JFH News: The Inspirations' Songs For Our American Culture Highlights 250 Years of Gospel Music

The Inspirations' Songs For Our American Culture Highlights 250 Years of Gospel Music

Listen to the album now and in Dolby Atmos spatial audio

NEWS SOURCE: Horizon & Sonlite Records
July 24, 2026

July 24, 2026 -- "As America celebrates 250 years of freedom and liberty," says The Inspirations' Roland Kesterson, "we have to ask ourselves the question, what is American culture? From our nation's humble beginning, music has always played a part of our American culture -- from the fife and drums on the revolutionary battlefield, to the piano and guitar in the parlors of early America, to the violin, guitar, piano and pump organ in the mountains that laid the foundation for the music that we all love."

"And what would American culture be without Gospel music?" he adds, making the final connection to the music contained on the storied quartet's new collection for Horizon Records, Songs For Our American Culture -- a connection also underlined by Duane Allen of The Oak Ridge Boys, Country Music Hall of Famers who spent the first decades of their lengthy career as a Southern Gospel quartet and who join The Inspirations on the new set's memorable "Jesus Is Coming Soon."

"When Isaac, Roland, Luke, and Wyatt sing," the legendary singer notes, "it feels like every song was written just for them. Each member 'owns' his lead, and within their harmony is the Inspirations' sound -- one that has created its own identity in the history books of Gospel Music. It's a 'Culture of Music' that is as warm and satisfying as mama's home cooking, and their love for Jesus is embedded in every song and in every note."

And indeed, what shines through from the opening notes of their new take on "O How I Love the Lord" to the ringing affirmation of "I Mean To Be There"'s final line that closes Songs For Our American Culture is the embodiment of that culture in songs that have stood the test of time. For whether they're beloved favorites or new to a listener's ear, each song in the project carries that fundamental Gospel message that's been woven into the fabric of American life since the country's earliest days. Whether it's the lilting waltz time of numbers like "Eye of the Storm," "In the Shadow of the Cross" and "Lord Walk With Me," the country flavor of "One More Valley," "Resting In the Arms of a Never Failing God" and Jewel Kesterson Scott's powerful new "Home Sweet Home," or the classic-sounding quartet arrangements of "Then We'll Be Glad" and the album's opener and closer, these are sounds that can trace their origins through the long arc of American music and culture.

Serving as the final touch on the project is the revelatory "classic quartet times two" performance of "Jesus Is Coming Soon." "Two hundred and fifty years ago," notes Kesterson, "this country began with ministers such as George Whitefield thundering the message from pulpits in the colonies: 'Jesus Is Coming Soon.' And now today, that title embodies the message and mission of The Inspirations. How fitting that this song -- first recorded in 1967 by both The Inspirations and The Oak Ridge Boys -- now, so many years closer to His coming, has served to bring us all together, proclaiming the same message louder and stronger than ever before.

"This album, which pays tribute to our American culture, is a reminder of where we came from. But it is also a statement of where we are going: 'One Nation, Under God, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice For All!"

Songs For Our American Culture is streaming in Dolby Atmos spatial audio on Apple Music, Amazon Music and TIDAL.

Listen to it HERE

About The Inspirations

The Inspirations first formed in 1964 in Bryson City, North Carolina and became full time in 1969 after hosting their first "Singing In The Smokies" event. With a number of hit songs through the 1970s, the group rose to national attention and joined the Gospel Singing Jubilee Television program. In January of 1970, they secured their first #1 song on the Singing News Chart, "Jesus Is Coming Soon," marking just the beginning of their chart-topping success. In November of 1973, The Inspirations held the #1 spot for 12 months with "Touring That City." It was followed with the success of "When I Wake Up To Sleep No More" in 1974 and "Jesus Is Mine" in 1976. In 2001, The Inspirations recorded their first album with Horizon Records, titled Pure Vintage. The album's first song, "I'll Not Turn My Back On Him Now," returned the group to the top of the Singing News chart after 26 years. It was followed with more #1 tracks with "I Have Not Forgotten" and "If You Only Knew." It was followed with more #1 tracks with "I Have Not Forgotten", "If You Only Knew," "My Name's Already There" and their most recent #1, "Sea of Forgetfulness." The Inspirations are Roland Kesterson, Luke Vaught, Wyatt Austin and Isaac Moore.

About Crossroads:

Crossroads is a market leader in the Southern Gospel, Bluegrass, and Americana fields. Established in 1993, following the combination of Horizon Music Group and Sonlite Records, Crossroads now operates several divisions including Crossroads Label Group (Horizon Records, Sonlite Records, Mountain Home Music, Skyland Records, Pisgah Ridge Records, Crossroads Records, and Organic Records), Crossroads Distribution, Crossroads Radio Promotions, and Crossroads Recording Studios. Led by a strong executive team of Christian music and Bluegrass music veterans, Crossroads combines cutting-edge technology with creative innovation to connect fans with our artists' music.

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