Upcoming Concert Review

Yep, our first concert review will be up soon.  I just have to write it.  My family and I went to a Knox Brothers concert down at Monteith Park in Albany, OR this evening, and it was a blast. 

Album Review: "I'll Take Jesus" - Good Shepherd's Quartet

Welcome back.  After my hiatus from my year in college, I bought a record at St. Vinnie's here in Albany, Oregon.  When I was at Heartland Baptist Bible College back in Oklahoma City, people were surprised I even knew what Southern Gospel was, being from Oregon and all.  Anyway, I had never heard of the Good Shepherd's Quartet.  They looked pretty God-honoring, and I liked the song selection, so I thought, "Why not?"  While I was walking to the counter with my bounty ("I'll Take Jesus", The Good Shepherd's family album, and a mixed trio from the Midwest), I noticed the addresses were from Shedd, Oregon, a small community about fifteen miles south of Albany.  Delighted, I could not wait to listen to it.  So without further ado, The Good Shepherds Quartet - "I'll Take Jesus":
The album starts off with the title song, "I'll Take Jesus".  The song has a strong biblical truth, and the message is amazing.
The next song is the old Speer Family tune, "It Had to Be Love".  You can practically hear Harold Lane's authorship all over this song.  Fun little tune.
Things slow down on "Learning to Lean".  Once I convert the album to CD, I'll probably skip over this song.  I'm not much for slower songs.
After this, comes "A Song Holy Angels Cannot Sing".  A slow, swinging tune, it's still a great, exciting song anticipating the singing in Heaven.
The excitement grows as the first side of the album closes out with the classic Gold City, song, "What a Happy Time".  This song is given a more "hick" country sound with a banjo.
Side B opens with "Who Saved My Soul".  While it's not a really slow song, I'm just not a fan of the song.  Yet another song I'll be skipping over.
Moving on to the next song is the old Statesmen classic, "The Fourth Man".  While it is a fun song, they bring in one of the child musicians.  While to the casual listener, this bother me as a music major, who has received ear training.  You can hear the scooping on it, but then again, this is not a "professional" quartet.
The next song is "The Scars in the Hands of Jesus".  This is another slow song, but for some reason, I have always loved the song.
After this is another Statesmen song "Something I Can Feel".  Not only is this song fun, but I absolutely love the message.  While the song is a more country song, it is still a powerful number.
The album closes with "What a Time".  The song perfectly ends the album.  What a time we'll have up there!
I enjoyed this album very much.  Apparently the Knox Brothers, a Southern Gospel group from nearby Halsey, still sell the Good Shepherd's music.  If you can, I'd encourage you to find a copy of one of their albums somewhere.  It'd be worth it.

Album rating:  4.55/5

Songs:
Side One:
1. I'll Take Jesus (Shelnut/Centerpoint) BMI
2. It Had to Be Love (Lane/Ben Speer) SESAC
3. Learning to Lean (Stalls/Heartwarming) BMI
4. A Song the Holy Angels Cannot Sing (Jensen/Jensen) ASCAP
5. What a Happy Time (Beck/Stamps) SESAC

Side Two:
1. Who Saved My Soul
2. The Fourth Man (Smith) BMI
3. The Scars in the Hands of Jesus (Wilkin/Buckhorn) BMI
4. Something I Can Feel
5. What a Time (Reid/Silverline) BMI

Musicians:
Lead Guitar: Joe Knight
Rhythm Guitar: Mark Smucker
Bass Guitar: Lonnie Smucker
Steel Guitar: Gene Breeden
Banjo: Joe Knight, Ellis Miller
Piano: Denise Knight
Drums: Danny Breeden

Engineer: Ellis Miller
Remix Engineer: Ellis Miller

Cover Photo: Photography Emporium - Lebanon, Oregon

"The Old Fashioned Way" by The Fletcher Family

Some good old-fashioned singing.  This is my kind fo singin'!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAEMVOEPHy0&feature=feedf

The Cathedrals Farewell Tour- "Boundless Love"

Here's a rare video from the Cathedral Quartet's Farewell Tour in 1999.  It was filmed at First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida with the church's choir and orchestra.

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hDiMNn5Prgs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Samuel Sitler Joins Gold City

It's official!  I, Samuel Sitler, am the new bassist for Gold City.  I will probably still be updatiung this blog since I already barely update it.  I will be busy though for the next couple weeks as I move all my stuff to Gadsden, Alabama and get all settled into my new apartment.  I officially start April 15.  That will be a long plane ride since I have to come back here to Oregon for my dad's birthday the day before my first concert. 

Blessings,
Samuel Sitler

Westboro Badtwist Church at It Again

Sorry I haven't updated in a while.  Nothing interesting in the world of the obscure Gospel groups.  Anyhow, this post is on a topic that concerns most every Christian: Westboro Badtwist Church's funeral protests.

Yep, those counterfeit Christians at Westboro are at it again. Now they're protesting Elizabeth Taylor's funeral because she was an adulteress. Yes, she was married about 10 or 11 times, but what did Jesus do when an adultress was brought to Him? He forgave her. He told whoever was sinless to cast the first stone. And who knows. Liz taylor hasn't been married since 1996. Maybe she got her heart right between then and now. Great, confront sins, but do it in love, not in hate. Hate her sins, not her.

"No RIP Elizabeth Taylor who spent her whole life in adultery and enabling proud f-gs.  They cuss her in hell today.  #Westboro will picket funeral!" Margie Phelps, the daughter of Pastor Fred Phelps tweeted.  People accuse real Christians of hate crimes because of the sins of these counterfeit Christians.  True, God is a jealous God, and there is a sin unto death, and God did some pretty extreme punishments back in the Old Testament days, but He sent His Only Son to raise the bar and teach love for one another.  Yes, He rebuked the sins of adultery, etc.  But if Jesus was standing here today, He would rebuke Fred Philips and his crowd of CALVINISTS (Yes, they believe in Calvinism).  He would walk up to the members of Westboro Badtwist Church and say, "If you've never sinned against me.  If you've never had to get saved, go ahead, protest

Your Favroite Singing News Cover

Okay, y'all check this out.  Singing News is holding a vote.  The vote is to choose your favrotie five Singing News Magazine covers starting from 1983 to present.  As for me, I am not a subscriber to Singing News, but anyone can vote, and I voted.  To vote, go to http://www.singingnews.com/Favorite-Cover/.  Enjoy voting!