Laymetha – Cornerstone

Laymetha
Cornerstone
(private press) 2009
www.laydsingproductions.com

Laymetha Reed-Guy of Chester, Virginia pursued a pop career, writing and performing her own songs. She won a major competition and even had a Capitol Records contract in hand nearly twenty years ago, but nothing ever happened. She turned to singing gospel almost immediately, and hasn’t looked back since.

Her most recent project, Cornerstone, is a short, simple CD, a no-frills reading of traditional gospel songs with contemporary flair. Laymetha is the kind of straight-ahead singer who opens a gospel program and gets the congregation warmed up and in the spirit.

While she is a songwriter, Laymetha chose for this project to include all classics, such as “Sweet Hour of Prayer,” “Since I Met Jesus,” and “Because He Lives.” Her accompaniment is traditional as well, with piano, organ drums and bass laying down the musical foundation.

The CD concludes with soundtracks for four of the songs so you can sing them yourself…but bring your own lyrics, because the liner notes do not include them.

Three of Five Stars

gPod Picks: “Because He Lives.”

Reviewed by Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.