December 2005 ~ Random Thoughs
Another year has quickly passed and we'll soon have to remember to write 2006 on everything! The Dixie Echoes are gearing down for the year as we prepare to spend the holidays with our families. We will only be on the road for the first two weekends of December. We will resume traveling on December 30th. I have had the privilege of playing for the Dixie Echoes since October 1998, and have probably met every full time Southern Gospel artist. It has really been a dream come true for me to become friends with many of my heroes. Usually, at least once a week, we get to work with another group. It is common to see the groups hanging out on each other's buses, going out for dinner, and just catching up with the latest happenings. With that said, I'm glad to be a part of this industry called Southern Gospel, or what I prefer to simply call, Gospel Music! I guess that I could be considered a traditionalist, since I primarily enjoy listening to traditional male quartets or music from the Blackwood/Statesmen era. Don't get me wrong, I love and appreciate much of the music made today, I guess I'm just an old man in a 25-year-old body.

I have been going nonstop the for past couple of months. Between my travels with the Dixie Echoes, overseeing repairs to my home and my mom's home after hurricane Katrina, and working in the recording studio, I have had little time to rest. I'm especially ready for a couple of weeks off. As most of you know, I am from Franklinton, Louisiana. Franklinton is about one hour north of New Orleans, LA. Even though Franklinton didn't suffer the flooding/water damage, it was still hit hard. I currently live in Pensacola, FL, near the rest of the group, but my mom and the rest of my family still live in Louisiana. At moms house, we had to have the rood repaired, porch and fence work, and we had several trees down. We live on a dairy farm, and we lost 3 barns. One of which we had just put up a week prior to the storm (the insurance company wouldn't insure it because the storm was on the way). We were very lucky though. My family evacuated to my house in Pensacola when the storm hit. They were all able to go back the about a week after. Luckily, all of the houses survived with minor damage. Praise God! It will still take a while before everything gets back to normal in the area.

In other news, I am looking forward to the Daywind release of the "Leaders of Tomorrow" cd and dvd. Back in September, at the National Quartet Convention, Daywind sponsored a showcase featuring the youth of Gospel music. It was captured on film and is suppose to be released around Christmas or in January 2006. During this showcase, I played with a scrap iron quartet made up of lead singer Josh Garner (Florida Boys), baritone Scott Inman (Triumphant Qt.), tenor Anthony Facello and bass Chris West (both members of Mercy's Mark), Ricky Free on drums (Brian Free & Assurance), and Scoot Shelnut on bass guitar (Dixie Echoes). We performed the Cathedral classic "Boundless Love", written by my fellow U.S. Gospel News writer, Diane Wilkinson. We had a great time doing this at NQC, and I can't wait for everyone to see it. Keep watching for ads of its release. I will most likely carry on my website (www.stewartvarnado.com), so you can go online and subscribe to my free e-mail newsletter to be informed of its release and other news.

On October 24th, I traveled to Red Hill Digital Recording Studio in Temple, GA, to play piano on a session for Gene McDonald (bass vocalist for the Florida Boys Quartet). Gene is recording his first solo recording, and it will be available sometime in early 2006. This cd is going to be awesome! Gene is one of the best bass singers ever and he gives it his all on this project. Whether you like smooth melodic singing, or you prefer the bass singer to nail the low notes, you will be pleased with Gene's new cd. He's got some great songs on it such as "Walk That Lonesome Road", "How Big Is God", "Let The Lower Lights Be Burning", and several more classics! I will let ya'll know when it is released.

As far as Dixie Echoes news, our tenor singer Dallas Rogers and his wife Shelly are expecting their first child around May 2006. Dallas has been with the Dixie Echoes since August 2005, and has been doing a great job. We are glad to have Dallas and Shelly as part of the Dixie Echoes family. We are currently working on a new recording that will feature the current group line-up. It should be available by the spring of 2006. Back in June, our bass singer, Tracy Crouch, was engaged to Valerie Whitman. Their wedding is set for June 24, 2006. Be in prayer for Valerie! Ha!

After many requests for a sequel, I have decided to put together a second volume to my "Southern Gospel Players" album. The Players album was released back in the summer of 2004, and featured over 30 of the best musicians in Gospel Music. The album was voted Favorite Album of the Year in the 2005 U.S. Gospel News/SGM Fan Fair Awards. We are about halfway finished with the production of the second volume. It will feature several additional musicians to those used in the first project. Some of new guys on this one will be: Dennis Murphy and Kreis French (Kingdom Heirs); Brandon Reese and Jason Selph (Kingsmen); Greg Ritchie (Jeff & Sheri Easter); Roger Bennett and Jordan Bennett (Legacy Five); Jeremy Brown and Stephanie Brown (Jody Brown Indian Family); along with several repeat players from the first recording like Ricky Free, Scoot Shelnut, Rabbit Easter, Randy Miller, Mike Riddle, and Jeff Tolbert. We are recording most of the tracks at Red Hill Digital (just west of Atlanta, GA). Jason Singleton, of Red Hill Digital, has gone out of his way to help us in putting this project together. It is nice to have a top-notch studio that we can take our time in and not be watching the clock. Visit www.redhilldigital.com if you are looking for a place to do any recording. You won't be disappointed. One of the last albums to be released from there was a solo piano recording by Matthew Holt (pianist for the Perrys). The list of clients includes Brian Free & Assurance, Gene McDonald (Florida Boys), Glen Allred (Florida Boys), Matthew Holt (Perrys), and many others! Hopefully we will release the Southern Gospel Players volume 2, in the spring of 2006. I will announce it in this article in the coming months, and news will be available on my website.

Next month, I will be back with a feature on another one of my friends in Southern Gospel. Hope to see everyone at a concert in 2006! Visit me online at my website for any further information on me, my product, or to read any of my past U.S. Gospel News articles. For the old articles, go to the 'newsroom' then click on the U.S. Gospel News link at the top of the page. From there, you will be able to select the past articles by month or person featured. Thanks for all of your support and prayers throughout the year!