Kenny Bishop (CD - 2006)

Personnel: Kenny Bishop (vocals); Biff Watson (guitar, acoustic guitar, banjo); Jeff King (electric guitar); Scott Sanders (steel guitar); Wanda Vick (dobro, mandolin, fiddle); Gary Prim (keyboards); Mark Hill (bass guitar); Ladye Love Smith, David Ponder, James Easter, Mike Sykes, Angela Primm, Reggie Smith, Sheri Easter, Sonya Isaacs, Stephen Hill, Woody Wright, Becky Isaacs Bowman, Terry Franklin, Gayle Mayes, Charlotte Ritchie (background vocals); Paul Leim (percussion).

Audio Mixer: Pete Greene.

Liner Note Author: Kenny Bishop.

Recording information: Daywind Sky Studio, Hendersonville, TN; Gaither Studios, Alexandria, TN; Jeff & Sheri's Studio, Lincolnton, GA; Masterfonics Studio 6, Nashville, TN; Michael Sykes Productions, Nashville, TN; Windsong Studio, Hendersonville, TN.

Photographer: Kimberly Lancaster.

The solo debut by Kenny Bishop, lead singer of the long-running family band the Bishops, covers the same country-influenced down-home sound his band has been known for. Highlights include a trio of self-penned tunes, "It's Never Too Late," "I Can't Believe What Grace Has Done For Me," and "Don't Let Who You Are Keep You Away," but the entire album features Bishop's impassioned vocals and devotional power.

After a long stint as the leader of Southern gospel trio the Bishops, singer/songwriter Kenny Bishop has taken solo flight with a self-titled debut record with a Nashville sound pop-country base for his devotional lyrics. Bishop has an immediately appealing voice, a light and almost boyish tenor that delivers his guileless lyrics with a minimum of effort. (Fans of 1970s country-rock will note an immediate vocal resemblance to Firefall's Rick Roberts.) Musically, the album is pure country, with every midtempo song sweetened with bits of fiddle, strings, and/or pedal steel behind the small-combo backing. The lack of musical diversity is a small problem, causing the album to sag by the two-thirds mark as pleasant but undeniably samey songs like "Out of Mercy's Way" and "I Need You More Today" blend into one another, but the album rights itself again near the end with the swinging honky tonk groove of "I Can't Believe What Grace Has Done for Me." ~ Stewart Mason minimize