This "is the story of sisters, unified in faith, sharing their experiences with each other." So declares the purpose statement of the latest installment of the popular Sisters series, Sisters: The Story Goes On. The Sisters projects were conceived and have grown from Gail Hamilton (of Warner Alliance) and Janice Chaffee's (Thomas Nelson author) desire to acknowledge and honor the significance and impact of Christian sisterhood. Collecting support and input from some of the industry's most talented female vocalists and songwriters, Sisters brings together artists from a variety of musical styles. Those continuing their involvement with this series are Yolanda Adams, Maia Amada, Lisa Bevill, Cynthia Clawson, Ashley Cleveland, Tanya Goodman-Sykes, Bonnie Keen, Babbie Mason, Donna McElroy, Cindy Morgan, Janet Paschal, Tata Vega, Kathy Troccoli, CeCe Winans; while first-time contributions are made by Joanna Carlson, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Beverly Crawford, Da'dra Crawford and Nee-C Walls of Anointed, Annie Herring, Crystal Lewis, Nicol Smith, and Angie and Debbie Winans.
Sisters: The Story Goes On follows along the same path of encouragement established on the initial recording, and is again driven by a strong lyrical content. The title track, which features the amazing harmonies of Ashley Cleveland, Kathy Troccoli, and Beth Nielsen Chapman, crystallizes the heart and desire of this endeavor-to remind us that Christ calls us to community, and that "we need each other's stories for survival."
We are all living proof Of the power of truth One by one we pass it along The story goes on We all have a story we can tell Like the woman at the well Whether great or small And the chapters written in our hearts May help someone through the dark.
Beverly Crawford and Cindy Morgan advocate transparency to their "sisters" with "Don't Hide the Scars:"
Everyone must go Through dark nights of the soul And bear the pain and all the wounds That life can bring... Don't hide the scars Don't be afraid to let them show 'Cause someone who hurts will see themselves in you There is healing in knowing you're not the only one.
It is evident that each song selected offers a powerful message, in addition to words of hope.
Musically, despite the fact that the artists on the project represent diverse musical genres (R&B, soul, pop, southern gospel, and country), producer Cheryl Rogers uses a polished, pop/adult-contemporary format throughout. While this gives the project cohesiveness and continuity, I feel that it sacrifices any sonic originality and interest that she could have drawn by highlighting any of the cornucopia of styles and influences she had present. Certainly pleasant enough, the melodies lack the substance and outstanding quality of the lyrics. Much of the musical backdrop either gets overly familiar upon repeated plays or sounds rather reminiscent of other songs from the outset.
Sisters: The Story Goes On meets a need that we all have-a need to know that we are not alone, that others know our struggle, and that others share our longings. While I hope future Sisters projects strive for more musical creativity, I must commend the merit and importance of their focus. May Gail Hamilton and Janice Chaffee continue to spearhead this worthy cause; and may more women join them as they "celebrate the strength in the power of prayer, the security in the love of Christ, and the joy found in sisterhood."
