Acclaimed country singer/songwriter and guitarist Jimmy Fortune delighted fans by announcing the concert DVD release of his God & Country album, available now. Hosted by gospel singer/songwriter Bill Gaither, the 90-minute DVD showcases Fortune’s rich tenor with a warm and intimate performance of all-American classics and soul-stirring hymns. The companion CD of the same title was released in May.
In creating God & Country, Fortune was moved by a deep desire to celebrate the wonder of America, express his gratefulness to God and – today more than ever – send out a message about the love that unites us all. Working with noted producer Ben Isaacs and a lineup of Nashville’s most talented musicians and singers (including Gordon Mote, Greg Ritchie, Joel Key, Kelly Back, Jimmy Capps, The Isaacs, Sydni Perry, Mike Rogers, and Charlotte Ritchie), Fortune offers up beautiful renditions of some of the most beloved tunes in the American songbook.
Fortune describes making the musical selections for God & Country as an emotional journey on which he dug deep to discover the songs that have shaped this country. From patriotic classics such as “God Bless America” and “Battle Hymn of the Republic” to gospel songs such as “The Old Rugged Cross” and the Stuart Hamblen classic “It’s No Secret What God Can Do,” Fortune and the artists who accompany him deliver a warm and inspiring performance that serves as a reminder of the common threads that run through this country.
The performance also includes a new song titled “Meet Me at Arlington” that was co-written by Fortune and Dave Clark. The two men had seen a news story about a video featuring a young man wearing a Marines shirt who became the subject of an anti-military diatribe by his teacher.
The news program interviewed a Gold Star mother who had lost her son in Afghanistan, and the woman expressed her wish that the teacher could meet her at Arlington National Cemetery so she could introduce him to her son. The deeply emotional song was born out of that mother’s heart-wrenching request.
A country boy from the hills of Virginia, Fortune toured with the Statler Brothers for 21 years, writing multiple number one hits for the band (including “Elizabeth,” “Too Much on My Heart,” “My Only Love,” and “More Than a Name on a Wall”) before setting out on his own. In 2003, Fortune released his first solo album, When One Door Closes, to great acclaim.
Since then, he has recorded and released numerous albums, teaming up with Gaither Music in 2015 to release Hits & Hymns. That album was a wild success, charting at Number 10 on the Billboard Country Chart, Number 1 on the Southern Gospel Chart, and Number 6 on the Billboard Contemporary Christian Chart. Fortune’s work has earned him spots in both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Gospel Hall of Fame.
Watch the trailer for God & Country here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MISMQLAQTtQ
Purchase the God & Country CD/DVD here: http://store.gaither.com/DVDJFGC.item