“I grew up in a little church in the Appalachian Mountains,” Smith writes in the record’s liner notes. “If there’s a cloth I've been cut from, songs like these are the thread. They are my inheritance.” 

“How Great Thou Art” finds Smith singing from the heart in a slow-burn setting with a soulful band leaving ample space for him to stretch out vocally. “It set the tone for the album,” he says. “When Tommy [Sims] brought me the arrangement, I couldn’t have dreamed how great it would be — this up-tempo version with long, soaring notes.” 

Smith has been praised for his octave-skipping prowess and his pitch-perfect delivery; and within this glorious, modern vintage backdrop he shines majestically. Other album standouts include “The Blood,” “Oh Happy Day,” “What a Friend Medley” and “His Eye Is on the Sparrow.”

The People’s Hymnal, out February 21, 2025, is co-produced by guitarist-producer extraordinaire Colin Linden (Lucinda Williams, the McCrary Sisters, also the primary music producer, songwriter and musician for ABC’s hit show Nashville) and Tommy Sims, who co-wrote Eric Clapton’s GRAMMY-winning song, “Change the World” and has worked with everyone from CeCe Winans to Bruce Springsteen. It is a contemporary gospel, pop-tinged album that showcases the dynamic breadth of Smith’s vocals with a collection of stirring arrangements that are familiar yet reimagined. 

Smith first gained national recognition when he won season 9 of the singing competition “The Voice” in 2015. Shortly after, he made history on Billboard’s Christian Charts by being the first artist to hold the top two positions concurrently. Smith’s first album debuted at No. 2 in sales in the iTunes Store. In 2018, his song “Ashes” was recorded by his idol, Celine Dion, for the Deadpool 2 soundtrack. He has been honored by his hometown as a Kentucky Colonel and named “Kentuckian of the Year.” Recently, Smith placed third in the esteemed American Song Contest.

Track Listing:   

1. Oh Happy Day   
2. How Great Thou Art   
3. I Surrender All   
4. Nothing But the Blood of Jesus   
5. Great Is Thy Faithfulness (Lord Unto Me)  
6. Where Could I Go   
7. His Eye Is on the Sparrow   
8. What a Friend Medley (What a Friend We Have in Jesus / ‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus / Amazing Grace / Will the Circle Be Unbroken)
9. The People’s Hymn (Precious Lord, Take My Hand / Bridge Over Troubled Water / You’ve Got a Friend )

About Gaither Music Group:

One of the largest independent Christian music companies in the world and a household name for millions of fans, Gaither Music Group (part of Sun Label Group, which encompasses Gaither Music, Sun Records, Green Hill, emeraldwave by Green Hill and Rural Rhythm), in partnership with Primary Wave Music Publishing, is known worldwide for its award-winning and top-selling recordings including the Gaither Gospel Series, of which 133 products have been certified gold, platinum or multi-platinum.

Gaither Music Group developed a strategic partnership with Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® in 2008; and its alliances with Capitol Christian Music Group, Virgin Music Label & Artist Services, Universal Music Group and Time Life Music remain bedrocks for the company. Most recently, the Gaither Music TV YouTube channel crossed the 3.7 Billion life-to-date streaming benchmark and hosts more than 3.5 Million subscribers.