the labelā€™s Vault Series. The latest installment of the series, Smooth As Silk, comes from the legendary Cathedral Quartet. The Vault Series features first-time digital releases of previously recorded projects.

Originally released in vinyl format back in 1979, Smooth As Silk was the first recording to feature the combination of tenor Kirk Talley, baritone Steve Lee, pianist Roger Bennett and the legendary twosome, Glen Payne and George Younce, and was the first album ever for both Talley and Bennett. The recording features the prominent quartet performing classics such as ā€œIā€™m Winging My Way Back Home,ā€ ā€œI Know A Man Who Canā€ (which became a #1 song and Kirk Talleyā€™s  signature song), ā€œThen I Met The Masterā€ and ā€œIt Is Well With My Soul.ā€ Despite this success, the album was never released through a national distributor until now.

The Cathedral Quartet performed together from 1963 until their retirement in 1999.  While the group transitioned through several members throughout their 36-year ministry, fans and industry peers alike honored them for their consistent talent and their collective heart. The Cathedrals earned numerous Gospel Music Association Dove Awards, were nominated for three GrammyĀ® Awards, had scores of chart-topping hits, received twenty Singing News Fan Awards, and were inducted into both the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame and the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame. When the group retired, they held the #1 spot on the national charts for their song ā€œHe Made A Change,ā€ which also earned them the GMA Dove Award for Southern Gospel Recorded Song of the Year.

ā€œIt is truly a thrill to be able to present this incredible recording in digital format to fans worldwide,ā€ StowTown Records President Landon Beene states. ā€œI grew up listening to the musical magic of The Cathedrals, as I know many people did, and I am delighted that even more listeners will have the opportunity to hear this legendary group.ā€

George Younceā€™s son-in-law, StowTown co-owner and former Cathedral Quartet member Ernie Haase shares, ā€œIt was an honor to sing with George and Glen and the Cathedral Quartet, and itā€™s humbling to be able to re-release this music. It was a privilege to brainstorm with StowTown Records and the estate of Payne and Younce about the digital release of this project. Smooth as Silk was one of the first records I purchased after discovering The Cathedrals in 1982. When people hear it, they will understand why this record is timeless and needed to be released in digital format, and I hope they love it!ā€

Smooth As Silk is distributed by Provident/Sony and is available on all digital music platforms worldwide.

Smooth As Silk Track Listing:
Iā€™m Winging My Way Back Home
I Know A Man Who Can
Iā€™m Gonna Rise
Then I Met The Master
When I Thank Him For What He Has Done
What A Day That Will Be
Stormy Waters
It Is Well With My Soul
Love Lifted Me
ā€˜Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus

Funeral arrangements announced for Aaron Wilburn

Published on by Texas GospelLeave a comment

Friends and family of Aaron Wilburn are preparing to celebrate his life. Aaron passed away Friday following a battle with COVID-19.Ā  He was 70.

A life celebration will be held at 2 p.m., Tuesday, December 1 at Restoring Hope Church in Hendersonville, TN. Family will receive friends on Monday, Nov. 30 from 4-8 p.m. at Crestview Funeral Home and again from 12-2 p.m. at the church prior to the service.

Serving as pallbearers will be Jerry Salley, Dave Lehman, Olan Witt, Danny Jones, Jeff Easter, Jared Witt, Gary Casto, and Bobby Tomberlin.

Here is a link to his complete obituary.

ON THE WEB

Singing News Magazine: Remembering Aaron Wilburn

Southern Gospel Scoops: Please pray for the Wilburn Family

Les Butler

Les Butler of Old Time Preachers Quartet hospitalized

Published on by Texas GospelLeave a comment

Jeff Turner ā€“ Music Reporter

Family and friends of Les Butler are asking for prayer after he was admitted to Stonecrest Medical Center in Smyrna, TN on Nov. 22 for COVID-19 and pneumonia.  

Les has been a part of Southern Gospel Music for more than four decades. Heā€™s a musician, producer and manager. He is also a former publisher of the Singing News Magazine and hosts a nationally syndicated radio program. The radio show isnā€™t the only place where youā€™ve heard his voice.Ā  Les is a member of The Old Time Preacherā€™s Quartet.

Les posted an open letter to his Facebook page Wednesday.  In it he said heā€™s happy to have had ā€œgreat worship servicesā€ while at the hospital. Heā€™s been studying the Bible, reading books and watching Gospel music videos.

Lesā€™ wife has also tested positive.Ā  He said this is the first Thanksgiving the couple has been apart in the past 40 years.

Aaron Wilburn

Aaron Wilburn passes away

Published on by Texas Gospel1 Comment

Jeff Turner ā€“ Music Reporter

One of Southern Gospelā€™s most loved singers has died following a battle with COVID-19. A family member of Aaron Wilburn made the announcement on Facebook Friday evening saying, ā€œAaron made it home to the same heaven that he has written and sang about his whole life.ā€

Aaron will long be remembered for his humor, his time with The Happy Goodman Family, and the many Gospel songs he wrote.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

Aaron Wilburn was 70.

Is it wrong to be wealthy?

Published on by Texas GospelLeave a comment

FLOYD ROGERS – Texas Gospel Volunteer, Christian writer

A YouTube video titled, ā€œWhy most rich people will end up in hellā€ was brought up in discussion. For full disclosure: I did not watch the video.  Iā€™ve found that a person usually doesnā€™t really know what theyā€™re talking about if they canā€™t make a point without telling me to watch someone elseā€™s video. But the title piqued my interest.  After all, the Book of Matthew does say, ā€œAgain I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.ā€

The Bible uses a lot of metaphor. Its books are written in the common-personā€™s language. People back then were not that different from modern folks who use metaphors like saying my car died on the way to work.  We know the person who says this doesnā€™t believe their car was alive.  I think Matthew is using a similar metaphor here. I donā€™t think heā€™s saying itā€™s impossible for a rich person to go to heaven, but that it can be very hard for a rich person to do so.  But why?

Our redemption is a gift from God.  We donā€™t earn it, but we can reject it.  We can also allow things to become more important than God and money can become a stumbling block. Too, other types of wealth can cause us problems. Consider that the book of Matthew says, ā€œAnyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of meā€¦ā€ Itā€™s not wrong to love your family, but it is wrong to love people more than God.  The point I’m making is that a thing does not have to be intrinsically evil to become a stumbling block. Could this be why Matthew records Jesus asking, ā€œWhat will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?ā€

What are your thoughts?