On awards and recognition

A number of my fellow bloggers are weighing in on who should win in a variety of Fan Award voting going on in gospel music. Along with that, my colleagues on the staff of Southern Gospel News are doing very much the same thing.

Am I joining all them in these efforts to award the fine singers and writers in the gospel music industry?

Well, not really.

There are legitimate reasons for that. My picks for the outstanding performers of 2006 are missing this year because frankly, I haven't sampled as much of this year's music as perhaps I ought to have. That's not because I didn't want to, but because I simply didn't have the opportunity to listen to as much of it to where I would feel qualified to evaluate it properly.

But it another sense, it really doesn't bother me that much that I didn't. Why?

The whole award thing tends to be an exercise in vanity anyway. Mind you, I don't have any quibble about honoring those in the profession that did a particularly outstanding job in their craft in a given year, but how important are awards anyway to the success or the failure of an artist?

To me, not much. There are and have been in the past many fine artists who have done high quality work who have never gotten the recognition that perhpas they deserved, yet many of those artists are successful on their own terms, and more important, those of the God they profess to serve.

One current example I can give is this: Ernie Haase and Signature Sound are fine artists, who have taken the world of gospel music by storm in recent years, and have won awards in abundance to reflect their impressive talent, and achievements. On the other hand, you have the King's Heralds, a male quartet that many gospel music fans would be completely unaware of, if not for their fine bass singer, Jeff Pearles, who earned recognition in gospel music with his outstanding singing with such groups as the Palmetto State Quartet and the Old Time Gospel Hour Quartet.

The King's Heralds are a group from Texas originally that have been singing for some 80 years. You don't survive 80 years in anything unless you 1)are very good, and 2)have made a lot of people satisfied with what you do. How have they done awardwise? Compared to EHSSQ, not very well. Is EHSSQ a better quartet than the King's Heralds? I don't think so at all. So what do the extra awards do for EHSSQ?

Well, for one, those awards help your recognition factor. More people know you...and more people who know you can mean more money for you, obviously. But does sheer recognition and more money make you better? More successful? I'm not so sure. The King's Heralds seem perfectly happy doing what they do where they do it, and don't seem envious or in a hurry to change their style, look, or approach to achieve more popular acclaim or recognition.

I'm sure EHSSQ are also very happy doing what they're doing where they do it, and are in no hurry to trade places with any other quartet, either. And you know what? That's OK...there's nothing more intrinsically noble about the King's Heralds because of their approach, and certainly there is nothing intrinsically "better" about EHSSQ, Legacy Five, the Cathedral Quartet, Gold City, or even the Statesmen and the Blackwood Brothers Quartet because they have gotten more acclaim for what they do than other artists.

For it's true that for every artist the stature of EHSSQ or Legacy Five today, there are groups like the King's Heralds or the Liberty Quartet that are just as talented, have individual singers who are just as good, and who record songs that are just as good as those other artists. And for every Statesmen or Blackwoods out there 40 years ago, there were artists like the Couriers, the Weatherford Quartet, the Trav'lers, and the Prophets that did stuff that was just as good, were just as effective on stage(if not more to some), and made recordings that are just as enduring, even though they never quite got the fame and stature than did their more famous colleagues.

Besides, all those trophies just collect dust after a while anyway...as do those gold records. They are just earthly trophies that just pass away with time eventually.

To some extent, I know whereof I speak about this. By sheer accident:-), even I have managed to win a couple of radio awards in my 20 years of broadcasting. I am proud of them, don't get me wrong...and I still have them in my home.

But did they help me make more money in radio? Did they help me get a job in a top-10 market? Did they make me a famous national name? Do I talk about them often, and do I remind people online incessantly that I am an "award-winning" radio host? No...no...hardly...and absolutely not! They may help people realize that I've had a good career, but they do not define me in the least!

The bottom line here is...I love gospel music...and I enjoy most everyone who's ever sung, played, or written it. Does their fame or reputation have anything to do with that?

No...because I like what I like based on how it appeals to my senses...which have been taken over by Christ...in Whom there is no Jew or Greek, no stars or show-openers, and no award-winners or "wannabees"...there are just people, doing their best, and I hope they're getting satisfaction and happiness out of doing and being that!

And that's good enough for me...Doves and Fan Awards are nice, but just them being there is just fine with me. And I suspect it's fine with God, too.

A brief observation…

Sorry I haven't posted in nearly a week...life has been hectic...yadda yadda...and you know how that story goes.

Since my last installment, I haven't seen a lot of things, frankly, that I'm interested in commenting on. Oh, sure, I noticed where one prominent gospel music blogger went on about the new Singing News, talking about how much he liked it(and I like it, too)...but still felt compelled to spend a healthy portion of his analysis venting about how repulsed he is that Roy Pauley's column still remains, and in the way that it has been written for the many years Pauley's been there.

I'm at work, so I haven't much time to comment now on this observer's criticisms, so all I'll say for now is that Pauley's observations have always attracted the most comments and response from readers...and it's quite possible that this is why Roy is still in the Singing News.

Like him or not, Roy knows how to hit the hot buttons of readers(not that he really tries to), much like this particular observer does. And in any media branch, that's one way to guarantee job security. After all, with blogs and magazines alike, it's about readers...and numbers. And if you get 'em, and prove that you've kept 'em, it proves you're being read...and unless you're violating laws(which, to my knowledge, neither Roy nor this observer are), it's a good bet you'll stick around.

Roy has been given a bully pulpit, and he has the right to his opinions, right or wrong...and evidently the Singing News still feels that Roy generates them readership, hence, he's there. And until enough people lose interest in his opinions, he'll likely stay there. That's the bottom line. And fellow gospel blogger, THAT'S the way it works in the world of "bidness".

More to come...thanks for listening.

A New Year’s Day to remember

A Hollywood scriptwriter could not have written a more compelling script.

Yes, like a lot of you, I watched the Fiesta Bowl football game New Year's night. Of all the bowl games this college football season, this was the game I cared most about.

For it featured an excellent Boise State football team, a Western powerhouse and champion of the WAC(the league that Fresno State, my local team, plays in), unbeaten at 12-0 but of course getting relatively little respect from the so-called football "experts", because they didn't play in a MAJOR conference. The Bowl Championship Series(BCS)purports to exist to crown a legitimate, undisputed college football champion, but in reality, it exists solely to make the rich college football programs richer, and just make money.

The Broncos were facing the University of Oklahoma, this year's Big 12 champion, and one of the most storied, successful programs in college football history. Naturally, a lot of avid as well as uninformed college football fans were loudly proclaiming how Oklahoma would simply demolish the Broncos, for now the Idahoans were facing a "big time" college football powerhouse, not the usual punching bags they normally faced out here in the West.

Never mind that Boise State, en route to that 12-0 mark, crushed an Oregon State team that had beaten perennial powerhouse USC earlier in the year(the same USC that had just finished beating a Michigan team that was convinced IT was the nation's second best team, after their rival Ohio State)...and never mind that Boise State had won 85 games in the past 8 years. No, they were going to be Oklahoma's "body bag".

Unlike most of the people saying such things, I had seen Boise State play numerous times, and knew very well what they were capable of on the football field. I knew down inside that if Boise played a good game, they just might beat the Sooners...and shut up all those loudmouthed, ignorant fans.

I always tend to root for the underappreciated, anyway...whether it be gospel singers or radio hosts or sports teams...and this Boise State football program has been quite a success story...in the process becoming a model program for schools its size.

Boise State has only played Division 1 college football for 11 years...and only been a member of the WAC for the past five. Their growth has been meteoric by college football standards, the turning point of their football history being a 35-30 upset of a highly regarded Fresno State team that featured the eventual overall $1 draft pick, QB David Carr. Because Fresno State was unbeaten at the time and ranked 8th in the country, ESPN televised it...and the world saw Boise knock Fresno off right in front of all their fans...and go on to win the first of five straight WAC titles.

So because I "knew better"...I was looking forward to Boise showing the entire nation how far their football team had come, and why, even though they were 12-0 this year and ranked 9th nationally, they were being seriously "dissed" by the alleged sports experts.

Fox's TV coverage began with a brief look at the man, whose name is Lyle Smith(my memory could be wrong on that), who is considered the "father" of Boise State football back in 1946. Smith has a luxury box seat for the game, and the cameras went to him repeatedly to monitor his reactions to what went on in the game.

During pregame introductiions, the Boise State team was led out on the field by a young woman riding a horse(bronco, get it?)attired in blue and orange(the school colors)with a smile of obvious pride on her face. The no-name school from the Northwest was finally toe-to-toe with the big time...it was a moving introduction. Of course, the Sooners came out with their usual pomp and circumstance, led out by the Sooner wagon.

When the game got started, the roles were initially reversed, as the Broncos jumped out to a 14-0 lead before anyone knew what hit them. Boise had Oklahoma off-balance for the majority of the first half, and when intermission came, they led the Sooners 21-10.

I was proud of the Broncos, but knew the Sooners were a quality team that would not quit, so while I was confident, I knew there was a long way to go.

As it turned out, boy...was there ever!

Boise kept the dominance going in the third quarter, scoring on an interception to take a 28-10 lead...I began to smell victory...and I was getting excited. I had to remind myself that there was still plenty of time for Oklahoma to rally.

Sure enough, Boise muffed a punt return...and Oklahoma recovered the ball and quickly scored. Shortly thereafter, the Sooners had added a field goal, and what was an 18-point Boise lead shrank to eight...I started to whisper to myself, "Hold on, Broncos!"

With less than two minutes to play in the game, Oklahoma scored once more...and after a couple of penalties, scored a 2-point conversion to tie the game. The Boise lead was gone...would their moment in the sun be gone as well?

It seemed it might be...although there was still just over a minute left and plenty of time for Boise to go down and still score and win, on their first play, the Sooners interepted QB Jared Zabranzsky and ran it back for another touchdown!

Now it appeared the dreams of the Broncos were about to be shattered...but they still had a minute to come back themselves.

I reminded myself that they had done it before during the season, when they had appeared beaten. But they were playing 7th ranked Oklahoma...could they do it again?

They sure gave it their best...getting to midfield with seconds remaining...but they faced a fourth down and 18...if they didn't make that first down, it would all end in defeat for the Broncos.

Lyle Smith was anxiously pensive.

Then, as if there were divine intervention, Zabransky threw another pass...which was caught, an as it appeared the reciver would be tackled just short of the first down, another Bronco receiver raced down the sideline, and took a perfectly pitched lateral into the end zone for the tying touchdown!! It wasn't over yet...7 seconds were still left on the clock!

This fine game was headed for overtime! After four quarters, we were right back where we began!

Oklahoma got the ball first, and scored the go-ahead touchdown immediately on the first play! Could the Broncos respond again?

Boise battled down inside the 10-yard line...where again, they faced a fourth down to stay alive!

On that play, one of the Bronco receivers threw a pass to another...in the end zone! Boise had scored once more! Another overtime?

No...Boise coach Chris Peterson(who has yet to lose a game)decided that the game would be decided right here...right now! He opted to go for a 2-point conversion! If successful, the Broncos would slay the mighty Sooners...if not, close...but no cigar!

This was a breathtaking finish...I was trying to concentrate on my household chores, but I couldn't take my ears off the game!

The play began...Zabransky went back to pass, and pump faked not once, not twice, but three times. On the third time, star running back Ian Johnson snatched the ball from Zabransky and ran it into the end zone....the stadium erupted...Boise had WON!

I let out a yell in solidarity...the Broncos suddenly became conquering heroes!

Lyle Smith no doubt smiled in appreciation.

The little engine that could...did! After dominating Oklahoma for 57 minutes, then almost coming from ahead to lose, Boise State thrust a dagger into all the "experts" who had predicted their humiliation! That thought alone made me jubilant for them!

As if he were a latter-day Clark Gable, Johnson(who'd scored the winning points)then proposed to this cheerleader girlfriend...what do you suppose her answer was?

Yes, Ian Johnson(who played with cracked ribs toward the end of the season)is now engaged. He should be able to support his new wife nicely on an NFL income!

This game, just like the whole Boise State football history, was positively inspiring! People can cite all kinds of reasons why the Broncos were unbeaten(again), but to me, it's simple...they simply refuse to lose!


It was one of the most incredible football games I ever saw in my life....an instant classic!

Predictably, sports talk shows were inundated with calls from typical "big-time" football fans who could not accept what they saw...incredibly, some called Boise "lucky"! Can you believe that? A team that ahd dominated almost the entire game only to come back twice and score key touchdowns on fourth down was lucky?

Please. Blessed, maybe...with talented athletes that made the big plays when needed. But lucky? Grow up, people.

Clearly, the better team won. And it would be nice if the so-called national championship game could be held between the teams that earned their way there by playing for it...and winning all their games...Ohio State and Boise State....and not have berths given to relatively unworthy teams that got their places merely by being in certain leagues.

But that's another debate for another time...for now, hail to Boise State, the conquering Broncos! They did their very best...all they could do, in fact...and never gave up in the process!

If I could ride a horse, I might even ride one of those broncos like that young lady did...in celebration of the good guys winning!

Resolutions?

With the new year here, I'm sure it will hearten you to know I have given the notion of my New Year's resolutions my usual careful thought, and I will announce them here below:

1. None special(for the 44th consecutive year)

Why don't I have any New Year's resolutions? Don't I care? Don't I have goals for the coming year? Do I really think I have no reason to make any commitments to be a better person?

In order...I'll explain, yes, of course, and no, of course not.

Of course I care about being a better, more responsible person. And DEFINITELY there is much room for improvement. I'm not so sure, though, that a public "to do" about what I need to do in that regard is necessary.

And I certainly don't think a mere date on the calendar(which is all January 1st is, anyway)is reason to stress those goals as opposed to any other day.

I feel I need to resolve DAILY to be a better person...to seek God's forgiveness for not being what I should be, and not doing what I should do. And I feel the need to rededicate myself to the goals I've set for myself in light of God and His Word almost every moment of my life...and the advent of a new calendar year has nothing to do with that!

If I don't have that dedication every single moment of my life, it doesn't matter WHAT I resolve to do at the start of a new calendar year...so I don't bother to "play along" with that popular social custom.

I speak only for myself, of course. If making New Year's resolutions is helpful to you, and gives you the resolve to live your life in a better and more productive way, who am I to quibble with what works for you?

So Happy New Year, everyone...I resolve to live my life in the light of Jesus Christ as best I can, and I also hope you all resolve in your own ways to do the same!:-)

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