Tag: Southern Gospel Radio

Finding Deeper Meaning in The Isaacs “More Than a Hollow Hallelujah”

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AMY TURNER

The Isaacs are well-respected in Southern Gospel. As Lily and her children Ben, Sonya, and Becky celebrate their 50th anniversary as a group, this Gospel Music Hall of Fame inductee continues to create music with passion. Their latest release is “More Than a Hollow Hallelujah.” The song is a thoughtful message about worship.

Sonya Isaacs Yeary shared the story behind the song. She said, “I started writing the chorus of ‘More Than a Hollow Hallelujah’ probably, I want to say, 10, 15 years ago. And I kept it in my catalog of song ideas to finish songs that were started.” The idea for this song was with her for a long time.

Sonya’s song gained new significance when The Isaacs decided to create a praise and worship record, which included mostly cover songs of well-known hymns. Sonya explained, “And when we decided to do the praise and worship record, which is mostly covers all the other songs are already famous songs, that song came back to my mind and I sent it to my family and I said I’d really love for us to finish this song together.” This collaborative effort brought “More Than a Hollow Hallelujah” to completion.

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group Gratitude · The Isaacs Praise & Worship: More Than A Hollow Hallelujah ℗ 2024 House Of Isaacs, Exclusively licensed to Gaither Music Group, LLC

The lyrics express a desire for a more profound connection in worship. The opening lines suggest a feeling of being stuck in shallow worship: “I have been wading in shallow waters too long. My lips know the words but my heart isn’t singing the song”. This honesty sets the stage for a yearning for something deeper and more genuine.

The chorus emphasizes the need for sincere praise: “Lord, I’m ready, please forgive me. You deserve more than a hollow hallelujah. More than just empty praise. With all that I am, I am reaching out for You. I long to adore You. My heart knows the way. You are glorious, glorious, glorious”. This part of the song, which Sonya started writing many years ago, clearly conveys the central theme. She believed the song would do “a good job of summing up what the whole purpose of the record was and that is to give God our full attention, to give him the highest praise that we have”.

The lyrics continue with a commitment to deeper devotion: “The more I get lost in Your presence, the safer I feel. You are the potter and I’m not afraid of the wheel. No more inhibitions, I don’t care who’s standing around. When I shout hallelujah this time, it’s not just a sound”.

The repetition of “You deserve more than a hollow hallelujah. More than just empty praise” throughout the song reinforces its central message. The song is a reminder that true worship involves more than just saying words; it requires a sincere heart and full devotion.

New Book Chronicles 70 Years of The Kingsmen

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AMY TURNER

A new book exploring the long and storied history of The Kingsmen is now available. Decades of Music, Decades of Memories Volume One by Alan Kendall provides a detailed look at 70 years of the influential southern gospel group.

Southern gospel historian David Bruce Murray played a role in this historical account. He shared his thoughts on his contribution to the book, saying, “Alan Kendall approached me when he was preparing this book about using an article that I had posted on the history of the Kingsman at my website, sghistory.com, and that’s where I traced the prehistory of the Kingsman, how they got started, and when they adopted their name in 1956 as the Kingsman Quartet.”

Murray expressed appreciation for Kendall’s decision to include his work, adding, “I was very flattered that Allen was confident enough in my work that he went to include it in his book. It’s a great look at the Kingsman, and Allen has done a fine job putting it together.”

Fans of southern gospel music and those interested in The Kingsmen’s legacy can find Decades of Music, Decades of Memories Volume One by Alan Kendall on Amazon.com.

The Guardians Face Weather Delay but Share a Happy Message

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TEXAS GOSPEL VOLUNTEER

The Guardians recently had to change their plans due to severe weather. They were set to perform in Hartford, Alabama on March 15th, but the event was cancelled because of the weather. The group shared a message on their website, saying, “We’re praying for all of those in the path of the storm. Stay weather alert!”.

Despite this setback, The Guardians are continuing with their planned tour and are working to get their music played on the radio. Their new song “Kick Up My Heels and Sing“ has a positive message at a time we all need to hear something positive.

Provided to YouTube by Daywind Records Kick Up My Heels and Sing · The Guardians Kick Up My Heels and Sing ℗ 2025 Daywind Records Released on: 2025-01-31 Main Artist: The Guardians Producer: John Darin Rowsey Lyricist: John Darin Rowsey Composer: John Darin Rowsey Lyricist: Rodney Griffin Composer: Rodney Griffin Arranger: Wayne Haun

Pat Barker, who sings the bass part for The Guardians, believes that “the world today really needs something happy!”. He further explained his thoughts behind the song, stating, “It’s just it’s happy don’t we need happy right now we need happy it’s it’s quartet singing all the way around it sounds like the guardians it sounds like a quartet and yes that is me singing the bass many people have asked um yes that’s me we didn’t have to hire somebody in for this one,” he said. This highlights the group’s intention to spread joy through their music, especially during difficult times.

The lyrics of “Kick Up My Heels and Sing,” talk about a “Happy Feeling burst into a song”. It emphasizes the idea that “every day is brand new Mercy walking on the King’s Highway there is Joy on this journey every filled with grace”. The lyrics also encourage listeners to “lift up my voice kick up my heels and sing” and express gratitude for blessings received, as in “can’t stop Count the blessing he gives me”. The feeling of joy and anticipation for good things to come is evident in the lines “I’ve got too many Victory just waiting down the road I’m dancing in advance I’ve got to let it show”. Even when facing challenges, the song suggests that “no one is with me can’t stop counting the blessings He gives me.

Seeing the Bigger Picture in Life’s Tapestry

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TEXAS GOSPEL VOLUNTEER

Life can often feel like a collection of separate moments, some filled with joy and brightness, others with sadness and shadow. It can be difficult to understand how these different experiences fit together to form a larger story. This is the central theme in the song “A Lovely Tapestry” by Grammy-nominated and Dove Award-winning Christian music artist Mark Bishop.

Mark has been a recording artist and songwriter in Gospel music for more than forty years. His music often strives to help people see the bigness of God in everyday happenstance. His song “A Lovely Tapestry” explores the idea that our lives, with all their varied experiences, are like threads in a grand design created by God.

“Living one day at a time as we do we only see the individual threads of our lives and some days those threads are happy colors Reds and yellows and golds and then some days the threads are dark and shadowy blacks browns and grays And if it were up to us, we’d never have any dark days. That’s just human nature. We’d never visit those shadowy places There’d never be any rain. There’d never be any sadness But if God is creating a beautiful tapestry in our lives Then we kind of have to realize that the best artists use all the colors to paint a picture with depth and contrast and Shadow and light maybe in the end one of these days when we finally reach heaven God will reveal to us the masterpiece that he was creating in our lives and we’ll see a grand story,” Mark Bishop said.

The lyrics of the song paint a picture of everyday life. It tells the simple story of a man and woman: she sang soprano in the church choir, and he worked at the factory. They had two children and not much money, but their hearts were full. They fell in love, made a home, and experienced life’s blessings. The song describes ordinary moments like weekend fishing trips with their son and driving their daughter to ballet. Eventually, the song speaks of the passage of time, growing older, and the man giving his daughter away at her wedding.

The lyrics also touch upon the idea that we might not always understand the difficulties and sorrows we face. “We might not see the story that he’s weaving all the ups and downs all the joy All The Grieving”. However, the song suggests that these experiences, both good and bad, are part of a larger, beautiful design.

The song concludes with a hopeful vision of the afterlife. “When it’s all said and done and life is over will we see all the stories he was weaving all the plans for you and me when we get to heaven maybe he will say to me we made a lovely tapestry we made a lovely tapestry all the things we couldn’t see fit together perfectly we made a love the tapestry”. The idea is that when we reach heaven, God might reveal the complete picture of our lives, showing how all the individual threads came together to create a “lovely tapestry”. Even the dark and challenging times have a purpose in the overall masterpiece.

Through “A Lovely Tapestry,” Mark Bishop offers a message of faith and hope, and encouragement. We are all part of a beautiful and meaningful design. Just as an artist uses all colours to create a rich and complex painting, so too does God use all our experiences to weave a grand and lovely story.

Discover Steve Ladd’s Inspirational Song ‘Everyday Saints’

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TEXAS GOSPEL VOLUNTEER

Steve Ladd is getting ready to release a new EP. Ladd shared that his part in the project is complete, and the background vocals, mixing, and mastering are currently being finalized. He also mentioned that they are trying to get a special guest for one of the songs, which he is excited about but cannot yet reveal.

Ladd’s previous album, “Come Up Clean,” featured Jason Crabb as a guest artist, something he is very proud of. This new EP will include a song titled “Everyday Saints”. The lyrics of “Everyday Saints” tell stories of ordinary people who demonstrate love and grace in their daily lives. One verse describes a veteran who volunteered for service and now helps others with practical needs. Another tells the story of a woman who takes care of foster babies. The song suggests that these everyday actions are examples of what Jesus would do. The lyrics emphasize that these individuals are not seeking recognition but are simply living out their faith.

Steve Ladd has a long history in Christian music. From a young age, growing up in Ohio as the son of an evangelist, he felt called to minister through song. He has been a part of acclaimed Christian music groups such as Gold City, The Anchormen, and Anthem Edition. For over ten years, Ladd has travelled both within Canada and internationally, sharing inspirational songs like “Come Sunday Morning,” “One More River,” and “Preach the Word”.

Professionally, Steve Ladd has received recognition, including being inducted into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame and receiving a “New Artist of the Year” nomination. His song with Jason Crabb reached Number One on the charts, and he has had seven Top 40 singles. His album “Come Up Clean” reached the Top 20 on the iTunes Christian music chart upon its release. Ladd has also been featured in significant Christian platforms such as the Gaither Homecoming Series and Trinity Broadcasting Network, and he appeared on National Public Radio. Notably, he was the featured vocalist with The Stamps Quartet on Alan Jackson’s Grammy-winning album “Precious Memories Volume II”. He has also toured with gospel music legend Michael English.

Reflecting on Steve Ladd’s talent, Michael English, a Grammy and Dove-winning Gospel Music Artist, said, “Steve’s a talented man with one of the greatest hearts I’ve known, and an even greater heart for Ministry”. This sentiment describes Ladd’s dedication to his music. His upcoming EP and the song “Everyday Saints” continue his journey of sharing messages of faith and encouragement through his songs.