Canaans Crossing Archives - Bluegrass Today

Hannah Black to Canaan’s Crossing

Canaan’s Crossing, a bluegrass/Gospel group based in Alabama, has welcomed Hannah Black to the band on fiddle.

The 19 year old college freshman won a state championship in high school as a member of the Arab High School Future Farmers of America string band. She is the sister of Canaan’s Crossing guitarist Joshua Black, and is starting with the band right away.

Black takes the spot recently vacated by long time fiddler and vocalist Tina Miller, who has left for an opportunity in Tennessee. Vocalist and band spokesman Tim Maze tells us that they feel grateful to have found such a capable replacement, and notes that Tina was Hannah’s fiddle and voice teacher.

“We all are sad to see Tina leave the band but she has a great opportunity that you will be hearing about in the days to come. We are just thankful that we were able to find her replacement in our hometown.”

Hannah is delighted to join up with her brother and the rest of the guys in Canaan’s Crossing.

“I am so excited and very thankful for the opportunity to be a part of this group. I pray that the Lord uses this for His glory and His glory alone. Excited to begin this journey!”

The band is completed by Drew Long on banjo and Andy Wilks on bass. They have a total of five CDs of their music available, and perform regularly at churches in northern Alabama and adjoining regions.

Drew Long back to Canaan’s Crossing

Alabama’s Canaan’s Crossing has announced their reunion with a former bandmate, Drew Long, who has returned to the banjo position following the recent departure of Collins Miller.

Miller, who had played with the group the past two years, is the son of Tina Miller who plays fiddle and sings with the group. He has since moved up to eastern Tennessee to work with The Darrell Webb Band.

Drew returns to the spot he held with the band from 2010-2014. Look for him on stage with Canaan’s Crossing starting next weekend in Upton, KY at the WJCR Radio Bluegrass Gospel festival.

Tim Maze, who plays bass and fronts the show, welcomed Long back to the fold, and shared a word of thanks for Miller.

“We would like to thank Collins for the great job that he did while he was a member of our band. His future is nothing but bright and we wish him all the best.”

You can keep up with Canaan’s Crossing online.

Canaan’s Crossing 15th Anniversary reunion

Alabama’s Canaan’s Crossing marked a significant milestone recently when they celebrated their 15th anniversary with a celebration at their home church, Hopewell Missionary Baptist in Arab, AL.

Current and former members got together to pick and sing together, and Tim Maze shared this photo of the whole gang together. Pictured are: (standing) Steven Sims, Andy Wilks, Tina Miller, Keith Cannon, Tim Maze, Joshua Black, and Damion Kidd; (kneeling) Collins Miller, Drew Long, and Roman Locklear; (seated) Jr. Saint; (seated in front) Josh Palmer, Jacob Moody, and Wayne Burgett.

Current members are Tim Maze on vocals, Collins Miller on banjo, Tina Miller on fiddle, Andy Wilks and Joshua Black on guitar, Damion Kidd on reso-guitar, and Jacob Moody on bass.

Their most recent CD, Words, is still charting in both Singing News and Cashbox.

Damion Kidd to Canaan’s Crossing

Canaan’s Crossing has welcomed reso-guitarist Damion Kidd into the band, filling the spot vacated by mandolinist Josh Palmer.

Bassist Tim Maze says that the band has had their eye on Kidd for some time, and recently decided to try replacing a mando with a reso, as a number of bluegrass bands have done over the years.

“On our 2006 project, Side by Side, we had a guest dobro player on a couple of songs and we never forgot how we enjoyed it. That player was Damion, and when we decided on using an instrument other than mandolin, we gave him a call to see if he was interested.

After some prayer and family discussion, he gave us the nod last week. We are more than excited.”

In addition to Maze and Kidd, Canaan’s Crossing consists of Tina Miller on fiddle, Drew Long on fiddle, and Andy Wilks on guitar.

Miller is also looking forward to working with their newest member.

“I have known Damion since we were kids jamming at festivals and I would place him at the top of the list of dobro players. He sounds awesome with us.”

Look for a new Canaan’s Crossing single coming soon.

Words from Canaan’s Crossing

Canaan’s Crossing has released Words on the Song Garden label, their first recording in three years.

This is the sixth album for this noted bluegrass Gospel group, based in the northern Alabama community of Arab. The band is led by bass player and lead vocalist Tim Maze, with the assistance of Drew Long on banjo, Drew Wilks on guitar, Tina Miller on fiddle and lead vocals, and Josh Palmer on mandolin.

The first single from Words is Somebody’s Blessing, sung by Miller, which can be heard in this video.

Tina said that while three years was a long time between albums, it has all worked out for the best.

“We believe the wait was worth it because we were able to collect 10 great songs from many of the industry’s noted writers such as Kenna West, Ashley Welborn and The Easter Brothers.

Plus it allowed a couple of our members, Drew Long and Josh Palmer to hone their songwriting craft with two songs that are included in the CD.”

Radio programmers can download tracks for airplay from Music To Radio. Words is available for sale from the Canaan’s Crossing web site, where all 10 songs can be streamed.

Canaan’s Crossing at NQC

Bluegrass Gospel Group Canaan’s Crossing picked up two awards during last month’s 2011 National Quartet Convention in Louisville, KY.

They were named New Artist of the Year and also won Song of the Year for Dying to Live from their latest project, Beautifully Broken during the Front Porch Fellowship Awards. Choices for these awards are based on fan votes, and are specifically for bluegrass Gospel artists.

The Arab, AL group consists of Tina Miller on fiddle, Tim Maze on bass, Josh Palmer on fiddle, Andy Wilks on guitar, and Drew Long on banjo.

Canaan’s Crossing release sixth album

The five-piece bluegrass Gospel band Canaan’s Crossing recently announced the release of their second Song Garden Music Group album.

The self-titled collection (Song Garden SG-6023), which came available on July 1, consists of 12 songs mixing some songs that you have heard before with original material. Among the former category are Praying, Talk About Suffering, Gloryland, Palms Of Victory and The Best Is Yet To Come. There’s A Man In Here, a song written by Harold Reid and recorded 30 years ago by the Statler Brothers may ring a bell also.

The original material includes Give Me A Song To Sing, written by Vickie Dobbins, who the members of Canaan’s Crossing heard at a church concert one night. Another original, Goin’ To Heaven, was written by a local minister of music, Steve Lacey. Other songs on the project, Rain Fallin’ Down, Battle Scarred Soldier and I’m Going Over are personal favorites. In keeping with past practice an instrumental track is included; in this instance it’s a Tina Miller composition, Leavin’ Despair.

Tim Maze, bass player and lead vocalist, looks back with a lot of satisfaction ‚Ä¶‚Ä¶..

“In the first full week that the project had been released sales were ahead of our other recordings, so we feel blessed with the economy being as it is that sales are as good as they are.

It is not a cliche to say that we feel this is our best recording ever because we truly feel that it is. This is our first project with our new mandolin player, Keith Cannon. He has brought so much to the table with his creativity and work ethic. The old saying that greatness comes when you surround yourself with good people and he is one that brings out the best in all of us.”

Canaan’s Crossing came into being in 2006; prior to that the same personnel had sung under the name Jordan River. The individuals concerned are the afore-mentioned Tim Maze, Tina Miller (fiddle), Andy Wilks (guitar), Wayne Burgett (banjo) and Keith Cannon, filling on mandolin for the indisposed Junior Saint. They come from the small North Alabama town of Arab.

In 2004 they were nominated for the Dove Bluegrass Album of the Year award with There’s No Other Way and in 2006 for the Traditional Gospel Group of the Year by SPBGMA.

Audio samples from Canaan’s Crossing can be found on the band’s web site.