Gospel artist gives new CD a twist

The first thing Duane Sikes will tell you about his recently released album: It's not your mama's gospel music.

The Paducah, Ky., artist has worked on gospel albums in the past and said his new album "Divine" is unlike anything he's done.

While the music stands out in its genre, Sikes also said it's unique because of its length: The album has only six songs because he wanted to do "less than a full album but more than an EP," which typically has three or four songs.

"Today, you go out and buy and album that has 12 to 15 songs on it, but you only really listen to six or seven of them," said Sikes. "So I tried to pick what I thought were six of the better songs I could do in the studio."

Listeners know what to expect from the album by listening to the first track. The song is "short and sweet with a cool melody," and Sikes said that sound can be heard in each song.

"I wanted the whole CD to have a reflection of the '60s, with strong melodies and harmonies, but to still sound new and refreshing," he said. "It's something I would want to hear."

Sikes describes the sound as "bold" and said a lot of time was put in at the studio to arrange the harmonies until they were "flawless."

Another trait of the album is its artwork. The album cover features Sikes standing in a field with an embellished guitar and a stormy skyline. The photo was taken in Morley, Mo., on Nov. 17 -- the same day an EF-3 tornado struck Brookport, Ill., about 70 miles east of Cape Girardeau.

Moments after taking the photo, Sikes took shelter in the basement of a nearby church because locals told him funnel clouds had been spotted. Although he didn't receive the news until later that evening, that storm eventually moved through Brookport and devastated the town. Brookport is less than 10 miles from his home, and Sikes said he had many friends in the area and wanted to do what he could to help out.

"Every time I looked at the album artwork, I would see those clouds and think ‘That was headed to Brookport, those same clouds,'" he said. "I'm not looking to get rich from this [the album], that's not what it's about. So I thought, maybe I could donate a portion of the sales."

For each album he sells, Sikes donates $1 to the American Red Cross Brookport Tornado Relief Fund. His album was released a little more than a week ago, and Sikes said as word spreads and sales pick up, he would like to donate more.

So far, he said he's sold albums as far away as Texas and Nevada, and is preparing to ship orders to South Carolina. He's received some radio play in England after submitting his album to Cross Rhythms Radio.

"I told them: ‘I don't want any royalties from this; just play it and see what people think,'" said Sikes. "They seem to like it. They gave me a really great review ..."

Sikes said he has submitted his album to local Christian stations and hopes to hear his songs on the airwaves soon. He also is speaking with Christian bookstores to sell his album.

Those who wish to hear previews of "Divine" or buy the album may visit duane sikes.com. It soon will be available on iTunes, as well, although Sikes said he is encouraging people to order hard copies of the album to raise money for Brookport.

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641

Pertinent address:

Paducah, Ky.

Brookport, Ill.