Reviewed by Dave Brassington

For those not familiar with the music of the late Howard and Vestal Goodman, for many years they were stalwarts of the Southern gospel music scene. Like many others of a similar persuasion, whilst their music was not classed as "country", much of their music provided the staple diets of not only country singers, but also bluegrass groups. At Bill Gaither's last London appearance, he aptly described country and Southern gospel music as "first cousins." You certainly here the relationship here. This whole album took me by surprise as last heard of the redoubtable Michael Sykes was part of the great new gospel group Canton Junction. However here he teams up with his wife, Tanya Goodman Sykes and Johnny Minick who was also a stalwart of the Goodman group, The Happy Goodmans. There is an array of top notch Nashville musicians on hand, playing plenty of acoustic and steel guitar while Buddy Greene on harmonica and Andy Leftwich from Ricky Skaggs' Kentucky Thunder bluegrass group on fiddle and mandolin being particularly impressive. Commencing with the lively "What A Happy Time", the group run through such Goodman classics as "The Sweetest Song I Know", "This Is Just What Heaven Means To Me", "I Don't Want To Get Adjusted" and my personal favourite "I Wouldn't Take Nothing For My Journey" which is given a fast paced country hoedown. An album I enjoyed from start to finish.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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