For fans of traditional Southern gospel music, it doesn't get any better than Larry Cordle's new album, "Give Me Jesus." The acclaimed bluegrass and country singer/songwriter shares 14 of his favorite spiritual songs, including a bonus track so special, it is not even listed on the back cover.
"It's a recitation performed by my wife's late Uncle Herman McQueen doing one of his own compositions, 'It Isn't Over, When This Life Is Over,' accompanied by Booie Beach on guitar, who played with me for about 12 years," Cordle said. "He had recorded it on a cell phone about 15 years ago and I found it on my computer hard drive. Though a rough non-studio recording, it offers such a wonderful 'final' testimony of faith, from beyond the grave, that I had to include it on this new album for Uncle Herman's remaining family."
Two selections on the album -- "Two Coats" and the title track -- are classic tunes. Four other songs -"Gone On Before" (co-written with Ronnie Bowman), "The Old Thing's Walkin' About," "Lost As a Ball In High Weeds" and "This Blood's For You" (all co-written with Larry Shell) - are Cordle originals, with his trademark catchy melodies and simple, but clever lyrics that get straight to the point: "He paid my debt, he paid yours too, this blood's for me, this blood's for you."
The album also includes several songs written by other artists: "Family Bible" (Willie Nelson), "It's a Lonesome Road" (Carl Story), "I'll Meet You In The Morning" (Albert E. Brumley), "The Old Ship Of Zion" (Thomas A. Dorsey), "The First Step To Heaven" (Jim Rushing and Emory Gordy, Jr.), "When You Pray, Will You Pray For Me" (Audrey Mieir) and "God Had A Hand In It" (Carl Jackson and Jerry Salley).
Each song is performed in traditional
Southern gospel style, with rich harmonies courtesy of guest artists including 2-time Grammy winner Carl Jackson, his father Lethal Jackson, Bradley Walker, Val Storey, Don Rigsby, Angie La Primm, Gail Mayes and Chris Latham.
As could be expected from a gospel album, the central theme is salvation through Jesus and eternity in Heaven, something that was front and center in Cordle's mind during the year and a half that it took him to finish the project.
"I meant to do this a long time ago, but things kept getting in the way," Cordle said. "About the time I got started on it, I began getting treatments for leukemia, which by the grace of God is now in remission."
Cordle, a 2-time Grammy nominee and multi-award IBMA Award winner, has written hit songs for many other artists, including Ricky Skaggs, Alison Krauss, Rhonda Vincent, Garth Brooks, George Strait, Trisha Yearwood, Reba McEntire,
Diamond Rio, Alan Jackson,
Trace Adkins and others. He has also released several of his own albums, some of which have included a few gospel tunes. However, "Give Me Jesus" is his first, exclusively gospel album. It is so good that if you close your eyes, you might imagine yourself sitting in the front pew of a little country church, listening to some of the finest vocalists and pickers this side of Heaven.
Larry Cordle's "Give Me Jesus" is available through iTunes, CD Baby, Amazon and at
www.LarryCordle.com.
