If you grew up with country radio in the late ’90s and early 2000s, there’s a pretty good chance Mark Wills provided part of the soundtrack.
“Wish You Were Here.” “I Do (Cherish You).” “Don’t Laugh at Me.” And, of course, the six-week No. 1 “19 Somethin’,” a song that somehow managed to turn an entire generation’s childhood memories into four minutes of country radio perfection.
Now, some 19 Somethin’ years later (ok, more like 24), Wills is looking all the way back to the music that came way before the 1980s.
On November 6, the Grand Ole Opry member will release Grand Ole Revival through Gaither Music Group, a new live collection of country gospel classics recorded where a project like this probably should be recorded: standing inside the historic Grand Ole Opry Circle.
And Wills brought a few friends along.
Cody Johnson. Trisha Yearwood. Vince Gill. Ricky Skaggs. Rhonda Vincent. Jamey Johnson. Travis Tritt. The Oak Ridge Boys. The Isaacs. Charlie McCoy. Gaither Vocal Band. Bill Anderson. Mae Estes. Rebecca Lynn Howard. Leona Williams. The Sound. Jim and Melissa Brady.
The album was recorded live on the Opry House stage and is only the second live audio album recorded inside the Grand Ole Opry House since 1970… somethin’.
There are plenty of albums that attempt to recreate the warmth of old country gospel records. Grand Ole Revival doesn’t have to manufacture much of anything. These are songs deeply connected to the roots of country music, performed by artists who have carried that tradition forward, recorded on one of the most important stages in the history of the genre.
For Wills, though, the connection goes back even further.
“Ever since I was a little kid, the very first music that came into my life was hymns, so it means a lot to me to be able to sing some of the songs I’ve loved my whole life,” Wills says. “In more than 30 years of making music, I’ve never experienced a tracking session like this one.”
Recording those songs inside the Circle only added another layer.
“Recording them live in the Grand Ole Opry circle made this project even more special since that has rarely occurred in its 100-year history,” Wills continues. “I think this project reflects that time-honored history and tradition that makes The Opry such an important part of country music.”
The first taste of the project is available now with “The Baptism of Jesse Taylor,” featuring Jamey Johnson, Charlie McCoy and Gaither Vocal Band.
It’s a fitting introduction to an album built around the place where country and gospel have always intersected: great songs, great stories and the idea that redemption is worth singing about.
Grand Ole Revival Track List
- “The Lily of the Valley” — feat. Cody Johnson
- “I’ll Fly Away” — feat. Ricky Skaggs & Rhonda Vincent
- “How Great Thou Art” — feat. Trisha Yearwood
- “The Baptism of Jesse Taylor” — feat. Jamey Johnson, Charlie McCoy & Gaither Vocal Band
- “Because He Lives” — feat. Vince Gill & Rebecca Lynn Howard
- “Victory in Jesus” — feat. The Isaacs
- “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus” — feat. Mae Estes & Ben Isaacs
- “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” — feat. Leona Williams, The Isaacs, Jim Brady & Melissa Brady
- “I Saw the Light” — feat. Travis Tritt & The Oak Ridge Boys
- “Mansion Just Over the Hilltop” — feat. The Sound
- “Look for Me for I Will Be There Too”
- “Grand Ole Revival” — feat. The Isaacs
“The Baptism of Jesse Taylor” is available now, with Grand Ole Revival arriving November 6 through Gaither Music Group.
And Gary LeVox Has Found “Paradise”
Wills isn’t the only familiar country voice showing up on the Gaither roster.
Gary LeVox , the unmistakable voice behind Rascal Flatts, has also released a new song through Gaither Music Group, “Paradise.”
Written by Rudy Perez and Chaz Bosarge and produced by Perez, “Paradise” leans into the intersection of country and inspirational music that has increasingly become part of LeVox’s solo career.
“At our best, we’re a nation that comes together through hope, compassion, and faith,” LeVox says. “That’s the spirit I wanted ‘Paradise’ to capture.”
For CCM readers, LeVox’s presence here shouldn’t be particularly surprising. Following two decades and 17 No. 1 singles as the frontman of Rascal Flatts, his solo career has repeatedly explored music rooted explicitly in faith, including his Christian project ONE ON ONE.
And after reuniting with Rascal Flatts for the Life Is A Highway Tour in 2025, LeVox continues to balance that enormous country catalog with new music of his own.
“Paradise” is available now on digital streaming platforms.


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