Biography

Formed in 1989, The Churchmen began singing together in local churches when God personally called them into their music ministry. The band has released six albums prior to "On The Journey Home," their first on the Pinecastle label and certainly their best project thus far. Steve Martin is the songwriter of the bunch, and he contributes the catchy, upbeat opener "Get Onboard," and three other numbers. The album also includes some hard-driving traditional bluegrass, and standards like Lester Flatt's "Bouquet in Heaven," and Don Reno's "Springtime in Heaven." The classic Homer Eanes, Jr. song, "In His Arms (I'm Not Afraid)" clearly shows that The Churchmen strive for material where the message is paramount. A Reno and Smiley cover,
"He Will Forgive You," features a nice blend of lead vocals by Martin, accompanied by Rakes' tenor.
"On The Journey Home" is a credit to the songwriting and song selection abilities of Steven Martin, who does a commendable job of expressing his attitudes and views. An excellent day and good feelings resulted in the songsmith penning "Get Onboard." The slow ¾-time ballad, "He Paid It All," presents a heartfelt message for a world full of sinners. With "When He Calls Your Name," Martin emphasizes a traditional sound, something that would capture the spirit of the fifties at a Stanley Brothers show, by also using a triple time accenting the first beats. The song, "Keep Me Free From Every Sin," gave Martin considerable difficulty during its composition, but an additional verse and having Keith Clark sing it brought it all together.
This album will allow them to influence many by "sharing the good news of Christ through music." Their energy and enthusiasm are infectious, and The Churchmen show people that gospel music and being a Christian are fun and exciting. As a result, they're building a considerable fan base - primarily because they play good traditional sounding bluegrass gospel music, and that's simply what many people want. - Joe Ross