There’s a new trio mashup to herald the Christmas holidays. Spiritual soul singer Bryan Andrew Wilson has teamed up with 90-year-old gospel music legend Dorothy Norwood and Darrel Walls of the Grammy® Award nominated The Walls Group for a bluesy, retro-styled, A Wonderful Child,” a variation of the traditional, “Jesus, What A Wonderful Child.”
The soulful track is featured on Wilson’s first holiday album, Jingle Jams (Bryan’s Songs / The Orchard), that releases in December. It was produced by Wilson’s brother, Aaron Wilson. Aside from fronting his group, Ther’Up.Y, Aaron is also the drummer for the Kilborn Alley Blues Band.
“There’s this old song by The Caravans that I used as my inspiration to arrange this song,” he says. “I don’t know the name of it but it’s something about this being a mean world to live in. My aunt used to sing the song at church, and I always remembered that kind of bluesy feeling. So, it’s cool that one of The Caravans is on the song along with Bryan and Darrel. I think it’s a throwback to that classic gospel era.”
Wilson is celebrating the 30th anniversary of his first recording “His Eye is on the Sparrow” with the Mississippi Children’s Choir as a child back in 1994. Over the years, the song has earned millions of streams and online views.
In recent years, Wilson has enjoyed Billboard chart hits such as “Turning Away,” “Overflow” and his Billboard Top 5 smash, “The Ride.”
Dorothy Norwood’s career began as a member of Albertina Walker’s trailblazing group The Caravans in the 1950s. Later, she launched her solo career with a series of sermonette songs that earned her the title as The Storyteller.
Along the way, she’s toured with both Mahalia Jackson and The Rolling Stones. Among her many traditional-styled gospel hits are “Somebody Prayed for Me,” “Shake the Devil Off” and “Victory is Mine.”
Darrel Walls is the eldest of eight children and one of the most buzzed about voices in contemporary gospel music. He and three of his siblings Ahjah, Rhea and Alic formed The Walls Group in 2009.
They have recorded four albums that include hit singles such as “And You Don’t Stop,” “My Life” and “I Need You.” Darrel has done guest vocals on several high-profile recordings such as PJ Morton’s “The Better Benediction” and other recordings with VaShawn Mitchell, Travis Greene, and Jonathan McReynolds, among others.
