A status post on Mickey Bell’s Facebook says that Phillip Hughes, lead singer for The Kingsmen, is leaving the group. Says the press release at the Singing News website:

Asheville, NC - Ray Reese, owner/manager of the Kingsmen Quartet, has announced that Phillip Hughes will be resigning his position once a replacement has been found. Phillip has been with the Kingsmen Quartet for over six years. Phillip will be pursuing other business interests that will allow him to spend more time at home.

Traveling full time in Southern Gospel music is never easy when it involves leaving your family behind to minister over 200 dates per year. With two boys, the oldest approaching his teenage years, Phillip feels that more time at home is imperative. More details on Phillip’s future plans will be forthcoming.

The Kingsmen will be searching for a replacement to fill the vacancy. Click Here for more information on how to contact the Kingsmen Quartet.

While Hughes was a different style of lead singer than that which the quartet has had over the years, he developed into the role very nicely in his tenure with the group, and the group has had the best sound recently that it has had in years. Best of luck to Phillip in his new endeavors, and it will be interesting to see who The Kingsmen hire to fill the spot. My guess is that it will be a young, up-and-coming vocalist that will inject some more young blood into the group, as their past couple of hires have been pretty young.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Producer: Jeff Collins
Label: Horizon Records
Website: www.kingsmenquartet.com
*This project was purchased directly from the artist. This detail had no bearing on the final rating.

Buy This Project

1. Missing People - Right off the bat, the title track shows that The Kingsmen are sticking with the “today” sound that they adopted on their previous effort, When God Ran. Like the title track of that album, Bryan Hutson gets the feature on a beautiful song. This one carries the message that up in Heaven, no one is missing. Given the recent cases of shootings and people going missing here in Virginia, this song strikes a special chord with me; it is very timely and relevant.

2. Someday - A driving, country-flavored quartet number jump-starts the CD here. Lead singer Phillip Hughes sings the verses, with longtime bass singer Ray Dean Reese getting some standout lines and a nice low note at the end. This song is one of those sings that bridges the generations of Kingsmen fans; it’s just “traditional quartet” enough to please long-time fans, while simultaneously being modern enough for the younger crowd.

3. They Went To Pray - A swinging tune that gives tenor singer Harold Reed the feature on the chorus. Reese shows a higher end to his range on the second verse, and the group hits some interesting chords on the final chorus. At first listen, this song didn’t stick out, but I enjoy it the more I hear it.

4. Mountain Of Grace - Lead singer Phillip Hughes carries this beautiful ballad. The first verse and chorus are done with piano as the only instrumentation. When the orchestration kicks in, it is just as good. This is easily one of the best features that Hughes has ever gotten.

5. When It’s All Said And Done - Another throwback to the classic Kingsmen sound, this brand new song by Dustin Sweatman and Scott Inman does a great job of capturing the fact that this lineup of The Kingsmen can “bring it.” The upbeat, toe-tapping tune is sure to be a hit when sung.

6. Cheer The Weary Traveler - This arrangement of the Southern Gospel classic doesn’t stray too far from the one that the The Rebels Quartet did in 1970 on The New Sounds Of The Rebels, save for the turnaround at the end. The turnaround features tenor Harold Reed hitting some super-high notes in the same style as Ron Booth did on the original take.

7. God Saw A Cross - Harold Reed gets the solo on what is perhaps the standout ballad of this project. This song from the pen of Rodney Griffin says that for every fault of mankind, God only saw a cross. This will be considered a Kingsmen signature for years to come.

8. He Picks Up A Beggar On The Way - It’s back to the hard-driving country sound, this time featuring Bryan Hutson. Hutson sounds a bit like Arthur Rice on some of his lines here, which is never a bad thing!

9. God Knows - In his final feature of the album, Phillip Hughes get a slow country ballad that tells us that God knows our problems and cares about them. The country style fits Hughes’ very well, and this song really brings that fact to the forefront.

10. He Is The Only One - The final true song of the album is another slower one. Nothing really sticks out about it, but there are some good harmonies throughout.

11. Reprise: Someday - The second track is revisited, giving it a piano-and-bass treatment, with another nice low ending note from Ray Dean Reese.

Final Thoughts: In a trend that started with Good Good God and was very evident with When God Ran, The Kingsmen have molded their sound into something that can hold its own with the legendary Kingsmen lineups of the 70s and 80s. Each vocalist on this project gets a song that is tailored to their voices and brings out the best in them, which makes for a solid project.

Bottom line: Like I said earlier, this lineup bridges generations with its sound. The past couple of projects gradually brought the Kingsmen back to their place as one of the top quartets, and they can only get better if they continue in this vein.

The Good News:
After quite a long wait (and quite a bit of a trial period), The Kingsmen have hired a piano player. Bryan Hutson signed onto SouthernGospelForums.com and posted this about the piano player and the reconstruction of the Mighty Kingsmen Band:

“…Yes, we hired a piano player. Cody McVey from Alderson, WV. The band? I think once the economy gets back on it’s feet, we will look into bringing back the band….”

And what better way to introduce Cody to the SG blogging world than a video of his playing?

An interesting tidbit about Cody: he studied under former Kingsmen pianist Anthony Burger.

The Bad News:

On September 5, the SG and Gospel Bluegrass world will say goodbye to one of its oldest and finest groups: The Lewis Family. From a news article on SoGospelNews.com:

The Lewis Family has reached the difficult decision of announcing their retirement. They want to thank all their friends and fans who have supported them during these past 60 years. Continuing health issues and age have caused them to examine their traveling schedule, and they have set their last date as September 5, 2009.

http://www.thelewisfamilymusic.com/

60 years is quite an impressive tenure to have been a group. I’m sad to see that time come to an end, but I commend the Lewis Family on such a longstanding career.

Hat tip goes to Brandon Coomer for this one.

According to this post at the Singing News Forums, the 17-year old pianist that has been traveling with The Kingsmen for several months, Cody McVey, was introduced as the official Kingsmen pianist. With him comes a bit of Kingsmen history; Cody was the final student of the late Anthony Burger.

What does this mean for the return of The Kingsmen band? Well, they’re one step closer. All that’s left to do is find a bass guitarist, and if Brandon Reese steps behind the drumset once again, it will complete the reconstruction of the Mighty Kingsmen band!

Keep an eye on this one; I’ll post a press release as soon as (and if) it becomes available.

Update: Susan Unthank commented on the Coomer Cove blog that she talked with Brandon Reese and nothing is official yet. Stay tuned.

Check out this video of The Kingsmen singing one of their best-known songs, “Beautiful Home,” at the recent Bill Bailey’s Winter Gospel Sing in Palmetto, FL. I’d encourage you to go watch it in high quality for best picture and sound.

I remember back when Reed first joined The Kingsmen, many wondered if he would fit the “Kingsmen tenor” style. If you haven’t heard how fantastic he sounded on their latest recording, When God Ran, then this video will settle any doubts. I heard the group do this live at last NQC, but it was near the end of the week, the guys were probably tired, and it didn’t sound so good. This one is the best I’ve heard. Harold’s range has extended since joining The Kingsmen; he hits a B-natural, which Daniel Mount says is a half-step above Ernie Phillips’ famed sky-high ending on “Love Lifted Me”.

Members of the Perrys and the Dixie Echoes (Tracy Stuffle and Pat Barker help Ray Dean Reese out on the bass) join on the encore, making for a powerful ending.

On a side note, notice the young piano player with The Kingsmen. His name is Cody McVeigh (I hope I didn’t butcher that spelling!), he is 17 years old, and as far as I know has been filling in with the group for about three weeks. I watched the other clips of the same night to see how Cody sounded, and what little I heard tells me he’s very talented for his age. Keep an eye open; we may hopefully see an announcement soon!

Just saw this on a Facebook status of one of the members; The Kingsmen’s latest single, “When God Ran,” is #1 for February. Either way, congratulations to The Kingsmen, and may you have many more of these!

The Kingsmen – When God Ran

Contributers:

• Wes Burke – Burke’s Brainwork
• Daniel Mount – Southern Gospel Blog
• Adam Edwards – Southern Gospel Critique
• Brandon Coomer – Coomer Cove
• Aaron Swain – Swain’s Musings

1. The Cloud He’s Coming Back On

Wes: This is a medium to uptempo number that gets this disc started off in fine fashion. This is a very “Kingsmen-style” tune that reassures the listener that even though there are some new musical influences and styles present on the CD, it’s still the same Kingsmen that we’ve all known and loved for years. This is actually a cover of a song previously recorded by the Happy Goodmans. Solid group vocals on the first verse and chorus, then a key change occurs and Ray Reese and Harold Reed split the second verse. A nice key change during the repeat of the second chorus leads to the tag. Reed is definitely making a statement to the doubters that he can “tote the mail” as a Kingsmen tenor.

Brandon: This is a cover of an old Happy Goodmans song. Triumphant also covers the song on their new project, Intermission. I’m going off on a tangent, but Triumphant covered “The Holy Hills Of Heaven” last year, which was also covered by the Perrys last year. Out of all the old Goodman songs, Triumphant ends up covering two that were also covered by other big time groups in the same year. That is just strange.

Aaron: There seems to be a lot of “cross-recordings” happening in SG lately. Just look at 2006, when Truth Is Marching On was recorded by three different groups at the same time: Gold City, Legacy Five, and The Talley Trio.

Back on subject, however, this is a really good rendition of the song. I find myself humming this throughout the day, as it’s a pretty catchy tune!

Brandon: I can see “cross-recordings” of new songs. When the Singing News chart started, the same song would be on the chart by two, three, or four artists. If a group really falls in love with a song, they can record it even if another group as the rights to single it, such as the case with “Truth Is Marching On”. These Goodman songs have been around 20 to 30 years and could have been recorded at any time. Two groups picking out the same song out of the Goodmans’ huge song catalog in the same year is funny to me, funnier because it has happened with Triumphant two years in a row. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with it, it just strikes me as strange.

Adam: I’ve really enjoyed this song, but I can’t wait to hear Triumphant’s rendition.

2. Fight To The Finish

Daniel: “Fight to the Finish” features tenor Harold Reed, who joined the Kingsmen nearly a year ago after spending ten years with the Dixie Melody Boys and three years with the Florida Boys. The song, Reed’s first full feature with the Kingsmen, combines military imagery with an uptempo arrangement.

The song is keyed in C, modulating to D-flat in the second verse and D in the final chorus. At least by Kingsmen standards, the arrangement is not taxing, never straying above the A above middle C. But it fits the song well, permitting a more driving and even martial edge to the song than a typical higher arrangement for a Kingsmen tenor feature would permit.

Brandon: I remember the announcement of Harold’s hiring caused quite a stir in the online community. I think this is a nice feature to introduce him to fans who don’t/can’t/won’t make it to Kingsmen concerts. The non-taxing key is a good choice for his first feature, as it doesn’t expose his lack of range that the Kingsmen’s tenors typically have. The song isn’t one of my favorites on the project, but I enjoyed the song and Harold’s performance.

Daniel: I have heard that he can hit the G above high C on “Glory Road.” However, he tends to use his lower tenor range on most songs, including features, to save his voice. This both frees him up to hit a few high notes each night, and have the endurance to outlast most Southern Gospel tenors. He has already lasted roughly a decade and a half on the road, well above the average for Southern Gospel tenors.

Wes: The low harmony on this song is pretty unique for the Kingsmen. Solid song, but nothing spectacular.

Aaron: I’d been really anxious to hear this project for a number of reasons, but one big reason was to hear Harold again. I enjoyed him with The Florida Boys, and this song puts to rest any doubts that he wouldn’t fit in with The Kingsmen. The previous track showed him off a little, but this song really lets him show all other tenors how to get it done. Can’t wait to hear this one live!

3. Gospel Road

Adam: Classic quartet harmonies kick off this song, interestingly, with a banjo & a triangle as the primary instrumentation in the soundtrack. Phillip Hughes sings the lead on the mellow verses on “Gospel Road”. If you are looking for vocal acrobatics, then you need to skip this song, but if you like solid, smooth gospel singing, then this song will please the ears of most Southern Gospel fans.

The Kingsmen have really opened themselves musically on this project and I think the results are fabulous. While this song uses some lackluster imagery to get it’s message across, it’s purposed is served to encourage the listener that there is a new home awaiting them “at the end of Gospel Road”.

Brandon: I completely agree with you about the lackluster imagery. The alliteration of “Apostle Avenue”, “Believer Boulevard”, and “Salvation Street” sounds like something out of a corny 70s song. It doesn’t detract from my enjoyment of the song, though. I even like the banjo and triangle, which shocks me.

To me, the key word you used to describe this song is “smooth”. It fits, but that isn’t a word that is typically used to describe the Kingsmen.

Aaron: I found myself really enjoying this track, because it’s a good example of The Kingsmen trying out some newer stuff. It has a bluegrass feel, not unlike Alabama’s Dixieland Delight, and the guys sing it with good effect.

Wes: Smooth is the best description here, which again is historically different for the Kingsmen, but in later years they’ve done some smooth stuff, like “Come to the Water” from You’re Not Alone.

Daniel: A banjo, used as the lead instrument on the first chorus, gives this song a bluegrass feel and makes it stand out on first listen to the project. It fits the rest of the project well enough to not be an anomaly, but is unique enough within this project’s style to remain one of its most catchy tracks.

Adam: My intial reaction to the imagery was that is was cheesy. I reworded it because I thought the word cheesy sounded too negative and that wasn’t my intention because the song deserved better than that. I like the term Brandon used…”Corny”.

4. When God Ran

Brandon: The project’s title cut also serves as the first single and features the returning Bryan Hutson, who rejoined the group as baritone. He served as the group’s lead singer from 1996 to 2001. Since this is the song involved in David Bruce Murray’s Guess The Group contest, I should mention that Bryan’s voice, especially the “my God called me son” line in the bridge, is what cemented it in my mind that the song was recorded by the Kingsmen. In my opinion, Bryan is one of the best vocalists in the group’s history.

The song is the first of two ballads featuring Bryan on the project. It is a typical ballad in that it starts laid back, then the music builds, and finally the vocals step up to match the music’s intensity.

The most heard comment about the song thus far is that it doesn’t sound like the Kingsmen. I’ll go along and say the song is much more polished than the typical Kingsmen sound.

Aaron: I went out on a limb (so I thought) when I guessed that it was The Kingsmen singing this song. The only reason I guessed was because of Ray Dean Reese’s bass and Harold Reed’s tenor. This song might shock some dyed-in-the-wool Traditional SG fans who don’t care for the Progressive stuff, because this cover of a CCM hit sounds like nothing the guys have ever done before.

I hear tell that this will be the first single off the project. I can see this rising pretty quickly on the charts; it’s already gotten some good publicity, and besides that, this is simply great stuff!

Wes: Wow. Hutson is how I knew this was the Kingsmen. It’s a very progressive sound, I like Brandon’s word: polished. This may be musically the best single the Kingsmen have ever released. Definitely the best song on the project.

Adam: What a powerhouse ballad. Amazing work!

5. Road To Glory

Aaron: This song sounds a bit like something The Dove Brothers would do. It sounds different from a typical Kingsmen song. The groups sings the first verse in unison, then split to parts at the end of the verse. The second verse features a Ray Dean Reese solo in the first phrase, then each part comes in with each verse.

A false ending pays a throwback tribute of sorts to a Kingsmen classic, Glory Road, then Brandon Reese’s drumming leads to a reprise of the chorus, with another tribute to Glory Road thrown in.

Brandon: This is actually one of my favorite songs on When God Ran. It is extremely catchy. I can’t help but hum along or mouth the words as I listen.

While Ray does a nice job on the verse, I think the standout vocal on the track belongs to Phillip Hughes, especially on the bridge. I also think that Harold’s vocal stands out in a very good way on this song.

Aaron, are you referring to the line “It’s good to be on that glory road” as a tribute to “Glory Road” or the false ending itself? I agree that the line is an obvious tribute, but I don’t normally associate a false ending with any arrangement of “Glory Road” that I’ve heard.

Aaron: Yes, I meant the line itself, not the actual false ending.

Wes: Decent song, it’s definitely catchy. This group of Kingsmen have an overriding smoothness to their blend that is really anchored by Hutson’s voice. Reed is a fairly smooth tenor as well. I like the nod to “Glory Road” as well.

6. Big Enough

Wes: This is a very catchy, bouncy tune that includes some of the higher tenor notes from Harold Reed. The harmony is a bit inverted as the baritone part is actually stacked over top of the lead part. Ray Reese sings the second verse and does a fine job, this is the type of song he does well. There are a couple of very interesting key changes after the second chorus. It starts with restructuring the harmony to the traditional arrangement and then changes in the middle of the chorus to a tenor lead. It’s actually quite an interesting twist to an otherwise simple song musically. This is another song that will get stuck in your head and would make a great radio tune.

Aaron: Catchy, and unique, especially near the end. Harold’s higher range shows itself on this song. Ray Reese’s bass features are always impeccably sung, and the same is true in this song.

Adam: Something struck me about this song yesterday. I was stuck in traffic listening through the CD in my car and I had to repeat this song a couple of times. The verses are reminiscent to the tune of an old kid’s song, “Big Rock Candy Mountain”. Once this thought struck me, I really had a hard time enjoying this song. It’s probably my least favorite now. Weird how a song can remind you of such a silly song from your childhood.

7. The Word

Daniel: “The Word” is a big ballad featuring baritone singer Bryan Hutson. The verses focus on the immutability of the Bible despite scoffers’ challenges and opponents’ attacks; the chorus focuses on the Bible’s life-changing power.

The musical accompaniment is a fully orchestrated soundtrack. While many past Kingsmen tracks, as well as a few on this project, seem to be arranged in a way that would highlight a band in a live concert, this project reflects the Kingsmen’s current interim between bands with several tracks, such as this one, that seem to be arranged to be performed as a standalone track

Brandon: This is the project’s second ballad (along with the title song) that features Bryan. By far, I think this is the weaker of the two. Bryan’s vocal isn’t bad, but the song just doesn’t hold my attention. I do find the ending of the song, the staggered, multiple repeating of “the Word” by all four vocalists to be a nice touch.

Daniel: Certainly “When God Ran” is one of the project’s standout tracks. It’s the sort that makes you sit up and say, “Now who is that?” This song, on the other hand, isn’t the sort that makes you sit up and pay attention on the first time through the project. But I think that, in its own quiet way, it is actually a stronger song than appears on first listen. With the right introduction – perhaps mentioning liberal theologians’ attacks on the Bible – I could see this track being popular in concerts.

Aaron: I agree with Daniel’s statement that this song does take a few listens to catch on. The ending did catch my attention the first time through, though; The repeats of the title sound similar to the ending of Gold City’s Preach The Word.

Wes: I am in the minority here, but I love this song. Maybe it’s just because I really like Hutson’s voice on ballads. I also caught the similarity to Gold City’s “Preach The Word”. That was a good call, Aaron. I just think the lyrics and Hutson’s performance make this one of the strongest songs on the CD. Not quite as good as “When God Ran”, but it’s a close second in my eyes (or should that be ears?).

Adam: I liked this song the more I listened to it. Bryan Hutson is an awesome singer.

8. A Sound From The Other Side

Adam: This upbeat number, lead by Phillip Hughes, has the fastest tempo on the album (which is right up my alley). This is one of those songs where you want to crank the volume up in the mornings to wake you up and get your blood pumping or listen to while working out. Tracks like this are what I think of when I’m thinking about The Kingsmen. It reminds me of songs like “Even John Couldn’t Tell It”, “Somebody Run” & “Joy’s Gonna Come”.

Continuing in The Kingsmen tradition of catchy tunes, “A Sound From The Other Side” delivers enough energy to make you tap your toes and also get you excited about our Savior’s return to Earth to call us home.

Wes: This is a typical Kingsmen uptempo song that keeps their fan base happy. It’s important when stretching your musical boundaries to not alienate your core fan base, and this is one of three tunes on the disc that are straight ahead Kingsmen style tunes.

Aaron: I love this track! Phillip Hughes shows on this song that he is doing a great job of continuing the traditional of exceptional lead singers for The Kingsmen. Very catchy tune, and I loved that last bass note that Ray Reese hit at the end!

9. More Than Pray

Brandon: Lead singer Phillip Hughes is featured on “More Than Pray”, a medium tempo, country sounding song. I can’t help but compare the first verse to the opening verse of a song on the Dove Brothers’ newest project, “A Day In The Life Of America”. Both verses talk about a typical slice of life event. This song talks about going to bed after watching the evening news. The Dove Brothers’ song talks about getting up and preparing to go to work.

The song carries a good message, but musically, I’m not that impressed. I don’t like the very country sound and think Phillip is a much better singer than this song allows him to show.

Aaron: This song really didn’t impress me at all. It felt like the writer was trying to cram so many things into each phrase of each verse that it was just a big turn-off to me. The aforementioned A Day In The Life Of America doesn’t cram quite as much, making it much more listenable than this one.

Wes: I agree that this is the weakest song on the project. It’s not bad, but not nearly as strong as the others. I agree with Brandon on the heavy country sound. I wasn’t impressed with Gold City’s Revival for the same reason.

Aaron: After a couple more listens, I warmed up to this song. By no means a really strong song like the others, but it’s kinda nice.

Adam: Looks like I’m in the minority. I thought it was a good song, worthy of at least 3 stars. Phillip Hughes’ voice is really growing on me.

10. He Knows My Name

Aaron: This song will please longtime Kingsmen fans, with a sound reminiscent of their classic style. The groups sounds like The Florida Boys (especially with Reed’s tenor!) or The Kingdom Heirs on this track.

Ray Dean Reese’s smooth bass voice shows one reason why he was a worthy inductee to the SGM Hall Of Fame!

Daniel While several of the soundtracks on this project seemed to be recorded to be performed without (or at any rate without needing) a band, the arrangement on this Harold Reed feature seems to be written for a live band. Look for this song to be performed without a soundtrack, or with only a light soundtrack, if/when the Kingsmen band returns.

Wes: This is a great song to put as the ending track. It’s the last of the 3 Kingsmen-esque tracks on the CD, and the most reminiscent of the “three chords and a cloud of dust” style of days gone by. Sung very solidly, this absolutely closes out the CD on a good note (literally and figuratively).

Adam: It’s nice to see that the Kingsmen still hold on to some of their classic sound. This album has been a great mixture of new and old.

Summary

Daniel: Often when a group experiments with a new sound, they test the waters by trying it on one or two tracks. On When God Ran, the Kingsmen take the far more daring step of trying a new sound on for size throughout the album. This modern country style is comparable to that of the Dove Brothers, interestingly enough also a Crossroads artist. Whether or not the Kingsmen decide to keep this style, its consistent use lends the project a stylistic coherency that will keep it far from being a weak entry in the Kingsmen catalog.

Aaron: I’ve heard numerous times that this project has taken The Kingsmen to a whole new level. I must say that I agree wholeheartedly; the guys did a great job of testing the waters without getting themselves too far out. They sort of started that trend with 2006′s Good Good God, but this project takes a much more ambitious approach. I like the fact that even though this is the first time in many years that The Kingsmen have been without a band, they make do with what they have, and arrange great songs despite the absence. I hope that the next project continues in this same vein, but that they will have a band again and will be able to put out songs like this that would involve the band more. This is already one of my favorite projects of the year, and I believe that this will put The Kingsmen back at the top of Southern Gospel music.

Adam: The Kingsmen have outdone themselves musically on When God Ran. I hate to say it, but maybe losing the band was the best thing that has happened to them, especially in a studio setting. I know there will always be those “gotta have a band” mentalities, but being without the band has allowed them to think outside of the traditional “Kingsmen” box and really expand their library of songs. Yeah, their old projects were good, but this new project raises them to another level. I thought Good Good God was a great project, but this one surpasses that effort by far. Sounds like the Kingsmen have a strong future ahead of them, especially if they keep raising the bar on their material. When God Ran is one of the few must-have projects this far into 2008.

Although my individual song ratings put the album at 4 stars, the project is easily rated higher when listening to the entire project instead of individual tracks for review. My overall rating is 4.5 stars. Even after listening through the project 12+ times, it’s still got a refreshing sound and I highly recommend adding this project to your ‘must-buy’ list for 2008.

Wes: This is one of the strongest CDs the Kingsmen have done in a long time. The closest from their past I can compare to is I Will or You’re Not Alone. It is with this CD that the Kingsmen have reinvented themselves and positioned themselves as being in the musically strong class of quartets. The lineup has every appearance of now being quite stable, and the blend is incredibly smooth, especially for the Kingsmen. Strangely enough, however, I gave it 38 stars for a 3.8 average. I think this CD is definitely one of the type that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. For example, on its own, I don’t care much for “More Than Pray”, but in the context of the CD, it fits. Taken as a whole, I’d give this a 4 or 4.5 star rating. It’s definitely the strongest collection from the Kingsmen in recent years.

Brandon: If Good, Good God was a tune up for the group’s sound, When God Ran is an engine overhaul. As Wes said, they have “reinvented” themselves to match the group’s personnel. Bryan has a big voice that was made for ballads, have him sing ballads. Harold’s tenor voice isn’t made to scream all night long, have him sing lower, smoother songs and let him pop a note when he needs to. Phillip is a great singer with a terrific range, so let him sing a country clunker. Ok, so the project isn’t perfect, but what is? My star ratings average out to 3.9 per track, but that doesn’t really do this project justice. I’ll go a little higher than Wes to call it a definite four and half star project.

Buy Here

I just got the album yesterday. I and several fellow bloggers are working on a joint review for the project. Be on the lookout for it in the coming days!

As you may recall, David Bruce Murray held a Guess The Group contest, where you had to guess who the group was that was singing the soon-to-be-released single, When God Ran. The contest has ended, and I’m proud to announce I guessed correctly. It was The Kingsmen, and the single is off of their soon-to-be-released album of the same name.

I’m getting to download the full album as a prize, so I will post a review once I do. I’ve heard this is very different from previous Kingsmen albums, and I can’t wait to hear it. This new single is awesome!

From the Singing News Website:

Singing News has learned that legendary Kingsmen lead
vocalist Jim Hamill passed away at approximately 5:30 a.m.
today. He was 73 years old.

Mr. Hamill was born August 10, 1934, in Big Stone Gap,
Virginia. In addition to singing with the Kingsmen, he
performed with the Weatherfords, Blue Ridge Quartet, the
Rebels Quartet, the Oak Ridge Quartet and the Senators.
Subscribers of Singing News Magazine had voted Mr. Hamill
“Favorite Lead Singer” five times, as well “Mr. Gospel
Music” twice during the magazine’s Fan Awards.

Though he was often regarded as one of the best frontmen in
Southern Gospel music, his singing ability was also ranked
among the best. Many Southern Gospel fans will long remember
his performances of “Love Lifted Me” and “The Apple Tree
Song” among many others.

Mr. Hamill’s legacy also includes his efforts to continually
put the younger members of the groups he sang with into the
spotlight. Though he was confident in his own stage
abilities, Mr. Hamill thought it was more important to
encourgage the young performers and give them the
opportunity to showcase their talents.

Funeral arrangements are pending at this time.

Visit www.singingnews.com for updates as they are made
available.

This does come as sort of a shock to me. From the forum discussions I’ve been in, I was under the impression that he was improving nicely…

Another legend has passed on. He will be greatly missed.

My respects to the Hamill family at this time.