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Sunday
Morning Revelations - The Beautiful River Of Life Posted By John Lawless: The Soul Pickers are Shane Norman (mandolin and lead vocals), Tyler Anderson (banjo, finger-picked guitar and harmony vocals), Daniel Wiseman (guitar and harmony vocals) and Wayne Clemons (upright bass and harmony vocals) from the northern Alabama/Tennessee area. They formed in 2003 and since that time, the Soul Pickers have done over 275 dates, including special church singings, homecomings, and revivals, as well as less obvious locations for a bluegrass Gospel band, like restaurants, civic gatherings, family functions and music barns. The Beautiful River Of Life is the band’s debut album, coming courtesy of their signing for the Blue Circle label in April 2007. The quartet is supplemented on this 12 track collection by producer Tom Brantley (fiddle, mandolin and bass vocals), Alicia Nugent (harmony vocals) and a host of ’shouters’ - Ms. Nugent, Brantley, Miss Dixie Hall, Melissa Lawrence, Becky Lawrence, Cari Norman, Paula Wolak, Clemons and Norman. It is pleasing to see groups now mining the Dudley Connell song catalogue. The Soul Pickers open with a rousing rendition of God’s Not Dead - “I can feel Him all over me.” The opening bars are sung a cappella before Anderson drives the song on with a high degree of finesse that belies his youthfulness. (Read More ...)
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Review
by Bluegrass Music Profiles Magazine March/April
2008 Issue
Hailing from Hazel Green, Alabama, this group of pickers preach their message through their music. This four-piece, bluegrass-gospel band consists of Shane Norman, lead vocals and mandolin; Wayne Clemons, tenor vocals and upright bass; Daniel Wiseman, guitar; and Tyler Anderson, baritone vocals and banjo. Their music is straight-forward bluegrass reinforced with tight vocal harmonies. The Soul Pickers move effortlessly from hard-driving numbers to the smooth, soulful numbers and are quite comfortable in either mode. The title cut is a beautiful composition from Dixie and Tom T. Hall which lends itself well in showcasing the band’s vocal harmonies. I Am the Man, Thomas is an exciting version. Even though several of the titles may be familiar, these guys make no attempt to emulate other performers. It’s got a distinct Soul Pickers’ style. BMP Used with permission from BMP © Bluegrass Music Profiles 2008 All Rights Reserved ___________________________________________________________________________________ |
| December,
2007 2007 PowerGrass Radio Bluegrass Gospel Awards (Your source for independent bluegrass gospel music awards)
Bluegrass Gospel Album: "Tell Someone" by The Kenny and Amanda Smith Band ... Rebel Records.
Bluegrass Gospel Group:
The Cockman Family ... Sherrills Ford, North Carolina
Gospel Songwriter: Paul Humphrey also known as Paul Williams
Bluegrass Gospel Song:
"He Loves To Hear You Shout". Performed by The
Soul Pickers.
Emerging Group: One-N-Christ ... Gastonia, North Carolina
Awards based on listener response during the year and by David M. Bissell ... PowerGrass Radio. Special thanks to all the songwriters, groups, artists, radio stations and record companies for promoting powerful bluegrass gospel music. Special acknowledgement to all the pioneers of bluegrass gospel music ... Carter Stanley, Ralph Stanley,Charlie Sizemore, Larry Sparks, Del McCoury, Melvin Goins, Dave Evans, Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs,Ricky Skaggs, Paul Williams, Jimmy Martin, The Forbes Family, The Marshall Family, Joe Isaacs,Doyle Lawson, Tom T. and Dixie Hall and many others ... thank you!
And of course let us give all the glory to our Lord and Savior ... Jesus Christ! ___________________________________________________________________________________ |
The
Soul Pickers - "The Beautiful River of Life" The
Soul Pickers is one of the best gospel groups I've ever never heard of, and they
definitely merit greater exposure. Based in Hazel Green, Alabama, the band began
performing in 2003 and clearly set out to follow Psalm 33:3: "Sing unto Him
a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise." The Soul Pickers arent' loud
in a negative sense, but their music is joyful and soulful. Bluegrass fans will
find their song selection quite traditional and their harmonies consistently tight
and strong. ___________________________________________________________________________________ |
THE SOUL PICKERS - THE BEAUTIFUL RIVER OF LIFE Bluegrass Unlimited [October 2007 Issue] Blue
Circle Records This
is the debut album from the Soul Pickers, a bluegrass gospel quartet from Fayetteville,
Tenn. Their sound is tight and clear, and they have admirable taste in songs.
"The Beautiful River Of Life" features a nice assortment of songs in
styles that range from the dark and modal old-school to smoother, more modern
sounds. In the former category are a briskly chugging version of the Ralph Stanley/Larry
Sparks classic "I Am The Man, Thomas" (one of the finest bluegrass gospel
songs ever written) and a less exciting take on Bill Monroe's "The Old Cross
Roads." It's hard to give that one the kind of soulful intensity that Monroe
did, and (perhaps wisely) these guys don't try-instead, they deliver it with energy
and conviction, but with a certain lack of edge. Where the Soul Pickers sound
most at home is on the more contemporary material, such as the simple and beautiful
"When I Wake Up (To Sleep No More)" and the more southern gospeltinged
title track (one of several written by Dixie and Tom T. Hall, in whose studio
this album was recorded). "Ain't That Just Like God" is a fun song,
despite its inappropriately silly title, and the album closes with the Halls'
joyful "He Loves To Hear You Shout." ___________________________________________________________________________________ |
Press
Release from Dixie Hall HE LOVES TO HEAR YOU SHOUT recorded by The Soul Pickers brings home double honors this month both as #1 on the Power Grass Top Ten and as the #1 Gospel Bluegrass song of the year for 2007 Power Grass Bluegrass Gospel Music Awards. According to Blue Circle Records CEOs and songwriters Dixie & Tom T. Hall, “The Soul Pickers are an angel band to work with. They have the knack and hard working ability to get things right and they show promise of becoming a great presence in traditional Bluegrass Gospel.” Hailing
from Hazel Green, Alabama the band includes: Shane Norman (lead vocals and mandolin),
Katrina Kolb (tenor vocals and upright bass), Daniel Wiseman (guitar), and Tyler
Anderson (baritone vocals and banjo). The band boasts of one the most versatile
sounds in the business, ranging from hard driving instrumentation and strong vocal
harmonies, to a smooth, soulful finesse. |
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