Artist: Ivan Parker
Project Title: Timeless Treasures
Label: Crossroads
Producers: Crossroads Music

A couple of days ago I had the honor of seeing and hearing Ivan Parker in concert in Rochester, NY.  Now, I have seen and heard Ivan sing many times.  The first time was when he was with a group called the Singing Americans.  Of course, Ivan went on to become one of the great lead singers in Southern Gospel Music history.  His latest project is titled “Timeless Treasures” and it is a project that has ten very familiar songs that truly are treasures!

The project begins with a song that was a favorite of mine for many years.  The song was recorded by the Imperials originally and Ivan does a wonderful job with “Sail On.”  From there, the project turns to another classic song titled “It Is No Secret.”  I really love this song and the message of what God can do!  “He’s A Personal Savior” is a song that was popular amongst the Southern Gospel Quartets for several years and Ivan does a great job on this this old classic song.

The next song on this project is “The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power.”  I have always loved this song too!  What a great reminder that the power in God’s Blood is the same today as it has always been and it will never change!  The upbeat song “I Go To The Rock” is next on the project and Ivan sings this Dottie Rambo song beautifully!  I love the old hymns of the church as well and Ivan has included “Tell Me The Story” on this project.  What a great message about the story that never, ever gets old or tired.  It is the message of Salvation and we should all be sharing it every day!  One of the great messages that we do not hear enough in Gospel Music is how wonderful life with Jesus Christ is!  Yes, life does get “Sweeter As The Days Go By” with Christ and Ivan does a wonderful job conveying the message of the song on this recording.

One of the most beautiful melodies to ever come along in Southern Gospel Music belongs to the song “Pass Me Not.”  Of course, this familiar song has a wonderful lyric that is really a prayer set to music.  I have always loved this song and Ivan does a fabulous job singing it.  When it comes to treasured songs in Southern Gospel Music you will never find one more treasured than “I’ll Fly Away.”  What a classic song and this arrangement from Ivan is a good one!  The final song on the project is another Dottie Rambo classic titled “He Looked Beyond My Faults And Saw My Needs.”  What an incredible message in this great, old song and really, aren’t you thankful that God did do that?

You do not need me to tell you that Ivan Parker is a great singer.  Ivan has a huge collection of awards that will prove that statement.  Often times, we hear the old, classic songs and we do not always listen to the words of the songs.  I encourage you to get this project and listen to the songs and especially the words of these incredible songs!  There are such amazing messages in these old song and I am thankful for artists like Ivan Parker who are willing to keep the tradition alive by singing them!  Picking favorite songs from a project of treasured songs is not easy but I finally settled on “Sail On,” “Sweeter As The Days Go By” and “I Go To The Rock.”  The project is titled “Timeless Treasures” and I cannot think of a more accurate description of this incredible collection of songs sung by one of today’s greatest voices!  For more information on Ivan Parker, visit his website at www.ivanparker.com.