5 FOR THE GOSPEL is an unusual band. I’m used to listening to music which is played for its own sake, but this band have dedicated their lives to Jesus and their music is just another aspect of their faith. In fact, back in Eastern Kentucky three of the band are pastors in their local communities, so this makes for a very different concert. Rick, the lead singer, who is the youngest of the three preachers, introduced every song from a personal perspective and explained how it fitted into his faith. This could come across as ‘a bit heavy’ for those of us who were not Christians. But it didn’t, because the guys impressed everyone, both with their sincerity and their terrific musicianship.

The band is made up of Rick May (lead baritone vocals and guitar), Gary Waugh (Lead vocals, guitar and harmonica), Bill Hamm (high tenor and mandolin - the high girlie harmonies as Rick said), Johnny Branham (banjo) and Pat Holbrook (bass guitar and bass harmony). They were good musicians and excellent singers. Their style was very much steeped in bluegrass. They had the hard driving sound of some of the modern bands, while some of their songs and harmonies were reminiscent of older bands like the Osborne Brothers. The songs had full, accurate and sometimes inventive harmonies, which were supported by Pat’s lovely full bass voice. Rick sang about half of the leads with a good traditional bluegrass voice while the rest came from Gary who had a higher more dramatic voice. They made good use of these two voices, with split verses and choruses.

5 For The Gospel

The whole program was put across with a good friendly sense of humour. In England we are not used to people who bare their souls to us and I know some people who would have been uncomfortable with their evangelising approach. But like I said, their music is part of their lives and anyone who let themselves be put off by this was missing out on a great concert and a rare opportunity to understand more about a band and where its’ music is coming from.

Nearly all of their songs were self written, by all members of the band, so you may not recognise many of them. I’ve listed them all anyway because they are all worth a second hearing and you may come across one of their CDs.

The first set started with My Homeland is Near, followed by Set Your House In Order, which introduced Gary’s harmonica, then He’s Coming Back. And I’m Ready started with a bass guitar introduction which sounded for all the world like the theme from Mission Impossible, but moved on into good hard driving bluegrass tune. The Keys To The Kingdom featured theirharmony work with their first a cappella number. In The Red River they varied the dynamics of their vocals to good effect and they finished with a unison phrase on the banjo and mandolin, a difficult effect they used on a number of occasions. Look At What The Lord Can Do, Let Me Introduce You To Jesus and Through The Upper Window followed then they finished the first half with a rousing version of that old traditional song recorded by Bill Clifton, You Go To Your Church.

The Maghull Baptist Church provided interval tea and biscuits while the band were happy to talk to everyone, about their music or their faith. I was impressed and touched by these guys and their approach to life.

They opened up the second half with Fill Me Up, and The Little Black Train. Next came a Gattlin Brothers song, The Broken Lady, to which they had added new spiritual words to turn it into The Broken Vessel. Johnny then walked down into the audience and, singing a cappella, showed off his good voice with Talk About Suffering Here Below with the rest of the band harmonising from the stage. Johnny is one of the three pastors in the band and he followed this up with his testimony while the band played a gentle waltz. Gary also preached in a similar style later in the program.

When He Sees Me was followed by All I’m Taking With Me Is The Blood. This song included some terrific vocal and instrumental tricks in which Rick’s baritone started the last line of the refrain and as it rose in pitch it passed seamlessly to Gary’s soaring tenor. Between the verses Johnny passed a short phrase on the banjo to Bill on the mandolin.

Mary Had A Little Lamb was one of the few songs which wasn’t pure bluegrass. I had heard it before from Eddie at the Ship Folk Club in Haskayne. He had been so impressed with it on their last visit two years ago. They finished the evening with a hard driving bluegrass number Standing And Looking. This proved a fitting climax to one of the best evenings of music I have heard for a long time. It almost made up for me missing the Barbican concert the previous weekend.

The audience was an unusual mix. There were a lot from the Maghull Baptist Church and other local Baptist churches. I recognised quite a few faces from the Haskayne Folk Club. Regrettably, I only recognised one other face from the local Bluegrass scene. I don’t know the reason but they certainly missed out on a good evening and a free one! There was no entrance fee only a collection plate! The other ’grasser was Ron Stevens mandolinist with the Acme band (another good harmony singing band). Ron deserves our thanks for organising this tour and acting as roadie and everything else.

Finally the concert was so good that my wife, who is not a bluegrass fan even when our band is playing, came away enthralled and we had to listen to the CD before we could go to bed. I hope this is the start of her conversion.

Pete Mackie, Formby

Updated 23rd Jan 1999