Mark Lowry

I Love to Tell the Story: A Hymns Collection
Gaither Music

“I Love to Tell the Story: A Hymns Collection” includes 16 “good Baptist” hymns I remember well from my childhood. “I Love to Tell the Story,” “Count Your Blessings,” “The Old Rugged Cross,” “Softly and Tenderly,” “Grace Greater than Our Sin,” “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” and “Blessed Assurance” get individual treatments, while nine additional selections are collected in medleys.

LordSong, Ray Davis and others compliment Mark Lowry’s solo vocals.

Arrangements tend to be slow and sweeping rather than quick and energetic. One exception is “Heaven Medley.” Beginning with a mid-tempo march, “When the Roll Is Called up Yonder,” the pace increases as the arrangement progresses through “In the Sweet by and by,” “When We All Get to Heaven” and “We’ll Understand It Better by and by,” finally breaking into a Dixieland swing for “When the Saints Go Marching in.” Another exception is “Blessed Assurance,” which has a gospel shuffle setting and drenches Lowry’s vocal with reverb.

This CD works well on several levels. The lyrics will be familiar to longtime church goers. Fans of Lowry’s serious side should be impressed. Producer Phil Johnson’s meticulous tracks demand attention to the point that the orchestra is almost the feature at times, with Lowry’s vocals as accompaniment. Just keep in mind ­— this CD is more suitable for relaxing than jogging or working out. (By David Bruce Murray)