Everyone is jumping on the Gaither bandwagon. The latest line of "Gaither" products is the Family Of God Series from Benson Music. Three budget priced recordings (A Sunday Singin', A Gospel Reunion, and Heaven Is My Home) are on the market now with more to follow. The actual involvement of Bill and Gloria Gaither with this particular series is minimal, limited to the inclusion of one or two of their previous recordings on each release. Don't expect to find large group singing like the "Homecoming" series either. These are previously released songs from Benson's vast library of master tapes. "Bill & Gloria Gaither and Friends" is just their creative way of saying "Various Artists."
A Sunday Singin' features 11 recordings by nine different groups including the Speers, the Imperials and the Hemphills. It is slightly disconcerting for the ear to hear the shifts in recording quality from different eras. The oldest cut is a 1966 recording of "Palms of Victory" by the Oak Ridge Boys. "I Hold A Clear Title" is the most recent, originally released on Gold City's 1994 album, Lord Do It Again. Most of the songs on this project are previous chart hits, including Greater Vision's "There Is A River," "I Believe (In A Hill Called Mount Calvary)" by Bill and Gloria Gaither, and the Kirk Talley era Cathedrals version of "Movin' Up To Gloryland." JD Sumner and the Stamps perform a song Sumner wrote entitled "The Old Country Church."
The Family Of God Series offers an inexpensive way to add to your collection of southern gospel
music. Many of the tunes are on CD for the first time in this collection. A Sunday Singin' features a good mix of groups, including some that are no longer actively touring or recording. It's good to see that some
of the older performances are being preserved. And who can blame Benson for borrowing a pinch from
the Gaithers' success? After all, they are in the business to promote and sell music.
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