Gold Harbor is taking the sound of

Southern, mixing it with the vertical theme of worship

music and creating what they call “Southern Praise

and Worship”, the title of their soon-to-be-completed

CD.

“Southern Praise and Worship is Praise Music bent

over to Southern Gospel by arrangement, to bridge

standard ‘southern’ and contemporary praise and

worship,” says Jimmy ‘JR’ Richards of Gold Harbor.

“[This creates] a genre that both types of gospel music

fans will worship with and enjoy.”

Southern artists have been performing Praise and

Worship music for quite some time and find that it

is effective in introducing audiences to a Southern

flavor while still keeping them in their worship comfort

zone. Canada’s Torchmen Quartet recorded a

full CD entitled ‘Southern Gospel Praise and Worship’

in 2008, taking

current praise

songs and coloring

them with the

Torchmen’s southern-

country style.

Southern Gospel

is not as generally

well-received

in Canada as it is

in some areas of

the United States,

so artists of this

genre have been

singing songs from

other styles such

as Contemporary

Christian and Alternative

Worship for many years, in order to reach a

broader audience.

Such is the case for some areas of the United States

as well, even in the traditional ‘Bible-belt’ areas.

Richards says, “In the south-east, I have been to so

many churches who don’t care for Southern Gospel

or Contemporary Praise and Worship. I know this

differs in some churches and parts of the country.

But you know what? God gave the old and the new

songs. So it’s my calling and my passion to bridge

the two together for all Christians to worship, sing

and pray with. Southern Praise and Worship

Praise HIM,

Southern Style

JR Richards &

Gold Harbor

are ready to

By Lorraine Walker D

18

(SPW) is new only in name. I have heard so many

groups taking a chance to record this type of song

and praying that the powers that be will play it. The

thing they haven’t realized is that they are a big part

in helping start this new genre.”

Whether this is a completely new genre or just

another of the many facets of Southern Gospel, it

can be said that Southern Gospel songwriters have

been praising God from the beginning, whether it is

praise directed to Him or

to others about Him. As

Christians we are called to

“proclaim the praises of

Him who called [us] out

of a darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9,

New King James Version, Holy Bible). We were created

to worship Him. J.R. Richards explains his definition

of Praise and Worship.

“It’s that communication with God, whether it be

through a song or in that private closet of prayer,

where we find our soul crying out for blessing,

strength or direction,” says Richards. “Praise and

Worship in numbers, when we sing, seems to explode

His spirit to unending heights in our bodies and

our lives.” To Richards, then, Praise and Worship is a

vertical conversation from man to God. Gold Harbor,

however, does not limit itself to this type of music.

“You will find that Gold Harbor is a group of many

styles from several genres of music,” says Richards.

“Worship has been and will always be first and foremost

with anyone who sings in this group.”

“Concerning the praise music we do, most of the

songs southern gospel groups or audiences have

never heard and not every song we do fits this new

genre of music. Holy Rain and Children of God were

written by David M Edwards or Regi Stone. Holy Rain

for example was the 2006 Choral song of the year. I

have gone through several hundred songs to pick out

material that fits what we are doing.” Richards’ goal

is “to produce something new and something spiritual

that has excellence in quality.” Children of God is

the current Gold Harbor single, sung by Christy Tullus

and Noel Walters.

Richards has had many vocalists join Gold Harbor

since 2008. Jim Peretic, Scotty Aldridge, Noel Walters

and Darlene Chapman are alumni of the group. Richards

continues listing the roster of singers.

“In 2010, Michelle Knight and David Folenius came

to Gold Harbor for a live digital video recording at the

Opryland Hotel, ten days before the great flood of

Nashville,” says Richards. “Why are so many personnel

changes happening? Well, it seems that God

wanted me to know that with each change of music

style, singers would probably change to keep in or

stay out of their comfort

zone… Gold Harbor is not

your traditional group that

you see the same people

over and over from year to

year.” Gold Harbor also does not travel as many miles

and play as many venues as most Southern Gospel

artists.

“At this point in my life, I just want us to do specific

dates rather that being gone 200 days a year. I

already did that!” says Richards, who has been singing

since 1966. “I go to Christ Church in Nashville

and when I’m at home I sing with the Christ Church

Choir. There is a rich talent pool for me to pick from

for Gold Harbor.”

A Christian gifted in leading public worship should

also be a private worshipper of the Almighty God.

Richards says, “My favorite way to worship is to find

a private place and read His Word. I exchange my

spirit to Him and for Him to recharge mine every

day. I like to be in the bus sometimes alone or when

everyone is asleep and just thank Him for letting me

do what I do.”

“Without His blessing I would surely wilt in spirit and

be lost forever. It is not so important what I have or

have not done but [what is important is] what Jesus

has blessed me to do through the years.”

Whether JR Richards and Gold Harbor are truly

introducing a completely new genre of music may be

up for debate, but what is certain is that Gold Harbor

is continuing the tradition of Southern Gospel by proclaiming

the Lord’s praises. In an era where churches

become divided over music styles, Richards is using

his talents and giftings to bridge the gap and invite

all listeners to the Throne of the Almighty. In the

presence of God, all any of us can do is Praise Him!

‘God gave the old and the new songs. So it’s my

calling and my passion to bridge the two together

for all Christians to worship, sing and pray with.’

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