Amazing Grace, Vol. 3: A Country Salute to Gospel (CD - 2004)

Personnel: Sonya Isaacs (vocals, mandolin); Bryan Sutton (acoustic guitar, banjo, mandolin); Keith Urban (acoustic guitar, banjo, background vocals); Mark Casstevens, Steven Curtis Chapman, B. James Lowry (acoustic guitar); Brent Rowan (electric guitar, electric piano); Jeff King (baritone guitar); Jerry Douglas (dobro); Jonathan Yudkin (mandolin, fiddle, cello); Aubrey Haynie (mandolin, fiddle); Larry Franklin (fiddle); Gordon Mote (piano, synthesizer); John Jarvis (piano); Ben Isaacs (acoustic bass); David Hungate, Viktor Krauss, Dennis Crouch (upright bass); Steve Brewster, Shannon Forrest, Chad Cromwell (drums); Joe Nichols, Michelle Poe, Rodney Good, Trace Adkins, Vicki Hampton, Wes Hightower, Russell Terrell, Marty Slayton, Kim Keyes (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Gary Paczosa; Greg Droman; Mike Bradley; Ben Fowler.

Recording information: Cartee Day Studios; The Castle; The SoundShop.

Editor: "Loopy Dave" Willis.

Photographers: Kristin Barlowe; Juan Pont Lezica; John Scarpati; Russ Harrington; Jack Guy; Nigel Parry; Randee Saint Nicholas; Sheryl Nields; Mark Tucker .

Arranger: Brent Rowan.

Though R&B is widely acknowledged as a secular offshoot of Southern gospel, the deep spiritual roots of country music aren't as well recognized. In fact, many of country's top stars have recorded gospel as a matter of course, often devoting entire albums to inspirational material. AMAZING GRACE 3 features a mix of Nashville veterans (Trace Adkins, Sawyer Brown's Mark Miller) and up-and-comers (including Sara Evans and Josh Turner) delivering heartfelt contemporary country renditions of traditional faith-based tunes. The production is appropriately spare and rootsy throughout, with soulfully played fiddles and guitars reflecting the sense of inner peace reflected in the songs' lyrics. minimize