Like a gentle spring rain after a long, hard winter, comes a sweet and unexpected surprise. Simple Gifts is a timely treasure of favorite hymns lovingly offered by master singer-songwriter, guitarist Billy Crockett and seasoned cellist Dirje Childs.

These two well-respected musicians recently met and started recording for “the sheer joy of recording music” for Billy’s mother, who had been isolated during the pandemic. The end result is Simple Gifts, for all to enjoy. 

Whether you believe in a higher power or God or the simple fact that there is so much good that we have—if we only open our minds and hearts—you will find inspiration from this recording. Clear as a mountain stream, gentle and sweet, pure and nostalgic, this album delivers songs of comfort, hope and healing. It’s a fresh reminder of the gifts of each new day—the universe continues to give, God is good, and we are loved. 

Like heirlooms re-discovered in a grandparents’ attic, and dusted off, these old favorites shine like gold. Timeless standards re-imagined, including classics like “We Gather Together,” “For the Beauty of the Earth,” “Nearer My God to Thee,” “O Love That Will Not Let Me Go” and “Be Still My Soul”—offer calm and resolute strength for these times of chaos and confusion. It’s a respite from the noise. 

The album’s highlight is “Simple Gifts,” a traditional Shaker song that Crockett makes his own, delivering each note with grace and elegance. Childs’ cello enters and fills the empty heart with soulful reverence. The interplay is breathtaking, stunning—healing. 

Maybe you will be reminded of your childhood, or maybe you will remember a simpler time when black and white movies moved at a slower pace. Either way, thank you—Billy and Dirje, for responding to the desperate cry of the soul, while reminding us of a fountain of hope that is here, now—if we only choose to open our eyes. 

With guitar, cello and voice, the album title says it all in just two words. Simple. Gifts. 

— M Music & Musicians magazine