Reviewed by Doug Holland

Compiled from material recorded live over a span of two days at the legendary Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, this 21-track collection features 75 minutes of traditional and contemporary southern gospel tunes performed by a cast of nearly 250 singers and players, including (in addition to the Gaithers and the Homecoming Band) the Gatlin Brothers, Cherry Holmes, and Jimmy Dean, the latter of whom lends his voice to his semi-spoken country oldie "Big Bad John". This is everything you would expect from a gig and recording that has Bill Gaither at the helm - big, brash, Jesus-centred, totally committed, unapologetic and very tight and well produced. The pace is virtually relentless from first to last, the variety of topics tackled is huge and it is unlikely to be possible for anybody to listen to this recording and not be uplifted. If you have enjoyed Gaither's material in the past then there is no reason why you will not love this.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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