PRESS RELEASE
The Kingsmen’s ‘More to the Story’ Receives Album of the Year Nod
August 10, 2022
Sonya Isaacs Yeary presented the list of nominations for the Dove Awards Southern Gospel Album of the Year today, and for their first nomination in thirty eight years The Kingsmen were announced to a live-feed audience for their 2021 album, More to the Story.
The group—whom have been active since 1956—have earned three Dove Awards during their tenured and celebrated career. Their first nomination in 1974 for album, Big & Live, brought them their first-ever Dove win for Album of the Year, as they were also nominated for Male Group of the Year. Their next two Dove Awards came from the Southern Gospel Album of the Year category for Kingsmen Live in Chattanooga (1978) and From Out of the Past (1980). In total, The Kingsmen have been honored to have received nineteen Dove Award nominations, including this year’s nod.
“More to the Story has been a long anticipated project for us,” revealed tenor vocalist Chris Jenkins when the album release was announced in July 2021. “[The album] has been unlike any other we’ve worked on, from the recording process to the production to arranging songs remotely amid a global pandemic. We thank God for His provision and hand of guidance through the past year. We truly believe this album encompasses the message for the times in which we live.”
Bolstering that theme, lead vocalist Chris Bryant noted, “If there was ever a message that was timely for the Church in 2021, “These Are the Days” has a message for the moment that encourages faith and strength amidst the most trying of times.”
Among the album’s other eleven strong tracks, the set’s title track definitely represents The Kingmen’s stylistic evolution and reminds the listener of the group’s dedication to remaining relevant in timbre as they relay an enduring message. In, “The Wind and Waves Still Know,” (lead by Bryant) presents a gripping display of the familiar spirit and dynamism for which the group is known. Yet even as it offers echoes of the quartet’s classic performances in days gone by, the song’s modern construction and crisp arrangement showcase the Kingsmen’s mastery of a more intricate, contemporary style. “I See a Lamb,” first released for the Easter season, captures the occasion’s joy and victory. The song tells the story of Christ throughout its three verses—each led by a different singer, with the full quartet (Bryant, Alan Kendall, Jenkins and Ray Dean Reese) joining in on the choruses—inspiring listeners to lift up their voices and praise all that God has done for us.
Other nominees for 2022 Southern Gospel Album of the Year include Karen Peck & New River (2:22), The Collingsworth Family (Just Sing!), Ernie Haase & Signature Sound (Keeping On), and Legacy Five (Something New).
The Dove Awards will be presented live at Allen Arena in Nashville, TN on October 18, 2022 and broadcast to a national audience on TBN, October 21, 2022 at 8:00 pm.