"Look To The Light"
is the story of my personal journey along a long,
winding spiritual pathway that started several years
ago. I have always loved Bluegrass Gospel music, which
eventually became an important element of my songwriting.
My catalog of original gospel compositions has become
considerable over the course of the last twenty five
years. I've had the good fortune of having some of
these tunes performed and recorded by a variety of
notable Bluegrass acts including the Lonesome
River Band, Front
Range, 111rd Tyme
Out, and Southern
Rail among others.
After my mom passed away in 2001, I immersed myself deeper
into my spirituality causing a re-surgence in writing Gospel
Songs. During the ensuing years I found myself struggling
on many fronts, eventually hitting a real low. It took a
lot of deep prayer and the strength of my faith to get me
back on my feet. It was then I knew I had to somehow, someday,
record a collection of my Gospel tunes to celebrate my renewed
faith & thank God for all the blessings in my life. That
point in time was the beginning of "Look
To The Light". Sharing these songs and their
messages with the world is something I know was meant to
do.
At the time, I didn't have a band or even a place to record
an album. All I had was a vision of what I wanted it to
be which was very clear in my mind. I knew that artistically
it had to be different than any recording project I'd done
before. I felt that the sound needed to be more traditional
"old school" Bluegrass for this particular collection
of songs. I waited patiently for what seemed like a very
long time, and just when I thought it would never happen...
it did!
By chance I was at a Bluegrass concert that featured mandolin
player extraordinaire Jesse Brock & guitarist/singer John
Miller (who I had never met). As I listened to their show
I was moved by their great sense of rhythm and the percussive
feel they created together. The combination of John & Jesse
was special... magic. They played with a lot of feeling,
emotion and soul. That was the sound I needed on the gospel
album.
After the show I approached them about playing on and co-producing
my gospel project... and the rest is history. They came
up with some wonderful song arrangements and over the course
of the last three and a half years we brought in a variety
of musicians and vocalists we felt were "right"
for the songs. Somehow we succeeded in amassing some of
the top talent in the Bluegrass genre. The end result was
far greater than any expectation Jesse, John or I had when
we first started the project.
This is truly an album of destiny. It was destiny that
led me to John and Jesse and to Chris Magruder at Thundering
Sky Recording, and then to Rural
Rhythm Records who picked up the album. We all feel
truly blessed to have played a part in the making of an
album that turned out to be so very special. I am now at
the end of my spiritual journey, my faith has been renewed,
and "Look To The Light"
is a reality. I look forward to sharing these songs and
their messages with the rest of the world.
To purchase "Look To The Light,"
please include your complete mailing address/contact information
and the quantity of CDs desired, and send a check for $17
per CD (includes shipping) to:
Haley Anna Music
PO Box 424
Kingston, NH 03848
*If you would like a signed copy of one of the CDs just
let me know...I'd be glad to oblige.
LOOK TO THE LIGHT: Songs
of Faith from the Pen of Rick Lang (featuring vocals by
RUSSELL MOORE, DALE
ANN BRADLEY, JUNIOR SISK,
JEFF PARKER and BARRY
SCOTT) RHYC-2004
Songwriter Rick Lang has
had well over two dozen of his songs recorded and performed
by a variety of well-known and respected national Bluegrass
groups including: IIIrd Tyme Out;
The Lonesome River Band;
Front Range; and Southern
Rail. His composition "Listen
To The Word Of God" appeared on the Lonesome
River Band's critically acclaimed "Carrying The
Tradition" recording, which was awarded IBMA
album of the year in 1992. Another of his songs "Sing
Praises To The King" appeared on Front
Range's "One Beautiful Day" album, which was
voted IBMA Best Gospel Recording
of the year in 1995.
Also, Rick had two songs on the classic album "John
And Mary" by IIIrd Tyme
Out and had another song "There
Will Be Singing In The Land" on the album "Glory
Train" that was nominated for a 1996
IBMA Gospel Album of the Year by the group Southern
Rail.
LOOK TO THE LIGHT is a wonderful
collection of 14 newly written spiritual songs from the
pen of hit maker Rick Lang
with help on three songs from his friends Pete Goble, Ted
DeMille and Justin Carbone. Rick, who also serves as executive
producer, has hand picked an incredible Who's Who's list
of top Bluegrass artists to perform on his gospel album
including; vocals by Russell Moore
(IIIrd Tyme Out), Jeff Parker
(Daily & Vincent), Dale
Ann Bradley (3-time IBMA Female Artist Of the Year),
Junior Sisk (multiple 2009
IBMA Nominee), Barry Scott
(2010 Grammy ¨ Nominee "Best Gospel Album"), and
musicians multiple IBMA Award Winners Michael
Cleveland, Rob Stewart and many more of today's top
Bluegrass artists.
Rick Lang explains his goal for LOOK
TO THE LIGHT;
"To touch the heart & stir the soul" of
all who listen to these songs. Each was written from personal
experience & my own struggles with day-to-day life & my
faith. In listening to the album, I hope people will be
able to feel what I was feeling when I wrote each song.
To me, the ultimate goal as a songwriter is to try & establish
a deep emotional connection with the listener. If I can
help bring others closer to God & their own faith through
these songs... that would be the greatest reward of all."
LOOK TO THE LIGHT is sure
to delight many different genres within the Gospel music
category. Country, Southern Gospel and Bluegrass listeners
can surely find something they will truly enjoy on this
album of 14 heartfelt songs of faith performed by some of
today's hottest Bluegrass Artists!
"Add simple Christian lyrics to some high powered
singing and playing and you've got an equation for success!"Les Butler, Syndicated Radio
Host
- Front Porch Fellowship / Singing News Magazine
"Look To The Light"
is more than a great gospel album, it's a tour de force
of bluegrass's finest, coupled with heartfelt songs from
the pen of preeminent bluegrass gospel songwriter Rick
Lang. A must have."Terry
Herd, Bluegrass Radio Network
Rural
Rhythm Christian Announces GMA Dove Award Nomination for
"Look to the Light"
Arcadia, CA----RURAL RHYTHM CHRISTIAN is very proud to
announce the label's two 2011
GMA DOVE AWARD NOMINATIONS for BLUEGRASS
ALBUM OF THE YEAR:LOOK TO
THE LIGHT: Songs of Faith from the Pen of Rick Lang
- Various Artists, produced by Rick
Lang, John Miller and Jesse Brock; and SOUNDS
LIKE HEAVEN TO ME by Lou
Reid and Carolina, produced by Lou
Reid. "I am humbled and feel very blessed that our
new label, Rural Rhythm Christian is represented by 2 of
the 6 nominations in the Bluegrass Album of the Year category.
Congratulations to Lou Reid and Carolina, Rick Lang and
all the wonderful artists on the LOOK
TO THE LIGHT album for this special honor and acknowledgement
for their music ministry. We are also very grateful to all
those important GMA members who voted for our artists for
these nominations," said Sam Passamano,
Jr., President of Rural Rhythm.
LOOK TO THE LIGHT: Songs of Faith
from the Pen of Rick Lang includes over two dozen
songs by Christian songwriter, Rick Lang. The album features
performances by a variety of top, well-known award-winning
bluegrass artists including: Russell
Moore, Dale Ann Bradley, Jeff Parker, Junior Sisk,
and Barry Scott; with musicians,
Michael Cleveland, Ron Stewart,
John Miller, Jesse Brock and more. "On behalf of
all who played a part in the making of LOOK
TO THE LIGHT, I am deeply honored. I am extremely
thankful to Sam, Pam and all the wonderful folks at Rural
Rhythm and Rural Rhythm Christian for believing in me and
for their their strong support of my newest creative work.
This is truly a blessing," said Rick
Lang.
Rural Rhythm Records has received numerous GMA
Dove nominations of the past several years in the
BLUEGRASS ALBUM OF THE YEAR category including: GOD'S
MASTERPIECE by The Marksmen
Quartet in 2008 and PICKIN,
PRAISIN' & SINGIN' by Cody
Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad in 2009. Late in
2009, the label launched their new Christian arm of the
label, RURAL RHYTHM CHRISTIAN with two projects, I
JUST WANT TO THANK YOU LORD by Larry Sparks and BLUE
RIDGE MOUNTAIN MEMORIES by The Marksmen Quartet -
both of which received 2010 GMA DOVE NOMINATIONS.
The
42nd Annual GMA Dove Awards Show will take place
on Wednesday, April 20, 2011 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta,
Georgia at 8:00 p.m. EST. The awards will be broadcast on
GMC, America's on Easter Sunday, April 24, 2011 at 7:00
p.m. EST.
©
2005-2011 Haley Anna Music | Rick Lang ~ all rights reserved