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As I sat here pondering what I could possibly write that would be new for the New Year, I couldn?t help but think about all the conversations on the various message boards and E-mail lists concerning the future of Southern Gospel Music. It seems that there are two camps of discussion. One camp seems to think that our genre of music is on its last leg and there is no talent around to carry on the tradition into future generations. The other camp seems to think that Southern Gospel has a great future and young people are lining up do get involved and that there is some great talent coming up through the ranks. I tend to follow the thinking of the second camp. I can?t help but see a very bright future for Southern Gospel Music. I told someone the other day, who was trying to tell me that young people just aren?t interested in Southern Gospel Music, that old fellas like me don?t have a chance of getting into a full time group, because of all the young people who are lined up to audition as soon as an opening pops up in groups. Just look around at the new groups forming, such as Soul?d Out, Heritage, and The McRaes. Then look at all of the recent young talent that has emerged in the past few years. Great voices like Josh Garner, Misty Freeman, Scott Inman, Eric Phillips, Amber Thompson, Lauren Talley, and Christian Davis, are but a few. Not only are there plenty of young people infiltrating the industry, but look at the young groups who are just making strides into their potential, such as The Journeymen Quartet, Crossway Quartet, LordSong, Paid In Full, The Anchormen, 3 For 1, and let?s not forget the Crabb Family. Almost every old time group that I can think of has young people replacing those retiring, such as The Florida Boys, The Melody Boys, The Dixie Echoes, Gold City, Palmetto State Quartet, Booth Brothers, and the list goes on and on. Another exciting happening in Southern Gospel Music is the growth of the music schools. Every music school that I can think of is continually enlarging both their attendance and curriculum. Now let?s think about all the new groups that have hit the field running, and are making a lasting impression on the industry. How about HisSong and Three Bridges, and don?t forget Signature Sound, New Ground, and the New Speer Revival. I am excited about all this new talent that is emerging into our genre. This is a new year, and I say let?s show enthusiasm for the potential that Southern Gospel Music has. There is more talent than we can shake a stick at and we have no reason at all to be down in the dumps or negative about the future of Southern Gospel Music. In the past two years, we have lost some great heroes of our genre, and for that we are saddened, but don?t give up hope, because the halls are filled with young new talent that are waiting in the wings. Will they be another James Blackwood, Hovie Lister, Glen Payne, or even Howard Goodman? Certainly not, but these youngsters will make their own impressions on the genre, and while they will not replace our older heroes, they certainly will keep the genre going in fine fashion. I am excited about the future of Southern Gospel Music.

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