mens gucci sunglasses Review of The Voice of God b

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When Don Rigsby recorded The Voice of God (review copy courtesy of Rebel Records) [link widoczny dla zalogowanych], his latest collection of bluegrass gospel music, he must have had Jesus' words from Mark 2:17 in mind: "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."
Gifted guest vocalist Beth Castle sings the titular part of “Mary Magdalene” in a lovely duet with Rigsby on this urgent [link widoczny dla zalogowanych], minor key ballad. The two describe the alleged prostitute’s acts of faith in a song that is contemporary, but so traditional-sounding that it could have been sung by Rigsby's mountain ancestors.
Saints and Sinners
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The CD begins with two songs about God’s faithfulness to his children. "One Prayer Away" paints Jesus as the ultimate role model to the narrator, who is rewarded with Jesus’ friendship and intimacy as he imitates the God who is “just one prayer away”.
Accordingly, Rigsby's latest CD is populated with alcoholics, addicts, prostitutes, orphans, drifters, thieves, and hypocrites -- a cast of characters not usually encountered in today’s bluegrass gospel.
Story Songs
"Forgiveness" is a first for Rigsby who uses his masterful interpretation of the song by Phil Wiggins (of blues duo Cephas and Wiggins) to acknowledge the debt of bluegrass to the blues. Blues legend Rory Block lends her talents on slide guitar and vocals (she shares lead vocals with Rigsby and contributes tart, gospel-sounding triple harmonies on the chorus).
Rigsby's solo vocal engages Dale Vanderpool's hard-charging banjo, and the late Gerald Evans' furious fiddle in a rapid-fire, three-way conversation, driving home lyrics like these: “Politics are just a way to talk someone into your point of view/Better that you demonstrate your preaching by the kindness that you do.” The chorus concludes that “If ya gotta go 'round braggin' that you're better than your neighbor, then y'ain't.”
"He Done What He Said" a welcome foray into black gospel with a song made famous by the Swan Silvertones. The a capella quartet tackles the heavy syncopation and the warmer, more rounded tone colors of black gospel with ease. Clyde Marshall shines in the lead vocal spot, beautifully complemented by Rigsby’s always stratospheric yet effortless tenor.
"I Am an Orphan Child" is Rigsby's substantial reworking of Gillian Welch's melody. The orphan who sings this song is completely alone in the world, without even siblings, so his only hope of family is reunion with God in heaven.
The subject of "Send Me Wings So I Can Fly" is a child troubled by parental neglect, rejection, and deep, abiding anger. The boy escapes via an active prayer life and immersion in the biblical account of the life of Jesus – all of
Story songs are a bluegrass mainstay, and those included here are exceptionally strong. "The Gospel According to Luke" is Skip Ewing's story of a homeless, hungry alcoholic – an unlikely source of the gospel of faith, hope, and love, who "carried his Bible in a Crown Royal bag."
The narrator here is an alcoholic and addict who numbers vengeance, lying, thievery [link widoczny dla zalogowanych], and blasphemy among his catalog of sins. Despite it all, he is redeemed by God's forgiveness.
"Then Y'A’int," written especially for this project by Tom T. and Dixie Hall, serves up a ringing condemnation of modern day Pharisees (that’s “legalistic hypocrites” to the uninitiated).