The Secret of Christmas

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Lots and lots of people opine, muse, and vent about the "true meaning of Christmas".

Christmas, though, means many things to many people...and I could write a whole term paper of exactly what Christmas means to me.

But I don't need to...because years before I was born, Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn wrote a memorable song(which is still heard and sung often to this day)that pretty much sums up my feelings about what Christmas means at heart to me.

Here then, for your perusal and hopeful edification, with no one's permission in particular, is the lyrics to the song, "The Secret of Christmas"...and I hope these words touch you in the way they've touched me for many years.


It's not the glow you feel when snow appears.
It's not the Christmas card you've sent for years.
Not the joyful sound when sleigh bells ring.
Nor the merry song children sing.

The little gift you send on Christmas day
Will not bring back the friend you've turned away.
So may I suggest The Secret of Christmas
Is not the things you do at Christmas time
But the Christmas things you do all year through.


Have a truly merry and meaningful Christmas, everyone.

Christmas Courier Style

One of my joys in recent years at Christmas time has been enjoying the Couriers singing Christmas songs to me on CD.

Why am I such a Couriers fan? I realize there are many fine gospel artists out there...and I enjoy them all. I enjoy the Couriers in particular because (1)they were among the most musically advanced groups in their field, and (2)they combined that excellence with a dedication to Christ that was unique even for gospel singers. They were seldom conscious of musical trends, preferring instead to make the kind of music they felt was appropriate for them, and that their audiences enjoyed. They eschewed what was "in" or "cool" in favor of what they felt was right for their cause. And as people, they always had impeccable reputations, and practiced what they preached with the utmost in personal integrity.

So yeah, I like 'em! They're good(in EVERY way you can define it)! And the two Christmas albums they recorded were fine examples of what I described above.

The first of those was 1964's "Joy To The World(and other Christmas favorites)"(Scripture 104), which was an object lesson in exactly how a gospel quartet SHOULD sing Christmas songs. All 12 cuts were seasonal standards, and their harmonies were top-notch, their singing crisp and pure, and their arrangements tasteful and appropriate. When one considers that the album was recorded in just two and a half hours in the middle of the night following one of the group's legendary extended road trips(some 300 days)...and it was done in the Nashville area some 500 miles away from their Harrisburg, PA homes, the quality of the music on the album is even more extraordinary to behold.

It was not recorded with the most advanced recording technology available even then(not to mention today), unlike some of their other albums of that period(including the two they made for Warner Brothers), but the full force and beauty of the songs comes out unimpeded, and it is the perfect album to play for the family Christmas celebrations and gatherings.

The main instrumentation is the piano of then accompanist L. David Young, and he is complemented by some of Nashville's finest session musicians. The steel guitar used(I'm not sure of the player)is almost enough in itself, so skillfully is it played and utilized to set the mood for each song on the album.

The highlights for me of the album are "The First Noel", "There's A Song In The Air(featuring baritone Don Baldwin)", "O Holy Night(featuring lead singer Neil Enloe)", and "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear(with a fine lead vocal from Young, a most underrated singer)".

But if you want traditional Christmas songs done in a manner worthy of them, there is no better place to hear them on than the Couriers Quartet's "Joy To The World".

Their other Christmas album is a joy for a different reason. It was done with a full orchestra(expertly organized and arranged for by Couriers' associate Jerry Nelson, who had done their "Sweet And Shouting Spirituals" album back in 1970, my favorite trio album of theirs), some backup vocalists, and it was noteworthy in the group's career, for it was their final album recorded with the combination of Enloe, tenor Duane Nicholson, and bass/baritone Dave Kyllonen, who disbanded after the album, not to reunite musically for another 24 years.

"Peace On Earth", the 1980 album I'm speaking of, is a fitting end to that Courier era. The collection of Christmas standards(many of which are on the "Joy To The World" album), are well-chosen and well-arranged, and some are combined into memorable medleys. By this time, the Couriers had gone away from straight southern gospel to a more "inspirational" style of gospel singing(the category that their famous 1977 Dove Award winning album "Ovation" won in), and the arrangements were a great deal more complex and sophisticated than in most of their earlier albums. Quite a step forward for a group that never considered itself among the most musically proficient, but if one were to only study the work of the Couriers in detail over the years, one would realize how skilled they were indeed.

The combination of the orchestra, the singing, and the timeless quality of the songs themselves makes for a fine Christmas mood, and I would have to say that "Peace On Earth" is not only one of the finer Christmas albums I've ever heard, I would recommend it unhesitatingly to anyone wanting a proper "mood" Christmas album for a home so desiring one.

Not only do Christmas and the Couriers go together, so do great music and testimony and the Couriers.
These two albums prove it.

A classic Christmas, team style

Surprsingly, there have been relatively few gospel quartet Christmas albums released over the years. Considering the kinds of songs they sing, one would think there are hundreds of them out there...given that gospel quartets have been on "record"(so to speak)since the late 1920s.

Sadly, there are not. But the ones that have been made are almost uniformly excellent. Not surprisingly, one of the very best of those is a collaboration between the two most popular gospel quartets of the mid-20th century, the Blackwood Brothers and the Statesmen, who were business partners as well as arch rivals in quartet popularity.

"The Team"'s 1962 collaboration had an incredibly long title(why, I'm not sure...ask producer Darol Rice!)..."James Blackwood and the Blackwood Brothers and Hovie Lister and the Statesmen Wish You A Musical Merry Christmas"(RCA 2606), which was reissued on RCA Camden in 1969(Camden 2351)under the more reasonable title "O Come All Ye Faithful"...but despite the cumbsersome title, it is gospel quartet singing at its' best...not that you would expect anything less from two of the greatest gospel groups to ever sing.

The two quartets were at the peak of their 1960s popularity, and each had recorded occasional Christmas songs before that, but this was the first such album of Christmas music that either group had done. The Blackwoods at the time consisted of tenor Bill Shaw, lead James Blackwood, baritone Cecil Blackwood, and JD Sumner singing bass, with Wally Varner at the piano. The Statesmen had Rosie Rozell singing tenor, Jake Hess singing the lead, Doy Ott singing baritone, and James "Big Chief" Wetherington singing bass, with the venerable Hovie Lister at the piano.

The album kicked off with both quartets teaming up on "O Come All Ye Faithful", with Varner on piano and Shaw doing a solo on one verse. Then the Blackwoods presented a pleasant version of "Silver Bells", followed by the Statesmen doing "Go Tell It On The Mountain". All the cover songs on the album were appropriate songs for each quartet to sing.

And of course, with the bass singers of each quartet being among the most prolific gospel songwriters of the period, you knew that there were going to be original songs for the album as well. The next song, "Praises To Our King", done by the Blackwoods, was a Sumner original, as was "Christmas Means Christ To Me", also done by the Blackwoods to close out Side one. In between was a wonderful version of "White Christmas" by the Statesmen, with a memorable solo from Big Chief.

Side two opened with a rousing version of "Joy To The World", sung by both quartets, followed by the sole Big Chief composed song, "Christmas Time Is Here", sung by the Statesmen. None of the original songs would make anyone forget the classic songs of the season, but they were pleasant musical additions to the album nonetheless.

The album concluded with four Christmas classics...the Blackwoods contributed a fine version of "O Little Town Of Bethlehem", while the Statesmen did a very nice version of "Away In A Manger", which featured a tender solo from Rozell.

The two concluding songs are my favorites on the album...the Blackwoods with a beautiful rendering of "O Holy Night", which featured Bill Shaw, and the Statesmen doing a new version of "Silent Night"(which they had previously recorded), which had a moving vocal solo from Lister.

This was an excellent album, and a bonafide Christmas classic, regardless of whatever musical genre you enjoy most. I would say that if you had to have just one gospel quartet Christmas album, this is the one to get. It's out-of-print now, but if you check sites such as eBay, I'm sure you can find a copy available...so get it if you can!

Another look at a legend

Sometime back, I made some frank observations about a true gospel music legend, Jim "Big Chief" Wetherington.

Those comments were not universally accepted, nor did I expect them to be. After all, according to some longtime gospel music fans, the Statesmen were the greatest quartet ever(almost beyond reproach), and their long time bass singer, Big Chief, is indisputably the greatest bass singer who ever lived.

I'm still not convinced of either point, but I have to take another look at the Chief based on a gem of an album I heard today.

Mind you, I still believe that with the Statesmen, the Chief was sometimes careless with his enunciation of lyrics, and especially in his later years, his voice was so mannered to the point where it almost bordered on self-parody.

But I have another take on all of that, thanks to a Christmas gift CD I received from a legend in his own right, L. David Young, formerly of the Kingsmen, the Ambassadors, the Prophets, the Sons of Song, and last but not least, the Couriers Quartet...the highlight of Young's career, to the point where when he decided to retire from the road before even reaching the age of 30, he made it clear that he would not play for another group.

Young was the ultimate fill-in for a while after that, substituting on dates for Coy Cook of the Florida Boys, Vestal Goodman(!), and even Hovie Lister with the Statesmen...such was his talent and versatility.

It was about the time of all that that Young went into the studio with the Chief, organist Larry Taylor, and a myriad of harps furnished by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, to accompany the Big Chief on the piano for a solo album Chief was recording for Scripture Records. Young(who has become a good friend)sent me that album on CD for Christmas.

It is an album that fans of the Big Chief point to as an outstanding example of what an excellent singer Chief was...and you know what, they're right!

The album notes say that it is dedicated to Chief's grandfather, S.A. Swett, and recorded in his memory. I suspect that somewhere in heaven, Grandpa Swett was well pleased.

For the album is a collection of gospel standards sung sensitively, and with taste. And unlike a lot of bass singers, Chief does not try to "show out" his voice, or how low he can go...he just sings the songs, and drives home the point of their lyrics. His tone placement here is exquisite, his interpretation of the lyrics flawless, and yes...I can understand each and every word!:-)

Young's piano, Taylor's organ, and all the harps provide a fine musical backdrop for the Chief's renderings, beginning with "Jesus", and continuing through "Beyond The Sunset", "Life's Railway To Heaven", and "Amazing Grace". Then comes perhaps my favorite cut on the album, the moving "Good Night And Good Morning".

Amazingly, Chief's undeniable talents as a writer(over 200 songs to his credit)and arranger(he arranged a lot more of the Statesmen's material than he is commonly given credit for, including their classic version of "Just A Little While")are not spotlighted here at all...just his considerable singing ability. And on this album, that's enough!

Side 2 is equally strong, with versions of "Dwelling In Beulah Land", "Then Jesus Came", "Blessed Assurance", "A New Name Written Down", "There Is A Fountain", "When We All Get To Heaven", and concluding with a fine version of "The Old Rugged Cross".

Now, lots of bass singers can sing the notes that Chief does on this album. But I'm not sure they all can sing the songs with the same musical effectiveness. Chief as a soloist does a very moving job with some of the finest lyrics ever written(maybe that's why he didn't feel the need to share any of his own compositions, perhaps?).

The CD Young sent me contained a "bonus" cut(not included on the LP?), "Gospel Train's A Rollin'", which sounds the most like a Statesmen song than any other on the CD, complete with unnamed background singers. Chief does it in his best Statesmen style.

I own all of London Parris' solo albums(all 5 of them), and most of JD Sumner's...but I can honestly and objectively say, I don't know that I've heard a better bass solo album than "Big Chief Jim Wetherington"(Scripture SR129)...thank you, "Little" David, for a very swell Christmas present!

It's not enough to completely revise my earlier opinion of the work of the Big Chief...but it did force me to listen to him in a new light!

Another tradition of the season

I was out viewing one of the more time honored Christmas traditions of modern times tonight.

That one would be the "church youth Christmas program".

I have been familiar with those occasions since long before I became a Christian. The church I was at tonight was not my home church, but one who's Sunday night services I attend, mostly because the church is right down the street from where I live!

And we all know the reasons why churches have such things. It's nice, it's seasonal, and it's a way for church families to get their kids involved in church activities. And if you buy the church's premise, such programs can also be used as an outreach...to the kids' peers and whoever else may wander by the church that night.

I suppose they could do that, indeed...but my naturally cynical nature tells me that such programs are more for the parents of the kids than for the kids themselves. They can point to their cute kid in his/her cute Christmas costume and brag about how cute he/she is. And they can snap seemingly dozens of pictures of their little darlings for their family albums.

Besides, the plays always have good themes and present good messages, and what faithful church-going parent would not prefer their child be involved with something like that instead of a Sunday night at the video arcade?

Tonight's play was called "For God So Loved The World" and told the story of a child who'd heard the Christmas story all her life but really didn't GET it...because her folks brought her up in the secular Christmas traditions more so than the Christian ones.

And really, what is so wrong with that? And despite the predictable off-key renditions of Christams songs(cute in an 8-year old, not so cute in a 12-year old), my cynical nature had to face the reality of the moment...maybe the kids involved in the program may actually learn more about the faith from being in this program...and if that is the case, that is a very good thing!

And maybe the parents who helped the children learn their parts for the play may also be doing the same thing.

Could this be what the phrase "And a little child shall lead them" might mean?

Maybe...just maybe. And even cynical old me can't deny that God can work through the most odd of settings...and if He is, who am I to scoff at kids who occasionally forget their lines...and can't carry a tune if it had handles, or was packed in a Samsonite?

Wherever He is praised...that's a good place to be! And even a picky snit like me can appreciate the efforts of anyone who's involved at trying to re-tell the greatest story ever told...no matter how they do it!

So, yes, it was good for me to be there tonight...I need to be reminded that God hates my misplaced cynicism more than He winces at blue notes sung by church kids in a play!

There is power in song

What makes me such a fan of gospel music?


Well, needless to say, the melodies and arrangements are very pleasing to me, and strike my musical fancy. That along with the fact that gospel music is among the most singable music there is...meaning that you can sing along with most any song written...makes it something you can participate in wherever you hear it. Of course, the best thing about gospel music is its' subject matter...the greatest story ever told...and one that can't be told enough!

Those factors combine to make the experience of gospel music a powerful one for singer and listener alike...and its' power revealed itself strikingly for me again tonight.

For today was "one of those days"...I felt as if I were swimming uphill all day today. I know we've all had plenty of days like that.

But here, tonight, at my second job, with only the internet and All Quartets Radio to keep me company...it would have been all too easy to succumb to the waves of despair that threatened to drown out the pleasure that God had intended me to have...not only today, but every day!

A conversation with a good friend helped snap me out of my doldrums...then a song I heard from this tiny speaker in the trailer I sit in at work started to fill my ears with a wonderful, reassuring message.

And you know what? I started to sing along to myself, and the song and the ones that followed it took over my senses...and suddenly, the cares of my little world didn't seem all that fearsome after all!

Good music(in the literal and figurative sense)has the power to move and transform us...sometimes in a way a sermon or a book just can't approach. For a few moments, I had the same kind of confidence that say, LaDainian Tomlinson plays football with....knowing that no matter what may come against me, it can't stop me...with God overseeing everything, I WILL prevail!

Now I know there'll be times again when I despair and feel defeated, but I know that God always has a song for me...and those moments of despair won't last long!

May I(and all of you)have a song for Him, too...and hear the voices in your life that sing to you...and be inspired!

Give me Liberty, or…

Who says all the good southern gospel comes from down South?

One of today's better quartets calls its' home base Boise, Idaho...right out West! And make no mistake, they are one of the better quartets going today in the entire country!

The Liberty Quartet became a full-time quartet in 1996, and is made up of four very good singers...not to mention good men(even more important!)!

They are led by bass singer Royce Mitchell, an original member, and consist of Mitchell, tenor Keith Waggoner, lead Dan Gilbert, and baritone and pianist Doran Ritchey. Their repertoire ranges from the old-fashioned quartet sounds of yesteryear to more modern stylings. And it is backed up with a deep commitment to ministry, which to me makes them reminiscent of the old Couriers Quartet.

They have been regulars at Fresno's Great Western Fan Festival, formerly the Great Western Quartet Convention for the past several years. That is where I first saw them, and have followed them closely ever since. They do about 200 dates(on the average)throughout the United States and Canada, and even into Alaska(where they recorded a live project). Like the Couriers, most of their appearances are in churches, but they occasionally appear at concert halls and auditorimus as well.

Their presentation is always professional...competent and heartfelt, but also with humor and fun from the stage. But they never forget their mission and calling, which is to present the gospel in song and deed for their audiences. In this sense, they are also similar to the Couriers. With those similarities, it's not hard to understand why I am such a fan of the Liberty Quartet.

But also, like the groups I listened to in childhood that first attracted me to gospel music in the first place, the Liberty Quartet features an outstanding bass singer in Royce Mitchell....he not only can rattle chairs with his lowest notes, but can carry solos in his mid and upper ranges as comfortably as you could hope for in a bass singer. His tones are clear and his diction immaculate, and he sings with absolute confidence whether he is supporting the group in harmony or out front carrying a lead. His voice is among the finest in gospel music today, and if Liberty were more widely known, Royce would be considered at or near the very top of the bass singer field.

On the Southern Gospel News message board, a poster there mentioned Royce among the outstanding bass singers going, and I enthusiastically agreed. Unfortunately, my support was so enthusiastic, I unintentionally offended a quartet-loving friend with a comparison to another oustanding bass singer of today.

Which I didn't mean to do at all....but honestly, I can't think of very many bass singers that are better than Royce...I'm not saying that he is the best, mind you, but if you'll listen to him at some length, I'm willing to wager that you'll agree with me that he is among today's very best bass singers. In addition to his marvelous voice, he is also a gifted arranger, and a very dignified, upstanding representative of the gospel that the Liberty Quartet so devoutly presents to its' audiences.

The rest of the quartet shares Royce's professionalism, proficiency, and dedication. So if you're wondering who I might recommend to you as a prime example of a great gospel quartet today, I would unhesitatingly endorse the Liberty Quartet to you...absolutely.

If the Liberty Quartet appears anywhere near you, I invite you to check them out and see(and hear)for yourself...you'll be glad you did(and blessed)!

A diva comes to Fresno

No, not a "chat" diva or any other such pretender...a real diva!

Fresno(my home town)is being blessed with a show business legend this weekend...85-year old Carol Channing is here to sing with our local philharmonic orchestra!

Miss Channing appeared on our station's weekday talk show...which, appropriately, was broadcast today from a local jeweler...to properly salute her, we played an excerpt of her well-known Broadway classic, "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend"...and hundreds of people crowded the store to get a personal glimpse of a true entertainment legend!

Miss Channing may be up there in years, but she seems to have retained the energy and charisma she's had for decades, since she first popularized "Hello, Dolly" on the stage. It was a delight to listen to her interact with not only our host but also the orchestra director, along with all the fans all the while during her interview. Her voice has not changed one bit in all the years...it's still unmistakable.

She would've stayed for the entire show, but she was on a tight schedule of personal appearances that day, and she and Guy Kuchar(the orchestra director)had to move on to the next stop. But Miss Channing would not leave the store until she personally greeted every single person who had stopped by the store to see her.

Funny thing is, in the era that Miss Channing began her career in, it was commonplace and expected to deal with fans in just that way. Times have changed, though, and often our celebrities of today can't rush out fast enough to avoid the people who mass to see them. But despite her schedule and her notoriety, and the times we live in, where there is often concern that such fraternization puts one in harm's way, Miss Channing insisted on staying until the last hand was shaken, and the last fan acknowledged.

Maybe I sound like I was born thirty years too late, but I'm old enough to remember when that sort of behavior was not uncommon...and I miss it.

But the era that Carol Channing grew up in expected that...because no matter who you were, famous or otherwise, you were never above your audience, especially those who came especially to see you. Carol Channing is undoubtedly a legend, but she still remembers growing up as a fan, and what it felt like when your favorite performer would take the time to say "hello" to you.

That characteristic is still common among most gospel music singers, even though there are occasional exceptions. Possibly it's the upbringing most of them have that makes it that way, where they're not brought up to think of themselves as necessarily better than anyone else, which seems to be the case far too often with our current faux-divas.

Which time was better...that of Carol Channing, or that of, say, Britney Spears or Paris Hilton?

I think you'll know how I would answer....at least as far as human values are concerned.

Try it…you’ll like it!

Sometimes, I guess you could call me an evangelist for gospel music.

Tonight at work(where I'm typing this from), I was talking to a friend on the phone, and describing the radio show on Sunday mornings I co-host. Naturally, I was asked about the kind of music we play on the show, so I decided to give her as direct an answer to her question as I could.

I have recorded a number of my favorite gospel songs...old and new...from my personal collection into the hard drive system our station runs on...so I decided to give her a mini-concert over the phone. For the next several minutes, I played her songs by the Blackwood Brothers, Gold City, Legacy Five, the Florida Boys, and even(naturally)the old Couriers Quartet!

She is a hardcore Amy Grant/Mercy Me/Jars of Clay fan all the way(even thinking that Terry Blackwood was part of the Blackwood Brothers...she knew him from Andrus, Blackwood, and Co.)...and she was not really familiar with the gospel quartet sound. But with each song I played, she found she liked gospel quartet music more and more....which made me smile...because I've always maintained that gospel quartet music is irresistible if you like good music!

So tonight, gospel quartet music got a new fan...proving that people with open minds and ears can fall in love with it when they only give it a chance. But most of you know that, right?

Do we NEED a playoff?

I am tired of hearing about it.

In a world torn by strife, bitterness, infighting, greed, and yes, sin...a certain segment of our American population can't seem to resist the urge to scream out for a playoff system to determine a national college football champion.

Now, I'm as big a college football fan as they come...and in many ways, it is a more interesting version of the sport than its' professional counterpart.

But I'm constantly hearing from these otherwise well meaning people that "if we can find a way to put people in space, we can certainly develop a playoff system to determine a true national football champion."

Uh, no.

Maybe, just maybe, the technological process involved in devising spacecraft that can transport human beings beyond the earth's atmosphere is more simple in theory than trying to develop an equitable, accurate system to determine a national college football champion...especially when trying to do so involves a number of wealthy corporate interests. Ya think?

But that's another blog for another time. Let's just dispense once and for all, shall we, with the notion that we NEED a playoff system.

We NEED oxygen. We NEED food. We NEED money to acquire goods and services to function in this world. We don't NEED any sort of new bureucracy or system. College football has survived for over 130 years, and done quite well, with what it has. The mere establishment of a national playoff system will NOT change my life fundamentally one iota.

It might be a nice addition to our lives as sports fans, but I refuse to hold my breath waiting for the people who run college football in this country to make such a seemingly unwieldy system come to fruition.

I have a life to live...and I'll continue to enjoy college football, regardless of whether or not they ever settle on a formula to determine a national champion.

Now back to real life...thanks for reading!

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