Finally!

The Gaither web-site recently posted some new concert dates:

• Windsor (Canada) March the 14th
• Toronto (Canada) March the 15th
• Effingham, IL March the 28th
• Ontario, CA April the 5th  

I'll keep looking! :)

Finally! The return of 'The Blog'...

At the end of May, Jonathan and I were blessed to have a house full of friends and family! While Katie, Jenny and Priscilla were making their annual trek up here, my mom and Kayla were also heading in this direction.  We thoroughly enjoyed our time together on Friday and Saturday, and when Sunday arrived, up rolled Aunt RoseAnn, Aunt Linda, Erin, Amanda and Abby in time for morning church, afternoon lunch, and plenty of good times!  Braden brought over his 'barrel', in which he and Jonathan slow cooked lots of ribs.  Delish!!!  We were pretty much force feeding our guests because we had so much food that needed to be consumed!  The force feeding continued when my mom packed up her potato salad into containers and doled them out liberally to whoever happened to be near. :)  But what a fun time we had with a wonderful group of people!

Around 2:00, we decided to hit the road and head towards Modesto for the Collingsworth concert.  We wanted to get to the church well before the concert started to make sure the seats we got were front and center... And were they ever!  The best seats in the house, by far. :) And what a fantastic stage set up!  It had a very rustic feel, complete with an old truck, bales of hay, and hanging mason jars used as lights.  There's nothing like a warm, homey setting to set the atmosphere for the evening; it's something I truly appreciate, I must say.

The concert started with the entire family singing a song together.  Now, if I were more on top of it and wrote this review back yonder, I would be able to tell you which song... But, alas, I cannot recall.  Just know that it was well done. :)  They continued with songs from off of their different albums, as well as songs from their upcoming release!  Kim played several piano solos- certainly a few more than the last concert we attended... I have a feeling those solos are in high demand.  As I've said before, you really have to be there to know what I'm talking about when I say you can literally feel the anointing.  It is certainly an experience, to say the least.  

Another highlight was Brooklyn and Courtney playing 'The Prayer' as a duet on their violins, with Kim accompanying on the piano.  Here is a link you can click to view their performance:  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3hEczvr4iE

As with the previous concert, they did a great job arranging the songs, switching up lead singers, and occasionally having only certain family members sing a song. The variety~ as well as intermittent talking~ really kept the night moving along nicely.  The concert was no disappointment!

After it ended, Aunt RoseAnn went up to meet and talk to Kim.  Apparently, her relatives are very good friends with the Collingsworth family, so it was neat for them to be able to connect!  (As a side note, if you ever attend one of their concerts, I suggest meeting Kim.  She is the warmest, most down to earth person... and just plain fun.)  

To sum it up, let's just say that there are a lot of people hoping they return to California next year! :)  

In other gospel news, there are a fair amount of 'just released/ soon to be released' CDs and DVDs!  

• The Collingsworth Family will be releasing a DVD/CD (Hymns from Home), and another CD (The Lord is Good), on September 10th.  The DVD was recorded in their home, I believe.
• The Isaacs just released a DVD and CD, both of which I have.  Ahhhhh!  Can anyone say 'genius'?!  Sample of their DVD: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb4f69pEj6A
• Another DVD duo (accompanied by CDs) that is due to be released on September 24th, is The Women of Homecoming. Looks great!!  Sample of that series: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1bwqN7tIkI
• I also recall reading that the Gaither Vocal Band will be releasing a new album, which mainly focuses on hymns... I'll have to keep an eye out for more detail on that one.

As far as concerts go... Well, the glass isn't even half full; it's dry.  I actually e-mailed the Gaithers a couple of days ago and asked if they planned on coming out this way this year or next; just to put a little bug in their ear. :) So far, the closest they're getting to any of us is Chicago, IL... Melanie? Angel? ;)  And the Isaacs also have yet to book a date!  I will continue watching the different sites, though, and will post when I find something that pertains to us.

In other news, Jonathan's sister, Laura, has become engaged to a man named John and they are set to be married in Tucson on November the 2nd!  I will be sure to give a full report AND post pictures.  :)  

In signing off, I would like to leave you with a quote:

Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent. 

~Victor Hugo

*A special thanks to Aunt RoseAnn for the pictures!  (Someone forgot her camera...) 

Until next time...

Mizz Babs

Concert up-dates!

Up-coming California Concerts: 

(By the way, I also checked the Canada/Illinois areas, but to no avail... Hopefully soon!) 

The Martins:

• Sacramento, CA: February 14
• Visalia, CA: February 15

The Collingsworth Family: 

• Desert Hot Springs, CA: April 25
• Visalia, CA: April 26-27
• Modesto, CA: April 28
• Red Bluff, CA: April 29

Jeff and Sheri Easter:

• Yuba City, CA: April 25

Gordon Mote:

• Visalia, CA: April 25
• Ripon, CA: April 27
• Yuba, CA: April 28

That's all for now!  I will continue to keep an eye out for everybody... :)

Until next time, 

Mizz Babs

Sometime after the fact...

Even though this report is long overdue, I am finally getting around to making an attempt to recount an incredible evening with none other than The Isaacs!  I've got one word: wow.

Let me begin at the beginning.  At the end of September, my mom, Kayla and I met Susan, Jessie and my mother-in-law, Joyce, in San Luis Obispo.  Our first stop was at Bro. Fluitt's house, due to the fact that he graciously opened his home to us for the night.  Next we went to Coco's for a bite to eat, then headed to the church where the concert was held.  (As a side note, Coco's has the best broccoli soup!)

We arrived to a rather full parking lot and got to our chairs in time to hear a local band do the opening act.  I  must say that I was rather partial to the fiddler.  His bow was a literal blur at times and I've got a picture to prove:
                              

After the band performed a few classic songs, The Isaacs took the stage.  I think my jaw remained slack during the entire concert. That family is beyond talented.  Not only are they phenomenal musicians, but their song writing skills are so unique!  Amazing!

They sang several songs off of their latest release, Why Can't We, as well as pieces from many of their other albums- including a few of their a capella numbers.  It was the perfect variety to showcase their versatility.

One of the many highlights of the night was a duet by Sonya and her husband, Jimmy.  The song, You Never Know, was written by Jimmy in memory of a friend who passed suddenly a few years ago.  Beautiful!  Here is the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1D6jPyvurvY

By the way, Jimmy told the audience how very thankful he is to be doing what he is doing because he's always dreamed of travelling the world... on a bus... with his mother-in-law.  :)  (Lily Isaacs is the mother to Ben, Sonya and Rebecca, and she travels with them full time.)

Another touching part of the evening was when Rebecca performed a song she wrote based upon her personal healing experience.   Link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dk3W9kBwJK8
                                     

Apparently, Rebecca has been told many times over that she looks like Cher (Sonny and Cher).  Not too long ago she and Sonya went shopping.  When they got to the check-out counter the checker said to Rebecca, "Do you know who you look like?" Rebecca sighed and said, "Yes... Cher."  The checker said, "No! You look just like Rebecca from The Isaacs!"  

Which reminds me... A while ago, Jonathan and I were in Arizona when a group of us got onto the subject about couples who look alike.  Jonathan remarked how odd a concept it is to be married to someone who looks like yourself, to which I agreed.  The next day we were at a potluck when Jonathan sat down at a table with an unfamiliar man.  I hadn't quite reached the table when the man motioned towards me and asked Jonathan, "Is that your sister?" Jonathan replied that I was his wife.  The man said, "Oh, really? You guys look alike!"  :)

O.K.  Back on track!  Here are a couple more pictures taken that night.  

                                          Becky, Sonya and Ben

I don't know that much more can be said to even begin to do that night justice... Besides simply saying GO if the opportunity ever arises!!  Well. Worth. It.

Now, time for some interesting tidbits on a couple of the Gaither Homecoming artists:

• Kim Collingsworth met her husband, Phil, when she was 14 years old and married him when she was 17!  Her favorite songs are: I Then Shall Live, It Is Well With My Soul, and Now More Than Ever.
• Matthew Holt, the Gaither's new pianist, was 3 years old when his parents heard him playing Sweet Hour of Prayer after returning home from a church service where he had heard the song.  (Need I continue?!)  At 19 years old he was hired by The Perry's.  Through that connection he met Gene McDonald, who in turn told Bill Gaither about him when the position became available! And for those of us who were wondering, he is 27 years old. So glad he's on board, as he seems to fit right in!

**NEWS FLASH**  Come February 5th, Heidi is going to be one happy gal because there will be two new DVDs released based on the Gaither Vocal Band's latest CD project, Pure and Simple. Judging from the promo, I highly doubt that disappointment will be an option!  Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=934bFL2_r7I

On a different note, I was so saddened to read that David Phelps's sister, Sherri Proctor, departed from this life at the end of September.  What a tremendous loss for David and his family. The Gaither web-site posted a lovely blog about Sherri, which you can read by going to: http://gaither.com/news/loving-memory Also, here is a song she and David recorded just a short time before her passing: 

May that family be greatly comforted during this time.  

In closing, I would like to leave you with a quote:

Music speaks what cannot be expressed

Soothes the mind and gives it rest

Heals the heart and makes it whole

Flows from Heaven to the soul

                                  Author unknown

Until next time...

Mizz Babs

*** A special thanks to Erin for once again helping me to understand the ropes of working this blog site!  Because of her, you are able to automatically view the posted videos by a simple click- as opposed to the 'copy and paste' technique! :)  ***

                                       

What have we here???

We have a recap of the Gaither cruise that Uncle Dale and Aunt RoseAnn took a few weeks back!  The only thing better than going on the actual cruise is to hear about it first hand.  So, thanks to Aunt RoseAnn taking the time to give us the scoop, that is just what we are going to do!  And as an added bonus, she also included pictures.  :)

We had a wonderful time on the cruise. The ship is absolutely beautiful! It is filled with a multimillion-dollar art and antiques collection. Fresh flowers are everywhere. Even the casual Lido restaurant had orchids on every table. The food was delicious and was presented beautifully. In the La Fontaine Dining Room Rosenthal china lies on crisp white table linens and uniformed waiters place your napkins on your lap. On the two formal nights everyone dresses up and it is very elegant. No matter where you go or who you speak with, you are greeted with smiles and people go out of their way to serve you.

One time that stands out to me is when we were sailing up the Endicott Arm Fjord. A lot of us had traversed the bowels of the ship to stand on the forward deck at the bow to get a first glimpse of the glacier. It was chilly and everyone was wrapped up trying to stay warm. I couldn't believe it when uniformed staff brought out silver trays full of bowls of hot Dutch pea soup and served all of us bundled-up, glacier-gazing travelers out there on the extremity of the ship!

On one of the last nights they had a Chocolate Extravaganza Buffet. They said it took the chefs three days to prepare everything! It was served on the Lido deck and was gigantic! Chocolate heaven!!

But, of course, the highlight of the trip was the TWO concerts a day and rubbing shoulders with many of the people you had listened to and watched on DVDs and from a distance at performances! It was much more personal than one of their regular concerts since the venue is smaller and everyone got priority seating two times, which allowed you to sit right up in front.

Kevin Williams would often get things going, sometimes just playing his guitar and getting everyone to sing along unless Bill Gaither happened to be on time (things are very relaxed!) As some were singing Bill would turn around to some of the others and suggest a song for them to sing next. He said he tried to get a feel for the crowd and then choose accordingly. At one concert he ask for suggestions from the audience.

A lot of them brought their families with them and at one point Gloria was sitting onstage with her grandson asleep on her shoulder. The last night for the final song everyone sang "Because He Lives" and all the children came onstage to stand with their parent(s) and I counted 14 children from a baby to around 15 years old.

We met Gene MacDonald, his wife and son in Ketchikan and then later he and Dale visited while they watched all the activity going on in the harbor.

We were able to visit with Jonathan Martin, his wife and Judy in Skagway. They are so friendly and down to earth! When I apologized for interrupting them to get a picture Judy pointed to her sister-in law and said, "She and I - we love people!" Jonathan was just as friendly and had his wife take several pictures of all of us together and then they visited with us until I insisted we let them get on with their shopping.

Matthew Holt is the new pianist and he was a real crowd pleaser! He teaches at a university and seems quiet and maybe a little shy when you talk to him.

Angela Primm was delightful! Wherever she goes the air just seems to sparkle around her. I met her in the Gaither Bookstore and she gave me a hug and was telling us about her mother who is in her 90's (she looks so young I couldn't believe she is in her early 50s). I loved it when she sang "Precious Lord Take My Hand" with Ben Isaacs. Bill said she has added so much joy since she started singing with them. Dale and I rode down the elevator with she and her husband at disembarkation and she was telling me how exhausted she was. And it's no wonder, she puts everything she's got into her singing.

So many things come to mind...

One of the highlights was David Phelps singing with his daughter, Maggie Beth. She has a wonderful voice and they blended together beautifully. Some favorites by the Gaither Vocal Band were "I Bowed On My Knees And Cried Holy" and "Worthy the Lamb That Was Slain" and "There Is A River". On a special Country Music night Wes, Reggie, Ben and Gene singing "When the Desert Sun Goes Down" with one old style microphone like the Sons of the Pioneers did. We really liked Mark Lowery, Becky Isaacs and Charlotte Ritchie's rendition of "I Call Him Lord". The Isaacs sang "Hallelujah" in Hebrew and English - so beautiful! "Over and Over, Again and Again God Is Faithful" by the Easters was wonderful, too. One time Bill had everyone, including the audience, sing "Fill My Cup, Lord" and he stood there with his hand in the air and tears running down his face. There were many both in the audience and on stage who were wiping tears away.

We'd love to go again someday. We left home not really knowing what to expect or if this "cruise thing" was for us. We returned with wonderful memories of a beautiful unspoiled land and the melodies we heard ringing in our hearts. 

Here are some of the pictures that were taken while on the cruise.  

Remember: to view the pictures in a larger format, simply 'click' on the pictures. (Wait! I stand corrected.  After posting the blog, I tried to click on the photos, but to no avail.  Hmm.  I'll have to see if something can be done about that...)

The Isaacs

The Martins 

Jeff & Sheri Easter w/ their daughter, Morgan.

The Nelons

Kevin Williams

Alaska!

Gene MacDonald

Angela Primm & Judy Martin

Kelly and Amber Nelon w/ Judy Martin

Charlotte Ritchie, Mark Lowry and Wes Hampton

The Gaither Vocal Band

Wes Hampton

David Phelps & Michael English

Mark Lowry & Wes Hampton

David Phelps w/ his daughter, Maggie Beth. By the way, here is a short clip of this duet that's been posted on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sAvRr2xaj8 

Some of the gang...

So, there you have it.  I am so pleased that Aunt RoseAnn set aside some time to write this!  It's such a treat. :)

Until next time...

Mizz Babs

No More Night

Yesterday evening, Stephen Hill departed from this world leaving a definite void in our hearts and music.  He will be sorely missed.  The song Lead Me To The Rock will always belong to him...  And as he sang so beautifully:

                                                                 Soon I'll see Him face to face
                                                                 And I'll feel His warm embrace
                                                                 There is a bridge I'm crossing over ... 
                                                                 Someday.



gaither.com has posted an announcement/writing about him if you would like to learn more.

Hi there! 

Before we get started, I want to point out a feature on this blog site that will help with the sharing of future blogs.  It is a feature that will allow you to be instantly notified any time a new blog is posted.  If you look towards the right hand side of the page you will see Follow by E-mail.  Underneath that is a box in which you are to enter your e-mail and 'submit' if you wish to receive future blogs.  A big thank you to Erin for helping me figure this out! :)

Now, the good stuff!  I've got a list of upcoming concerts that may be of interest to some of you.  I've been keeping an eye out for those of us in CA, IL, and Canada, and so far this is what I've come across:

CA:

• September 27th: The Isaacs, Pismo Beach
• September 29th: The Isaacs, Caruthers
• November 16th: Legacy Five, Stockton
• November 17th: Legacy Five, Riverside
• November 17th: Jim Brickman, Modesto
• April 5th, 2013: Dallas Holm, Turlock
• April 27th, 2013: Jeff and Sheri Easter, Yuba City
• April 27th, 2013: Gordon Mote, Ripon

IL: 

• September 9th: Jeff and Sheri Easter, Champaign
• October 25th: Jason Crabb, Marion

Canada:

• *sniff*sniff*... I've not come across anything as of yet. :(  I should say, however, that there were a few listings of up coming music festivals, although I'm not sure who will be performing.  I'll look into that a little more.  But, if ya'll would just pack up and move to the Tennessee and Texas areas, I could list all KINDS of concerts for you!! ;)

AND, I just got word from Aunt RoseAnn that the new Gaither pianist is no disappointment!  He is a teacher and on the young side.  Bill Gaither was saying that they'd thrown all these songs at him with which he wasn't overly familiar but he pulled them off beautifully!  Really looking forward to hearing him!!

One last thing.  We have added a member to our pooch family: an English Bulldog named Princess.  Even though her mannerisms do not match her name, she is an absolute sweetie and fits right in with the rest of the gang!  Here is a picture of Princess with Kayla:

I would like to end this blog with one of my favorite sayings:
Music washes away from the soul the dust of every day life. ~Berthold Auerbach

Until next time...

Mizz Babs