Search - Churchmen :: On the Journey Home

Great trad-sounding bluegrass gospel -- exciting Va. group!

J. Ross | Roseburg, OR USA | 08/19/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Playing Time - 33:58 -- The Churchmen, an exciting Virginia-based bluegrass gospel group, are getting some long overdue attention in the national spotlight. With their traditional sound, good drive behind it, strong harmonies, and a variety of material (covers and originals) ranging from fast numbers to slower ballads, the band is poised to turn some heads. The Churchmen are Shannon Wheeler (fiddler), Keith Clark (bass), Steve Martin (guitar), Gerald Harbour (mandolin), and Freddy Rakes (banjo). This project was recorded and co-produced by Dale Perry, who also handles the banjo playing duties. Guest fiddler Hunter Berry appears on over half of the tracks.Formed in 1989, The Churchmen began singing together in local churches when God personally called them into their music ministry. The band has released six albums prior to "On The Journey Home," their first on the Pinecastle label and certainly their best project thus far. Steve Martin is the songwriter of the bunch, and he contributes the catchy, upbeat opener "Get Onboard," and three other numbers. The album also includes some hard-driving traditional bluegrass, and standards like Lester Flatt's "Bouquet in Heaven," and Don Reno's "Springtime in Heaven." The classic Homer Eanes, Jr. song, "In His Arms (I'm Not Afraid)" clearly shows that The Churchmen strive for material where the message is paramount. A Reno and Smiley cover,
"He Will Forgive You," features a nice blend of lead vocals by Martin, accompanied by Rakes' tenor."On The Journey Home" is a credit to the songwriting and song selection abilities of Steven Martin, who does a commendable job of expressing his attitudes and views. An excellent day and good feelings resulted in the songsmith penning "Get Onboard." The slow ¾-time ballad, "He Paid It All," presents a heartfelt message for a world full of sinners. With "When He Calls Your Name," Martin emphasizes a traditional sound, something that would capture the spirit of the fifties at a Stanley Brothers show, by also using a triple time accenting the first beats. The song, "Keep Me Free From Every Sin," gave Martin considerable difficulty during its composition, but an additional verse and having Keith Clark sing it brought it all together.

The Churchmen have a repertoire that allows them to be well received at both churches and festivals. In churches, they can focus on the message and meaning of their material. At festivals, they can also compete for the audience's attention by emphasizing adroit picking and vocal harmonies, entertainment and drive.This album will allow them to influence many by "sharing the good news of Christ through music." Their energy and enthusiasm are infectious, and The Churchmen show people that gospel music and being a Christian are fun and exciting. As a result, they're building a considerable fan base - primarily because they play good traditional sounding bluegrass gospel music, and that's simply what many people want. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)"

Bluegrass gospel at its finest

Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 02/12/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Churchmen are a group of five bluegrass pickers and singers from Virginia. Apparently, the Churchmen recorded several albums before signing for Pinecastle, a label renowned for quality bluegrass music. This is the Churchmen's first Pinecastle album.
Some of the songs are covers but others are originals. The album offers a fine mix of up-tempo songs and more thoughtful, slower songs.Steve Martin, the guitarist and main lead singer, wrote four of the songs (Get onboard, Keep me free from every sin, He paid it all, When he calls your name). The other members are Shannon Wheeler (fiddle), Keith Clark (bass fiddle and baritone or lead vocal), Gerald Harbour (mandolin and bass or baritone vocal), and Freddy Rakes (the tenor vocalist, who learned to play several instruments but does not demonstrate those skills here). Guest musicians Dale Perry (banjo) and Hunter Berry (fiddle) complete the line-up. Bluegrass aficionados may recognize several of the covers, which include Lester Flatt's Bouquet in Heaven (Lester Flatt), Spring time in Heaven (Don Reno), Going up (Vern Gosdin), Place prepared for me (Doyle Lawson) and He will forgive you (Don Reno and Arthur Smiley). In His Arms I'm Not Afraid has been recorded by several bluegrass acts including Jim Eanes, the Isaacs, Ralph Stanley and Jeannette Macdonald.This is an excellent collection of gospel songs in the bluegrass style."