Southern Gospel News SGNScoops Digital

The Inspirations extend relationship with Horizon Records

The Inspirations have extended their relationship with Horizon Records and are in the studio working on a new album, to be released in 2019.

Arden, North Carolina (October 4, 2018) – After multiple charting songs and hit albums with Horizon Records, The Inspirations are happy to announce that they will be continuing to work with the award-winning label as they continue their storied career. Visit the Inspirations website here.

“One of the great blessings of music is the opportunity we have to record our songs. The music we record lives on for generation to generation to be enjoyed. For many years we have enjoyed the privilege of recording with the Crossroads Horizon Records label. We are excited that our relationship continues with them today. As we continue our journey, it is our prayer that we can be associated with Gospel music’s greatest label: Horizon Records,” note The Inspirations, which includes Archie Watkins, tenor; Eddie Deitz, baritone; Matt Dibler, lead; Marlin Shubert, bass; Roland Kesterson, bass guitar and vocals; and Luke Vaught, pianist.

Horizon Records has been The Inspirations’ home for recording since 2001, and the group is currently in the studio working on a new album to be released in 2019.

“The Inspirations are still a class act to work with, and we are excited to extend this relationship into the future. Archie, Eddie, Matt, Marlin, Luke and Roland are carrying on the tradition that our industry was built upon and are still a crowd favorite everywhere they go. Crossroads is so happy to have The Inspirations in our family of artists,” says Greg Bentley, A&R for Crossroads.

To stay up-to-date on new music from The Inspirations, follow them wherever you listen HERE.

Inspirations at NQC 2018

About The Inspirations
The Inspirations first formed in 1964 in Bryson City, North Carolina and became full time in 1969 after hosting their first “Singing In The Smokies” event. With a number of hit songs through the 1970s, the group rose to national attention and joined the Gospel Singing Jubilee Television program. In January of 1970, they secured their first #1 song on the Singing News Chart, “Jesus Is Coming Soon,” marking just the beginning of their chart-topping success. In November of 1973, The Inspirations held the #1 spot for 12 months with “Touring That City.” It was followed with the success of “When I Wake Up To Sleep No More” in 1974 and “Jesus Is Mine” in 1976. In 2001, The Inspirations recorded their first album with Horizon Records, titled Pure Vintage. The album’s first song, “I’ll Not Turn My Back On Him Now,” returned the group to the top of the Singing News chart after 26 years. It was followed with more #1 tracks with “I Have Not Forgotten” and “If You Only Knew.” Today, The Inspirations are working on a new album to be released in 2019 with their current line-up, Archie Watkins, tenor; Eddie Deitz, baritone; Matt Dibler, lead; Marlin Shubert, bass; Roland Kesterson, bass guitar and vocals; and Luke Vaught, pianist.
About Crossroads:
Crossroads is a market leader in the Southern Gospel, Bluegrass, and Americana fields. Established in 1993, following the combination of Horizon Music Group and Sonlite Records, Crossroads now operates several divisions including Crossroads Label Group (Horizon Records, Sonlite Records, Mountain Home Music, Skyland Records, Pisgah Ridge Records, Crossroads Records, and Organic Records), Crossroads Distribution, Crossroads Radio Promotions, Crossroads Publishing Group and Crossroads Recording Studios. Led by a strong executive team of Christian music and Bluegrass music veterans, Crossroads combines cutting-edge technology with creative innovation to connect fans with our artists’ life-changing music.

Update- Archie Watkins

From Archie’s wife, Cindy on Facebook…..

Good News

We are finally going home!! Archie is doing so much better, and we want to thank the Lord first, and then thank our precious friends and family for all the prayers, love and support shown during this trial in our lives. God is so good, and everything is going to be just fine. Please keep us in your prayers daily, we love you all!

Continue to pray for Archie Watkins

Continue to pray for Archie….

From Archie’s wife, Cindy’s Facebook:

God is still good and we still request prayers. The heart cath is now complete on Archie and he will be staying in the hospital a bit longer. The results of the cath were disappointing as they found some blockage. He will be having open heart surgery, looks like on Monday. Will will keep you updated here, and thanks again so much for the prayers. Dates and delays and any reschedules will be updated on our website.

Prayer Request for Archie Watkins

From Troy/Tammy Burns

Requesting prayer for Archie Watkins. He is having some heart issues and will be having tests run over the next few days in the hospital.

Please pray.

SGN Scoops Fast Five with the Troy Burns Family!

Troy Burns Family

SGN Scoops welcomes the Troy Burns Family to this edition of Fast Five. We hope you will enjoy getting reacquainted with the lead singer of The Inspirations, and meeting the rest of this fine group.

Troy shared the biography of the group, which we have excerpted for you:

Troy Burns is a founding member and lead singer of The Inspirations for 30 years and is the current lead singer for Archie Watkins and Smoky Mountain Reunion, and The Old Inspirations. When not on the road with Smoky Mountain Reunion, Troy and his family do concerts at churches and other venues. Close family harmony and loving Jesus is what the Troy Burns Family is all about.
Troy has recorded over 700 songs in his career, “Jesus Is Coming Soon,” “Touring That City,” “Is That Footsteps,” and many other great Southern Gospel songs. Troy has performed over 6,000 concerts, won numerous awards and currently sings weekly on Daystar TV worldwide. Tammy has had formal training as a singer and sang for The Sound Of Youth from Robbinsville, North Carolina. Tammy’s voice has been compared to Patsy Cline and Barbara Streisand. The newest member of the Troy Burns Family is Roland Kesterson, from Crossville, Tennessee. He sang with his family growing up and then sang for a Bluegrass group called Set Apart for seven years. Roland’s smooth harmonies form a third part for Troy Burns Family that is unparalleled in Southern Gospel Music.
Latest Project: It’s Only Goodnight
Radio Release: “It’s Only Goodnight”

SGN Scoops Fast Five with the Troy Burns Family

SGN: What single accomplishment of your group (or yourself) is the most important to you?
TBF: Group: Our concept video of “I’m Praying For You.” It has given people hope around the world.
Troy and Tammy: Our children and grandchildren

SGN: What is in your closet that you just can’t throw out?
Tammy: Clothes that do not fit anymore (I think I may get small enough to wear them again).
Troy: Old singing shirts.
SGN: Who is the most under-appreciated person in Gospel music right now that you would like to see get some recognition?
Tammy: Troy Burns (of course I would say that …he’s my husband).
Troy: Amber Nelon

SGN: What is your favorite song from Sunday School?
Tammy: “Jesus Loves The Little Children Of The World”
Troy: “Jesus Loves Me”

SGN: What one thing do you make sure you do before a concert?
Tammy: I ask the Lord to create in me a clean heart and a right spirit within me when I pray.
Troy: The group meets and we pray!
Be sure to find out when the Troy Burns Family is coming to your area!

Troy Burns Family

Click to watch video link to the Troy Burns Family video: “I’m Praying For You”

Mike LeFevre, Danny Jones and Karen Peck on the set of Gospel Music USA!

Karen Peck, Danny Jones, Mike LeFevre. Photo courtesy of Robert York

WATC-TV 57 out of Atlanta, GA airs “Gospel Music USA,” hosted by Mike
LeFevre (The LeFevre Quartet), Danny Jones (Singing News) and Karen Peck
(Karen Peck & New River). This 30-minute segment is filled with your favorite
Southern Gospel music from top artists from all over the USA. Mike, Danny and
Karen bring you face-to-face with the artists as they share their testimonies and
their ministries with their viewers.

Upcoming guests on Gospel Music USA include Jeff Stice, Lauren Talley, Freedom Quartet, Old Paths, Ivan Parker and Archie Watkins. Some of the artists who have appeared on the show are Karen Peck and New River, The LeFevre Quartet, Greater Vision, Triumphant Quartet and The Blackwood Brothers, just to name a few.

Gospel Music USA airs Saturdays at 2:30 pm on WATC TV and Saturday nights at 9 pm as part of the “Saturday Night Gospel Sing” on WATC TOO. Watch Gospel Music USA from the comfort of your own home via live stream here: http://watc.tv/gospelmusicusa/

Troy Burns to Co-Host this Week’s Harmony Road Television Program

Troy Burns

Music from Zach and Rodney with Michael Lee, The Rochesters, Archie Watkins and Smoky Mountain Reunion
and the Old Paths Quartet

Signal Mountain, TN  Joining Les Butler on this week’s Harmony Road TV program as guest co-host will be gospel music legend Troy Burns.  They will be sharing stories from Troy’s many years singing Southern Gospel music.  Burns currently sings with The Troy Burns Family as well as Archie Watkins and Smoky Mountain Reunion.  Songs they will be introducing include “Cookes and the HInsons” from Zach and Rodney with Michael Lee.  Troy tells a funny story about his days with the Inspirations when they traveled with the Hinson’s often.

Other music is from the Old Path’s Quartet with “God’s Great”, The Rochesters and the touching “My Father’s Eyes” and a powerful rendition of “How Great Thou Art” from Archie Watkins and Smoky Mountain Reunion featuring Burns.

“We absolutely enjoyed our time with Troy Burns and the Troy Burns family recently while shooting this episode” said Roger Spears, program producer. “We appreciate Troy taking the time to co-host with Les” he concluded.  A future Harmony Road episode will also feature the Troy Burns Family including his wife Tammy and singing partner Roland Kepperson. More information about Troy can be found at www.troyburnsfamily.com.

Now available to well over 80 million television homes across the country in addition to online streaming, ROKU, mobile app and more, Harmony Road is a weekly southern gospel television program hosted by Singing News, Butler Music Group and Solid Gospel Radio veteran Les Butler.

Information on Harmony Road, Its affiliates and time slots can be found at www.harmonyroadtv.com.  Viewers can also interact with the program on Facebook at Harmony Road TV and on twitter@harmonyroadtv.

Harmony Road is produced and distributed by Harmony Road Productions and features the best in Southern Gospel music and video. It can be found each week on The Heartland Network, The NRB Network (including DirecTV, streaming and mobile app), WATC57 in Atlanta, WGNM-TV in Macon, WYBU-TV in Columbus, GA/Phoenix City, AL.  Also find the program on the WALKtv network (including ROKU), Harmony Gospel in Greeneville, SC,  DCT3in Middle Tennessee, TV24 in Anniston/Gadsden, Charter Cable in Clarksville, Cookeville/Crossville, Sevier County, Lebanon and Jackson, TN and  WMJN29 in Decatur/Athens/Cullman, AL.  Harmony Road also streams on www.bbntv.org, where the program will be streamed online several times a week.
 
 Affiliates have also been added in Jackson, TN, Beaumont, TX,  and Harrogate, TN. The Heartland Network also recently added an affiliate in Cincinnati, Ohio, WBQC 25.5, also available on Cincinnati Bell Fioptics channel 293 allowing viewers in this market to view the program Sunday mornings at 10 Eastern.
 
Allan Rhodes of Rhodes Media Center, Harmony Road Productions and WMJN29 is the programs technical director.