Since Tony retired after over 50 years of life ‘on the road’ singing country music around the world, he has, since 2011, been involved in helping his friend and event organiser, Paul Wheater, at his annual Whitby Gospel Music Convention, by compering and singing at all the shows during this wonderful event. Here on this album you will hear an 18 track compilation of some of the most requested and popular country flavoured gospel songs he has recorded over the years, and which he often sings when appearing at the Whitby Convention, held in the 1,000 seater Pavilion in this beautiful seaside town in North Yorkshire, U.K. There is no doubt that the title track of this album ‘The Old Rugged Cross’ remains one of the most popular of all the songs he has recorded. When you hear the first few notes of Tony’s version, played on piano by top Nashville session musician Bunky Keels, followed by the backing vocals of Curtis Young, Sudie Baker and Rita Figlio, recorded when Tony was in Nashville back in 1978 putting down tracks for his album ‘Mr. Country Music’, you know you are about to hear something really special. ‘No Such Place as Heaven’ (track 2), an original song written by award winning British songwriter Geoff Ashford, was always one of Tony’s most requested songs wherever he sang. Along with top session singer Patti Vetta, Geoff adds his harmony singing talents to this song, which also features the pedal steel guitar and dobro of Maurice Hipkiss. Geoff also wrote ‘Say a Prayer for the Lonely Ones’ (track6), written in 2013 and recorded by Tony the same year, and ‘Throw Down a Line’ (1984). Having sung traditional country music for most of his life, it will be of no surprise to find several songs on this album which have been successful recordings for some of his own favourite artistes and songwriters. ‘Why Me Lord?’ by Kris Kristofferson (track 4), ‘Wings of a Dove’ by Ferlin Husky (track 7), and ‘Three Wooden Crosses’ by Randy Travis (track 17). Tony used to sing ‘Scarlet Ribbons’, learnt from his 78rpm record purchased as a teenager in 1957, and ‘I’m Gonna Sing, Sing, Sing, a Hank Williams song, which was included in the repertoire of his Skiffle group, ‘The Tigers’ that same year. Even before that, and before he bought his first guitar, he used to sing ‘All That Thrills my Soul is Jesus’, a hymn learnt from a 78rpm single recorded by ‘The Scottish Festivals of Male Voice Praise’ he bought around 1954, when he was a member of St. George’s Church Choir in Leeds and a member of Leeds Roundhay Crusaders. Enjoy this selection of favourite old hymns, country gospel standards and original songs, on this new release from Tony Goodacre, and remember to download some of them on cdBaby.com If you want to know more about Tony, visit his website on www.tonygoodacre.com for a full biography from 1938 to the present day, details of all 42 CD releases, many of them re-mastered from vinyl LP albums, and a link to over 30 of his video clips on youtube. In a country music career spanning nearly sixty years, Tony has taken his music worldwide, appearing at major festivals and venues in Australia and New Zealand, including Tamworth, Mildura, Parkes, Auckland and Noosa Heads. In the U.S.A. his appearances include the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Wheeling Jamboree in West Virginia, The Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree, the Grapevine Opry in Texas, as well as other venues in Maryland, Ohio, North Carolina and West Virginia. He also appeared at most of the leading country music festivals in Britain, including Wembley, Brighton, Peterborough and Yorkshire, and the world famous London Palladium, as well as many more festivals and major events in Holland, Switzerland, and Germany He has released over 40 albums including vinyl L.P's, most of which have been digitally converted, and are now available on CD. through his website. Enjoy listening to the music of Tony Goodacre, proud to have been the first recipient of British Country Music's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007. Just log on to his page on CDbaby.com. Download 18 Gospel songs for $9.99 - it's a bargain. Thank you for your support