Bridgeport’s Josh Oldaker is still ministering through music. In addition to a pretty extensive road tour consisting of fair, festival and church appearances, he has just released a new CD – and he’s pretty happy about it.

 

“It’s about time. It’s been four years since I’ve recorded an album,” he said. “My last CD – “Breath of Life” - was released in May of 2011, just after I came off my national church tour.”

 

Titled "Timeless Tradition," the new project was recorded at Harvest Gospel Studio in Huntington and produced by John Darin Rowsey.

 

“He ‘s an extremely well-known in Southern Gospel and wrote ‘Singing with the Saints’ which the Gaithers sing,” Oldaker said. “He is associated with Harvest Gospel Studio and the studio recommended I get in touch with him to see if he was interested in producing the album and he graciously accepted and jumped on board, helping me to make it really even better.”

 

Oldaker said he was blessed to record at the studio and work with Rowsey on a project that is dear to his heart. The album features traditional hymns, such as “It is Well with My Soul,” “Standing on the Promises,” “Through it All” and a medley of old-time religion tunes.

 

“You can always draw back to the old hymns. I love the contemporary Christian music. I love both styles, but rather than putting songs on the album that people have never heard before, I wanted to do these old hymns that the writers wrote entirely with their whole hearts,” he said. “There’s so much compassion. They wrote them, sharing trials they were going through in their lives and sometimes there’s nothing better than going back to remembering those times, especially as we look at our nation today. It’s my personal opinion that we’re in peril and we’ve really strayed from the tradition that our faith was built upon.”

 

The recording project also features a song that was very special to his grandfather, Robert “Butch” Oldaker, who passed away just over a year ago.

 

“That song is ‘Why Me Lord’ by Kris Kristofferson. It was Papaw’s song. I really wanted to get my dad, uncle and myself all together to sing it, but unfortunately he passed away before we could do that,” Oldaker said.

 

There are meaningful stories behind some of the other selections on the album, too, he said. In keeping with the simplistic, traditional theme of the CD, it was Oldaker’s choice to not feature elaborate instrumentation, but rather just include keyboard and guitar music, which was contributed by Craig Noble and Mark Stevens, respectively.

 

The CD will be available for purchase at all of Oldaker’s upcoming appearances, which are listed on his Web site. Included is today’s West Virginia Blackberry Festival in Nutter Fort where Oldaker will be singing at 3 p.m. He will also be playing the Taylor County Fair at 7 p.m., Aug. 12 and the Doddridge County Fair at 5 p.m. Aug. 22, opening for some pretty big names in gospel/contemporary Christian music.

 

“At the Doddridge County Fair, I’ll be opening for Big Daddy Weave and at the Taylor County Fair, I’ll be opening for Plumb,” he said.

 

At 6 p.m. on Aug. 30, a CD release party will be held at Trinity Assembly of God in Fairmont, where he is presently employed. It’s a position that works perfectly with his music ministry, he said.

 

“I’m the receptionist and assistant to the worship pastor, Jeff Nichols,” he said. “I’ve been here since February and it’s been a blessing working with him, just doing whatever he needs done.”

 

It’s been enlightening to Oldaker to see church projects develop.

 

“Usually we only see the final product, but working with a worship leader who is diligently seeking the Lord and his wisdom is a blessing,” he said.

 

The release event will be ticketed, but there is no charge for the tickets. A love offering will be collected to benefit the outreach ministry of Trinity Assembly of God. Tickets can be reserved ahead of time by calling the church. They will also be available at the door. 

 

In addition to a new job and a new CD, Oldaker has a new son, six-month old Caleb. Perhaps that latter addition has stirred the most change in his life, he said.

 

“That changes everything. You just learn to adapt when you’re out there sharing music,” he said. “Usually when we’re traveling within an hour, my wife and son go along, but beyond that, they stay home. For the most part, he just tags right along and is pleasant and content.”

 

Read more about Oldaker’s music and travels or request his music at your event by visiting www.josholdaker.com.