The Churchmen - The Journey Home

The five piece bluegrass assembly from the heart of Virginia share their talents and words of faith with their listeners. The culmination is a throwback to classic bluegrass when it mainly dealt with the artists faith. The Churchmen as a combo have incredible musical talent that soars with precise musicianship and sweet southern vocal harmonies. "On The Journey Home" transports you to a simpler time when all that mattered was faith, music, and having fun with it all.

The amazing banjo picking of Freddy Rakes, sizzling fiddle of Shannon Wheeler, Steven Martin on guitar, the bass of Keith Clark, and sweet mandolin sounds from Gerald Harbour simply lay the backdrop. The precise harmonies of Keith, Freddy, Gerald and Steven flow through the soul of the music. A wonderful sounding CD with just a few limitations make this an album for bluegrass and southern gospel fans alike.

The simple structure of the lyrics bring home the message instead of burying it deep behind a mask. Stories straight from the childhood teachings, as well as from the heart make a winning combination in the case of The Churchmen. A sweet southern sound that is as true to it's bluegrass roots as anything I have heard lately. A good choice for the music fan.

The thing I never understood was the people who love country music but pass bluegrass by. I have always found the talent and craftsmanship is so prevalent in bluegrass the average country fan seems to be missing out. If you haven't purchased bluegrass in the past, this would be a nice place to start. Well crafted songs with great musicianship. "Get Onboard", "Springtime In Heaven",
and "Going Up" are just three of the outstanding numbers here.

   ( 5 Stars out of 6 )