Hymns from The Ryman

Description

Hymns from The Ryman is a multi-artist project “featuring Gary Chapman with special guests Chet Atkins, Michael W. Smith, Ruth McGinnis, and Buddy Greene, released on Word Nashville in August 1997, a division of Word Entertainment. The album was recorded by Eric Elwell and digitally edited and assembled at GHL Audio in Franklin, Tennessee; with Gary Chapman producing.

“I could hear myself groanin’ in one place,” says Chet Atkins after a stunning version of «Softly and Tenderly». “I do that when I get to feelin’ things, and I can’t help it. I was moved by that melody.”

Chet’s in good company; Gary Chapman‘s ‘Hymns from the Ryman’ could make Mr. Spock get misty-eyed.

Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium – former home of the Grand Ole Opry – was a church before it was a concert hall. It’s appropriate that in hosting a series of concerts there, Chapman has opened each event with a hymn; Hymns from the Ryman is the studio collection of those performances.

Names like Chapman, Atkins and Michael W. Smith grace the credits, but this recording has little to do with stardom; it has much more to do with embracing the timeless and fiery baton of worship before passing it along to the next generation.

Chapman delivers «’Tis So Sweet» smoothly and passionately; the piece sounds like it was born to wear a plaid work shirt as it rides on the shoulders of a muscular heartland backbeat.

A smattering of simple and elegant instrumentals, including Tim Aker’s «Sunday at the Ryman», speak as loudly as lyrics do. Smith pours his heart into the single opening piano notes of «Holy, Holy, Holy» until the listener longs for Revelation chapter four.

Bach’s «Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring» is nothing short of astounding, offered up as a finely-crafted harmonica/violin duet. An a capella «The Lord Bless You and Keep You» takes a chant-meets-Brian-Wilson and grins good-naturedly.

Though it may not be obvious at first, this material is as evangelical as it is devotional; Hymns from the Ryman is ready for National Public Radio. It would be equally at home on Lake Wobegon Days as on TNN.

Hymns is just plain good stuff; I’m with Chet on this one. [Phil Christensen, CCM, October 1997]

> iTunes (https://music.apple.com/us/album/hymns-from-the-ryman/1689653664)

CD tracklist:

01. Sunday At The Ryman – 2:33
02. Amazing Grace – 3:00
03. Sweet Hour Of Prayer – 5:39
04. Jesu; Joy Of Man’s Desiring – 2:31
05. Softly And Tenderly – 5:22
06. This Is My Father’s World – 3:04
07. Fairest Lord Jesus – 4:25
08. ‘Tis So Sweet – 4:22
09. Holy, Holy, Holy – 4:06
10. The Lord Bless You And Keep You – 2:05

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Word Nashville.

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