David Bruce Murray's Blog http://david.sogospelnews.com/ en feedback@musicscribe.com Copyright 2007 2007-02-16T03:56:00-06:00 Statesmen As Puppets…Too Funny http://david.sogospelnews.com/index/david/comments/6775/ Alan Kendall found this clip on You Tube and linked to it from his blog. I don't think there's too much in the way of explanation required. Just watch it. Southern Gospel Music blog.



I don't think there's too much in the way of explanation required.



Just watch it.



]]> 2007-02-16T03:56:00-06:00 EH&SS: SG or “CCM?” http://david.sogospelnews.com/index/david/comments/6423/ Over on AMGS, they're gearing up to wrestle over a favorite chesnut...is Ernie Haase & Signature Sound "Southern Gospel" or "Contemporary Christian?" This question never fails to amaze me. The only people who ask it are either deliberately being rhetorical, trolling (trying to start a prolonged debate), or only have a vague idea of what really distinguishes SG from "CCM." (I put "CCM" in quotes just now, because in truth, CCM isn't one particular style.) If you've listened either to SG or Contemporary Christian for more than a few hours, then you should already know the answer. It's quite obvious EH&SS is Southern Gospel. You have four men singing harmony in a traditional style. You have a piano player who tells silly jokes. Audiences laugh anyway. Here's a question to ponder...what contemporary group is anything remotely like EH&SS? Regarding this "dancing," the Statesmen did the same sort of thing in the 1950s, so that certainly can't be labeled as contemporary. (I put "dancing" in quotes, because I think there should be some sort of fluid grace to a movement before you can call it "dance." Herky-jerky marionette motions don't qualify.) Gold City, the Hoppers, Jeff/Sheri Easter, and many other prominent SG groups have a very modern, progressive sound compared to Signature Sound, yet no one ever questions whether or not these groups are SG. EH&SS' new CD/DVD is titled "Get Away, Jordan," and yes, it's the same song the Statesmen and more recently the Dove Brothers popularized...it's hard to get more traditional than that. Colored lights and a rat's nest for a hair-do are not enough to make a group "CCM." It's rather funny, but also somewhat sad to read a statement about being separate from the world in the context of winning the world for Christ. Someone on AMGS recently said that about EH&SS. They shouldn't be doing this sort of stuff to get fans, because it's adopting things of the world, and that means they aren't being separate. Yes, we are to be separate from the world in terms of our values, but one of those values we ought to hold dear is fulfilling the Great Commission. The apostle Paul tried to relate to each group of people in a context they'd best understand. As long as we maintain standards of modesty and decency in our appearance and the things we do, we ARE being separate in the way that scripture requires. It's just downright silly to gripe about groups doing "dance steps" and using dry ice on stage "like the world." How is that possibly offensive to a fellow Christian or to God? EH&SS are entertainers. Their appearances are ticketed, and people must expect to pay if they expect to see them. Consumers must also pay if they want a CD. They wouldn't draw a crowd if they didn't possess certain skills and appeal as entertainers. At the same time, the message of the Gospel is very clear in their concerts and on their recordings. An individual would have to be a complete dunce to miss out on the message in a song like "Oh What A Savior." This is a song some of us long-time SG fans have heard until we're tired of it, but many fans of EH&SS are hearing for the first time. If you're a long-time SG fan, do you remember the first time you heard that song? Did you remember the song or did you get distracted by Hovie, Jake, etc. cutting up during other parts of the show? Or maybe you first heard it by the Cathedrals when it was George and Glen who cut up during the show. Of course, you still remember the song. What is the point in grumbling about insignificant stuff like lights, hair, dry ice and "dancing," if those tools are being used to attract new fans to traditional quartet music? Southern Gospel Music Over on AMGS, they're gearing up to wrestle over a favorite chesnut...is Ernie Haase & Signature Sound "Southern Gospel" or "Contemporary Christian?"

This question never fails to amaze me. The only people who ask it are either deliberately being rhetorical, trolling (trying to start a prolonged debate), or only have a vague idea of what really distinguishes SG from "CCM." (I put "CCM" in quotes just now, because in truth, CCM isn't one particular style.)

If you've listened either to SG or Contemporary Christian for more than a few hours, then you should already know the answer. It's quite obvious EH&SS is Southern Gospel. You have four men singing harmony in a traditional style. You have a piano player who tells silly jokes. Audiences laugh anyway.

Here's a question to ponder...what contemporary group is anything remotely like EH&SS?

Regarding this "dancing," the Statesmen did the same sort of thing in the 1950s, so that certainly can't be labeled as contemporary. (I put "dancing" in quotes, because I think there should be some sort of fluid grace to a movement before you can call it "dance." Herky-jerky marionette motions don't qualify.)

Gold City, the Hoppers, Jeff/Sheri Easter, and many other prominent SG groups have a very modern, progressive sound compared to Signature Sound, yet no one ever questions whether or not these groups are SG. EH&SS' new CD/DVD is titled "Get Away, Jordan," and yes, it's the same song the Statesmen and more recently the Dove Brothers popularized...it's hard to get more traditional than that.

Colored lights and a rat's nest for a hair-do are not enough to make a group "CCM."

It's rather funny, but also somewhat sad to read a statement about being separate from the world in the context of winning the world for Christ. Someone on AMGS recently said that about EH&SS. They shouldn't be doing this sort of stuff to get fans, because it's adopting things of the world, and that means they aren't being separate.

Yes, we are to be separate from the world in terms of our values, but one of those values we ought to hold dear is fulfilling the Great Commission. The apostle Paul tried to relate to each group of people in a context they'd best understand. As long as we maintain standards of modesty and decency in our appearance and the things we do, we ARE being separate in the way that scripture requires. It's just downright silly to gripe about groups doing "dance steps" and using dry ice on stage "like the world." How is that possibly offensive to a fellow Christian or to God?

EH&SS are entertainers. Their appearances are ticketed, and people must expect to pay if they expect to see them. Consumers must also pay if they want a CD. They wouldn't draw a crowd if they didn't possess certain skills and appeal as entertainers.

At the same time, the message of the Gospel is very clear in their concerts and on their recordings. An individual would have to be a complete dunce to miss out on the message in a song like "Oh What A Savior." This is a song some of us long-time SG fans have heard until we're tired of it, but many fans of EH&SS are hearing for the first time. If you're a long-time SG fan, do you remember the first time you heard that song? Did you remember the song or did you get distracted by Hovie, Jake, etc. cutting up during other parts of the show? Or maybe you first heard it by the Cathedrals when it was George and Glen who cut up during the show. Of course, you still remember the song.

What is the point in grumbling about insignificant stuff like lights, hair, dry ice and "dancing," if those tools are being used to attract new fans to traditional quartet music?

]]> 2006-11-29T02:50:00-06:00 Thoughts On American Gospel Music http://david.sogospelnews.com/index/david/comments/6063/ I finally got to see a copy of the American Gospel Music proposal. The document had no date, so I'm assuming it's the original proposal that was floating around before NQC. If you'd like to read it for yourself, click HERE. (This link resides on Sogospelnews' server, so thanks is due to the Unthanks for providing access.) The document's full title is: The Plan to Power Brand: A Proposal to the Southern Gospel Music Industry from Christian Music Presenters, Inc., Vivici Marketing, Inc. and the National Quartet Convention, Inc. By Dr. Randall A. Bayne, Dr. Roy J. Hayes, Mr. Jim Gibson and Mr. Clarke W. Beasley This proposal is indeed a bold move...quite possibly, it's the bold move that will grow Southern Gospel in the long-term. I definitely believe growth of the industry could come from having a unifying brand for the best artists and denying access to that brand for artists who fail to meet quality standards. At it's core, the proposal is positive. I have to admire the blunt way they describe the current state of the industry, and how they've directed their attention to just about every area of the industry that matters. Here's how they describe the current climate, and I think they're right on target with this statement. a climate whereby doors are closed to the upper echelon professionals of our industry because of being lumped together with the poor quality of the custom recording amateurs. The proposal isn't perfect, though. I've read Doug Harrison's four "logic flaws" regarding AGM, and while I agree with him in principle, I think there's a more serious area. This area has nothing to do with whether NQC can be trusted to choose which artists qualify as AGM artists (they probably can, but some will disagree); or whether the church really wants to hear the top echelon of current Southern Gospel artists (they do, but just don't know it); or whether artists will want to pay to be spiritually "certified" (they will, if it means singing at huge events); or whether or not the word "american" opens more doors than the word "southern" (it probably does). The flaw is that AGM assumes the answer to EVERY area of the market is licensing their brand. If everyone pays, no one is the salesman. AGM is too "license happy." Sure, artists, record labels, etc. should pay for access to the brand, but the media (even radio) is expected to pony up licensing fees as well. The title is right. This is definitely "The Plan To Power Brand." In some ways, it can be viewed as a house of cards. This won't work unless a number of key entities get on board. They pretty much admit that if Singing News balks, their plan won't work. Here's a quote from the document that emphasizes just how crucial they consider a Singing News endorsement to be: This re-branding would need to be promoted and emphasized by the Singing News, both in the positioning of their magazine and their editorial content. We would need support from the Singing News focusing the vast majority of their coverage on the artists and events that qualify to carry the brand. Whether or not they sign on to be an official AGM publication, I suspect Singing News will get on board with promoting AGM given the number of ads AGM should be able to afford to buy, what with licensing fees coming in from virtually every corner of the market...but what if radio doesn't get on board? Media outlets"really aren't expected to sign up until they see the success of the brand in other areas. The document states: With the brand secured and established, media outlets would want to use the brand... Wouldn't it make a lot more sense in terms of establishing the brand to give media outlets a license for FREE from the outset, as long as their content qualifies? It makes no financial sense to ask budget strapped, tight-wad SG radio owners to pay for the privilege of promoting AGM artists...$3000 annually, no less, to be able to say, "You're listening to the best in American Gospel Music" and print the AGM logo on their business cards. Here's the biggest whopping logic flaw of all...RADIO WOULD BE PAYING AGM FOR THE HONOR OF RESTRICTING THEIR PLAYLIST TO AGM ARTISTS. Isn't that something AGM ought be buying? I'm not talking about payola, of course...of course I'm not...I'm just pointing out how ludicrous this seems. It would make a lot more sense to to bring radio on board as one of the key beneficiaries of AGM's efforts, not one of the providers for AGM's success. I should mention that the $3000 annual fee also gives radio stations the opportunity to report to the AGM chart and be considered in the AGM Awards. They want radio to PAY to report to a chart. Get that? PAY. I think AGM could very well attract new fans to the industry, and that is naturally everyone's greatest hope for this proposal. My second greatest hope for AGM was that it might offer a way to cure what has been the Achilles Heel of this industry for decades...horrible SG radio programming. This sure doesn't seem like a plan that will work in that regard. Southern Gospel radio is in the mire both financially and in terms of programming quality. SG radio needs to be saved from itself, not asked to pay a portion of the price for getting AGM up and running. I guess I could sum up my reaction to the proposal by saying I think AGM will probably land somewhere around 70% on the more good than harm meter. Seriously, my total reaction to the overall proposal is favorable. Obviously I'm somewhere in the neighborhood of 100% annoyed that the biggest problem in the entire genre was addressed in such unrealistic terms, though. If they flip that junk around, this thing might really fly. Southern Gospel Music I finally got to see a copy of the American Gospel Music proposal. The document had no date, so I'm assuming it's the original proposal that was floating around before NQC. If you'd like to read it for yourself, click HERE. (This link resides on Sogospelnews' server, so thanks is due to the Unthanks for providing access.)

The document's full title is:
The Plan to Power Brand: A Proposal to the Southern Gospel Music Industry from Christian Music Presenters, Inc., Vivici Marketing, Inc. and the National Quartet Convention, Inc.
By Dr. Randall A. Bayne, Dr. Roy J. Hayes, Mr. Jim Gibson and Mr. Clarke W. Beasley

This proposal is indeed a bold move...quite possibly, it's the bold move that will grow Southern Gospel in the long-term. I definitely believe growth of the industry could come from having a unifying brand for the best artists and denying access to that brand for artists who fail to meet quality standards. At it's core, the proposal is positive.

I have to admire the blunt way they describe the current state of the industry, and how they've directed their attention to just about every area of the industry that matters. Here's how they describe the current climate, and I think they're right on target with this statement.

a climate whereby doors are closed to the upper echelon professionals of our industry because of being lumped together with the poor quality of the custom recording amateurs.



The proposal isn't perfect, though. I've read Doug Harrison's four "logic flaws" regarding AGM, and while I agree with him in principle, I think there's a more serious area. This area has nothing to do with whether NQC can be trusted to choose which artists qualify as AGM artists (they probably can, but some will disagree); or whether the church really wants to hear the top echelon of current Southern Gospel artists (they do, but just don't know it); or whether artists will want to pay to be spiritually "certified" (they will, if it means singing at huge events); or whether or not the word "american" opens more doors than the word "southern" (it probably does).

The flaw is that AGM assumes the answer to EVERY area of the market is licensing their brand. If everyone pays, no one is the salesman. AGM is too "license happy." Sure, artists, record labels, etc. should pay for access to the brand, but the media (even radio) is expected to pony up licensing fees as well.

The title is right. This is definitely "The Plan To Power Brand."

In some ways, it can be viewed as a house of cards. This won't work unless a number of key entities get on board. They pretty much admit that if Singing News balks, their plan won't work. Here's a quote from the document that emphasizes just how crucial they consider a Singing News endorsement to be:

This re-branding would need to be promoted and emphasized by the Singing News, both in the positioning of their magazine and their editorial content. We would need support from the Singing News focusing the vast majority of their coverage on the artists and events that qualify to carry the brand.

Whether or not they sign on to be an official AGM publication, I suspect Singing News will get on board with promoting AGM given the number of ads AGM should be able to afford to buy, what with licensing fees coming in from virtually every corner of the market...but what if radio doesn't get on board? Media outlets"really aren't expected to sign up until they see the success of the brand in other areas. The document states:

With the brand secured and established, media outlets would want to use the brand...

Wouldn't it make a lot more sense in terms of establishing the brand to give media outlets a license for FREE from the outset, as long as their content qualifies?

It makes no financial sense to ask budget strapped, tight-wad SG radio owners to pay for the privilege of promoting AGM artists...$3000 annually, no less, to be able to say, "You're listening to the best in American Gospel Music" and print the AGM logo on their business cards. Here's the biggest whopping logic flaw of all...RADIO WOULD BE PAYING AGM FOR THE HONOR OF RESTRICTING THEIR PLAYLIST TO AGM ARTISTS. Isn't that something AGM ought be buying? I'm not talking about payola, of course...of course I'm not...I'm just pointing out how ludicrous this seems.

It would make a lot more sense to to bring radio on board as one of the key beneficiaries of AGM's efforts, not one of the providers for AGM's success. I should mention that the $3000 annual fee also gives radio stations the opportunity to report to the AGM chart and be considered in the AGM Awards. They want radio to PAY to report to a chart. Get that? PAY.

I think AGM could very well attract new fans to the industry, and that is naturally everyone's greatest hope for this proposal.

My second greatest hope for AGM was that it might offer a way to cure what has been the Achilles Heel of this industry for decades...horrible SG radio programming. This sure doesn't seem like a plan that will work in that regard. Southern Gospel radio is in the mire both financially and in terms of programming quality. SG radio needs to be saved from itself, not asked to pay a portion of the price for getting AGM up and running.

I guess I could sum up my reaction to the proposal by saying I think AGM will probably land somewhere around 70% on the more good than harm meter. Seriously, my total reaction to the overall proposal is favorable. Obviously I'm somewhere in the neighborhood of 100% annoyed that the biggest problem in the entire genre was addressed in such unrealistic terms, though.

If they flip that junk around, this thing might really fly.
]]> 2006-09-27T16:01:00-06:00 Is This Stealing? http://david.sogospelnews.com/index/david/comments/6062/ Situation: An established group needs to fill a hole in their lineup, and they'd like to be able to announce that a new singer has been hired at the same time they anounce their current member is leaving. They approach a hot new talent who happens to be a member of another group. They haven't advertised an opening in their organization, but they tell him the job could be his at certain rate of pay if he's interested. Question: Was that a bad thing for the group to do? Many would say, "Yes"...especially group owners whose groups are often referred to as "farm teams." They'd say one gospel group shouldn't "steal" group members from another. The response of others would be, "No"...it was a business decision that not only benefits the group with the larger name, but also benefits the young singer who...let's face it...was traveling way too much for his sanity and for not nearly enough pay. And in theory, it also benefits the fans who get to hear a new mix that hopefully improves the overall quality of the group. Here's my take... When I'm approached by a potential new employer, there's no obligation to provide my current employer with a blow by blow report of the interview process. However, once I DO decide to take a new job, I tell my current employer as soon as I've accepted the new job and then I offer to work a fair notice...good communication is key. Telling them I'm leaving as soon as I know I'm leaving and offering to work the notice is where my obligation begins and ends. Whether I initiated contact or my new employer inititiated contact is totally irrelevant. The same thing goes for preachers changing churches. If they do their job as long as they are at the first church and work a fair notice before they leave to go to the new church, what's the beef if their new church approached them or they approached the church first? Why would it be any different in a Southern Gospel group? That being said, I do believe a "fair notice" varies considerably depending on the job. If you're at McDonalds, one week is probably more than plenty, but in a Southern Gospel group, I think we're talking more in terms of several weeks (and even as much as two or three months if the group you're leaving has just released a new CD with your voice and face on it). Unfortunately, this sort of situation often creates hurt for a number of people...the group that hires the replacement singer gets a reputation for "breaking up" groups that pay less...the other group's product sales suffer if the singer didn't work a fair notice...the singer gets a bad rap if he isn't totally up-front with his previous employer and sometimes gets a bad rap even if he is...he may keep it secret from his employer for a while after he's decided to take the new job offer, maybe at his new group's request, both of which are wrong. Even if he IS forthcoming about the situation, he may still get fired from his previous group to pre-empt his new employer's announcement about his transition (which is also wrong). It's a situation that comes up all too frequently with Southern Gospel groups. I'd be interested to know how some of you readers feel about the issue...it would also be interesting to hear the opinions of some group members and/or group owners on this issue...whether you agree or disagree with my observations, I think it would make for an interesting discussion. Turnover happens all the time in this industry. If it hasn't happened in your group for a while, it probably will come sooner than later, so when it happens, act like grown-ups. Or perhaps a better way of putting it is a quote attributed (but so far unconfirmed by me) to Sherriff Taylor..."Y'all act like you got some smarts." Southern Gospel Music Situation: An established group needs to fill a hole in their lineup, and they'd like to be able to announce that a new singer has been hired at the same time they anounce their current member is leaving. They approach a hot new talent who happens to be a member of another group. They haven't advertised an opening in their organization, but they tell him the job could be his at certain rate of pay if he's interested.

Question: Was that a bad thing for the group to do?

Many would say, "Yes"...especially group owners whose groups are often referred to as "farm teams." They'd say one gospel group shouldn't "steal" group members from another.

The response of others would be, "No"...it was a business decision that not only benefits the group with the larger name, but also benefits the young singer who...let's face it...was traveling way too much for his sanity and for not nearly enough pay. And in theory, it also benefits the fans who get to hear a new mix that hopefully improves the overall quality of the group.

Here's my take...
When I'm approached by a potential new employer, there's no obligation to provide my current employer with a blow by blow report of the interview process.

However, once I DO decide to take a new job, I tell my current employer as soon as I've accepted the new job and then I offer to work a fair notice...good communication is key. Telling them I'm leaving as soon as I know I'm leaving and offering to work the notice is where my obligation begins and ends. Whether I initiated contact or my new employer inititiated contact is totally irrelevant.

The same thing goes for preachers changing churches. If they do their job as long as they are at the first church and work a fair notice before they leave to go to the new church, what's the beef if their new church approached them or they approached the church first? Why would it be any different in a Southern Gospel group?

That being said, I do believe a "fair notice" varies considerably depending on the job. If you're at McDonalds, one week is probably more than plenty, but in a Southern Gospel group, I think we're talking more in terms of several weeks (and even as much as two or three months if the group you're leaving has just released a new CD with your voice and face on it).

Unfortunately, this sort of situation often creates hurt for a number of people...the group that hires the replacement singer gets a reputation for "breaking up" groups that pay less...the other group's product sales suffer if the singer didn't work a fair notice...the singer gets a bad rap if he isn't totally up-front with his previous employer and sometimes gets a bad rap even if he is...he may keep it secret from his employer for a while after he's decided to take the new job offer, maybe at his new group's request, both of which are wrong. Even if he IS forthcoming about the situation, he may still get fired from his previous group to pre-empt his new employer's announcement about his transition (which is also wrong).

It's a situation that comes up all too frequently with Southern Gospel groups. I'd be interested to know how some of you readers feel about the issue...it would also be interesting to hear the opinions of some group members and/or group owners on this issue...whether you agree or disagree with my observations, I think it would make for an interesting discussion.

Turnover happens all the time in this industry. If it hasn't happened in your group for a while, it probably will come sooner than later, so when it happens, act like grown-ups.

Or perhaps a better way of putting it is a quote attributed (but so far unconfirmed by me) to Sherriff Taylor..."Y'all act like you got some smarts."
]]> 2006-09-27T13:55:00-06:00 Brief Encounters-Lasting Impressions http://david.sogospelnews.com/index/david/comments/5928/ I've told this story before, but it bears repeating. I was treated rudely by an artist at NQC several years ago. He was chatting with another artist when I walked up to his booth and started looking at his CDs. I was his only customer at the time, so it surprised me when I stood for several minutes holding a CD in my hand waiting to pay for it. He must have thought I was trying to eavesdrop on his conversation, because eventually he glanced at me and then pulled the other artist closer, turning both of their backs to me so they could continue their conversation. What a rude person, right? Naturally, he lost a sale. A year later, the same artist was singing at a local event. I spoke with him at his table and my impression that night was that he was one of the kindest artists I'd ever met. It was the first day of a three day event and he had to leave early. Before he left, he asked me if I minded keeping an eye on his table and helping any customers if they wanted to buy anything. What a nice guy, right? (I still didn't buy any of his CDs...but it was impressive that he'd trust a total stranger to watch his stuff.) My point is this... Fans form lasting impressions of artists based on very brief encounters. The vast majority of fans only speak with artists for a few minutes while other fans are clamoring around wanting to do the same thing. It can be a stressful moment for both the artist and the fan. The smallest negative incident seems major. If you are a fan, the lesson in my tale is to not put too much weight on your brief encounter with an artist. They are just human beings, after all. This hero worship that goes on at intermission or after a concert is too often destructive, not only for the artist's ego, but also for the fan's. If you are an artist, the lesson in my tale is to treat each fan as graciously as possible. I'm not talking about allowing them to dominate your time while other fans are waiting to speak to you...just take a moment to thank them for speaking to you. Also, have enough sense to smile at them and take their money when they're wanting to buy your product! (Marketing 101...the customer wanting to give you money is the most important one in the room.) The question of whether or not an artist is really sincere about their gospel music career comes up frequently on various Southern Gospel message boards. EVERY artist eventually hurts a fan's feelings, whether it's due to over-sensitivity on the part of the fan or a momentary lapse in civility by the artist. No one is perfect. Your encounter may be considerably different from another fan's brief encounter with the same artist. Southern Gospel Music
I was treated rudely by an artist at NQC several years ago. He was chatting with another artist when I walked up to his booth and started looking at his CDs. I was his only customer at the time, so it surprised me when I stood for several minutes holding a CD in my hand waiting to pay for it. He must have thought I was trying to eavesdrop on his conversation, because eventually he glanced at me and then pulled the other artist closer, turning both of their backs to me so they could continue their conversation. What a rude person, right? Naturally, he lost a sale.

A year later, the same artist was singing at a local event. I spoke with him at his table and my impression that night was that he was one of the kindest artists I'd ever met. It was the first day of a three day event and he had to leave early. Before he left, he asked me if I minded keeping an eye on his table and helping any customers if they wanted to buy anything. What a nice guy, right? (I still didn't buy any of his CDs...but it was impressive that he'd trust a total stranger to watch his stuff.)

My point is this...
Fans form lasting impressions of artists based on very brief encounters. The vast majority of fans only speak with artists for a few minutes while other fans are clamoring around wanting to do the same thing. It can be a stressful moment for both the artist and the fan. The smallest negative incident seems major.

If you are a fan, the lesson in my tale is to not put too much weight on your brief encounter with an artist. They are just human beings, after all. This hero worship that goes on at intermission or after a concert is too often destructive, not only for the artist's ego, but also for the fan's.

If you are an artist, the lesson in my tale is to treat each fan as graciously as possible. I'm not talking about allowing them to dominate your time while other fans are waiting to speak to you...just take a moment to thank them for speaking to you.

Also, have enough sense to smile at them and take their money when they're wanting to buy your product! (Marketing 101...the customer wanting to give you money is the most important one in the room.)

The question of whether or not an artist is really sincere about their gospel music career comes up frequently on various Southern Gospel message boards. EVERY artist eventually hurts a fan's feelings, whether it's due to over-sensitivity on the part of the fan or a momentary lapse in civility by the artist. No one is perfect. Your encounter may be considerably different from another fan's brief encounter with the same artist.]]> 2006-08-22T02:15:00-06:00 Hold Your Horses http://david.sogospelnews.com/index/david/comments/5805/ Legacy Of Love: David Phelps Live has been delayed. Originally set to release on August 29, it's now slated for a September 12th date according to CBD.com. But hey, at least now I have a cover photo to show you. The Lost Album by the Imperials is going to remain lost to Imperials fans for a little while longer. We were expecting this to hit shelves last week, but now it appears Word is going to sit on it until September 15th. Way to go, Word. You've had the masters stored away for thirty years and now, even with today's modern mastering technology, superior graphics design technology and a publicity staff who presumably knows how to spread the word, you can't meet a release date. Again...my source for the new release date is CBD.com. I've also verified that the original release dates have been deleted from Word's website. Word's published release dates currently stop with August. To be honest, I am a bit worried about the Imps CD. You can still look up the Phelps project on Word's website, but the Imps CD is nowhere to be found. Could they have lost it again? Southern Gospel Music Legacy Of Love: David Phelps Live has been delayed. Originally set to release on August 29, it's now slated for a September 12th date according to CBD.com. But hey, at least now I have a cover photo to show you.

The Lost Album by the Imperials is going to remain lost to Imperials fans for a little while longer. We were expecting this to hit shelves last week, but now it appears Word is going to sit on it until September 15th.

Way to go, Word. You've had the masters stored away for thirty years and now, even with today's modern mastering technology, superior graphics design technology and a publicity staff who presumably knows how to spread the word, you can't meet a release date.

Again...my source for the new release date is CBD.com. I've also verified that the original release dates have been deleted from Word's website. Word's published release dates currently stop with August.

To be honest, I am a bit worried about the Imps CD. You can still look up the Phelps project on Word's website, but the Imps CD is nowhere to be found. Could they have lost it again?

]]> 2006-07-17T20:02:00-06:00 Concert Review: Kenny Bishop 7-15-06 http://david.sogospelnews.com/index/david/comments/5799/ I got to hear Kenny Bishop in concert last night. He had some sound system issues at first. (Running tracks from a laptop is NOT a good idea...too many variables vs. a simpler, dedicated music playing machine like a CD player or Mini-disc.) Fortunately, they got the kinks worked out after three or four songs. I believe he sang all the songs from his new CD, which I reviewed a couple of months ago. When sharing his testimony, Bishop took full responsibility for the demise of the Bishops in 2001 and told how God followed him even when he tried to run to a place he thought God wouldn't go. That should be an encouragement to us all. Sometimes, even those people who have lived a life of deliberate deception discover the mercy and grace of God. In Bishop's case, it took his world "crashing down" (his words) and a period of rebellion before he allowed God to totally have his way in his life. What I admire most is that he's man enough to go on stage night after night and explain his failures to yet another group of strangers. Now I clearly don't recommend testing God in the way Kenny Bishop did. Jesus told Thomas that people of faith will be blessed for believing without seeing the proof. Still, it was a real encouragement to hear Bishop bear witness to the faithfulness of God. Southern Gospel Music I got to hear Kenny Bishop in concert last night. He had some sound system issues at first. (Running tracks from a laptop is NOT a good idea...too many variables vs. a simpler, dedicated music playing machine like a CD player or Mini-disc.) Fortunately, they got the kinks worked out after three or four songs. I believe he sang all the songs from his new CD, which I reviewed a couple of months ago.

When sharing his testimony, Bishop took full responsibility for the demise of the Bishops in 2001 and told how God followed him even when he tried to run to a place he thought God wouldn't go.

That should be an encouragement to us all. Sometimes, even those people who have lived a life of deliberate deception discover the mercy and grace of God. In Bishop's case, it took his world "crashing down" (his words) and a period of rebellion before he allowed God to totally have his way in his life. What I admire most is that he's man enough to go on stage night after night and explain his failures to yet another group of strangers.

Now I clearly don't recommend testing God in the way Kenny Bishop did. Jesus told Thomas that people of faith will be blessed for believing without seeing the proof. Still, it was a real encouragement to hear Bishop bear witness to the faithfulness of God.

]]> 2006-07-16T18:00:01-06:00 Concert Review: Whisnants, Greenes, Kingsmen http://david.sogospelnews.com/index/david/comments/5728/ I had the opportunity to wander up to Morganton, NC earlier tonight to a concert sponsored by the Whisnants. This event was to celebrate their 35th year singing gospel music. On the bill for the evening were the Whisnants, Greenes, and Kingsmen Quartet. The Greenes got the ball rolling with a 45-minute set mixed with good singing by the group, plus comedy and inspirational words from Tony Greene. I thought the highlights of their first set were "March Through The Water" from their new CD and Taranda Greene's solo "Sky Full Of Angels." The Kingsmen came out next with guns blazing...very little talking...just lots of singing. Ray Reese is sounding better than ever, and Tony Peace adds an excitement to the stage as the emcee and designated "guy who calls out the songs." Jeremy Peace and Phillip Hughes sing with a great sense of confidence, but I think they have a bit of a disadvantage. The Kingsmen style doesn't come naturally to them, but they do a great job, nonetheless. The band is sounding great. Nick Succi was featured along with the band on this blazingly fast jazz arrangement that was very impressive. Jason Selph also did a great job singing "Wish You Were Here." The overall mix of the group was a bit muddy. In fact, when they left the stage, there was some noticeable noise in the speakers until they muted their board...not sure what was up with that. It wasn't so bad that it was annoying or distracting, but it did hurt the overall sound a bit. The Whisnants sounded very, very smooth in front of their home crowd. I really like "New Day Dawning," which was a recent number one song for the group. Jeff Whisnant's brother John was the emcee for this event, and he did a great job getting the groups on and off the stage with minimal delays. Like the other two groups, the Whisnants performed a 45 minute set, which was great. After the intermission, each group was supposed to do two songs. The Greenes sang three including a long closing medley and Tony talked quite a bit between each one. The Kingsmen did as they were told and sang two songs, which left us Kingsmen fans feeling a bit cheated...not too much though...they probably sang twice as many songs on the first round as the other groups since they did a lot of upbeat stuff and didn't talk very much. Me and my buddies got a head start on the crowd by ducking out as the Whisnants were taking the stage. All in all, it was money well spent. Each group had the chance to work the crowd effectively, sell their products during intermission, and meet the folks. I wish all concerts were handled with this level of professionalism. Now I have a few words for the people of Burke County, NC...shame on you for not filling the building for this event. By my estimate, there were less than 400 people in attendance. Tickets were a mere $15 or $25 if you planned to attend both Friday and Saturday. This concert was well advertised. The place holds more than 1000 and it should have been full, especially for a nationally known, hometown group's reunion event. Oh well...I guess that scripture about a prophet being without honor in his own town applies to Morganton, NC. Southern Gospel Music
The Greenes got the ball rolling with a 45-minute set mixed with good singing by the group, plus comedy and inspirational words from Tony Greene. I thought the highlights of their first set were "March Through The Water" from their new CD and Taranda Greene's solo "Sky Full Of Angels."

The Kingsmen came out next with guns blazing...very little talking...just lots of singing. Ray Reese is sounding better than ever, and Tony Peace adds an excitement to the stage as the emcee and designated "guy who calls out the songs." Jeremy Peace and Phillip Hughes sing with a great sense of confidence, but I think they have a bit of a disadvantage. The Kingsmen style doesn't come naturally to them, but they do a great job, nonetheless. The band is sounding great. Nick Succi was featured along with the band on this blazingly fast jazz arrangement that was very impressive. Jason Selph also did a great job singing "Wish You Were Here." The overall mix of the group was a bit muddy. In fact, when they left the stage, there was some noticeable noise in the speakers until they muted their board...not sure what was up with that. It wasn't so bad that it was annoying or distracting, but it did hurt the overall sound a bit.

The Whisnants sounded very, very smooth in front of their home crowd. I really like "New Day Dawning," which was a recent number one song for the group. Jeff Whisnant's brother John was the emcee for this event, and he did a great job getting the groups on and off the stage with minimal delays. Like the other two groups, the Whisnants performed a 45 minute set, which was great.

After the intermission, each group was supposed to do two songs. The Greenes sang three including a long closing medley and Tony talked quite a bit between each one. The Kingsmen did as they were told and sang two songs, which left us Kingsmen fans feeling a bit cheated...not too much though...they probably sang twice as many songs on the first round as the other groups since they did a lot of upbeat stuff and didn't talk very much. Me and my buddies got a head start on the crowd by ducking out as the Whisnants were taking the stage.

All in all, it was money well spent. Each group had the chance to work the crowd effectively, sell their products during intermission, and meet the folks. I wish all concerts were handled with this level of professionalism.

Now I have a few words for the people of Burke County, NC...shame on you for not filling the building for this event. By my estimate, there were less than 400 people in attendance. Tickets were a mere $15 or $25 if you planned to attend both Friday and Saturday. This concert was well advertised. The place holds more than 1000 and it should have been full, especially for a nationally known, hometown group's reunion event.

Oh well...I guess that scripture about a prophet being without honor in his own town applies to Morganton, NC.]]> 2006-06-24T16:05:00-06:00 Roy Pauley vs. The World http://david.sogospelnews.com/index/david/comments/5608/ Singing News introduced a new column in their June issue that has the potential to attract readers. It's a column that promises to contradict Roy Pauley each month. Writers will be rotated. The first entry fell flat, though. Pauley starts off saying his opinion in the June issue isn't shared by the magazine publisher, and bellyaches that this is "always the case." Then he launches into an attack where virtually all the industry agrees improvement needs to be made: SG radio. Pauley's column boils down to an argument that DJs should always be on the lookout for quality, seeking it out if it doesn't come to them, and not automatically play groups when they're on a major label if the quality is lacking. Where's the controversy in that? The contrasting opinion comes from Ed Leonard, president of Daywind. The height of his difference in opinion comes when he says "major labels believe that independent artists and labels hold too much sway at radio." That's only natural for the head of a major label. Leonard goes on to agree that if the quality is there, then regardless of the source, the music should be played...precisely what Pauley said. Again I ask, where's the beef? I think the bulk of the controversy is really a misunderstanding. Leonard assumed Pauley was saying independents currently aren't being played, which isn't the case. Pauley said artists with quality aren't being played. Pointing to the charts to prove independents get played is ignoring the point. What both of them stopped short of saying is that most Southern Gospel DJs aren't adequately trained enough to recognize quality when they hear it. Pauley and Leonard both appear to assume that everyone in the radio industry knows the difference between good quality and bad. In my opinion, the majority of Southern Gospel DJs wouldn't recognize good quality if it slapped them over the head. Once in a while, they do play a good song, but you all know the modern proverb about blind squirrels. Of course, there will be differences in style, diction standards, and personal preferences when it comes to music. However, a line should be drawn when it comes to singing out of tune, unoriginal lyrics, with an accompaniment that sounds like it was recorded with 1950s technology. Sadly, I hear that sort of music just about every time I listen to a Southern Gospel station. It's too bad that neither Pauley nor Leonard pointed that out. Southern Gospel, for all it's advances in production quality and artist development over the past fifteen years, will always be at a disadvantage compared to other genres until there comes a day when we can get clueless DJs from behind the wheel of the bus. Fortunately, there are some stations out there that are doing a great job, but there's still a lot to be desired in Southern Gospel radio. Southern Gospel Music Singing News introduced a new column in their June issue that has the potential to attract readers. It's a column that promises to contradict Roy Pauley each month. Writers will be rotated.

The first entry fell flat, though. Pauley starts off saying his opinion in the June issue isn't shared by the magazine publisher, and bellyaches that this is "always the case." Then he launches into an attack where virtually all the industry agrees improvement needs to be made: SG radio. Pauley's column boils down to an argument that DJs should always be on the lookout for quality, seeking it out if it doesn't come to them, and not automatically play groups when they're on a major label if the quality is lacking. Where's the controversy in that?

The contrasting opinion comes from Ed Leonard, president of Daywind. The height of his difference in opinion comes when he says "major labels believe that independent artists and labels hold too much sway at radio." That's only natural for the head of a major label. Leonard goes on to agree that if the quality is there, then regardless of the source, the music should be played...precisely what Pauley said. Again I ask, where's the beef?

I think the bulk of the controversy is really a misunderstanding. Leonard assumed Pauley was saying independents currently aren't being played, which isn't the case. Pauley said artists with quality aren't being played. Pointing to the charts to prove independents get played is ignoring the point.

What both of them stopped short of saying is that most Southern Gospel DJs aren't adequately trained enough to recognize quality when they hear it. Pauley and Leonard both appear to assume that everyone in the radio industry knows the difference between good quality and bad. In my opinion, the majority of Southern Gospel DJs wouldn't recognize good quality if it slapped them over the head. Once in a while, they do play a good song, but you all know the modern proverb about blind squirrels.

Of course, there will be differences in style, diction standards, and personal preferences when it comes to music. However, a line should be drawn when it comes to singing out of tune, unoriginal lyrics, with an accompaniment that sounds like it was recorded with 1950s technology. Sadly, I hear that sort of music just about every time I listen to a Southern Gospel station. It's too bad that neither Pauley nor Leonard pointed that out.

Southern Gospel, for all it's advances in production quality and artist development over the past fifteen years, will always be at a disadvantage compared to other genres until there comes a day when we can get clueless DJs from behind the wheel of the bus. Fortunately, there are some stations out there that are doing a great job, but there's still a lot to be desired in Southern Gospel radio.]]> 2006-05-27T15:27:00-06:00 50 Free Downloads http://david.sogospelnews.com/index/david/comments/5529/ emusic.com is offering 50 music downloads for free to new subscribers. You have 14 days from the time you sign up to download the free tracks. I found a number of gospel artists on the service including Gold City, Anthony Burger, the Cathedrals, Brian Free and Assurance (including their latest CD titled It's So God which I have currently rated as my number one pick), the Perrys, and others. I also downloaded a few Jerry Lee Lewis tracks. It took me about thirty minutes to select the 50 songs and download them over my DSL connection. I may go ahead and pay $10 for the first month so I can grab 40 more songs, which is a LOT cheaper than the typical rate of 88-99 cents per track you'd pay for an a la carte service like iTunes or Walmart's music download service. The trial signup page for the 50 free tracks can be found at www.emusic.com/freetrial90. Enjoy! emusic.com files are in .mp3 format. You don't have to have a proprietary player to use this service. I assume I'll be able to burn them to CD, copy them to another computer, and play them anywhere I please. emusic.com advertises the files as having "no confusing restrictions or hidden fees." In my opinion, that's very smart on their part, and the inexpensive price makes it that much more attractive. Gospel labels would be very wise to get on board with this company, because it's very appealing to the consumer. By the way, I've just been listening to tracks from Gold City's 20th Anniversary CDs. I sure do miss Jay Parrack and Tim Riley. That "Gonna Take It And Leave It" song is kicking! Southern Gospel Music emusic.com is offering 50 music downloads for free to new subscribers. You have 14 days from the time you sign up to download the free tracks. I found a number of gospel artists on the service including Gold City, Anthony Burger, the Cathedrals, Brian Free and Assurance (including their latest CD titled It's So God which I have currently rated as my number one pick), the Perrys, and others.

I also downloaded a few Jerry Lee Lewis tracks. It took me about thirty minutes to select the 50 songs and download them over my DSL connection. I may go ahead and pay $10 for the first month so I can grab 40 more songs, which is a LOT cheaper than the typical rate of 88-99 cents per track you'd pay for an a la carte service like iTunes or Walmart's music download service.

The trial signup page for the 50 free tracks can be found at www.emusic.com/freetrial90.

Enjoy!

emusic.com files are in .mp3 format. You don't have to have a proprietary player to use this service. I assume I'll be able to burn them to CD, copy them to another computer, and play them anywhere I please. emusic.com advertises the files as having "no confusing restrictions or hidden fees."

In my opinion, that's very smart on their part, and the inexpensive price makes it that much more attractive. Gospel labels would be very wise to get on board with this company, because it's very appealing to the consumer.

By the way, I've just been listening to tracks from Gold City's 20th Anniversary CDs. I sure do miss Jay Parrack and Tim Riley. That "Gonna Take It And Leave It" song is kicking!
]]> 2006-05-07T00:14:00-06:00