The Kenny and Amanda Smith Band has announced the availability of their latest recording, an all gospel project entitled Tell Someone. It is available online at their website or in person at their shows. There are also audio clips for several songs available on the merchandise page of their site. This is the third band project although Kenny and Amanda did have one CD previous to the incarnation of the band. This newest recording also comes out at a time when they have a couple new band members.

I had the opportunity to discuss the new recording with Kenny recently and asked him a couple questions about it. Here’s what he had to say.

Brance: I don’t recognize the bass player pictured on the new site, who is he?

Kenny: Our bass player is Zachary McLamb. Zak is from Four Oaks, NC. He is the best Bassist I have ever worked with. We’re really glad to have him in the band.

Brance: You recently acquired a new banjo player in a trade that we talked about here on The Bluegrass Blog. Who is playing on this new recording? And who else is featured on the project?

Kenny: Jason Davis is the banjo player on the project. The recording for this project was already complete before Joey Cox joined the band. As far as other players we still have Jason Robertson playing mandolin with us and he is on this recording. We also have a couple of Special Guests on there. Rhonda Vincent is singing on one. Wayne Winkle sings some harmony with us as well, and Daniel Carwile played some great fiddle.

Brance: Tell us a little bit about the project. How did you end up recording a gospel project?

Kenny: We have wanted to record a Gospel project for ten years. Some of our most requested tunes have been the Gospel ones. We feel deeply about this project more, because of the message it brings. One week before we were supposed to cut the rhythm tracks my Dad had a fatal tractor accident. It seems in times like these you are closer to the Lord and depending fully on his strength and encouragement. In the midst of all this we thought it was the perfect time to worship him through song. The same songs that we had prayed about ministering to others were suddenly speaking to my heart right on the spot.

Brance: Wow, that’s powerful. The heartfelt conviction that you really believe what you are singing can really be felt in your music. I think bluegrass fans appreciate that kind of realness in the music. Speaking of the music, what’s your favorite song on the CD?

Kenny: I think one of my favorite songs on the project is Mary Had a Little Boy. It was written by Craig Market. It speaks of a Mom not taking her boy to Sunday school and later on wondering why and where things went wrong. That’s my favorite, but each one of the songs has a personal meaning to us. My cousins wrote two of the 13 songs.

Most importantly I think this CD is a perfect example of what can happen when you step back and let God take control. I think this project will be the most important CD we’ve recorded, and have more impact than any to date.