Sandi Patty has often been known as "the Voice" for good reason.  While many think that as long as they can caterwaul to sky scraping heights and as long as they can hold their syllables longer than Whitney Houston, they have proven their sonic artistry.  This is why after so many seasons of American Idol, X Factor and the Voice, how many of these alumni are still around making music?  Even those who are barely successful fall away after a few tepid releases.  Sandi Patty knows that there is a fine line between singing loudly and singing well.  And it all has to do with loving your craft so much that you inhabit in every single note allowing each nuance to give its individualistic expression rather that to try to sing every note as if it were a shouting contest.  This is why Patty is such an endearing artist. She has had a career that spans across thirty years with numerous Dove and Grammy Awards.  She has done it all:  she has cut countless contemporary Christian records, a jazz-standard record with Kathy Troccoli, two duet albums, a children's record and not forgetting 2011's "Broadway Live" collection.  To add further heft to her already impressive CV is that Patty has also written and published eight books.

Like her former duet partner Kathy Troccoli, Patty has returned to her mother's milk that first brought her to the dance.  "Everlasting," exclusively available at Target, is a collection of worship tunes and hymns done in an intimate acoustic setting.  Tipping this album to greatness is Patty's creativity in her choice of material. She is adventurous enough to include contemporary worship numbers such as Matt Redman's recent no. 1 "10,000 Reasons" and Gateway Worship's "Revelation Song" to traditional chestnuts such as "How Great Thou Art" and "The Lord's Prayer."  And she stretches far beyond the worship oeuvre to tackle country crooner Vince Gill's "Go Rest High on the Mountain" and Art and Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Waters." The album starts rolling with the hymn "God and King" or more commonly known as "All Creatures of Our God and King."  Patty's rendition is understatedly simple nested in the tender caresses of piano, strings, percussion and guitar with the showcase on Patty's passionate delivery.

Lightly coated just with strings and choral songs, Patty's version of "Revelation Song" teaches worship leaders that sometimes it does not need an avalanche of electric instrumentation to bring out the impact of worship.   Matt Redman's "10,000 Reasons" is hands down one of modern worship's finest anthems in the lofty tradition of Wesley's "For a Thousand Tongues to Sing." Though some may fault this Redman's call to worship as garrulous, but can the praise of God ever be accused of being extravagant?  Patty's piano reading is indeed heartfelt but somehow one misses the pounding militant drum sounds of the original when the song speaks about praising God for ten thousand more years after one's death.  It's a challenge to lift one's finger away from the repeat button when it comes to Patty's take of Dottie Rambo's "He Looked Beyond My Faults."  Listening to the soothing tinkling of the piano backing, the simmering B3 organ sound and Patty's measured yet powerful re-telling of our Lord's grace is just stunning.  While many have covered the hymn "In Christ Alone," few have ever included all the verses.  Pay attention especially to the words, they are formative as far as our faith is concerned.

Two interesting covers are worth mentioning:  first, "Go Rest High on the Mountain" is Vince Gill's serotinal ballad that he wrote as an eulogy to the late Keith Whitley.  It doesn't take a genius to figure out why CMA awarded this song as 1996's "Song of the Year:" the aestival blight for relief from this world's troubles contrasted with the longing for God's grace and heaven has never been more soul-piercing.  Second, Patty re-visits her own no. 1 record "Another Time, Another Place" with pal Wayne Watson.  The titular of this disc "Everlasting" is not hyperbolic; in many ways, these songs are everlasting for they speak of themes of eternal value.  If you are looking for songs with great melodies, worshipfully performed by the Voice without giving you a headache , "Everlasting" will be your long time listening companion.