Album Review of
Walk On Faith

Written by Joe Ross
November 3, 2022 - 10:57am EDT
Review Rating Star Review Rating Star Review Rating Star Review Rating Star

The King James Boys from Cowpens, South Carolina (near Spartanburg) heard their calling to a bluegrass gospel music ministry about three decades ago. Formed in 1994 at their Mountain View Baptist Church, they were first known as the King James 1611 Boys, named after that edition of the Bible first published in 1611. They later dropped the “1611” from their band name. Despite a few personnel changes over the years, original band member Randy Spencer (guitar, vocal) has kept the band going strongly. Besides Randy, the current lineup includes Cole Spencer (bass, vocal), Will Hart (mandolin, vocals), Curtis Lewis (banjo, guitar on “Save Me”), and Joshua Green (fiddle, vocals).

A handful of albums established The King James Boys’ early commitment to presenting music that emphasizes His glory and power. In 2015, they released their “20 Year Compilation” album which featured highlights from their previous eight albums. 2016’s release was called The Little End of Something Big. In 2018, The King James Boys released Time to Go Home album on the Pinecastle label, and they followed that in 2020 with Living on a Promise (on the Mountain Fever label).

Now, in 2022, Walk on Faith offers eight tracks of gripping contemporary material.  Written by James Metcalf, "The Devil's Not Afraid of a Dust Covered Bible" is an up-tempo standout track receiving considerable airplay. “Save Me,” “When the Judgment Comes” and their own self-penned “Nail Pierced Hands” also offer some clear direction and advice.  The latter was written by Randy Spencer, along with David Mabry (the band’s former banjo and Dobro player). While they admit that the road's been long, The King James Boys continue to play and minister with a diverse bluegrass gospel repertoire. (Joe Ross, Roots Music Report)