CD Review: Beautiful Day by Mark Bishop

Written by Staff on April 9, 2020 – 1:15 pm -

Mark Bishop

“Beautiful Day”

Label: Sonlite Records

Producer: Jeff Collins, Mark Bishop

 

Songs: “It’s A Beautiful Day,” “God Needs Ministers,” “Are You Ready For Perfect Love?” “It’s All Good,” “I’ll Just Keep Rowing,” “You Can’t Say He Didn’t Love Us,” “I’m Just Changing Mountains,” “Home Grown Tomatoes,” “The Man On The Other Cross,” “Lost, Lost, Lost”

 

One of Southern gospel’s most beloved singer-songwriters is back with yet another stellar recording. Mark Bishop hopes to lift spirits with his new CD entitled “Beautiful Day.” This recording features 10 songs that encourage people to trust in God and be witnesses to this lost world.

 

The CD opens with two great uptempo tracks “It’s A Beautiful Day,” and “God Needs Ministers.” The title track encourages listeners to look on the bright side of life. Don’t let the gloomy days get you down. Jeff Chapman, Chris Allman, and Mylon Hayes join him to make this a fun quartet song. 

 

Amber Eppinette of 11th Hour joins him on “God Needs Ministers,” which reminds us to shine God’s light in every situation. Be a soul reacher in everyday life. Eppinette also joins Bishop on the powerful ballad “Are You Ready For Perfect Love?” which praises Christ for his transforming love. 

 

“It’s All Good,” is a fun, groovy tune that reminds us that with God in our lives, happiness is not hard to find. “I’ll Just Keep Rowing,” is a stellar mid-tempo track that simply says: Jesus is the captain of my boat. I will trust him and just keep rowing. 

 

“You Can’t Say He Didn’t Love Us,” is a beautiful ballad that simply reminds us that God loved us so much that He sacrificed himself to save us from our sins. Bishop picks the tempo back up with the fun “I’m Just Changing Mountains.” This clever tune tells of persevering through the trials of life. God has our best interests at heart and will always be with you. 

 

Perhaps the standout track on the album, the cut “Home Grown Tomatoes,” tells the story of Brother Joe, a country preacher serving as a witness to everyone he meets. He visits churchgoer’s homes with a bible in one hand and a bag of home grown tomatoes in the other.

“The Man On The Other Cross,” a well crafted ballad, tells of the other men on the crosses next to Christ. This powerful song proclaims: I want to be like the man on the cross who found forgiveness. 

 

This outstanding album closes with “Lost, Lost, Lost,” a tender ballad that tells the story of being found in Christ. I was lost, but then I found Jesus who gave me purpose and new life.

 

“Beautiful Day” is yet another powerful and well crafted album from Mark Bishop. This recording not only features fantastic vocals from Bishop, but deeply moving and anointed songs. A must buy for fans of Bishop and Southern gospel fans alike. 4.5 out of  5 stars.

 

For more information: www.markbishopmusic.com

 

Guest CD Review by Justin Gilmore of Southern Gospel Spotlight.

 

Tags: Beautiful Day, gospel music, Justin Gilmore, Mark Bishop, SGNScoops Magazine, Southern Gospel Music
Posted in artists, reviews | Comments Off on CD Review: Beautiful Day by Mark Bishop

January 2020 SGNScoops Magazine

Written by Staff on January 18, 2020 – 8:31 am -

Happy New Year! We are excited to present to you the first issue of SGNScoops Magazine for 2020. This is also the first issue that is a color magazine, sold by subscription and available on the record tables of your favorite artists. If you don’t see the SGNScoops Magazine, condensed hard copy, on an artists’ record table, then please ask them to carry it. We would love for you to see it!

The January issue of SGNScoops Magazine is usually one where our cover highlights an artist that we feel will make waves in Gospel Music in the new year. This year, we bring you Josh and Ashley Franks, whose music has been climbing the charts and whose talented family is well-known in the industry. We hope you enjoy this great article by Jimmy Reno.

Be sure to read all about the Erwins, Eli Fortner, Citizens of Glory, Mark Bishop, and Andy Leftwich; artists whose styles span the breadth of Gospel music. JP Miller reaches a milestone, and we pay tribute to Dr. Buck Morton. All this plus our DJ Spotlight, Coastal Events Update, Publisher’s Point, and the top songs across the country. Thanks to all of our writers this month, including Jantina Baksteen, Justin Gilmore, Lyndsey Chandler, Marcie Gray, Les Butler, Vonda Armstrong, and Rob Patz. Some of these talented people are doing double-duty this month, and all are gracious when asked for something at the last minute. Please check out their biographies at the end of the issue.

We hope you start the year with SGNScoops, but more than that, we hope you start the year with Jesus. He is our Rock and our Foundation, and if you don’t know Him, you are missing out on peace and security that can only be found in a relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. If you have any questions or comments, please write to me at lorraine@sgnscoops.com

Read the latest SGNScoops Magazine online BELOW

Tags: Andy Leftwich, Christian Music, Citizens of Glory, Dr. Buck Morton, Eli Fortner, Erwins, gospel music, Josh and Ashley Franks, JP Miller, Mark Bishop, SGNScoops Magazine, Southern Gospel Music
Posted in announcements, artists | Comments Off on January 2020 SGNScoops Magazine

Mark Bishop releases Beautiful Day, a positive album about faith and trust

Written by SGN Scoops Staff on November 22, 2019 – 9:14 am -

Arden, North Carolina  — Mark Bishop serves as a witness to God’s everlasting love on his new album, Beautiful Day, available now from Sonlite Records. With this collection of songs, the gospel singer-songwriter encourages people to look for the positive and trust in God.

Bishop begins the album with these themes on the first single, “It’s A Beautiful Day,” an up-beat and bright song about not letting the gloomy days get you down and allowing God’s joy and light to shine through you for everyone to see. This theme is continued in “It’s All Good,” which reminds us it’s always possible to find happiness when Jesus is in our hearts.

The driving “God Needs Ministers” pushes the faithful to not leave what they learn in church in the pews. Bishop sings, “God needs ministers in every situation. / Someone strong enough to rise to the occasion. / It can even feel like life ain’t even fair. / But maybe there’s a reason the Lord has put you there. / So you can be a blessing to somebody, that’s the reason / God needs ministers in every situation.”

Bishop praises God for His everlasting love on “Are You Ready For Perfect Love?”, which features a guest appearance from 11th Hour’s Amber Eppinette on vocals; “You Can’t Say He Didn’t Love Us,” explaining how the cross proves what the Lord is willing to do; and “The Man On The Other Cross,” which continues the story of Christ’s death, explaining how one man next to him was redeemed, while the other died without knowing God’s mercy.

The album explores the theme of trust with “I’ll Just Keep Rowing” and “I’m Just Changing Mountains” both about having perseverance through life’s trials and faith God has our best interests in mind and will help us in his timing.

Bishop’s “Home Grown Tomatoes” captures the story of a country preacher in an untraditional twist on a gospel song. It tells of a man named Brother Joe, who served as a witness, showing up at churchgoers’ homes with a Bible in one hand, “While holding in the other an old paper bag / Filled with love and home grown tomatoes.”

The album closes with “Lost, Lost Lost,” which begins with soft piano and a story of losing at life with a sense that something’s missing. Upon reaching God’s light, you’ll be found and no longer have to guide yourself through life’s trials.

“Even after all these years of creating Gospel music, I still get excited about new songs. Music provides the background soundtrack for the ups and downs of our lives,” says Bishop. “As we look back at the different chapters of our journey, it’s funny how a song can transport us to a simpler time, or to a profound change in our lives. It’s also amazing how God can use a song like a medicine for our hearts when we are hurting.”

Listen to Beautiful Day HERE

Tags: Mark Bishop, Southern Gospel News
Posted in announcements | Comments Off on Mark Bishop releases Beautiful Day, a positive album about faith and trust

Christmas Wacky Wednesday from SGNScoops

Written by Staff on December 12, 2018 – 11:05 am -

It’s Christmastime here on SGNScoops and we have a brand new Christmas edition of Wacky Wednesday just for you. This time, our question was: What is your favorite Christmas song and why? Let’s shake our Gospel music snowglobe and see what answers the artists have for us.

Thanks again to our special Social Media girl, Jantina de Haan, for securing these responses for us. We hope you enjoy it. Merry Christmas!

 

Mark Byrd: “Mary Did You Know.” I love the way this song has such a sweet flow but tells a story of a mighty King and Savior.

 

Eric Bennett: “Hope Has Hands” © Phill Cross; I love the way he describes baby Jesus. Hope has Hands, Freedom has Feet; Truth will stand, The Word will speak. The Holy and Lovely will finally embrace. For Love has a Heartbeat and Grace has a Face…”

Adam Crabb: “O Holy Night,” because it talks about the birth of our Savior and to me, this song is the true spirit of Christmas.

Jaquita Lindsey: “Do You Hear What I Hear.” I remember trying to learn it on the piano, which I never learned to play the piano 🙂 I don’t have a particular reason for liking it. Just because.

Greg Sullivan: “There’s a New Kid In Town.” I like this song because not many people in Bethlehem knew that Jesus had been born and it focuses on how God became man in form of a child. This child would be the Savior of the world.

Randa Jordan: “White Christmas.” I loved the movie as a little girl, loved Bing Crosby, and it stayed with me all these years. It brings to me the happiest of memories.

Arthur Rice: “I’ll Be Home For Christmas.” The song came out in 1943 during WW2 and it was written from a soldier’s perspective of wanting to be home

with their families for Christmas, even though the last line reveals it wouldn’t be a reality.
The song always reminds me of the reality that so many of our men and women won’t be home for Christmas. And how appreciative we should be for the sacrifice of them and their families, and we pray for their safe and speedy

return home.

Mark Bishop: Wow.. that’s a tough one. It’s hard to narrow it down to one song. For the simplicity of the beautiful message and the melody, it’s hard to beat “Silent Night.” It exemplifies what we should be focusing on at Christmas time, over shopping and gifts. It always makes me a little melancholy, too. Likewise, with “Oh Holy Night.” My sleeper choice would have to be “The Little Drummer Boy.” I love the story that it tells and that we don’t need to bring great gifts to Jesus like the three wise men, we only need to give Him the talents that He gave us. But the greatest Christmas gift of all is to give back to God what He gave us, to begin with.

Matt Fouch: I have a funny one…’You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.” I love the original cut on this song and it fits the bass range just perfectly. People always smile when they hear you sing it, It’s a lot of fun.

Autumn Clark: “The Christmas song.” Because it is so beautiful and the story it tells.

Scott Peek (DJ of KNMG Radio): “We Are The Reason.” The message can be no clearer. He came to earth as a baby for us. All 33 years of His life were about us His willingness to die on the cross was about us. And it all started that first Christmas morning…”WE ARE THE REASON!”

Harley Madden: “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” I think maybe my favorite song for Christmas. And the reason I say that is, back in 1985 my sister passed, and I miss her everyday. But now I think about it, she made my mom a promise for Christmas that year. And that was: She would be home for Christmas. Even though we may not have got our wish for her to be at her earthly home for Christmas, she was made new in her Heavenly home. Sitting at the feet of Jesus. I can’t wait to get to Heaven, to be able to see her again and give her a big hug.

A Wacky Wednesday Merry Christmas from SGNScoops

 

Tags: Adam Crabb, Arthur Rice, Christian Music, christmas, christmas music, Eric Bennett, gospel music, Greater Vision, Greg Sullivan, Harley Madden, Jaquita Lindsey, Jordan family band, Kingdom Heirs, legacy five, Mark Bishop, Mark Byrd, Matt Fouch, nelons, Scott Peek, Triumphant, Wacky Wednesday
Posted in artists, SGNScoops Wacky Wednesday | Comments Off on Christmas Wacky Wednesday from SGNScoops

Sunday Drive Carries Faith ‘A Million Miles’

Written by Staff on May 23, 2018 – 7:56 am -

Arden, NC. (May 23, 2018) – With songs about strong belief, grateful praise and reliance on faith, Sunday Drive’s latest project “A Million Miles” carries a resounding message that God is never too far away. With a classic country style and upbeat lyrics, the gospel group reminds listeners that following Christ leads to a joyful life, despite the ups and downs we all face. Visit Sunday Drive’s website here.

The group’s first single “Living In The Middle Of His Will” talks about how life gets sweeter in the place of peace found through following Christ. The title track, “A Million Miles,” says “On the wings of an angel band / His mercy reaches across the span / To lift me up to the Savior’s face / A million miles is not too far for grace.” It’s another moving reminder that no low is too low for God to find you and pull you back up.

“We are so excited about our new recording ‘A Million Miles.’ We reached out of our songwriting box and asked some of the greatest writers in Gospel music for some songs and did they come through,” says Jeff Treece. “The title cut ‘A Million Miles’ is written by our good friend, Mark Bishop. Our first single ‘Living In The Middle Of His Will’ is written by Dianne Wilkinson and Lee Black. It also includes original, easy listening, classic and comedy songs. Come take a trip you will never forget — ‘A Million Miles’ by Sunday Drive.”

“A Million Miles” will be available July 13 from Sonlite Records. Pre-order it now HERE.

About Sunday Drive
Jeff Treece, Misty Treece, and Dusty Treece make up the award-winning trio that is Sunday. Their God-given talent has garnered them numerous awards including Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year, and many others. Sunday Drive has performed at The Grand Ole Opry, Silver Dollar City, Dollywood and The National Quartet Convention and performed with artists like The Oak Ridge Boys, The Gaithers, Big Daddy Weave, David Crowder Band, The McKameys and many more. Sunday Drive has a unique ability to communicate through song and humor creating an experience and journey audiences won’t soon forget.

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.

READ The latest PDF Version Of SGNScoops Magazine here.

Download The latest PDF Version Of SGNScoops Magazine HERE

Find SGNScoops Magazine On Facebook HERE

Listen Online To The Best In Todays Gospel Music HERE

Tags: christian country, crossroads, gospel music, Mark Bishop, Sonlite Records, Sunday Drive
Posted in announcements, artists | Comments Off on Sunday Drive Carries Faith ‘A Million Miles’

Mark Bishop ‘s “A Different Light,” NQC Live released by Crossroads

Written by Staff on February 28, 2018 – 2:11 pm -

Arden, NC. (February 23, 2018) –  Crossroads is bringing Southern Gospel fans messages of faith and trust with two new releases available today.

Mark Bishop ‘s A Different Light aptly displays his God-given ability to show listeners a timeless message.

Known as an artist who honestly portrays himself and his faith through self-authored work, Bishop shares new stories in this eclectic wide-ranging album that focuses on themes of faith and refuge, struggle and growth.

The 11-song album is available to download or stream HERE.

Mark Bishop’s “A Different Light,” NQC Live released by Crossroads
Also available today is NQC Live Vol. 17, an exciting DVD / CD package recorded live at the 2017 National Quartet Convention in Pigeon Forge, Tn.

 

NQC Live features the very best of today’s gospel artists, like Mark Trammell Quartet, Jim Brady Trio, Triumphant Quartet, The Talleys, The Hoppers, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, Joseph Habedank, Kingdom Heirs, Collinsworth Family, Three Bridges, Down East Boys, The Nelons, Greater Vision and 11th Hour and much more!

The special 17-song DVD, which includes some of the week’s highlights is available HERE.

The 14-song album (which is included with the DVD purchase) is available to download HERE.

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.

 

Tags: Christian Music, crossroads, gospel music, Mark Bishop, nqc
Posted in announcements, artists | Comments Off on Mark Bishop ‘s “A Different Light,” NQC Live released by Crossroads

Mark Bishop and Forget The Sea

Written by Staff on January 12, 2016 – 11:02 am -

With his eyes upon Jesus, Peter was able to accomplish the impossible. He walked on the water just as the Savior did. It was only when the winds and the waves distracted him that he began to sink.

As believers, we also are distracted by the storms and the noise in our busy lives. Sometimes we take our eyes off of Jesus when truly, in those times when the wind howls the loudest, we should forget the storms, forget the waves, keep our eyes upon Jesus and forget the sea.

Comprised of newcomers and Christian music veterans, Forget The Sea is a new band with a sincere heart for ministry, dedicated to sharing the love of Christ with a lost and hurting world. Inspired by the Appalachian, Folk and Gospel music roots of eastern Kentucky where the founding members call home, the band mixes old and new sounds to create a new music fused with acoustic energy, rousing percussion and tight family harmony. Forget The Sea truly delivers a musical worship experience for all ages.

Founding member Mark Bishop is a Dove Award winning singer/songwriter with a three-decade-long history in Christian Music. For seventeen years he recorded albums, wrote chart-topping songs and travelled with the award-winning group The Bishops, appearing regularly on the Gaither Video Series, The Grand Ol’ Opry, Nashville Now, Crooke and Chase, The World Today with John Hagee and countless other notable appearances. For the past 14 years, Mark has enjoyed success as a soloist, garnering many more top songs and accolades and most importantly, seeing many more souls saved in a music ministry that has been continually blessed by God.

And now, joining with a roster of talented musicians and singers, a new band is formed that adds the beautiful voices of Mark’s two daughters, Courtney Isaacs and Haley Bishop. The band brings exuberance and energy to the stage with John Isaacs on percussion, Josh Rison on guitar, Chris Withrow on bass and Russell Funk on keys.

Forget The Sea showcases a mixture of old and new, familiar and fresh, traditional and innovative, all staying true to their heritage and roots and focused on bringing the good news of the Gospel to a world that needs to hear it, young and old.

Purchase it today on CD at Crossroads Online Store, and on mp3 at Crossroads Online Store, iTunes, Amazon, or Google Play.

For more news visit SGN Scoops on Facebook.

Tags: Forget The Sea, Mark Bishop, roots music
Posted in announcements, artists | Comments Off on Mark Bishop and Forget The Sea

Voices Won Celebrates 13th Anniversary

Written by Staff on November 21, 2014 – 11:17 am -

By Robert York

Voices Won celebrated their 13th Anniversary with a weekend of great Southern Gospel music. Voices Won is a trio from Dalton, GA consisting of three brothers; Jaron who is the oldest and writes most of the songs they sing; Shantell who is the middle brother and also their military man having served in the Air Force, and Staclynn, who is the youngest and mom’s favorite. They opened the concert each evening which was held at Crosspoint Christian Center in Dalton, GA​.

Opening night included the story-telling Mark Bishop who shared a lot of his story songs, pleasing the audience. He even sang a few that he had not written. Winners of five 2014 Diamond Awards, Karen Peck and New River took the stage singing from their Revival CD and a few all-time favorites, ending their program with “Four Days Late.”

Saturday night, Voices Won took a few requests from the audience after they had sung. Then, on to the stage popped the group that has a record of having number-one songs, The McKameys. They made up different singing groups out of their stage personnel. As usual, The McKameys came away pleasing the crowd.

Up next was another fan favorite, Triumphant Quartet. Of course, during their set, Clayton had to have his way and sing “The Old White Flag.”

Tissues, napkins, hankies and even toilet paper came out of women’s purses when he sang. With both these groups performing, it was a sold out show. Folks had to make room for the standing crowd as very few seats were left

Danny Jones emceed the two-night event. Voices Won’s mother, Regina and father, Aaron did a great job preparing meals both nights for folks to enjoy before the concert. If you didn’t want a full meal they also had hot dogs and barbeque sandwiches as well as pinto beans and cornbread.

Voices Won is already preparing for their 14th Anniversary, which is always held the second Friday and Saturday night in November. For more information visit

http://voiceswon.com/.

Thanks to Robert York for this concert review.

For more concert reviews and artist features, read the SGN Scoops digital magazine found at http://www.sgnscoops.com/

 

Tags: concert review, gospel music, karen peck and new river, Mark Bishop, Robert York, southern gospel, The Mckameys, triumphant quartet, Voices Won
Posted in announcements, artists, sgn scoops magazine | Comments Off on Voices Won Celebrates 13th Anniversary

Artist to Artist: Mark Bishop and Miles Pike

Written by Staff on October 16, 2014 – 1:22 pm -

By Miles Pike

Over my years of road ministry I’ve worked with many popular artists and not very many have struck me as just good ole folks. Being a country boy myself, I love being able to sit down and talk with fellow singers about the Lord, music, hobbies, and just feel at home with them, like they are a long lost relative. Mark Bishop is one of those types of people. To know him is to love him and his sincerity shines out in his music, his concerts, and his Christian life toward others.

Mark is a longtime fixture in Southern Gospel music and one of the most successful. I could list many accolades that the fans and industry have bestowed upon him through his years with The Bishops and now as a soloist, but you can go to his website and read his bio about that. I want you to have a minute to get to know the man behind the mic. I was honored to have a few minutes to have an interview with him recently and you can listen in below…

 

Miles: I am a big fan of your music and songwriting, but like many of those familiar with the Southern Gospel field, I first knew you with your family trio, The Bishops. I spent many an evening as a teenager sitting on the front row when the Bishops would come to town. Let us know how the family is doing and if you get together to sing occasionally.

Mark: Thanks Miles for the compliment. I’m glad that you enjoyed our music. We had a lot of fun when the group was out traveling; of course it was a lot of work too and many, many days away from our families. These days, my dad is pastoring a little country church here in east-central Kentucky and that’s where my family goes. Mostly my wife and daughters go because I am usually out singing somewhere. My brother Kenny works in the state capitol, involved in politics. He has always enjoyed that atmosphere. After the group disbanded in 2001, I kept our three-day festival in Berea, KY going and for a few years we would get together and sing for that, but we haven’t sung together now for a few years. Everyone has just gone their own direction.

Miles: I’m sure you’ve written hundreds of songs since you began your musical journey. What are three of your favorites and why? And what song do you wish you would have written?

Mark: That’s always a tough one because I like them all depending on the mood that life and circumstances have put me in. A song to me is really just a snapshot of what the songwriter was experiencing at that moment of their life. But it’s true that some songs seem to become more timeless. Favorites? I guess I have always enjoyed singing “You Can’t Ask Too Much of My God” because it is such a wonderful realization that He is literally bigger than any problem I will ever have. It has a catchy tune and I felt as a songwriter that the first verse in that song was very clever and worked well as a hook to get you into the rest of the song.

I also enjoy singing “Can I Pray For You” just because I still have so many people come up and request it, saying that it had truly ministered to them in a time when they needed to be encouraged. What more could you ask of a song than that? Another song that I enjoy singing was from that same album. It is called “I Got Here As Fast As I Could” and it tells the story of a person’s entire lifetime in just a few short minutes. Yet still it somehow seems to convey the ups and downs of a life well lived and experienced. It has a certain amount of melancholy but a happy ending that promises us a wonderful reunion someday with the ones that we love. I guess every song has a story, but these are three that still resonate with my audiences today.

Miles: Obviously it is God that blesses us as we work for Him, but what do you consider your most noteworthy accomplishment in the time you’ve been on the road?

Mark: This will probably sound like I am trying to be clever or something, but I honestly have never focused on accomplishment in my music career, to the degree that I might have had more number one songs or more accolades if I had only been more ambitious. That’s not to say that the Lord hasn’t blessed me with a lot of things; by myself and with the group, I have had a lot of wonderful things happen in my career. But that was the Lord. It certainly wasn’t me. Maybe this is the introspective songwriter dude coming out, but when I think about myself at the end of this journey and I think about what were the important things, my answer will be: “Was I a good husband to my wife and was I a good dad to my daughters? Did I shower them with love and attention at every opportunity? Did I make them feel good about themselves?” Well, honestly, I’d take that over whatever my songs might do after I am gone. My love for my family runs achingly deep.

Miles: What are some interests or hobbies that you have that may be a surprise to the fans of your music?

Mark: Well, I don’t know if it would surprise anyone or not, but I love sports. I am a Kentucky basketball fan (of course) and a Cincinnati Reds fan. We love going and watching games when we can. It’s a relaxing evening when we are at the ballpark. My daughters have always played fast pitch softball so we spend a lot of evenings at the ballpark watching them. When I am home, I serve as the announcer at the high school home games. I love to hunt and fish when I have the time. I love to work in the yard, believe it or not, doing landscaping and getting my hands dirty. I guess I got that from my dad.

Miles: What do you think about when you are singing? What is a Scripture verse that has helped mold your thoughts and actions toward an audience and toward what you do as a minister?

Mark: Well, I try to be in the moment when I am singing so I just totally immerse myself in the lyrics and the melody. The lyrics most of all because as anyone who has seen me can attest, I am really up there just telling stories. It just so happens that I am telling them with a song. As far as scriptures go, they are as unique and specialized as songs so that really depends upon the situation. If I feel like I am facing an uphill battle, I might think of Philippians 4:13… or there have been times when Corinthians 4:16 through 18 have given me comfort. I really find myself enamored with all that the Apostle Paul had to say to the church. It’s some of my favorite reading in the Bible.

Miles: What else is going on in your ministry that you would like to share with the readers?

Mark: Of course I am always writing songs and I am already working on new material for my next album, though we don’t have a date set for its release. [Editor’s note: article first published in April 2013] My current album I Can Rejoice is doing well and praise the Lord that the radio stations are playing the songs. I am excited about a few upcoming concerts that I think folks will really enjoy. At the end of June, I will be joining some of my songwriter friends and peers, including Phil Cross, Gerald Crabb and Squire Parsons, for a special Song of A Lifetime concert in northern Georgia. That is a concert that folks won’t want to miss and will be worth the drive from about anywhere. Folks can learn about that at my website or at our Facebook page. Just search for Mark Bishop Music and you’ll find us. We are also looking forward to next year’s Singing at Sea cruise. Come join us for that. If folks would like to keep up with our music ministry, they can subscribe for free to our email newsletter that comes out about once a month. They can do that on the main page of our website.

Miles: Give me a Twitter sized thought that you would like the readers to take to heart.

Mark: I don’t tweet or twitter but by that I guess you mean something succinct? I’ll just say, “Be true to your heart and your beliefs, don’t sell yourself short. You’re stronger than you think.”

Be sure to visit Mark’s website at www.MarkBishopMusic.com and read more about him and see where he’ll be in concert near you! You won’t regret taking an evening to go sit and listen to what he has to offer.

Thanks for reading and if you would like to suggest someone to me for a future interview, email me at miles@milespikemusic.com.

By Miles Pike

First Published April 2013 on SGM Radio website. For current features visit http://www.sgmradio.com/

Tags: bluegrass, Christian Music, Cincinnati Reds, gospel music, Mark Bishop, Miles Pike, sgm radio
Posted in announcements, artists, SGM Radio | Comments Off on Artist to Artist: Mark Bishop and Miles Pike

Artist to Artist: Mark Bishop and Miles Pike

Written by Staff on March 27, 2014 – 12:36 pm -

 

Artist Miles Pike has many friends in the Christian music industry and shares his “Artist to Artist” interviews on SGM Radio website  http://www.sgmradio.com/  . In this feature, Miles talks to soloist Mark Bishop.

Over my years of road ministry I’ve worked with many popular artists and not very many have struck me as just good ole folks. Being a country boy myself, I love being able to sit down and talk with fellow singers about the Lord, music, hobbies, and just feel at home with them, like they are a long lost relative. Mark Bishop is one of those types of people. To know him is to love him and his sincerity shines out in his music, his concerts, and his Christian life toward others. 

Mark is a longtime fixture in Southern Gospel music and one of the most successful. I could list many accolades that the fans and industry have bestowed upon him through his years with The Bishops and now as a soloist, but you can go to his website and read his bio about that. I want you to have a minute to get to know the man behind the mic. I was honored to have a few minutes to have an interview with him recently and you can listen in below…

Miles: I am a big fan of your music and songwriting, but like many of those familiar with the Southern Gospel field, I first knew you with your family trio, The Bishops. I spent many an evening as a teenager sitting on the front row when the Bishops would come to town. Let us know how the family is doing and if you get together to sing occasionally.

Mark: Thanks Miles for the compliment. I’m glad that you enjoyed our music. We had a lot of fun when the group was out traveling; of course it was a lot of work too and many, many days away from our families. These days, my dad is pastoring a little country church here in east-central Kentucky and that’s where my family goes. Mostly my wife and daughters go because I am usually out singing somewhere. My brother Kenny works in the state capitol, involved in politics. He has always enjoyed that atmosphere. After the group disbanded in 2001, I kept our three-day festival in Berea, KY going and for a few years we would get together and sing for that, but we haven’t sung together now for a few years. Everyone has just gone their own direction.

Miles: I’m sure you’ve written hundreds of songs since you began your musical journey. What are three of your favorites and why? And what song do you wish you would have written?

Mark: That’s always a tough one because I like them all depending on the mood that life and circumstances have put me in. A song to me is really just a snapshot of what the songwriter was experiencing at that moment of their life. But it’s true that some songs seem to become more timeless. Favorites? I guess I have always enjoyed singing “You Can’t Ask Too Much of My God” because it is such a wonderful realization that He is literally bigger than any problem I will ever have. It has a catchy tune and I felt as a songwriter that the first verse in that song was very clever and worked well as a hook to get you into the rest of the song.

I also enjoy singing “Can I Pray For You” just because I still have so many people come up and request it, saying that it had truly ministered to them in a time when they needed to be encouraged. What more could you ask of a song than that? Another song that I enjoy singing was from that same album. It is called “I Got Here As Fast As I Could” and it tells the story of a person’s entire lifetime in just a few short minutes. Yet still it somehow seems to convey the ups and downs of a life well lived and experienced. It has a certain amount of melancholy but a happy ending that promises us a wonderful reunion someday with the ones that we love. I guess every song has a story, but these are three that still resonate with my audiences today.

Miles: Obviously it is God that blesses us as we work for Him, but what do you consider your most noteworthy accomplishment in the time you’ve been on the road?

Mark: This will probably sound like I am trying to be clever or something, but I honestly have never focused on accomplishment in my music career, to the degree that I might have had more number one songs or more accolades if I had only been more ambitious. That’s not to say that the Lord hasn’t blessed me with a lot of things; by myself and with the group, I have had a lot of wonderful things happen in my career. But that was the Lord. It certainly wasn’t me. Maybe this is the introspective songwriter dude coming out, but when I think about myself at the end of this journey and I think about what were the important things, my answer will be: “Was I a good husband to my wife and was I a good dad to my daughters? Did I shower them with love and attention at every opportunity? Did I make them feel good about themselves?” Well, honestly, I’d take that over whatever my songs might do after I am gone. My love for my family runs achingly deep.

Miles: What are some interests or hobbies that you have that may be a surprise to the fans of your music?

Mark: Well, I don’t know if it would surprise anyone or not, but I love sports. I am a Kentucky basketball fan (of course) and a Cincinnati Reds fan. We love going and watching games when we can. It’s a relaxing evening when we are at the ballpark. My daughters have always played fast pitch softball so we spend a lot of evenings at the ballpark watching them. When I am home, I serve as the announcer at the high school home games. I love to hunt and fish when I have the time. I love to work in the yard, believe it or not, doing landscaping and getting my hands dirty. I guess I got that from my dad.

Miles: What do you think about when you are singing? What is a Scripture verse that has helped mold your thoughts and actions toward an audience and toward what you do as a minister?

Mark: Well, I try to be in the moment when I am singing so I just totally immerse myself in the lyrics and the melody. The lyrics most of all because as anyone who has seen me can attest, I am really up there just telling stories. It just so happens that I am telling them with a song. As far as scriptures go, they are as unique and specialized as songs so that really depends upon the situation. If I feel like I am facing an uphill battle, I might think of Philippians 4:13… or there have been times when Corinthians 4:16 through 18 have given me comfort. I really find myself enamored with all that the Apostle Paul had to say to the church. It’s some of my favorite reading in the Bible.

Miles: What else is going on in your ministry that you would like to share with the readers?

Mark: Of course I am always writing songs and I am already working on new material for my next album, though we don’t have a date set for its release. My current album I Can Rejoice is doing well and praise the Lord that the radio stations are playing the songs. I am excited about a few upcoming concerts that I think folks will really enjoy. At the end of June, I will be joining some of my songwriter friends and peers, including Phil Cross, Gerald Crabb and Squire Parsons, for a special Song of A Lifetime concert in northern Georgia. That is a concert that folks won’t want to miss and will be worth the drive from about anywhere. Folks can learn about that at my website or at our Facebook page. Just search for Mark Bishop Music and you’ll find us. We are also looking forward to next year’s Singing at Sea cruise. Come join us for that. If folks would like to keep up with our music ministry, they can subscribe for free to our email newsletter that comes out about once a month. They can do that on the main page of our website.

Miles: Give me a Twitter sized thought that you would like the readers to take to heart.

Mark: I don’t tweet or twitter but by that I guess you mean something succinct? I’ll just say, “Be true to your heart and your beliefs, don’t sell yourself short. You’re stronger than you think.”

Be sure to visit Mark’s website at www.MarkBishopMusic.com and read more about him and see where he’ll be in concert near you! You won’t regret taking an evening to go sit and listen to what he has to offer.

Thanks for reading and if you would like to suggest someone to me for a future interview, email me at miles@milespikemusic.com.

For more “Artist to Artist” editions as well as other artist features and devotionals, click on to http://www.sgmradio.com/

 

Tags: Christian Music, gospel music, March 2014, Mark Bishop, Miles Pike, SGM Radio website, southern gospel
Posted in artists | Comments Off on Artist to Artist: Mark Bishop and Miles Pike