Those of you who know me well, know that I love studying the history of Southern Gospel Music. Knowing that, I am certain that you can imagine my excitement when I open my mailbox to find a project called “The Ultimate Blackwood Brothers Collector’s Edition!” Of course, the Blackwood Brothers are one of the pioneers of Southern Gospel Music and some of my earliest memories are of my mom and dad listening to the Blackwood Brothers.
This “ultimate collector’s edition” is a collection of 80 songs celebrating 80 years of the Blackwood Brothers. The songs are on four discs and represent some of the greatest songs in Southern Gospel Music and some of my favorite songs from my years of growing up. The collection also comes with a great booklet that has numerous photos and stories about the history of the Blackwood Brothers. The booklet is very informative and did a nice job of telling the Blackwood Brothers history and contributions to Southern Gospel Music. The inside of the packing of the CD also includes a timeline history of the Blackwood Brothers.
As I said, there are 80 songs on the four CD’s that make up this project and most of them I was familiar with. Songs like “Give The World A Smile,” “On The Jericho Road,” “A Beautiful Life,” “”It Is Finished,” “I’ve Never Been Sorry,” “Turn Your Radio On,” “His Hand In Mine” and many, many others! The songs are all the original versions! The final 10 songs on the disc number four are recorded by the current version of the Blackwood Brothers and is a nice collection of classic songs including “Heaven Will Be Mine Someday,” “When I Cross To The Other Side Of Jordan” and “Dear Jesus, Abide With Me.”
As I said, I am a student of Southern Gospel Music and I have spent hours listening to these CD’s and reading all of the accompanying information. This is truly a great collection of music that is a music for anyone who is a fan of the Blackwood Brothers or a fan of any of the groups who paved the way for the industry we see today. Picking three favorites out of 80 songs is impossible as they change moment to moment but at this moment, I am really enjoying “On The Jericho Road,” “Jesus Is A Waymaker” and “A Beautiful Life.” For more information on the Blackwood Brothers, visit their website at www.blackwoodbrothers.com.
