Leaving something that is comfortable and that you have known for years is never an easy task. However, this is something that Kim Ruppe-Lord had to face a couple years ago. Ruppe-Lord was a member of the most successful female group in Southern Gospel, The Ruppes. After spending her lifetime singing with her family, all she's ever known, God called her to pack her bags and go in a different direction.
After months of prayer and petition before God, Ruppe-Lord encountered upon two verses in scripture. The first was Jeremiah 29:11:
"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" NIV
Then she read in Joshua 1:9:
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." NIV
The second verse she happened upon sealed the deal, and she was out to conquer the world, without the comfort of her mother and sister by her side. Ruppe-Lord, with her husband Michael Lord and friend Kelli Shaw, formed the group LordSong.
When searching for labels, LordSong approached Daywind Records first and foremost. Without much hesitation, the new group signed a recording contract with the mega-label, the first "new artist" to ever be signed to the label's roster. The company saw huge amounts of potential in this new group, and since then, the story just gets better and better.
Soon after the release of their second album, Day Three, Kelli Shaw left the group to pursue other life goals, and LordSong found themselves in a bind. Ruppe-Lord called on an old family friend, Amber Franks, to help fill in while the group found a permanent member. Franks was no stranger to the family, as she filled in with The Ruppes for a year and half. Franks had three days notice and was soon traveling full time, learning new music all the while.
Franks soon joined the group permanently, and the group couldn't be more happy. Franks couldn't feel more comfortable and feels no pressure to live up to the reputation that Shaw had for being a talented vocalist.
In April of 2002, LordSong was invited to perform on the Dove Awards, the only Southern Gospel group to have the distinct honor of performing that year. LordSong was honored and felt it a major moment in the groups small yet growing career.
However, LordSong doesn't have it all good for them. In fact, many Southern Gospel fans see the group as being too "contemporary". It's a troubling concept for the group, whose love and desire is to sing Southern Gospel. They often feel pressure to take a more traditional route with their music, but they have to look at the bigger picture. This is the sound they have, and this is the sound they feel led to sing. Audiences have been touched nationwide by songs like "Day Three" or "If Not for the Old Rugged Cross". Their sound reaches a broader audience, and that's what they are called to do.
LordSong strives for excellence, whether that is their music, ministry or performance. Go to one of their concerts or talk with them on a personal level, and you too will find them to be one of the most unsung heroes in the genre.
LordSong website: http://www.lordsong.org
Author: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Written: 01/01/2003
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Category: Feature Articles
Comments: 9
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Please don't change your sound!!! I LOVE it like it is...I like the progressive sound that you have. You couldn't get better harmonies, and your songs have wonderful messages that promote the Lord and tell of His love. Keep up the great work!
Great sound and group!Sing what God lays on your heart, in the style He has given you.I've sung on some programs with these folks, they truly are awesome.
Hey! I am 15 years old and I think LordSong ROCKS!! I also love The Martins, Sheri Easter, The McRaes, and Lauren Talley! So I guess that all fits together! Anyway let me just echo what Teresa said-- LordSong, please don't change your sound! It is wonderful the way it is!
What an awesome group to be associated with! Mike, Kim and Amber are three of the best artist in Gospel Music and are definitly "Spirit led" in each and every service they participate in. Their love for Jesus definitly shows in service and outside of the service, as well as their heartfelt devotion to seeing the "lost" come to Christ. LordSong can only get better. I look forward to what they have to share with us all in the future. God Bless you all!
Why is it that anytime a group performs music that sounds like it was written after 1955 it gets labeled as "progressive" as if that were a bad thing. For some strange reason there is a large group of Southern Gospel fans out there that feel that if a groups music sounds "new" then it must not glorify God. How sad a statement! Instead of building up and edifying those who have the courage to proclaim the Gospel (whatever their musical genre) we feel the need to tear them down because they don't fit in our little mold of what S.G. music should sound like. LordSong, Keep keepin on! May your ministry be blessed far beyond your wildest imagination. And know that there are fans out there that care far more about an artists heart than the beat of their music.
We had the pleasure of meeting LordSong at a concert in Snead, AL and what an awesome concert it was. We were very impressed by their sincerity and also the way they handled the invitation. They did it in such a way as to be able to pray for those that came to the altar. They showed true love for the congregation and Michael encouraged our group afterward, even letting us hear part of a song he had written. I hope if you get the chance to hear them in person, especially at a church, don't pass up the opportunity!
Lordsong is a very fine group. Someone said a long time ago, that gospel music is the GOSPEL-Set To Music!!! That is what Lordsong does, proclaim the gospel of Jesus in music. That is the only criteria that any should use to "judge" ANY group- old or young, contemporary or traditional. If it does not lift up Jesus- it has no place being called Gospel music of any kind. Thank God for groups like Lordsong and The Martins and others that people want to label because it is obvious in the lyrics they write and sing that they want to lift up Jesus!!!
LordSong - we love you, everything about you - keep taking the message of Jesus wherever you go.
All I can say is Amber Franks... You Rock girl! LordSong has never sound better and I'm so proud to say that I know you and love you! Don't change the sound, then you'll just be like everyone else! :o)
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