Rise and Shine (CD - 2002)

Personnel: Randy Travis (vocals); Pat Flynn, Larry Beaird, Billy Joe Walker, Jr. (acoustic guitar); Steve Gibson (electric guitar, mandolin); Brent Mason, John Jorgensen (electric guitar); Dan Dugmore, Paul Franklin, Doyle Grisham (steel guitar); Carl Gorodetzky, Pamela Sixfin, Larrison Lee, David Davidson (violin); Aubrey Haynie (fiddle); Kris Wilkinson, Gary Vonasdale (viola); Robert Mason (cello); John Barlow Jarvis (piano); Gordon Mote (keyboards); David Hungate, Paul Leim (drums); Eric Darken, Nina Rodriguez (percussion);

Lisa Silver, Cindy Walker, Vicki Hampton, Wes Hightower (background vocals).

Recorded at Seventeen Grand, East Iris, Sound Emporium, The Compound, Nashville, Tennessee; Stepbridge Studios, Sante Fe, New Mexico.

RISE AND SHINE won the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Southern, Country, Or Bluegrass Gospel Album. "Three Wooden Crosses" was nominated for Best Male Country Vocal Performance.

Personnel: Pastor Matthew Hagee, Christina Ketterling, Sandra Hagee (vocals, background vocals); Billy Joe Walker, Jr., Pat Flynn, Larry Beaird (acoustic guitar); Steve Gibson (electric guitar, mandolin); Jakob Jorgensen, Brent Mason (electric guitar); Dan Dugmore, Doyle Grisham, Paul Franklin (steel guitar); Connie Ellisor, Carl Gorodetzky, Pamela Sixfin, David Davidson , Lee Larrison (violin); Aubrey Haynie (fiddle); Kris Wilkinson, Gary VanOsdale (viola); Robert Mason (cello); John Barlow Jarvis (piano); Gordon Mote (keyboards); David Hungate (bass guitar); Paul Leim (drums); Eric Darken, Nina Rodríguez (percussion); Cindy Walker, Lisa Silver, Vicki Hampton, Wes Hightower (background vocals).

Audio Mixer: Kyle Lehning.

Liner Note Author: Randy Travis.

Recording information: Seventeen Grand, Nashville, TN; Stepbridge Studios, Santa Fe, NM; The Compound, Nashville, TN; The Sound Emporium, Nashville, TN.

Photographer: John Dolan.

When Randy Travis first emerged on the country scene in the '80s he was hailed as a "new traditionalist" whose obvious reverence for the sound of classic country artists like George Jones was a breath of fresh air amid the diluted country-pop sounds that had become so prevalent. It's an interesting comment on the state of mainstream country that more than 15 years later, he performs pretty much the same function as an alternative to a whole new crop of hat-wearers. What's all the more remarkable is that this time around he does so with a Christian-themed album. In 2002, many think of Christian music as the domain of Bill & Gloria Gaither et al, but vintage country artists like Jones, Johnny Cash, and Merle Haggard have catalogs filled with spiritual albums. Now Travis joins them with RISE & SHINE. While a few tunes get slow and sentimental (never a minus on the country scorecard anyway), Travis spend much of the album delivering house-rocking honky-tonk paeans to faith such as "Everywhere We Go," "I'm Ready," and the title song." All these year's later, it's as obvious as ever that the man's got style. minimize