Down Home Praise

Description

Down Home Praise is a country/bluegrass inspired praise & worship album released on Maranatha! Music in 1983, distributed by Word. The album was recorded by Joe Bellamy at Peace in the Valley Recording in Arleta, California; with Al Perkins producing for Amazing Grace Productions in association with Maranatha’s Ministry Resource Center (MRC). Considered by some as the debut album by the bluegrass band project Ever Call Ready as this album features many of the same musicians.

Most of the musicians playing on Down Home Praise were also featured on Daniel McClenaghan’s Winning The West, an album released on Maranatha! Music’s sub-label MRC (Ministry Resource Center) in 1984, recorded by Bellamy with Perkins producing.

Great deep-in-the-holler type bluegrass-style Gospel music by a supergroup of sorts, the band featured Chris Hillman (ex-Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers, Manassas, Souther-Hillman-Furay Band, Desert Rose), Bernie Leadon (ex-Eagles), and Jerry Scheff (a member of Southern Pacific, & session bass player on many well-known pop & rock recordings), as well as dobro player Al Perkins (ex-Flying Burrito Brothers, Manassas) & fiddler David Mansfield (Bob Dylan‘s Rolling Thunder Revue, ex-Alpha Band). As stated on the back of the LP, “We wanted this album to feel as if the music had happened in your living room or at an ‘All Day Singing and Dinner on the Grounds.’ For the most part it was recorded ‘live’ sitting in a circle in the studio…” Masterful musicianship, fresh & heart-felt; an obvious labor of love by those involved. Long out-of-print & hard to find, but highly recommended! [RetroRed]

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “Any Day Now” – 2:36
A2. “Rule Over My Soul” – 2:52
A3. “On The Sea Of Life” – 1:54
A4. “To Be Like Jesus” – 2:27
A5. “Church In The Wildwood” (Instrumental) – 3:02
A6. “Lead Me To The Water” – 3:32

Side Two
B1. “Going To Live In Green Pastures” – 3:19
B2. “Desert Song (Cloud By Day)” – 3:45
B3. “Dancing With The Angels” – 2:23
B4. “Where Could I Go” – 2:47
B5. “Thou Art Worthy” – 3:28

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and 12-inch vinyl LP by Maranatha! Music. Four of the tracks (“Church In The Wildwood”, “Rule Over My Soul”, “Where Could I Go”, and “On The Sea Of Life”) were later included as a bonus on the CD re-issue of Ever Call Ready’s self-titled album.

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CREDITS. Produced by Al Perkins for Amazing Grace Productions in association with Ministry Resource Center. Engineered by Joe Bellamy. Recorded at Peace in the Valley Recording, Arleta, CA. Photos by Deberah Perkins. Cover Illustration by Dave Swaney. Hand Lettering by Cynthia Swaney. Executive Producer: Dave Swaney.

Musicians: Steve Hill (Guitars), Dan McCorison (Guitars), Chris Hillman (Mandolin), David Mansfield (Fiddle), Bernie Leadon (Banjo), Al Perkins (Dobro), Jerry Scheff (Acoustic Bass), Mel Durham (Acoustic Bass). Vocals: Tommy Funderburk, Chris Hillman, Dan McCorison, Steve Hill.