BACKGROUND NOTES:
| I have seen Buck and Dottie happy about a lot of things that happened to the Gospel Echoes -- like being the first gospel group to tour overseas for the armed forces -- or being the featured group at their great denominational assemblies -- but I believe the happiest I've seen them was the afternoon they told us that Reba, their teenaged daughter, was going to be singing with them. Here is their first album as a family trio and I predict nothing but good for "Those Singing Rambos."
It seems to be a perfect combination of voices, songs, and style. Many of the songs they sing are written by Dottie. She has the gift of putting deep, reverent truths into down-to-earth phrases and titles that give her songs a rare combination of simplicity and depth. Phrases like "show me where you brought me from and where I might have been" or "don't let me faint insight of the gate and just be a castaway" give the Rambos something to sing with deep feeling. And their style is the perfect medium for these songs of feeling. They have an effortless, easy way of singing until it seems they are just picking a song up and laying it on the air. The harmony is close, the solo parts are done with conviction, the attacks are precise, the result is good, inspirational listening. This happy combination of style, voice, and songs make the albums by the Rambos both inspirational and just a genuine pleasure for listening. Buck, Dottie, and Reba along with versatile accompanist Pat Jones seem destined to take their place among the great gospel groups. Bob Benson |