Music

One man following his appearance on America’s Got Talent: All Stars is again showing off his stunning and beautiful voice in a powerful new video.

Tom Ball, a 24-year-old high school teacher from England, previously stunned all three judges with his dazzling performance of Simon and Garfunkel’s beloved classic, “The Sound of Silence.”

Now, Tom has released an original video on YouTube of him singing the song. The video, much like Tom’s voice, is compelling. The video shows the political unrest that abounds in the world and several people suffering silently in different situations. People are hurting in our world, as the video shows. 

Once again, Tom’s rendition of “The Sound of Silence” is awesome! At approximately the 1:30-minute mark, Tom shows off his amazing vocal range as he hits those high notes. 

What a voice!

Tom does the song more than justice while also managing to make the tune his own, which is always hard to do, especially with something that is so recognizable.

This talented young man has a bright career ahead of him. The Lord has blessed him with a ton of musical talent. 

On YouTube, under the video, one of Tom’s former students offered their praise and admitted how everything still seems a little odd.

“This is so weird, less than a year ago I was being taught by Tom and now he’s got thousands of fans… Great Job Mr Ball!” the user commented. 

Tom’s unlikely and surprising rise to international fame and acclaim shows that you never ever know what God has in store. He is always working and always moving. 

Be sure to watch the video to hear Tom’s lovely voice and to view the video's startling and powerful images. 

Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

The Lord has blessed everyone with different skills, talents and interests. This scattering and dispersing of abilities among individuals help keep life interesting and fresh. Life would get seriously tedious and boring quickly if everyone had the same likes, dislikes and hobbies. 

One group of young people blessed with an abundance of musical talent is the Cotton Pickin Kids. In one of the latest videos posted to their YouTube channel, the children take to the stage for a performance of “Slemish Mountain.”

Fans of bluegrass and instrumentals will be pleased as the kids play the catchy and toe-tapping tune. The video begins with one man introducing the kids to the audience and away the kids go as they strum on and pluck their instruments!

The kids play the violin, banjos and bass guitar with an expert level of skill and precision, never missing a beat throughout their nearly 3-minute performance! 

God has obviously blessed these children with the skill to make beautiful sounds that delight the ear! 

Others commenting on the video also praised the young musicians for their outstanding performance.

“Fantastic guys, you just keep getting better and better!” one person wrote.

“Not just a kid’s band. Bonafide outstanding musicians! I’m from Mississippi but willing to give a big Roll Tide!” a second person commented. 

“Excellent!!! Bravo! I really enjoyed that piece. Well played. Thank you All.,” a third person posted. 

While the children’s skill level and performance are impressive, it’s even more so given the young age of the performers. How good will they be in 2 years, 5 years or even 10 years? It will be interesting to watch and see where and how far this group of talented young people go in their musical careers. 

James 1:17 “Every good and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no fickleness, neither shadow of turning.”

Check out singing duo Jake and Shelby as they perform “Don’t Know Why,” and you may wonder why you’ve not heard of them already! 

These two are amazing! The music is simple and beautiful; the video is subtle and appealing. 

Jake & Shelby, the pop singing and songwriting duo from Nashville, Tennessee, originated in February 2022, according to one of their FaceBook posts. 

In that year, they have gained many followers on their social media platforms and had lots of fun making music together. Their goal is to “show others that they are never alone,” bringing people together with the songs they write and perform. 

Jake and Shelby are clearly young, and they seem so utterly natural. His stellar, curly man bun and her gorgeous, dreamy eyes grab viewers’ attention immediately. Their black combat boots  tapping in unison, Jake’s gentile smile, the gentle sweep of her hair, and even the chipped polish on her nails are super endearing!

With regard to the music, these two don’t need anything fancy. Her voice is beguiling, and his guitar is the perfect accompaniment! They both demonstrate such ease and comfort with one another and the music, definitely doing Nora Jones proud!

“Don’t Know Why” was written by Jesse Harris, but it was Nora Jones who recorded the song in 2002, earning “Don’t Know Why” three Grammy Awards in 2003. The song’s first verse goes as follows:

I waited till I saw the sun
I don't know why I didn't come
I left you by the house of fun
I don't know why I didn't come 

The song tells the story of one person in a couple who doesn’t want to be alone but who cannot commit to committing. It’s kinda sad! 

Jake and Shelby state on their website that they are best friends. They love playing music and doing just about anything else together. Whether there is a romance between them or not—and it looks like there is—they are certainly musicians that many will fall for!  

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7

A majority of people love the familiar and enjoy being surrounded by what they know. Home, for most, is that special place. It’s often where what is near and dear to us resides. If that’s the case, who doesn’t want to return home?

The group Celtic Thunder beautifully sings a song about that yearning and desire to go to where our hearts are most at peace: home. In addition to being surrounded by a friendly environment, the lyrics make it clear they long for the people who reside in their hometown.

In the clip on YouTube, each group member walks onto the stage to applause. Each group member then sings a verse by themself. Then the five guys blend their voices together and delightfully harmonize on the chorus.

“Oh take me home
Oh to the people
I left behind”

While the tune is short and sweet with a very straightforward message, the lyrics are written with expert-level precision and vivid detail. The lyrics paint listeners a picture of a home in a secluded area, separated by a body of water, mountains and dust-covered lands.

The songwriter’s words immediately bring about images of a small rural area where life is uncomplicated, where everyone knows everyone and helps one another when possible. It sounds very much like something Norman Rockwell would have painted. 

The song’s lyrics are reinforced by the stage and the setting seen in the video. The stage is very minimalistic. The screen behind the vocalists and the accompanying band of musicians is a dark blue hue. Several trees can also be seen in the background as well.

The song is enjoyable as its lyrics draw upon nostalgia and the memories of days and years past, a time when life was much simpler. 

Be sure and give the song a listen!

Psalms 95:1 “O come, let us make songs to the Lord; sending up glad voices to the Rock of our salvation.”