Personal Vault – ‘Cross Country’

It has been over six months since I went in to the personal vault and pulled out a unique, one of a kind recording.  This personal vault selection came about as a result of a request by a reader a couple of months ago.

With the success of the Mid South Boys, Jeff & Sheri Easter and later White River, in the Southern Gospel market, the early 1990′s saw an influx of Christian country-style artists.  One such artist was a group by the name of Rivers & Owens.

The group was made up of Ken Rivers, Jimmy Owens and Mike Presnell (not the same guy that was with Perfect Heart).  To my recollection, the group only ever released two albums.  The one featured in this personal vault selection is the 1992 recording, Cross Country.

Enjoy sound bytes from River & Owens, Cross Country.

Personal Vault – ‘Tell The Angels’

This week I decided to go in to the personal vault and pull out an album by the Singing Americans.  The Singing Americans came to prominence in the Southern Gospel industry in the early 1980′s.  The line-up of Danny Funderburk (tenor) of Cathedrals fame, Ivan Parker (lead) of Gold City fame, Ed Hill (baritone) and Dwayne Burke (bass) seems to be the first Singing Americans line-up most remember.

The group released an album in 1980 titled Tell The Angels.  This is a hard album to locate among collectors.  The line-up on this particular recording included Funderburk (tenor), Ed Crawford (lead) of Kingsmen fame, Charles Surratt (baritone) and Dwayne Burke (bass).

Enjoy sound bites from this 1980 recording by the Singing Americans; Tell The Angels.

Personal Vault – ‘When Two Or Three Agree’

Time to start another weekend and open up the personal vault.  I wanted to feature another singer/songwriter in the personal vault this week.  John Darin Rowsey, is probably most known for his time spent with Karen Peck & New River.  His most noted composition would be the song he co-wrote with Karen Peck Gooch titled “I Wanna Know How It Feels”, which was a #1 hit for New River.

Prior to joining Karen Peck & New River, John Darin Rowsey traveled with his own group; New Journey.  They had minimal success in the early ’90′s, releasing several strong recordings with Canaan Records.  John was joined by Nancy Banfield and Pamela Hall to form a mixed trio sound that could compete with the best mixed trio’s of that era.

The album I pulled from the personal vault this week is the 1993 album When Two Or Three Agree.  I consider this to be the group’s best of the half-dozen recordings they released.  Enjoy sound bytes from New Journey’s When Two Or Three Agree.

Personal Vault – ‘Sweeter Rain’

Recently I have been using the personal vault feature to highlight rare, one of kind, type recordings.  Several months ago I featured songwriter Marcia Henry and a group she had in the late 1980′s known as Latter Rain.  In this personal vault selection I pulled out another songwriter/artist.

Ben Storie is becoming a house hold name among Southern Gospel songwriters, writing or helping co-write recent hit singles “Applause” (Talley Trio), “All In A Sunday’s Work” (Anchormen), “Blood On My Hands” (Old Paths/Skyline Boys) and “Joyride” (Ivan Parker) among others.

In the late 1990′s Ben Storie traveled and sang in a mixed trio, based out of Oklahoma, known as Sweeter Rain.  The group recorded a couple of albums before falling off the scene.  Their sound could be compared to that of the Martins or Talley Trio.

Listen to audio sound bytes of a 1998 recording from Sweeter Rain.  Enjoy!

Personal Vault – ‘Wake Up Church’

With the talk of the short-lived group Priority, here, I thought I would go in to the personal vault this week and pull out the one recording of this group I have from 1991.  Released on Homeland Records, Wake Up Church, was the only introduction I had of this group.

While “More Than Just A Memory” and “Wake Up Church” were both sent to radio, there wasn’t much buzz around this group.  I can’t pin point all the members on this recording.  From left to right I know the first gentlemen was Brian Yandell and the last two on the right were Dale Forbes and Kurt Young.  Maybe someone else will be able to fill us in on the other two members on this particular recording.

Listen to sound bites of Priority’s, Wake Up Church.  Enjoy!

Personal Vault – ‘Blessings On You’

It has been over a month since I dug in to the personal vault, so this week I wanted to offer an album from 1989 titled Blessings On You.  I have mentioned on more than one occasion that I enjoy songwriters interpreting their own music.

In the late ’80′s, songwriter Marcia Henry had a group called Latter Rain.  Marcia is most known for writing Karen Peck & New River’s big #1 smash from several years ago “Last Night”.  Other big Marcia Henry tunes included “Beautiful Valley”, “Deep Well”, “God Likes To Work”, “God Raised The Ransom”, “Greater Yes”, “He’ll Come As No Surprise”, “I’ll Pray For You”, “Is Anything Too Hard For God”, “Nail It To The Cross”, “Potter Knows The Clay”, “Roses Will Bloom Again” and “Thread Of Hope”, among others.

Listen to sound bites of Marcia Henry & Latter Rain’s 1989 album Blessing On You.  Enjoy!

Personal Vault – ‘Every Need Supplied’

This week I went in to the personal vault and pulled out a recording that many current listeners of Southern Gospel music probably never knew existed.  In 1994 the group Jordan released an album titled Every Need Supplied.  Jordan was a mixed trio that was composed of Charlotte Ritchie (Soprano), Paul White (Lead) and Belinda Smith (Alto).

Charlotte Ritchie and Paul White both spent time with the Nelons just prior to forming Jordan.  It is no surprise that Jordan’s sound was reminiscent to that of the Nelons.  Famed songwriter Belinda Smith rounded out the trio. The group would be short-lived as Every Need Supplied became the only album this trio ever released.

Charlotte Ritchie would move on to Jeff & Sheri Easter and now has a successful solo career.  Listen to sound bites of this 1994 one of a kind recording from Jordan; Every Need Supplied.

Personal Vault – ‘One Step Forward’

This week I went in to the personal vault and pulled out a recording from 1992.  The Mullins had success in the early ’90′s with their soaring harmonies and country-style sound.  The group won horizon group of the year at the Singing News fan awards in 1992.

The group recorded about a half-dozen albums before disbanding.  Group member Buddy Mullins would go on to sing lead with the Gaither Vocal Band and Paul Lancaster would become a member of several artists over the course of his career.  Paul currently tours with Palmetto State Quartet.

The 1992 album One Step Forward was the group’s best and one of my personal favorite recordings.  Listen to sound bites of this week’s personal vault selection; the Mullins One Step Forward.  Enjoy!