Spiritual To The Bone is one of the most popular musical groups in the history of the Salvation Army. Chief arranger, Stephen Bulla, writes: "Great things happen when trombone players get together. On the occasion of our first recording, six individuals, all from different backgrounds, came together with two principal interests in common. All played the trombone, and all were associated with the Salvation Army in the USA Southern Territory. All six of us found ourselves crossing paths frequently as performers and instructors at various Salvation Army summer music schools. These impromptu groups ranged in size from simple duos to large choirs playing hymn tunes or chorales for evening vesper services. These spontaneous ensembles planted the seeds for our first recording - Spiritual To The Bone."

One notable performance opportunity became available when the trombone section of the 1990 USA Southern Band was featured on a British tour. From this success came the suggestion for a full-length recording, featuring some of the "Army's Own" in specially written arrangements for trombone ensemble. This would be an opportunity to showcase the group's virtuoso technique and feature the unique talents of jazz soloists like Herb Bruce and Eric Alexander.

The idea of using a collection of well-known spirituals appealed to both sacred and secular audiences. And as Christian musicians working together, we wanted to satisfy our own corporate desire to spread the Christian gospel through this medium.