“Look At The Savior”

(Written by Brett Bell from West Bradenton, Florida)

Grand Prize Winner Will Receive:

• A one-song publishing deal with Crossroads Music Publishing.
• Winning song will be recorded by a recording artist on the Sonlite or Horizon record labels.
• A 2-night stay (1 room/4 people) in Pigeon Forge, TN on Wednesday and Thursday nights during the 2025 National Quartet Convention.
• Dave Clark’s SongSteps Songwriting Course (a $400 value)
• Winning song and songwriter will be included in a feature story about the contest winners, which will be published in Singing News Magazine.
• Story, photo, and song will be posted on www.SingingNews.com.
• A one-year paid subscription (or a one-year extension) to Singing News.
• Scholarship for the Charles Novell School of Music to be held in 2025.
• An exclusive interview on Singing News Radio with host, Joseph Reed.
• A feature on the lobally-syndicated radio show, The Gospel Greats, hosted by Rodney Baucom.

2. 2^nd Place Winning Song

“I Will Praise Him In The Valley”

(Written by Kay Bryan from Fort Payne, Alabama)

2^nd Place Winner Will Receive:

• A one-song publishing deal of the 2^nd place-winning song with Crossroads Music Publishing.
• 2^nd place-winning song and songwriter will be included in a feature story about the contest winners, which will be published in Singing News Magazine.
• Story, photo, and song will be posted on www.SingingNews.com.
• A one-year paid subscription (or a one-year extension) to Singing News.

Runners-Up Winning Songs

(alphabetized by song title)

3. “Holding You”

(Written by Lee Fleming from Albertville, Alabama)

4. “Old Fashioned Christmas”

(Written by Annette Sanders from Gallipolis, Ohio)

(Co-written by Deborah Harrah and Debra Wellman)

5. “Whatever It Takes”

(Written by Lee Fleming from Albertville, Alabama)

Runners-Up Winners Will Receive:

• Runners-up-winning songs and songwriters will be included in a feature story about the contest winners, which will be published in Singing News Magazine.
• Story, photo, and song will be posted on www.SingingNews.com.
• A one-year paid subscription (or a one-year extension) to Singing News.

Talent appearing includes The Hoppers, Inspirations, Kingsmen, The Littles, and Band Of Brothers.

No tickets will be required. For more information, please call 704.753.1084.

Their brand new Stowtown Records release, Long, Long Road, is a testament of God’s goodness and takes listeners to a place of inspiration and encouragement. The recording reunites Libbi, her son Jared and talented vocalists Jason Gordon and Dayton Gay with producer and longtime friend Wayne Haun. It is a powerful collection of songs that will challenge and uplift listeners who have been longtime fans, as well as attract new listeners who have never experienced the unmistakable sound that has made the iconic group so popular for over half a century.

Riding high on the success of the group’s current Top 10 hit, “Warmin’ Up,” StowTown plans to release at least three radio singles from this brand-new recording, promising even more radio success in the coming months.

Producer and StowTown Records Executive Wayne Haun shared his excitement about the new release, “This album is classic Perrys! It has absolutely everything you could want in a Perrys recording, from reimagined classics to traditional convention sounds. Add in some fresh new material and, as always, it all fits perfectly and is performed brilliantly.”

One special cut from the recording that will no doubt be embraced by radio upon its release is the remake of the upbeat “You Can’t Hurry God.” From legendary songwriter Dorothy Love Coates, who penned such classics as “I’m Sealed” and “Get Away Jordan,” this particular cut is an appropriate reminder of God’s perfect timing.

The moving ballad, “Jesus Is,” is a simple message of the ever-present, perfect love of Jesus, regardless of any situation. Another message of the love of God and His unwavering faithfulness can be found in the progressive, yet powerful “A Million Reasons.” Prolific writer Jeff Bumgardner united with Joey and Kristi Stroud to create this beautifully written expression of God’s abundant grace.

This latest recording effort is yet another reminder from Libbi and The Perrys of the victory that can only be found by trusting in the faithfulness of a Father who is always directing our path, through the twists and turns on the long, long road. Libbi expressed her joy about the new recording, “Long, Long Road is a very fitting title with this being our 54th year since we began on our journey on Christmas Day in 1970, when we gathered around the family piano and sang our very first song after the tragic loss of our oldest brother that previous July. We’ve seen a lot of hard days, but God has remained faithful to the calling He placed on our lives. For every valley, there has always been a mountaintop! For every tear that has been shed, there has always been a smile and some laughter. This album is filled with songs that have fit every phase in our lives. There are even songs of rejoicing about when we finally reach that hallelujah meeting at the end of this long, long road! We are too close to our Heavenly Home to stop now.” She continued with a beloved scripture passage, Philippians 3:13-14, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Distributed exclusively by Provident/Sony, Long, Long Road is available on all digital platforms worldwide. Stream the full project here.

Track List:

Long, Long Road
A Million Reasons
Maybe When the Sun Comes Up
Hallelujah Meetin’
Jesus Is
That Kind of Faith
You Can’t Hurry God
He Never Gave Up on Me
The Night I Walked the Aisle
By the Blood

Links:
https://perrysministries.com
https://facebook.com/ThePerrys70/
https://instagram.com/theperrys70/
https://youtube.com/theperrys9801

Guided by the Holy Spirit and giving glory to God for all she achieved, she used her communication skills and unwavering determination to build several businesses whose products and services helped spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ around the world,  always surrounding herself with talented people to help accomplish her goals.

From humble beginnings in Wilmington, Delaware, the eldest child of William and Dorothy Golt discovered her true calling later in life. As a single mother raising two children in Hendersonville, Tennessee, Dottie learned about business through her clerical work at an accounting firm and a law firm, gained sales experience selling Jhirmack hair products throughout Nashville, and honed her communication skills working for the Democratic Party of Nashville on successful campaigns for Senator Jim Sasser, President Jimmy Carter, and others. Throughout this time, she worked a second job in ER admissions at Hendersonville Hospital to make ends meet. With no prior experience in music, she took a receptionist position at Calvary Records, building it into positions in radio promotions and sales to Christian bookstores.

She followed producer Ronnie Drake to Windchime Records to continue her sales efforts before starting her own company in her garage in 1981 with a small amount of funding from her father, William Golt, her brother, Bill Golt, and family friend, Ray Lorrig. New Day Christian Distributors focused initially on sales of sheet music and albums by independent artists like Mike Adkins and Jimmy Swaggart and eventually became a one-stop distributor for major labels like Word/Curb, Capitol Christian, Provident, Gotee, Centricity, Integrity, Fair Trade, as well as offering many other Christ-centered products to Christian bookstores from offices on Shivel Drive in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Needing products of her own, she reunited with Ronnie Drake to start DayWind Soundtracks and Daywind Records, providing resources to church singers and bringing the music of great artists like Opryland’s Gospel Quartet, the Cumberland Boys, the Steeles, the New Hinsons, Greater Vision, the Crabb Family, Gold City, Karen Peck and New River, Brian Free and Assurance, Triumphant Quartet, Down East Boys, the Perrys, the Hoppers, Tribute Quartet, the Guardians, Jonathan Wilburn, the Steeles, Joseph Habedank, Scotty Inman, the Blackwood Brothers, the Nelons, Southbound, Lefevre Quartet, The Sound, High Road, Michael English, Truesong, Legacy Five, and more to the world..

Dottie later added Daywind Music Publishing, now the predominant music publisher in Southern Gospel and Bluegrass music genres with renowned songwriters like Lee Black, Jason Cox, Sue C. Smith, Bill Whyte, Jonathan Smith, and more, two recording studios, and a cd manufacturing facility. Lately, her business expansions include Daywind Worship (choral products), Spiritus Distribution (Catholic products), Daywind Music Foundation (Tree Radio), a 24/7 broadcaster of Southern Gospel music, and  Billy Blue and Billy Jam Records whose artists include Appalachian Road Show, Authentic Unlimited, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, Alex Miler, Darin and Brooke Aldridge, Tennessee Bluegrass Band, Carson Peters and Iron Mountain, Kristy Cox and Grasstime, Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers, Bob Minner, Dave Adkins, Alan Bibey and Grasstowne, Caroline Owens, Marty Raybon, and more.

Dottie’s impressive career received recognition in the form of Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Gospel Music Association, BMI, the Southern Gospel Music Guild, the Singing News Magazine, and Absolutely Gospel Music. She has been inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Her artists and songwriters have received countless Dove Awards, Singing News Fan Awards, BMI Christian Music Awards, Grammy® nominations and one Grammy® Award (Jason Crabb), and over 125 #1 songs.

One of the most accomplished female music business executives in history, Dottie would quickly point to those who used their talents to help her along the way, including Ronnie Drake, Sylvia Mays, Wayne Haun, Marty Funderburk, Rick Shelton, Norman Holland, Brenda Wilcox, Lisa West, Dusty Wells, Vince Wehby, Janice Hoback, Theresa Richards, and many more.

Dottie’s greatest joy in life has been her family. She is survived by her daughter, Susan Leonard Sovine and grandchildren, Taylor McKellar and Kennedy Sovine; her son, Ed Leonard, his wife Kathleen, and their children Eddie Leonard, Mary Leonard, Evan Leonard, Aidan Leonard (Caroline Leonard), Rachael Zuckett (Joey Zuckett), Caroline Leonard, Ian Leonard, Liam Leonard, and Emily Leonard; her great-grandchildren Leo Zuckett and Eloise Joyce; her sister, Cynthia Paranczak; and Jere Miller. Dottie was preceded in death by her brother, Bill Golt, and her parents, William and Dorothy Golt.

Dottie became an avid bridge player after moving to Hendersonville, Tennessee, from Wilmington, Delaware, in 1972. She loved spending time in Florida where she would read and listen to the ocean and at her cabin in Lafayette, Tennessee, where she would enjoy her alpacas, donkeys, goats, and chickens. She was blessed to travel throughout the United States, Europe, and the Caribbean, but mostly enjoyed time spent with family, her co-workers, friends, and artists. She will be remembered by all as a warm, loving, generous woman with a flair for fashion and who could light up every room she was in with her engaging personality.

A celebration of Dottie’s life will be held at a later date in lieu of a funeral.

Throughout his career, Joseph Habedank has achieved significant milestones as a songwriter, boasting an impressive portfolio that includes nine #1 hits and the prestigious recognition of five Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) awards. His lyrical ability and artistic vision have resonated deeply within the Christian music community and beyond, establishing him as a pivotal figure within the genre.

“There are no greater champions for songs than Rick Shelton, Joe Dan Cornett, and everyone at Daywind Music Publishing. After a 20 plus year relationship with them, I am honored to re-sign with such a prestigious publisher,” says Habedank.

Rick Shelton, VP of DMP, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the mutual respect and creative synergy that define their partnership. “Joseph Habedank is not only a talented songwriter but also a cherished member of the Daywind family,” Shelton remarked. “For more than two decades, we’ve been privileged to be part of Joseph’s story, and we are honored to support him in the next chapter in his ministry.”

Comprised of husband/wife duo Troy and Katy Peach, along with their dear friend Andrew Goldman, the trio collectively possesses decades of musical experience, touring with such popular groups as The Perrys, The Nelons, The Mike Speck Trio, The Wilburns and The Steeles. Possessing such a rich history in the gospel music arena, it’s no surprise that the trio has already found their place in the industry. Their first national radio single, “Grace Will Lead You Home,” became the highest charting debut song ever from a new artist. Additionally, their second single, “Storms I Never See,” which released in May, is already receiving rave reviews, charting on stations in over two dozen markets. “It’s absolutely amazing to see what God has already done through the ministry of Peach Goldman,” Stowtown Records President and CEO Landon Beene states. “We are also thrilled to be a part of this new ministry and excited about the great things the future holds for Troy, Katy and Andrew.”

Where You Are merges the creative gifts of Peach Goldman with multi-GMA Dove Award® winning and Grammy® nominated producer, Wayne Haun, and features songs by such prolific writers as Don West, Joel Lindsey, Twila LaBar, Cindi Ballard, Ray Davis and Sue C. Smith, just to name a few. Each arrangement possesses progressive, rich vocals, complemented by first-class orchestrations and instrumentation by many of the industry’s most gifted musicians, including Jason Webb, Gordon Mote, Kevin Williams, Jeremy Medkiff and Trey Ivey. The end result is a musical collection that even exceeded the expectations of their beloved producer himself. “I’ve known these three for years and have worked with them countless times in the studio,” Haun shares. “I knew they would sound great together, but working with them on this particular project far exceeded my expectations. Their blend is fresh, exciting and one that fans are going to love.”

From the worshipful “I Tremble” to the acoustical “For My Good” to the moving ballad “Grace Meets You Where You Are,” this collection of songs meets each listener exactly where they are. “Our goal was to deliver multiple messages for the seasons of life that each Christian goes through,” Troy Peach explains, “and we believe this recording does just that. God is good. He is faithful, and His grace knows no end. He meets us right where we are in our walk, and that’s good news!”

For Christian music lovers there’s more good news! Peach Goldman plans to deliver great music for many years to come. Where You Are is distributed exclusively by Provident/Sony and is available at digital and retail outlets worldwide. Listen to the full project here.

Authentic Unlimited is a relatively new group to the bluegrass music scene within the last few years, but it is comprised of seasoned veteran musicians who are no strangers to this genre. In just a few short years, they have captivated the hearts of listeners and created lifetime fans. The band will be performing at the “Faith Country & Bluegrass Festival” at The Ark Encounter on June 12.

I had the pleasure of sitting down to chat with my good friend of many years and founding member of the group, Eli Johnston, and I am pleased to introduce Eli and his incredible band, Authentic Unlimited, to the Singing News Faith Country audience.

Kristen: Tell us a little bit about your beginnings—your origin story as a band, so to speak. How did you get into music together, and what made you choose this path over others?

Eli: The entity of Authentic Unlimited was born out of the final Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver group, shortly after Doyle’s retirement. Jerry Cole (bass/lead vocals), Stephen Burwell (fiddle), and I wanted to continue to travel on the road and ultimately keep doing what we all enjoyed. So, we rolled up our sleeves and went straight to work on finishing the formation of our band. The three of us dove right into the studio and had tracks started before we ever hired the other two guys.

Doyle was more than just a phenomenal artist and musician; he was a mentor on how to run a business in this industry. Performing is the easy part of the job; the hard part is behind the scenes of running a successful business. Doyle did the best job of teaching us that. Whenever I found out he was “hanging it up,” I knew we’d have some very big boots to fill, but there was one man who we all knew would be a perfect fit. So, we were lucky to take on the great Jesse Brock as our new mandolinist. Shortly thereafter, we filled out the ensemble with one of the most talented, young, and upcoming male lead and tenor vocalists of our genre, John Meador.

We officially hit the road and started touring in early 2022, and we’ve all learned a lot about each other in two years. The one constant that keeps our group grounded is our love for sharing the gospel. Our hope is that every time we hit the stage, just one person in that audience can see the love we share for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Kristen: Who was your biggest inspiration for music growing up?

Eli: “I really owe my musical inspiration to my parents. My mom always said that I got my earfor harmony while she was carrying me in her belly. She liked all the vocal groups from the 1980s. My dad played guitar and was also a singer. I always fooled around with instruments, but my dad was the one who got me to playing seriously. He would carry me to festivals all over Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arkansas. He’s really the reason that I found a love for Bluegrass.

Kristen: What projects are you currently working on? What’s ahead for you in 2024 with music releases and touring?

Eli: Our group just released two full-length albums, So Much For Forever and Gospel Sessions Vol. 2, in March of this year on Billy Blue Records. We hopped back into the studio and began working on something we’re all very excited about. We will release a Christmas album later this year, and the tunes are seasonal favorites handpicked by each band member. This album will showcase not only the instrumental ability Authentic Unlimited has to offer but will also feature our unique vocal blend. We believe this album will be very special.

Our 2024 tour schedule has shaped up nicely, and we are already starting to fill up dates in 2025 and 2026. Our tour schedule can be found on our website at www.authenticunlimitedband.com. We are truly thankful for all the show promoters who have booked Authentic Unlimited. We simply couldn’t make the wheels roll without them. We are also so very thankful for all the fans who have shown unbelievable amounts of support to us. We will continue to stay obedient and keep the Lord at the forefront of our group because He is so good and faithful to us!

Produced by Zane & Donna King, Everything Good features 12 inspirational country, worship and roots-gospel influenced tracks. Collaborating with a range of genre-leading songwriters, Donna co-penned every selection on the album, while seven songs were co-written by Zane.

A centerpiece of Everything Good, “From the Basement to the Altar” is a poignant tribute to those who persevere in the face of addiction. Written by Zane & Donna King and Sue C. Smith, the touching ballad highlights the unique solidarity fostered in recovery groups as members faithfully gather to offer lifelines of hope and encouragement to each other.

“When two of our six children battled addiction, we found ourselves battling alongside them,” reflects Zane King. “We started attending an Al-Anon meeting that was literally in the basement of a church. We experienced the closeness of God’s power and peace in that basement, making it as much of a church altar as the ones where people find themselves on Sunday mornings. There’s something sacred about seeking God from the very lowest point and watching Him rescue our children from that pit and into His presence.”

“My prayer for this song is that listeners feel closer to God, no matter how big the battle in front of them looks,” he adds. “We pray they’ll know that God can take us all from the basement to the altar, seeing what His grace can truly do.”

The project’s joyful new single, “Front Porch Sittin’,” is now available on digital platforms and is currently impacting Southern Gospel and Christian Country radio formats. The song’s laid-back, gentle lilt offers the assurance of carefree days ahead when we place our trust in Him.

“I was in our writing room last summer with my dear friends Val Dacus and Sue C. Smith, and Val brought this happy idea,” shares Donna King of the track. “We pray listening to this song takes everybody to that place where they can feel the peace and presence of our Savior. Whether they are stuck in traffic or anywhere they are overwhelmed with all that life is throwing at them, we hope ‘Front Porch Sittin’’ offers that sweet moment to breathe and take in the goodness of God in their lives.”

“It’s not that life is perfect, but God is,” Donna says of the album’s main theme. “He is faithful. He is constant. He is SO good. And we have to share that. We have to write, sing, and play songs that let people know there is Hope, because our God is kind and gracious and loves us all so unconditionally. NOTHING—no battle, no hardship, no tough season—can separate us from the love of God. What we’ve found in the hard times is that God is still God, and we can still find joy and hold it in our hearts, whether everything is going well or not.”