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Reviews
Look to the Light
Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine
"This could well be the recorded event of the
year... For anyone who follows the gospel aspects
of bluegrass or is just aware of the better songwriters,
the material here is top shelf... This is a fine recording
of contemporary Christian songs from one of the best
songwriters working today."
READ
THE ENTIRE REVIEW HERE
Today's Country Magazine
"This is a great collection of music that allows
your spirit to be moved throughout the listening process
in a variety of ways..."
READ
THE ENTIRE REVIEW HERE
Wayne Bledsoe, KMST 88.5 FM & 96.3 FM
Rolla, MO
"Rick, I've been getting good response from my listeners
with the CD. It is excellent and I hope you will be
able to do this again sometime in the future. If this
isn't IBMA award material, nothing is."
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Terry Herd, Bluegrass Radio Network
"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."
Les Butler, Syndicated Radio Show Host,
Front Porch Fellowship / Singing News Magazine
"Add simple Christian lyrics to some high powered singing
and playing and you've got an equation for success!"
Russell Moore
RUSSELL MOORE & IIIRD TYME OUT
"I've known Rick for many years and I regard him highly,
not only as a writer/composer, but, also, as a human being.
On days when I feel like we live in a world of doubt and
pessimism, it's good to know there are people, like Rick,
who are fighting for the 'good' that's still all around
us. He draws strength and courage from his faith in God
to overcome the negative things in life and this, in my
mind, is a large part of what defines him as a person, and
these themes, along with reflection, hope and inspiration,
is what you will hear throughout the songs contained on
LOOK TO THE LIGHT. This is a wonderful project and
I'm very proud that Rick asked me to be a part of it and
I hope that my vocal contributions have given justice to
his heartfelt messages."
Katy Daley, Producer/Host
WAMU's Bluegrass Country, Washington, D.C.
"Rick Lang's inspired collection of beautifully performed
songs on Look to the Light: Songs of Faith is a gift
to all of us who love gospel music."
Pete Goble
"I first met Rick Lang at the IBMA bluegrass fest in Louisville
KY and immediately took a likening to Rick. Since then we
have become good friends and done some writing together.
Rick has a heart for God and it shows up in his writing.
Rick has a new album out On Rural Rhythm records of all
new songs written right from his heart. Like myself I hope
you will obtain his new CD. ...you will be glad you did. As
for me I'm glad to know Rick and call him my friend. Keep
writing them good Gospel songs Rick!"
Jerry Salley
"From the first verse of Thirst & Hunger to the last toe-tapping
chorus of Sailing On, Rick Lang's pen flows with meaningful
messages and memorable melodies! Kudos to Jesse Brock, John
Miller and the All-Star cast of singers and pickers who
brought this great body of work to life. Look To The
Light (Songs Of Faith) is one of my very favorite collections
of Bluegrass Gospel Music! Thanks to Rick for being a great
guy and one of the finest songwriters in our genre!"
Chris Stuart
"Rick gets it. He has the intuition to recognize a great
line or idea, the inspiration to see how it would work,
and the perspiration to follow it through into a complete
song. And though Rick has a great sense of humor, he has
irony deficiency, which makes his songs honest and unselfconscious
- something rare today."
"If we all had one word tattooed on our forehead that expressed
our essence, I think Rick's word would be 'Thankful.' He
lives that word in his appreciation of others, of songs,
of music and musicians, of his family, and of his life in
Christ. This album will make us all thankful."
Gary Henderson
WAMU-FM-BluegrassCountry.Org, Washington, D. C. and
WTRM-FM, Winchester, Virginia.
"LOOK TO THE LIGHT is one of the best inspirational
bluegrass gospel releases in a long while. No matter whether
you are a Christian or not, Rick Lang's gospel song writing
will move you! How could you go wrong with Dale Ann Bradley,
Junior Sisk and Russell Moore-just for starters?"
Jim Fisher
WGCS, Goshen, IN
"Look to the Light is one fine bluegrass gospel
recording. Great lyrics combined with outstanding vocalists
and musicians makes this CD one of the top releases of 2010.
Terry Poirier
Host of Kickin' Canadian Grass
"Look Into The Light - Inspirational, uplifting
and a must in anyone's gospel collection"!
Al Shusterman
KCBL Radio, Backroads Bluegrass, Sacramento, CA
"If anyone needs inspiration this project has it in
spades. From the first note of 'Thirst & Hunger' to the
last note of 'Sailing On' the listener is treated to almost
46 minutes of thought provoking inspirational songs. This
entire project yells out, 'listen to this cd, we have something
important for you to hear'. The artists were top notch.
The fervor and enthusiasm in their voices as they sang each
song sent chills down my spine. The song selection was superb.
This project needs to be heard several times in order to
fully appreciate the artists & the lyrics being sung. Needless
to say the audience response for this cd was overwhelming.
While playing the entire cd my request lines never stopping
ringing. It is rare to have a strictly gospel cd that generates
this much feedback. Each & every song was requested to be
played again. Thank you for sharing this fine project with
us."
Dennis Jones
WNCW
"Rarely have I ever played a gospel project
that has inspired and touched so many people. Every
song has a special message that struck a chord with
my listeners, and kept my request lines ringing any
time I play a selection from the project. Truly a
wonderful CD."
The Season of My Heart
"What a wonderful collection of Seasonal music.
It's definitely a unique project. I don't think I've
ever seen an all-original collection like this before.
Karen's voice is perfect for the songs, and Roger
Williams Dobro playing is incredible. I love the imagery
of the lyrics. Folk, Bluegrass, and even some Americana
and Country stations could all potentially play this
music"
"Man, you've done it! This is a beautiful project-unlike
any I've ever heard before... full of good cheer,
great times, priceless memories and some wonderful
sentiments. It took me straight back to my childhood
when Christmas was still a magical and mysterious
event. Plus you've written some tunes that are destined
to become Christmas Classics... "Heavenly Peace",
"Follow The Star", "Waltz Of The Falling
Snowflakes", "Decorate The Tree With Love"
and the title track rank high on my favorite meter.
Congratulations on a wonderful project. Finally, somebody
does an all-Christmas project right! Well done!!"
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Al Shusterman KCBL Radio "Backroads Bluegrass"
"Powerful is the best way to describe this great CD.
This is the first Seasonal CD that sounded as though it
was recorded at a friend's home & not in a recording studio.
I got a very warm feeling listening to this project. The
vocals, both lead and harmony, were exceptional. The fervor
& enthusiasm in their voices as they sang each song sent
chills down your spine. I really loved the song selection.
As all the songs were original material, you really had
to concentrate on the lyrics in order to get the full impact
of these wonderful songs. Hearing this CD once was not enough.
It needs to be played several times in order to fully appreciate
the combination of their fine voices & the great lyrics
of each song. The instrumental work was tasteful and meshed
perfectly with the material being sung. Needless to say,
the audience response for this CD was overwhelming. While
playing the entire CD, my request line never stopped ringing.
It is rare to have a strictly Seasonal CD that generates
this much feedback. Each & every song was requested to be
played again. I know that I will be playing several cuts
each week until it is played in total again. I hope I don't
wear this CD out!!!
Thank you very much for sharing your fine project with
us.
Cordially,
Al Shusterman
KCBL Radio "Backroads Bluegrass"
Sacramento, California
Acoustica Magazine
"13 original Christmas tunes by gifted songwriter,
guitarist and vocalist Rick Lang... assisted by Dave Dick
on banjo, guitar, mandolin and vocals. Roger Williams handles
the dobro... Bob Dick carries the bass, guitar and vocals...
and Karen Lincoln Wilber contributes powerful and very pleasant
vocals to the project. Yes, Christmas tunes, perhaps a bit
early, but I can assure you that once this project hits
the streets, it will be gone in a flash.
It is really nice to hear this collection of 13 fresh Christmas
tunes! ïSleigh Bells' features ripping dobro, banjo and
guitar leads from start to finish. If Santa's reindeer have
this tune in their sleigh CD player, they are in for big
trouble! ïI Dreamed That I Was There' tells of a dream whereas
he was witnessing the events of the Holy Christ Child in
a manger, a beautiful tune performed to perfection. The
project is well produced, offers a new and different selection
of Christmas tunes for your Seasonal enjoyment... even a
full-blown ïblues' style tune ïSleigh Full Of Toys'... done
with acoustic Bluegrass instruments of course!"
Out Where the Wildflowers Grow
"The next time anyone tells you that the only worthwhile
original Bluegrass music comes on big labels from Southern
Bands, toss this release right back at them and make them
eat their words. New Hampshire-based Rick Lang has so far
been known only as a songwriter whose tunes have been recorded
by Southern
Rail and the Lonesome
River Band but he has saved up 12 real good original
tunes for himself and put them on this, his first and very
welcome solo album.
Lang credits Pete Goble
as a source of inspiration and the parallel is very clear.
Both draw on standard Bluegrass themes but manage to create
new songs which feel traditional, but somehow approach the
subject matter in a non-clichéd way. There is an
overall honest feeling of sadness which pervades the songs
which cover lost love, desire for home, death of parents,
trucking and the like. Yet somehow, there is a nice lingering
sense of not having heard it said this way before and which
gives the songs a freshness that the subject matter might
not suggest.
This is an important and very worthwhile release, nicely
packaged (complete with lyric sheet). Assuming that Lang
has not exhausted his warehouse of songs, we have here a
new and exciting voice, one very much deserving of being
heard."
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©
2005-2012 Haley Anna Music | Rick Lang ~ all rights reserved