Larry A. Smail's Blog

The CD cover shown above featured within this blog site entry is called, “Quiet Time Gospel.” This selection of sixteen gospel/ traditional hymn songs came about through an interesting discussion.

Currently, Laurie and I have been attending the Kittanning Free Methodist Church which is actually several miles from Kittanning, Pennsylvania. Their site is: https://www.kittanningfmc.org/ The church has some great people and friends. The covid issue caused some problems with the attendance numbers, but I understand many churches have been struggling with regaining their numbers.

The pastor of this church presently is, Jeremy Andrews. We get along fine. He is a kind, compassionate man. However, I am not so much…haha.

Recently, he discussed the possibility of myself playing a non-amplified acoustic guitar during a time he refers to as Quiet Time. This is the reasoning behind the title of the CD. I tried doing the guitar a couple of times and was not happy with my sound, so I suggested another option of doing some songs on a CD to use in my place. The pastor was receptive, and I hurriedly made a CD of sixteen songs. I purposely arranged the songs to be in an easy listening style. I did four to eight tracks per song with various acoustic and electric guitar work, bass guitar and keyboards. So, in the few minutes prior to a prayer time one of these recorded songs are played softly during the Quiet Time.

As an afterthought, I decided to take these songs and add some light drum work for a more completed sound on a CD which is the result shown above. I had taken some photographs the previous week of Canada Lilies and thought one of those pics would make for an attractive CD label.

I am currently in the arrangement and recording stage of another Quiet Time CD featuring some more “contemporary” gospel songs.