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Monday, June 2, 2025

"HOW GREAT THOU ART" AUTHOR PAUL BETHEL & MUSICIAN ERSKINE KNOWLES


"HOW GREAT THOU ART" IMPROMPTU MUSICAL GET TOGETHER BAHAMIAN AUTHOR PAUL BETHEL & MUSICIAN/SINGER/SONGWRITER ERSKINE KNOWLES

A good friend of ours, Bahamian author Paul Bethel, stopped by yesterday afternoon and he and Erskine had an impromptu musical get together, singing "How Great Thou Art". They had never sung together before, but Paul sings in his church.

THE BACKGROUND TO THIS BEAUTIFUL HYMN:

Young Swedish Pastor Carl Boberg and some friends were walking home in 1885 to Mönsterås from Kronobäck, Sweden, where they had participated in an afternoon church service. A thundercloud appeared on the horizon and lightning flashed across the sky. Strong winds swept over the meadows and billowing fields of grain.

The thunder pealed in loud claps. Then rain came in cool fresh showers. In a little while the storm was over, and a rainbow appeared. 

When Boberg arrived home, he opened the window and saw the bay of Mönsterås like a mirror before him. From the woods on the other side of the bay, he heard the song of a thrush and the church bells were tolling in the quiet evening. It was this series of sights, sounds, and experiences that inspired his writing of the song "O Store Gud" which became the Christian hymn “How Great Thou Art”.

The English version of the hymn and its title are a loose translation by the English missionary Stuart K. Hine from 1949. The hymn was popularised by George Beverly Shea and Cliff Barrows during Billy Graham's crusades.

It was voted the British public's favourite hymn by BBC's Songs of Praise. "How Great Thou Art" was ranked second (after "Amazing Grace") on a list of the favourite hymns of all time in a survey by Christianity Today magazine in 2001 and in a nationwide poll by Songs Of Praise in 2019.

(Source: Wikipedia).

Sung here by guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Erskine Knowles from The Bahamas and Bahamian author Paul Bethel.

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Saturday, May 31, 2025

“IF THE GOOD LORD (NEVER GOES ON HOLIDAY)” NORRIS CARROLL/RANNY KNOWLES


Just had to share this cover song by my husband Erskine Knowles, as it's such fun!

“IF THE GOOD LORD (NEVER GOES ON HOLIDAY)”

This is a popular song from The Bahamas. Written, Arranged and Produced by Norris Rex Carroll. Performed by “Randolph “Ranny” Knowles & The Revolutions. Released 1974.

Famous Bahamian entertainer and singer Nita Ellis, daughter of the renowned Count Bernadino, also recorded this song.

Acoustic cover by guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Erskine Knowles from The Bahamas.
Research and recording by Erskine's wife Fay, an author, long-time resident of The Bahamas and originally from Scotland.

If you like Fay and Erskine's videos, tips would be much appreciated! Here's the link to drop a few dollars! -
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Monday, May 26, 2025

COMING SOON - AN ILLUSTRATED CHILDREN'S BOOK SET IN THE BAHAMAS




COMING SOON

Fay is a Scottish-Bahamian author 🌍✍️ about to make her debut in children's literature with an enchanting illustrated book set in The Bahamas 🇧🇸📚. Stay tuned for a delightful splash of creativity! 💦✨ She is married to Bahamian musician Erskine Knowles 🎶❤️ and has lived in The Bahamas for decades. Discover her published works at Amazon.com/author/fayknowles and follow her blog at fayknowles.blogspot.com. 📖🌟




Wednesday, May 21, 2025

MICHAEL ROW THE BOAT ASHORE – COVER BY ERSKINE & FAY KNOWLES


"Michael, Row the Boat Ashore" is a traditional spiritual first noted during the American Civil War at St. Helena Island, one of the Sea Islands of South Carolina. The song was sung by former slaves whose owners had abandoned the island before the Union navy arrived to enforce a blockade. Charles Pickard Ware was an abolitionist and Harvard graduate who had come to supervise the plantations on St. Helena Island from 1862 to 1865, and he wrote down the song in music notation as he heard the freedmen sing it. Ware's cousin William Francis Allen reported in 1863 that the formerly enslaved Black Americans sang the song as they rowed him in a boat across Station Creek.


The song was first published in 1867 in Slave Songs of the United States by Allen, Ware, and Lucy McKim Garrison. Folk musician and educator Tony Saletan rediscovered it in 1954 in a library copy of that book and introduced it into the American folk music revival.

The best-known recording was released in 1960 by the U.S. folk band The Highwaymen; that version briefly reached number-one hit status as a single. (Source: Wikipedia). Peter, Paul and Mary also recorded this song.

Acoustic cover by guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Erskine Knowles from The Bahamas and his wife Fay, an author, long-time resident of The Bahamas and originally from Scotland.

Erskine often struck up this song at parties and gigs throughout The Bahamas and attendees loved to join in the chorus!


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Sunday, May 18, 2025

FREE BOOK - DEADLY DECEIT IN PARADISE!


FREE BOOK!

🌟 **Limited Time Offer!** 📚 Grab your FREE copy of "Deadly Deceit In Paradise," Book Two in the Buchanan Mystery Romance Series by Fay Knowles! Offer ends at midnight on Monday, May 19th (Pacific Time). Don’t miss out—get caught up before the launch of the third book in the series! Hurry! DEADLY DECEIT IN PARADISE FREE (substitute your country code if necessary)



Thursday, May 15, 2025

"ALWAYS MARRY A WOMAN UGLIER THAN YOU!" - IVAN CLAUDE (ANTIGUA & BARBUDA 50'S/60'S)

"ALWAYS MARRY A WOMAN UGLIER THAN YOU" 
IVAN CLAUDE (50’S/60’S)

Ivan Claude from Antigua and Barbuda wrote and performed the calypso song "Always Marry A Woman Uglier Than You" back in the late fifties or early sixties. Many Bahamians sang it here in The Bahamas. It was a great success.

One day, not too long ago, Erskine was asked by a young Bahamian man: "How can I find the right woman?!" He jokingly replied by saying: "Always marry a woman uglier than you!" quoting from the old calypso song by Ivan Claude.

Acoustic cover by guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Erskine Knowles from The Bahamas.
Research and recording by Erskine's wife Fay, an author, long-time resident of The Bahamas and originally from Scotland.

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Tuesday, May 13, 2025

60 YEARS OF LOVE: SECRETS TO A LASTING RELATIONSHIP PART FIVE - WEDDING PREPARATION

 

60 YEARS OF LOVE:
SECRETS TO A LASTING RELATIONSHIP 
PART FIVE: WEDDING PREPARATION

🎉 Welcome to Part Five of our love story - Wedding Preparation! I'm Fay, and this is my husband, Erskine Knowles. ️ We met in Nassau, Bahamas, back in September 1965. 🎸 Erskine is a talented guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter from Long Island, Bahamas, while I'm an author and a singer, born in Stirling, Scotland. After spending years in England, I moved to Canada but quickly escaped to The Bahamas to avoid the brutal winter after just four months. 🌎 I thought I’d only be here for three months, ready to travel the world, but then I met Erskine after just a month! 💍 Nine months later, we were married in this beautiful paradise. Who knew a chance encounter would lead to a lifetime together? 🥰

Did you watch Parts One, Two, Three and Four? Much more to come!

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