After my sister and I opened the door to country music by accident one night watching GAC, I purchased Josh Turner's CD and enjoyed it so much. Another relative had bought both this CD by Randy Travis and Inspirational Journey. I had not paid much attention to them then, but with my new found interest in the country realm, I listened more closely.

Randy Travis's voice is one of those rare finds in this music world of layering, dubbing, and lip syncing. His pitch purfect clarity makes the musical variety Rise and Shine even more enjoyable. The songs are clearly Christian, touching the heart with their gospel messages. I can't just pick one favorite, because they all sound very good. The lyrics are powerful, Randy's voice is jaw dropping, and the musical arrangements are so well performed they outshine other typical, boring country songs of the day. Three Wooden Crosses received a great deal of attention, and I think it is a fantastic song. But there are many other gems to be found here.

One of the most interesting things I noticed about this album is that there are minimal backup singers and Randy's voice is not digitized once. Now that I'm a Randy fan, I realize it's because he had talent- something which a lot of singers lack. It was he who paved the way for other traditionalists. After hearing some of his earlier recordings, in my opinion Randy's voice has never sounded better. Buy this disc and it will blow you away. Great messages, great arrangements, fantastic voice- what more could you ask for?

Kitka

I have always love Randy Travis's music. I heard 3 Wooden Crosses and several other songs on the CD and knew I wanted to buy when I had the chance. I am anxiously waiting for it to arrive.

My Favorite songs...3 Wooden Crosses, When Mama Prayed, and Pray for the fish to name a few. Great job Randy! When is the next CD coming?

Even though I've never been a huge Randy Travis fan, I knew I had to have this album after I heard "Three Wooden Crosses" on the radio. I figured that if that was the only song on the CD that I liked, it would still be well worth the money. Well, let me tell you- every song on this album is so touching, powerful and just downright good! The first time I heard the song "The Gift" I cried and the first time I heard the song "Pray for the Fish" I laughed. The album truly has made me feel closer to the Lord, and if I ever had a chance I'd say, "Thank you, Randy! You have truly used your gift for the Lord."

Forget all of that religious krap, this is a dam good album.

This album is great! It's great country music, but it's Christian music which is even better! Randy Travis, has a great voice for country and it's great to hear him praise the Lord. This album is a must buy for all country music lovers.