James Metcalf, a local songwriter from Saluda, has written a gospel song that’s on the nation’s top 40 Southern Gospel charts, according to Singing News magazine, Christian Music’s largest publication.

The song, named “The Great Physician’s Hand,” is the latest single of nationally known southern gospel artist Mike Upright, who has scored over a dozen top 40 singles in his 14-year career, including three top-20 singles.

The song is expected to keep climbing into the top 20 charts in future weeks. The Singing News Southern Gospel charts are compiled by airplay surveys of nearly 100 radio stations nationwide, including stations in Maine, Michigan, Florida, Washington, Oklahoma and other states.

Metcalf is no stranger to the national Southern Gospel music industry.

In 2004 and 2005, Metcalf was nominated as a top ten small market Southern Gospel DJ in the fan voted “Singing News Fan Awards.”

The same song, “The Great Physician’s Hand,” was also on the Snow Covered Mound CD of the Bluegrass group The Principles. The CD was nominated in the Gospel Music Association’s Dove Awards as Bluegrass Album of the Year.

Metcalf has had nearly a dozen songs recorded by national and local gospel groups in the past 15 years, including three by Upright. However, this is the first of Metcalf’s songs to make the top 40 charts.

Locally, Metcalf is known as lead singer of the Green River Boys, a Bluegrass Gospel group, and as an afternoon disc jockey for WJFJ Radio in Columbus.