Luther Barnes & The Red Budd Gospel Choir, I’m Still Holding On | Music Lifts

In the 34th edition of Music Lifts (2024), we’re uplifted by Luther Barnes & The Red Budd Gospel Choir performing, “I’m Still Holding On.”

Welcome to Music Lifts , a column highlighting songs that encourage, inspire, and uplift the spirit; songs exuding fortitude, positivity, and resolve, even in the face of adversity.  Featured songs aren’t genre-specific; songs may or may not be faith-based. The goal is for these songs to make you feel better – be LIFTED to new heights!  So, for the 34^th edition of Music Lifts (2024), we highlight “I’m Still Holding On” as performed by Luther Barnes and The Red Budd Gospel Choir.

“They said I wouldn’t make it / They said I wouldn’t be here today / They said I never amount to anything / But I’m glad to say, that I’m on my way.” Amen! Luther Barnes, the son of the late, great Rev. F.C. Barnes (Fair Cloth), and The Red Budd Gospel Choir dropped a timeless, uplifting song in 1984: “I’m Still Holding On”.  “I’m Still Holding On,” penned by Luther Barnes, appears as the seventh track from He Cares. The song speaks to holding on to God’s hand (“I had to wipe many tears from my eyes / But I’m still holding on /… I’m still holding on this his hand”).

What stands out about “I’m Still Holding On” is the commanding, confident female lead vocals by Deborah Barnes (cousin of Luther). Deborah brings the gorgeous, tuneful melodies to life.  She’s backed by strong accompaniment courtesy of piano, organ, and strings.  After she sings the verses speaking to the adversities faced and retaining faith despite it (“You see when I was young, I gave God my hand / And I told him to lead the way”), the powerful choral vocals of The Red Budd Gospel Choir support her superbly. In the end, Deborah and the choir assert thrice, “(I Will never) I will never let (I’ll never let go of His hand) go of His hand.”  The five-minute-plus “I’m Still Holding On” masterfully speaks to the power of faith.

Luther Barnes // He Cares // Atlanta International // 1984

Luther Barnes & The Red Budd Gospel Choir, I’m Still Holding On: Music Lifts No. 34 (2024) [: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Atlanta International; Monstera Production, Qamar Rehman, RDNE Stock Project, Thomas Ronveaux, Wolrider YURTSEVEN from Pexels; OpenClipart-Vectors, Quốc Hùng Hầu from Pixabay]