The Inspirations Stay True to Themselves with "Pray For Me"

By Timothy Yap Dec 16, 2015 01:09 AM EST

Southern Gospel group the Inspirations are set to release Pray for Me (Horizon/Sonlite) on January 8th, 2016. The album finds them sticking to their original sound. Some try to be relevant by copying the latest fads. The Inspirations know better. They stay relevant by staying themselves.

Suppose you played their new release, Pray For Me, back to back with their first LP. There would be no question you were listening to the same group. Few develop an instantly recognizable sound. Fewer maintain that sound after member changes. But The Inspirations have for fifty-two years!

The title track of "Pray For Me" features the resonant tones of bass singer Joseph Brown. Long-time lead singer Matt Dibler delivers the powerful testimony song "It's Under The Blood." Tenor Harold Reed shows how well he fits the classic Inspirations sound on "Onward to the Call." The Inspirations' lineup also includes pianist Martin Cook, bass Myron Cook, and multi-instrumentalist Luke Vaught.

The same distinctive sound that took the world by storm is still carried on today.

In 1964, five boys from Bryson City started a Gospel tradition that continues to this day, over fifty years later. The Inspirations' classic sound makes them one of the most instantly recognizable groups in any genre of music.

When Martin Cook was growing up, music was as vital to life as air. Even though he pursued a degree in education, it was music that completed him and made him happy. The end result has surprised everyone, including him. "I never really anticipated music as a career. When I was growing up music was just something we got together and did because it was fun," states the founder of the Inspirations. Now, over fifty years later, the Inspirations are legends.

The Inspirations are still setting the gold standard for authentic quartet music. Their enduring appeal and lasting legacy have offered inspiration to their fans for half a century.

Pray For Me will be in stores 01/08/2016 and is available for pre-order now.