As America prepares to mark its 250th anniversary in 2026, legendary Southern Gospel group The Inspirations are celebrating the milestone with a new album that traces the deep connection between American culture, faith, and Gospel music.
The group's upcoming Horizon Records release, Songs For Our American Culture, arrives July 24 and serves as both a tribute to the nation's musical heritage and a declaration of the timeless Gospel message that has shaped generations of Americans.
"As America celebrates 250 years of freedom and liberty, we have to ask ourselves the question, what is American culture?" said Inspirations member Roland Kesterson. "From our nation's humble beginning, music has always played a part of our American culture-from the fife and drums on the revolutionary battlefield, to the piano and guitar in the parlors of early America, to the violin, guitar, piano and pump organ in the mountains that laid the foundation for the music that we all love."
Kesterson believes Gospel music stands at the heart of that story.
"And what would American culture be without Gospel music?" he asked.
The album's centerpiece is a special collaboration with Country Music Hall of Fame group The Oak Ridge Boys on the classic song "Jesus Is Coming Soon," a track that carries historical significance for both groups. The song was originally recorded in 1967 by both The Inspirations and The Oak Ridge Boys during the early years of their ministries.
Oak Ridge Boys member Duane Allen praised the quartet's enduring sound and ministry.
"When Isaac, Roland, Luke, and Wyatt sing, it feels like every song was written just for them," Allen said. "Each member owns his lead, and within their harmony is the Inspirations' sound-one that has created its own identity in the history books of Gospel Music. It's a culture of music that is as warm and satisfying as mama's home cooking, and their love for Jesus is embedded in every song and in every note."
Throughout the collection, The Inspirations blend classic quartet harmonies, country influences, and beloved Gospel themes that have long been woven into America's spiritual and musical fabric. Songs such as "O How I Love the Lord," "Eye of the Storm," "In the Shadow of the Cross," "Lord Walk With Me," "One More Valley," "Resting In the Arms of a Never Failing God," and "Home Sweet Home" reflect musical traditions that stretch back through generations of American history.
The album closes with the collaborative rendition of "Jesus Is Coming Soon," which Kesterson says perfectly captures both the album's message and the group's mission.
"Two hundred and fifty years ago, this country began with ministers such as George Whitefield thundering the message from pulpits in the colonies: 'Jesus Is Coming Soon,'" Kesterson said. "And now today, that title embodies the message and mission of The Inspirations."
He added that the song's reunion of The Inspirations and The Oak Ridge Boys carries special meaning nearly six decades after both groups first recorded it.
"How fitting that this song, first recorded in 1967 by both The Inspirations and The Oak Ridge Boys, now, so many years closer to His coming, has served to bring us all together, proclaiming the same message louder and stronger than ever before," he said.
Founded in 1964 in Bryson City, North Carolina, The Inspirations have become one of Southern Gospel music's most enduring and influential groups. Their long list of chart-topping hits includes "Jesus Is Coming Soon," "Touring That City," "When I Wake Up To Sleep No More," "Jesus Is Mine," "My Name's Already There," and "Sea of Forgetfulness."
As America approaches its semiquincentennial celebration, Kesterson says the album is intended to remind listeners not only of where the nation has been, but also of the hope that lies ahead.
"This album, which pays tribute to our American culture, is a reminder of where we came from," Kesterson said. "But it is also a statement of where we are going: 'One Nation, Under God, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice For All!'"
Songs For Our American Culture will be released on July 24 through Horizon Records.
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