Dr. Mark A. Williams – One Touch (EP)

Dr. Mark A. Williams
One Touch: The Reconciled Series (EP)
Independent (release date: March 29, 2024)

By Robert M. Marovich

As an otolaryngologist and founder of the Voice Care Center of Nashville, Dr. Mark Williams knows a thing or two about the voice. A singer, he lends his own vocals in service of the Lord. His first post-pandemic release, One Touch, is a three-track EP and the first issue of a planned three-volume succession of releases called The Reconciled Series.

Williams’ voice is a pleasant and full-bodied baritone that is equal parts gospel and R&B. Each of the EP’s selections is radio-sized, with background vocalists and a solid band of musicians supporting Williams. “We Bless Your Name” is a conventional P&W workout. “Forever and Always” is a mid-tempo ode of gratitude for the Lord’s goodness in Williams’ life. The latter could have benefited from a duet on the level of Williams’ “When a Man Worships,” which featured the similarly-voiced Darwin Hobbs.

The title track is the most energetic and best-sung track on the EP, and the one with the greatest potential for radio. It recounts the story of Jesus and the woman “with the issue of blood” that Sam Cooke turned into a gospel hit for the Soul Stirrers in the 1950s as “Touch the Hem of His Garment.” Both compositions reason that taking one’s problems to Jesus will make everything all right. This same premise is behind The Reconciled Series. One Touch is a decent-enough intro to the three-part series, with the remainder available this summer and fall, respectively.

Three of Five Stars

Pick: “One Touch”