JFH News: Opry Member Mark Wills Returns to His Roots with Grand Ole Revival, Rare Live Recording

Opry Member Mark Wills Returns to His Roots with Grand Ole Revival, Rare Live Recording Captured Inside the Historic Opry Circle

Country hitmaker's new collection of timeless songs of faith arrives Nov. 6th with Gaither Music Group; album pre-order begins today with the release of the new single, "The Baptism of Jesse Taylor"

NEWS SOURCE: The Press House
August 14, 2026

NASHVILLE (Aug. 14, 2026) -- Today, Grand Ole Opry member and country music hitmaker Mark Wills announces his upcoming album, Grand Ole Revival, a live collection of country gospel classics recorded inside the historic Grand Ole Opry Circle and features vocals from an all-star cast of country and gospel music legends, including Cody Johnson, Trisha Yearwood, Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Rhonda Vincent, Jamey Johnson, Travis Tritt, The Oak Ridge Boys, The Isaacs, Charlie McCoy, Gaither Vocal Band, Whisperin' Bill Anderson, Mae Estes, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Leona Williams, The Sound, and Jim and Melissa Brady. Grand Ole Revival is set for release on Nov. 6, 2026 with Gaither Music Group. Beginning today, listeners can stream the album's first single, "The Baptism of Jesse Taylor," as well as pre-order the album.

Produced by multi-Grammy Award winner Ben Isaacs, the project was recorded live inside the Grand Ole Opry Circle on the historic Opry House stage. Grand Ole Revival captures a performance unlike nearly any other in the venue's modern history. The project marks only the second live audio album recorded inside the Grand Ole Opry House since the 1970s, preserving the spontaneity, musicianship and reverence of a once-in-a-generation session.

For nearly three decades, Wills has been one of country music's most recognizable voices, earning 19 Billboard-charting singles across seven albums, including fan favorites "Wish You Were Here," "Jacob's Ladder," "I Do (Cherish You)" and the six-week No. 1 hit "19 Somethin'." On Grand Ole Revival, he turns his attention to the gospel songs that have shaped his life, joined by an acclaimed group of collaborators including Cody Johnson, Trisha Yearwood, Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Rhonda Vincent, Jamey Johnson, Charlie McCoy, Gaither Vocal Band, The Isaacs, Travis Tritt, The Oak Ridge Boys, The Sound, Jim and Melissa Brady, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Leona Williams and others.

While Wills has spent three decades topping country charts, Grand Ole Revival reflects the music that first inspired him -- songs learned in church pews and family gatherings long before Nashville success. The project reunites country traditions, gospel standards and the storytelling that has defined his career. The album's first release, "The Baptism of Jesse Taylor," sets the tone for the project with a heartfelt performance of the classic story song celebrating grace, redemption and the life-changing power of faith.

"Ever since I was a little kid, the very first music that came into my life was hymns, so it means a lot to me to be able to sing some of the songs I've loved my whole life," said Wills. "In more than 30 years of making music, I've never experienced a tracking session like this one. Recording them live in the Grand Ole Opry circle made this project even more special since that has rarely occurred in its 100-year history. I think this project reflects that time-honored history and tradition that makes The Opry such an important part of country music."

"That love of pure country is something that we all have in common, and it unites us deeper than just our ears," said Isaacs. "The Grand Ole Opry is the DNA that built Nashville and country music and it runs deep. The dust from Hank Williams' shoes is still ingrained in the cracks of the hallowed floor of The Opry Circle. Recording live from The Opry stage was a moment when we could weave our story and music into the DNA of that stage and its history.

"The Grand Ole Opry has long been a place where the stories and songs that define country and gospel music are passed from one generation to the next," said Paul Sizelove, President of Sun Label Group. "Mark Wills has always understood the power of those songs. Grand Ole Revival reminds us why these songs still matter. They connect generations through faith and the storytelling that has always been at the heart of country music."

"The Baptism of Jesse Taylor" is available now; stream the single now.

Grand Ole Revival is available for pre-order now; pre-order HERE.

Grand Ole Revival Track Listing
1. The Lily of the Valley (feat. Cody Johnson)
2. I'll Fly Away (feat. Ricky Skaggs & Rhonda Vincent)
3. How Great Thou Art (feat. Trisha Yearwood)
4. The Baptism of Jesse Taylor (feat. Jamey Johnson, Charlie McCoy & Gaither Vocal Band)
5. Because He Lives (feat. Vince Gill & Rebecca Lynn Howard)
6. Victory in Jesus (feat. The Isaacs)
7. I Have Decided to Follow Jesus (feat. Mae Estes & Ben Isaacs)
8. Will the Circle Be Unbroken (feat. Leona Williams, The Isaacs, Jim Brady & Melissa Brady)
9. I Saw the Light (feat. Travis Tritt & The Oak Ridge Boys)
10. Mansion Just Over the Hilltop (feat. The Sound)
11. Look for Me for I Will Be There Too
12. Grand Ole Revival (feat. The Isaacs)

About Mark Wills

It was "19(90) Somethin'" when Grand Ole Opry member Mark Wills went from singing at Atlanta's infamous Buckboard to releasing his first of 19 Billboard-charting singles across seven albums. While climbing his musical "ladder," he has recorded Gold and Platinum albums and released some of the most enduring and recognizable country music hits of the last 25 years.

"Wish You Were Here," "Jacob's Ladder" and "I Do (Cherish You)" cemented his country status in the late '90s and at the "dawning of a new decade" in the early '00s. "Jacob's Ladder" was released via Mercury Nashville in May 1996 as Wills' debut single, and it became the singer's first of eight Top 10 hits. His debut self-titled album followed, "full of rambunctious good-time songs teeming with sly wit and bittersweet ballads -- all in a baritone that throbs with emotion," per Entertainment Weekly. Released 20 years ago as part of Wills' Greatest Hits collection, the feel-good track stretched the singer both musically and vocally. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart Top 5 hits "Places I've Never Been," "I Do (Cherish You)," "Don't Laugh at Me," and No. 1 single "Wish You Were Here" hit the airwaves between 1997-1999. Fittingly, Wills' early chart success earned him an Academy of Country Music Award for Top New Male Vocalist in 1998. One of his biggest hits to date is the RIAA Gold-certified "19 Somethin'" -- a six-week No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

In 2022, Mark re-recorded and released his hit "Don't Laugh at Me" with the a cappella recording group Home Free, featuring Mark's daughter, Macey. In conjunction with this release, a new music video was filmed starring 21 Pineapples' Nate Smith and JennaLee Wasserman, earning the collaborators three Gold Telly Awards.

He also has taken more than a dozen trips to entertain U.S. troops in Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Korea and Italy. Wills continues to hit the road with his high-energy show full of hits that were the soundtrack to so many people's lives.

Learn more at MarkWills.com.

About Gaither Music Group:

One of the largest Independent Christian music companies in the world and a household name for millions of fans, Gaither Music Group (part of Sun Label Group, which encompasses Gaither Music, Sun Records, Green Hill, emeraldwave by Green Hill, and Rural Rhythm), in partnership with Primary Wave Music Publishing, is known worldwide for its award-winning and top-selling recordings, including the Gaither Gospel Series, of which 133 products have been certified gold, platinum, or multi-platinum.

These recordings, which encompass more than 200 video copyrights, showcase gospel music pioneers; many of the finest performers in the gospel and country genres; up-and-coming acts; and country artists including Travis Tritt, Reba McEntire, The Oak Ridge Boys, Jimmy Fortune, Joey+Rory, Alabama, Alan Jackson, The Statler Brothers, George Jones, Vince Gill, Josh Turner, The Isaacs, and others.

The Gaither Music Group brand has partnered with established artists including The Estate of Whitney E. Houston, Sandi Patty, Gloria Gaynor, Steven Curtis Chapman, and a host of acclaimed talent from various fields of music. Gaither Music Group has garnered sales of more than 50 million DVDs and CDs, including such PBS stalwarts as Billy Graham: God's Ambassador, the only authorized video autobiography of Reverend Billy Graham; The Gospel Music of Johnny Cash; and three Elvis Presley projects, including He Touched Me and The Gospel Music of Elvis Presley, in conjunction with the Elvis Presley Estate.

Gaither Music Group developed a strategic partnership with Cracker Barrel Old Country Store� in 2008; and its alliances with Capitol Christian Music Group, Virgin Music Label & Artist Services, Universal Music Group, and Time Life Music remain bedrocks for the company. Most recently, the Gaither Music TV YouTube channel crossed the 4 billion life-to-date streaming benchmark and hosts more than 4 million subscribers.

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