Hello to all our friends! This is the tenth "issue" of our email newsletter. If you don't want to receive the monthly newsletter, please click here and put "Unsubscribe" in the subject line. 

Where do I begin? God has done so many incredible things this month, and we've been so many wonderful places, I don't know where to start. I guess the best place is with the new album. We have been hoping and praying that God would make a way for us to get into the studio again and record a new album. Our last album, entitled "Travelin' with the Gospel Sounds", was recorded nearly 30 years ago. Well, after all the praying that was done, an avenue opened up that we were sure was the way God was taking us. It was more expensive than what we wanted, but the company was reputable, so we scheduled a date in the studio and began trying to raise the money to pay for the project. This became a lesson in "God will provide" because we did everything we could to pull the money together and everything we tried failed. As the scheduled date drew closer, we realized that we were not going to be able to raise the money. It was at this point that I received an email containing a news release about an artist that had just been signed to a new Southern Gospel record label called "Revival Wind". I was curious about this new label, so I went to their website, and God began to work.

What caught my attention about their website was their focus on ministry instead of money. As I looked through the site I felt drawn to contact them, which I did. After a few introductory emails back and forth, Revivial Wind offered us a chance to record at a rate much less than the other company we had been dealing with. A few days later we had a signed contract and the Original Gospel Sounds became Revival Wind recording artists. Not long after that, God really stepped things up, making the funds we needed available. Then the folks at Revival Wind began their promotional efforts, and as a result the Gospel Sounds are tentatively scheduled to sing in one of the showcases at the National Quartet convention. We've already been in the studio once, and as of this writing we will be in the studio on August 12th and again on August 19th. The current plan is to have the project finished and "on the street" before the National Quartet Convention in September.

But now for the best part... you'll want to be sitting down for this one. Sometime ago, an evangelist preaching at our home church stopped in the middle of his preaching, pointed a finger at me and said, "You have unrealized dreams; God is giving you another chance to live your dreams." Well, I was floored by that, but then later on a message in tongues and interpretation was given that said, "The time for your songs was not then; but their time is now." You see, when I was with the Sounds 30 years ago, and then a short time after that, I had written several songs that had been collecting dust on the shelf. I hadn't done a thing with them. Well, when the folks at Revival Wind told me what they wanted to call our new album, I almost shouted. They knew nothing of that interpretation, but they told us they wanted to title our project: "The Time Is Now". If that doesn't get the goose bumps running up your arm, I don't know what will. I'm writing all this not so you will think, "Wow, these guys are really fantastic!", but rather to engourage all of you who are praying for God to do something in your life. I can tell you from experience if you will be patient God will make His promises true to you. Be encouraged; don't let circumstances bring you down. Keep your faith and keep running toward the prize, and God will make it happen for you.

As a final confirmation of what God can do, on July 11th, the Gospel Sounds stepped out on a stage at the RiverPark Center in Owensboro, Kentucky and sang to a crowd of nearly 1,000 people, the largest crowd we have ever sang to. GOD WILL DO WHAT HE HAS PROMISED IN YOUR LIFE! I can't wait to see what He is going to do next. Please keep praying for us that we will follow God's leading. We don't want to be just performers on a stage; we want to be ministers for Him.

On another note, in July we had a great time with Pastor Jack Stout and congregation at the Ingalls Church of God in Ingalls, Indiana. We also had the opportunity to visit with the folks at the Shelburn (Shall-Burn) Church of God for their 4th of July celebration, and what an awesome service we had there. July also found us in Illinois, first at the Harvest Temple Church of God in Decatur with Pastor Larry Comer and congregation. Pastor Comer is an old friend of the Gospel Sounds and it was great to see him and his family again. Later that day, we were in service at the Clinton Church of God in Clinton, Illinois with Pastor Jeff DeLaughter and congregation. That service was a "gullywasher" of a service!

Also in July, we were able to visit with Pastor Lida Bain and her congregation at the Tabernacle of Worship in Brandednburg, Kentucky; later that day we were at the Meade County Fair, and had a really fun time there. We video taped that service and may make it available as a DVD sometime in the future. We closed out the month of July with Pastor Phil Culbertson and congregation at Christ Corner Church in Henderson, Kentucky. Pastor Phil (we used to call him "The Bishop"; now, thanks to the outfit he was wearing that morning, we call him "The Blizzard") has been a huge help to us, playing bass for us as we search for a full-time bass guitarist. We had such a great time at all of these churches and thank each and every one of them for allowing us to come and be in service with them

We have many events coming up that we are excited about. For a full list of our upcoming events, please see our events page, or set up your free account at Gospel Gigs and get email notices of where we are going to be. Our Gospel Gigs website is: http://www.gospelgigs.com/showpage.asp?groupid=gospelsounds.

There is much more to come. Be sure to watch our website for more updates and information. Until next month, God Bless You!

David East