Karen Peck and New River

Karen Peck and New River Release Journey of Joy - First New Southern Gospel Album in Two Years
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Tim_Eutin]Tim Eutin

Karen Peck and New River have released their first new album in over two years. The album is entitled, "Journey of Joy". I spoke with Southern Gospel music's favorite soprano, Karen Peck - she has been nominated for Favorite Soprano eighteen years in a row! - on the day that Journey of Joy was released.

The first thing that I noticed about Karen Peck was her hearts desire to reach people with the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. From her heart , the Word comes forth, both in her music and in her speech. Her gentle, humble spirit comes through in all that she speaks and sings.

I asked Karen Peck about the first single released to Southern Gospel radio from the Journey of Joy album. The song is entitled Last Night. "Last Night" was written by a very wonderful friend of mine, she's also a great songwriter. Her name is Marsha Henry. She wrote the song that Jeff and Sheri (Easter) sing "Roses Will Bloom Again" and co wrote the song we sang years ago, "God Likes To Work When Nothing Else Does". She's also written a lot of other great Gospel songs.

"She has been very sick and the doctors haven't been able to diagnose her, so for a year she hasn't been able to work and she's just been really down and out. She wrote this song, 'Last Night' and called me and said 'Karen I've written a song I think you might like.'

Karen said that the first time that she heard the demo that she began to weep. She recalled how when they were in the studio recording the song that the Spirit of God fell on the studio and they "had church". "The only thing I can compare it to is when we recorded the song, "Four Days Late" in the year 2000. Four Days was so powerful in the studio and we had a similar situation with "Last Night", recalls Karen Peck.

"Last Night" as well as most of the songs on "Journey of Joy" have a rather progressive sound. The songs are definitely Southern Gospel but also show growth from her last album, "Good To Be Free". Karen commented, "We want to always grow in the Lord and as we grow in the Lord then every area of our lives seems to grow and get better. Our constant prayer is 'Lord let these songs minister to someone's heart'".