MP3 Jim Sites - Thank You For The Songs
This album is described basically as Southern Gospel, but the music also introduces praise & worship songs. Each song has a different flavor to it, which creates an enjoyable moment of listening and relaxation.
19 MP3 Songs in this album (63:20) !
Related styles: COUNTRY: Country Gospel, SPIRITUAL: Southern Gospel
Details:
Born and raised near Harrisburg, Pa., Jim grew up in the small town of Marysville. He listened to a lot of Southern gospel music and enjoyed old time preaching under the big top in his younger days. At the age of eight, Jim attended the Salem United Methodist Church. He sang in the choir and performed his first solo during a Sunday morning church service.
Jim became interested in playing guitar after he listened to his uncle play during a musical session at his grandmother''s house. "My uncle taught me three basic cords, and I taught myself the rest."
Jim explains how the Spirit of God entered his life: "I was nine years old, and I remember it was raining heavily when an evanglist came to town. Despite the ugly weather, I got to the service in time to hear the preacher''s message. As he preached about the mercy and forgiveness of Christ, I felt something I never felt before. It was the presence of the Lord. I recall saying to myself, "Jesus, please come inside my heart."
"Then a miracle happened. The preacher gave the altar call. For some reason, I closed my eyes and then felt an invisible presence weigh upon my shoulders. It was as if a huge hand were picking me up and carrying me into the center of the aisle. When I opened my eyes, I found myself walking slowly toward the front of the church. I didn’t know exactly what had just happened, but one thing I was certain of…something supernatural had come into my life that night, and I gave my heart and life to Christ. The first song I ever sang in church was entitled, "Tis Not Far From Jesus". Every word in that song rang true. Christ Is just a prayer away."
Many years later, when Jim was thirty-two, he believed God was calling him into the ministry of preaching the gospel. So after much prayer, Jim participated in a four-year, Ministerial Training Program as an assistant pastor of his church. After his four years of training was complete, The Council of The Full Gospel Church of God wanted Jim to pastor a church in West Virginia, but he knew it wasn’t God’s will at that time. Jim had a severely handicapped son with many health issues and was then facing some difficult challenges at home; so he reluctantly declined the pastoral position.
Not long after his decision, a new opportunity arose and Jim took advantage of it. He was offered an opportunity to become the tenor singer for a well-established gospel quartet called The Brotherhood. Jim accepted the offer and later sang with the group for sixteen months, during which time he spread the word of God in song throughout the United States and abroad. The Brotherhood and another gospel group, The Couriers, sponsored a nine-day cruise to the West Indies. Both singing groups presented musical performances on the cruise ship, as well as the ship''s destination, on the island of Barbados.
Jim adds, "You would think we were famous rock stars, the way all the people rose to their feet and applauded when we sang. The people of Barbados were so wonderful and enthusiastic. During the church service they sang and worshipped God in such perfect harmony. I can truly say that it was definitely my fifteen minutes of fame. That nine-day cruise turned out to be one of the most spiritually uplifting moments in my life."
During Jim''s time with The Brotherhood, he had the opportunity of singing on the radio and performed on a local television station in Lancaster, PA. He also recorded an album with the Brotherhood, "Come On And Smile", and traveled to Nashville, where the group recorded another record album, "We Are Gathered".
Jim recorded an album of his own song material in 2004, "There''ll Be a New Song". He has recently released another CD entitled, "Thank You For The Songs", for which he also composed all the music for. Jim''s new music today follows in the Country and Southern Gospel tradition.
Currently, Jim is working at a local nursing home in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He says, “I definately know where God wants me to be right now. He''s given me a great opportunity of working in a fine nursing home where he continues to use me as his instrument to help others. I feel that God is leading me deeper into the ministry of music, and he''s using this voice He has blessed me with. Singing for the Lord is one of the greatest privileges there is. I will ever humble before him that he may use me as his instrument of worship and praise."