Category Archives: Song Reviews

On the first Saturday in June 2011, Courtney Collingsworth and Michael Metz were married. For the special music, the couple asked Wes Hampton to perform the classic, The Lord’s Prayer. Accompanying him on the piano is none other than Courtney’s mom, Kim Collingsworth.

The beauty of Hampton’s performance is the quality in his vocals. Raw footage doesn’t normally pick up the best quality sound, but a listener can quickly ascertain the perfection. His vocal control helps ease the song not only as a prayer but also as an anthem. With Kim Collingsworth’s skillful accompaniment, the performance is a nice touch of class and vocal brilliance.

Love Came Calling- Triumphant Quartet

Yesterday, the Singing News made their monthly calls to radio experts and artists sharing the current chart status for their latest singles. This is used to show radio promoters and artists when to release new singles or what measures to put forth for their singles, whether on the charts or not. The caller told one group, actually the 2009 & 2010 Male Quartet of the Year, Triumphant Quartet, that they have their first #1 song! Triumphant Quartet’s much talked about new single, “Love Came Calling,” from the album of the same name, has captured the #1 spot for the June 2011 Singing News charts.

The song, written by Wayne Haun & Joel Lindsey, is a fascinating song pointing out various accounts of Christ’s interaction with people. The song begins by sharing the accounts of Christ (Love) reaching out and calling to those in distress and disbelief. In the last verse, the song shares personal experience to bring the message home. Scott Inman’s cool, clear voice keeps the song’s soft theme in full focus.

Obviously, this song has become dear to fans & peers across the country as it is not only #1 in the Singing News, but it has also been nominated for the Song of the Year and Southern Gospel Song of the Year awards in the 2011 GMA Dove Awards. It is also nominated for Song of the Year in the 2011 Singing News Fan Awards.

Watch as Scott Inman & the Triumphant Quartet excellently performs their very first #1 song, “Love Came Calling.”

*On a side note, I will be attending tonight’s Gaither Homecoming concert in Greenville, SC. So be expecting a review this coming Monday! Have a great weekend!

Greater Vision (L-R: Rodney Griffin, Gerald Wolfe, & Chris Allman)

Shortly after the first of the year, videos of Greater Vision singing “Never Been” started circling through YouTube. The song was originally from their 20 Years: Live in Texas CD/DVD set which released in January 2010. When Chris Allman joined the group, Gerald Wolfe decided that the group would record the song and a few others from the live album and place them on a studio cd. Those 4 songs originally from the live album, combined with a few from Not Alone (2008) and one or two new ones, ended in the group’s latest main-line release, Welcome Back, which came out in August. “Never Been” was already spinning its mark on radio at the time of the album’s release.

One of the ways to recognize Rodney’s up-tempo songs is to see if the chorus is longer than most. In cases like “He’s Still Waiting by the Well”, “He Is to Me”, and “It Means Just What It Says”, the songs’ choruses equal their verses in quantity. But it doesn’t stop there. The choruses are full the same amount of Scriptural content that the verses have. “Never Been” is no exception. The way Rodney Griffin has crafted his up-tempo lyrics provides a narrative or argument for the verses which strongly lead to the chorus that either finishes the story or supplies the validation for the argument. The latter idea is used here.  

The first speaks as a declaration of the Christian faith speaking of God seated on His throne in heaven. The opening line sets the stage for the song well:  

The first line already gives away where the “never been” emphasis will be placed.

Griffin’s second verse is grounded with the same idea.

 It’s through the second verse that Rodney clearly states of how lives are changed and the end result. The chorus closes nicely with the line, “A greater one there’s never been.”

The chorus, sandwiched in between the two verses, features insight into several aspects of how Christ was the only one who’s ever been. By stating the basic tenants of the Christian faith, Rodney Griffin has aptly written another chorus that doesn’t lose its momentum built by the verses.

So many of the up-tempo songs artists are singing today are fluffy, which does have its place at the proper time. The songs work well for radio because of their cheesy lyrics or clichés thrown throughout. “Never Been” certainly does not fit that idea. What Rodney Griffin has provided is a distinct thought that is fresh within and without. I could clearly see this song being near the top for the Song of the Year in the 2011 Singing News Fan Awards. Thank you, Rodney Griffin & Greater Vision, for writing this song as well as painting the picture to its finest. A song like this one is hard to come by.

Did I mention that it’s the #1 song in the January 2011 Singing News Top 80 Charts? Surprisingly, it’s their first since April 2001 (“He’s Still Waiting by the Well”).