Congratulations!

When any of my friends celebrates a milestone in his or her life, you can bet I'll want to be there to celebrate it with them!

And I am very happy to announce here that a friend of mine(who you've seen me refer to in the past on this very blog), Daniel Mount, is celebrating the release of a book he's spent the past four years or so writing, "The Faith of America's Presidents". The subject of our Presidents is something that has interested me most of my life, and I still have more knowledge of arcane Presidential trivia than most anyone I know!

But I'm sure that Daniel is writing about more than mere Presidential trivia. If that subject is of interest to you, I recommend that you go to Daniel's personal webpage at http://www.danielmount.net and check his book out for yourself!

But for the moment, congratulations to Daniel for this significant personal achievement.

Some musings

Not to worry, I'm still here.

I just have not posted here since last Thursday because I haven't had anything I felt that was worth sharing with you all to post about...and as I've said here before, when I don't have anything to say, I will simply not say anything, rather than post something just to have something to read here. It's a lesson I'm trying to learn...and pass on to my NON-web life as well!:-)

I left off a line of that last paragraph I'm tempted to add to that last sentence, but since it was mostly a smart-aleck observation, why bother to type it?:-)

I haven't that much to say TODAY, either...I have no new thoughts on gospel music to share, but when I do, you'll read them first here! In the meantime, I'm just lying low and working on my upcoming SG History 101 article for Southern Gospel News(coming this weekend).

For today, just a passing thought on something I read(again and again).

I was browsing a gospel music message board, when I noticed a particular poster wondering aloud(in print)why some people just don't "get it".

I feel the same way often when I go out in the world and notice the multiple examples of careless, muddled thinking and expression in word, print, and deed! It is remarkable how little thought goes into a lot of what we hear and see and read...but is there any more thought involved in wondering why other people don't "get it"?

I'm talking to myself in part here, because as I said, I hear myself saying that a lot as well. Who am I, though...or who is anybody else to assume that if someone else does something differently from the way I(or they)do it or think it, that they don't "get it"? Hm? Maybe I don't "get it", and I'm too lazy mentally or spiritually to consider the possibility that that other person may be "on to" something that I'm not!

It's a line of reasoning based on the arrogant premise that the world revolves arouind me and the way I think...and THAT is a philosophy that doesn't "get it", if anything! For me, I'm much better off when I forget about the way I might think, and strive to align my mind(and heart)with the way God thinks!

When I am in line with the way our Lord looks at things(in His "will", if you will), then...and only then...do I really "get it"!

For as Jesus is quoted as saying in Matthew 7:5(GNB):"First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will be able to see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye."

If I remember wisdom like that, eventually I'll really "get it"!

That's all for today...maybe I'll take an offering now! LOL!

A show to remember

We(Earline Starnes and I)record our long-running gospel music show for KMJ radio on Thursdays.

So Thursdays are my really super long days at the station. I just now got home after spending 10 hours there.

This Sunday's show is going to be a special treat, though...we remembered Roger Bennett in our own way.

When Roger passed away last Saturday morning, I called Earline right away to pass on the news. You see, Earline doesn't often look at gospel music sites on the internet. With a full-time job, kids at home, and her responsibilities as an executive with the Central California Southern Gospel Music Association, as well as being a gospel music promoter, she seldom gets the time to spend on a computer to check out what might be there.

I knew, too, that Earline really liked and supported Roger very much. She had the chance to work with Bennett in connection with Legacy Five in connection with the Great Western Southern Gospel Fan Festival(coming very soon, BTW!)often...plus, like me, she had met Bennett several times when he was still a member of the Cathedrals.

I should have known that Earline would have something special in mind for our next program, knowing how she felt about Bennett and his music.

Well, she certainly did. When she arrived at KMJ to do our show with me, she had a perfectly planned musical tribute program to Bennett all planned out. She was certain that she had picked out the right songs...and prepared it with the idea that they would not only paint a fitting musical portrait of Bennett, but that those songs would speak to our listeners as well. (We try to plan EVERY show with the latter intention in mind.)

Now, as the station employee and the "radio pro" charged with producing the show to conform to the time constraints our show operates in, I looked at some of the titles and their timings, and ventured to Earline that maybe we might have to drop some of the songs she chose(they were NOT all by Bennett)in order to get certain key ones in. Normally, we have no problem "fixing" the shows to conform to those constraints.

But Earline's response was almost defiant. "God picked these songs out for me", she exclaimed, "and we can leave off some of these songs by other artists that I picked, but I've GOT to play the songs by Roger I selected, because God picked them for me".

So I had to use all my professional experience to fit the songs featuring Bennett into our time frame. Now, most radio stations don't operate with the tight time restrictions we do, because we are the area's major news station, and we always run commercials. Our program has commercial sponsors, as do the programs adjacent to us. And there are also hourly network newscasts we have to work with as well.

So we removed two songs, one by the Talleys, and one by Greater Vision...and determine ourselves to fit in what was left. I reminded Earline we needed to keep our dialogue within the show to a minimum to fit the songs in. Since we record the show live with almost no post-production, we HAD to follow the plan. We don't have much of a time window to play with.

As the show proceeded, and as we played 1994's "Don't Be Afraid" by the Cathedrals(one of Bennett's BEST songs), and Legacy Five's "In His Grip"(done just a couple of years ago or so), it became clear to me that not only were we doing a proper tribute to Bennett, but we would also meet our time constraints easily, as well.

Oh, me of little faith!:-)

I guess God truly DID pick out the songs for us, how else would the music had come out so good, and the program run on time, as well?

Earline was happy with the show, as was I! She was happy because we were able to execute the show she planned so carefully, and I was happy because I had learned yet another lesson about trusting God completely with my "things"...you know, when we do that, He ALWAYS makes it work out just as it should!

Oh, well...I'm still learning some things...and I'm glad God is so patient in teaching me His lessons!

An attempt at a conclusion

I hope that THIS time as I broach this subject, I will not be misinterpreted anew.

Of course, a lot of that will depend on me, since I'm writing it! But my hope is that whoever reads this will do so with an open mind, and will not do so with any assumptions about what I'll say, or whatever conclusions I may arrive at(if any).

The idea for this entry came to me as I was listening to the afternoon talk show on the radio station I work at. He had just had the mayor of Fresno(Alan Autry...yes, Bubba is our mayor!)on yesterday discussing the subject of illegal immigration, which for you readers outside of California is a very hotly contested subject out this way!

It is impossible to talk about that topic on a radio talk show without getting bitterly polarized, emotional dialogue going back and forth in almost no time! And this will go on for the entire two hours of the show...and what gets decided at the end?

Nothing. People still go on feeling exactly the way they did when they first called in.

Maybe it's therapeutic for those callers to call and vent over the radio, but as far as advancing the debate forward and shedding much-needed light on a subject that SORELY needs it, instead only a lot of heat is shed instead.

Our host then posed the question, "What topic(s) would you like to NOT hear anymore on talk shows?"

Well, surely, immigration is one for radio talk shows. But then I began to think about the things I see discussed regularly on gospel music message boards, and then I wondered what things I would be very happy NOT to read about any longer on those sites.

I'm sure you can think of ones yourself...and you can even share those with me in the comment space below when you get through reading this!:-)

For me, first and most basically, I would love to no longer see topics involving who is the best/most favorite/highest/lowest/best-looking/most or least spiritual/ singer(s) in gospel music!

Everyone has his/her own choices in those categories, and invariably those discussions degenerate into how much better/worse/nicer/unfriendly/good-looking/ugly one artist is than another...and it gets very tedious to read, REALLY quick!

Another is how people should dress on stage...those discussions sometimes start out calmly, but sooner or later descend into angry invective about what singers SHOULD look like, and why it doesn't matter what singers wear as long as they sing well to what kind of witnesses singers are if they look a certain way...and...well, if you've seen one of those discussions, you've seen them all.

Finally, one topic I think has become tiresome(and that I inadvertently got involved with myself in the last week or so)is...is music better today, or in the so-called "good ol' days"?

Those kinds of discussions arise when someone starts talking about how one era has all the "best" music...then, someone who doesn't like THAT era comes back and argues why the era THEY like is better...and then it can go off in a number of different directions, all of them unprofitable, and all of them not enjoyable to read at all.

I posted a couple of times about a book I read that talked about the origin of Music Row in Nashville, and I admit to having been fascinated about how all that music in that period came together. And further noting the first-hand recollections by the people in the book, I made the mistake of asking why the reaction to some of today's music is not the same as the reaction to the music then was when IT was being made.

Wouldn't you know, I was accused of "constantly lamenting" the loss of the "good ol' days"(on 2 entries? How "constant" is twice?)and challenged to better appreciate the fine product that is being produced today(such a distinction can only apply to the beholder)and "smell the roses"!

Now I don't want to rehash THAT discussion again...so please suspend your reactions(pro OR con)on that. All I'll say now and always on that is that I DO enjoy some music of today, and I certainly live NOW(well, I lived during part of then, too...but anyway)!

But my own preference...if I had to choose between eras...is the one that I first learned to appreciate music in...which in my case, is in the 1960s, and includes the current music of that day, and some of the music 10-15 years prior(the "oldies")for what THAT'S worth.

Having said that, I do NOT say, and WILL not say, that one era musically is necessarily better than another!

For when I broke into radio 22 years ago, I was a midday disc jockey at a nostalgia-styled radio station. We DID emphasize music of the 1940s and 1950s, but only because no one else was playing it at all. And we knew there were a lot of people in our audience who still enjoyed that music at that time.

However, our philosophy was that good music was ALWAYS good music, regardless of when it was made, or what genre it was a part of. So since we had the freedom to choose our own songs when doing our shows(which a LOT of disc jockeys would kill for today!), we ended up playing as eclectic a mix of music as has probably ever been heard on the radio...we played big band swing, pop, jazz, old-time country, blues, dixieland, even some rock n' roll, and yes, even some gospel quartet music from time to time(I snuck that in, if you hadn't guessed!:-))!

In other words, we were a "good music" station...as much as that could have been done reasonably, anyway!

We didn't care about genres, or eras...what difference did it make if the song we played was recorded in 1948..or 1968...or even 1988?? Good music is always good music, no matter what it is, or when it's made!...so we thought, anyway...and our ratings were always good, so a good number of people agreed with us, at least!

How does that apply to gospel music message board threads? Well, when it comes to good gospel music, the best of it will be good now...and be good 20 years from now as well! So I, for one, appreciate groups like the Booth Brothers, the Liberty Quartet, Legacy Five, and the current Gold City lineup now...and I will in years to come as well.

And similarly, I will never stop loving the music of artists such as the Couriers, the Blackwood Brothers, the Statesmen, the Rebels, the Inspirations, the Harvesters, the Speers, and yes, even the Chuck Wagon Gang! Their music got me interested in gospel music long before I became a Christian, and helped to give me peace and strength long after I became a Christian as well! And since I continue to enjoy THAT music even today(thanks to records and CDs), it is still "contemporary" music for me!:-)

Given my inclination to respect my ancestry, and learn from my history, I do hold the latter group of artists in a special place, because without them, the former group of artists I cited would not be making the music they make today! So understandably, I give them reverence.

But arguments over genres of music, like arguments over illegal immigration and politics, are ultimately fruitless...because more heat than light is spread when engaging in such discussions.

And history continues to be made each day we live...so I'm perfectly willing to enjoy the history being made today, along with the history that already HAS been made. Care to join me? You're all invited!

Memories of Roger

This morning, we lost someone who exemplified what a gospel musician should be all about.

Former Cathedral Quartet pianist and current accompanist and leader of Legacy Five, Roger Bennett, finally lost his 12-year battle with leukemia and all the after effects of it.

Our loss is heaven's gain, though...there arguably wasn't a current gospel music personality who was more admired and respected by his peers and gospel music fans than Bennett. Despite his health struggles in recent years, Bennett seldom failed to exude the joy he felt in just being alive and in recording and performing songs about Jesus Christ.

Even prior to those health struggles, Bennett exuded that joy...one could tell by observing that he loved Jesus, and he loved to sing and play songs about Him.

And to those of us who are fans of the music, he was unfailingly funny, friendly, and courteous...everything you'd expect a gospel musician to be.

I wish I could say I knew Bennett well...I didn't. I was fortunate to meet and talk to him about a half dozen times in his all-too-short lifetime, and I enjoyed every moment I spent in his company.

My first, and longest experience with Bennett came in 1982 in Torrance, CA...at El Camino Junior College. Roger was with the Cathedrals at that time, and they and the Florida Boys were appearing at the final official gospel concert promoted by the renowned Polly Grimes, perhaps the pioneer promoter of gospel music in the Western United States

On this particular occasion, Grimes was selling many of the LPs in her extensive personal collection. Since I was an avid collector of gospel albums during that time, naturally my attention was riveted to the table where all those LPs were displayed.

Among the LPs for sale were virtually all the RCA albums released by the Statesmen and Blackwood Brothers, and many other classic gospel LPs issued by the groups that Grimes brought out to California on so many occasions.

I excitedly was rummaging through the rows of albums, trying to figure out which ones I'd buy on the limited funds I had on me that night.

I had some unexpected help in making up my mind on that...for rummaging just as eagerly through those albums was Bennett...and UNlike me, he had plenty of money on hand to buy whatever albums he wanted. I could tell that buying those albums meant a lot to Bennett, and as he drew nearer to me, I slowly backed away, knowing that it was more important for Roger to have those albums that night than me.

Noticing me, Bennett asked me if I was looking at any particular albums. I told him I wasn't, and that even if I was, that I didn't have enough money to buy what I wanted anyway, so he could grab anything he wanted.

I got the distinct impression that if I'd told him I wanted a particular album there, he would have relented and let me buy it....as badly as he wanted those albums, he could recognize someone else that loved the music as much as he did, and if so, he would not have stood in the way of making another gospel music fan happy...that seemed to be his feeling about ALL the fans who were there to see him that night.

As far as I know, Bennett bought just about every album there...he was happy, and I was happy for him. I came away with a very positive impression of a very fine young man. For just like Bennett, I couldn't stand in the way of another person who shared my love of gospel music....and I remain convinced that he ould ahve done the same for me.

I didn't see Bennett in person again until two years ago, when he appeared at the Great Western Southern Gospel Fan Festival here in Fresno with Legacy Five. Actually, I didn't SEE him...I HEARD him...for he was staying home as a result of his chemo treatment at that time. He wa on the phone, and the conversation was picked up by the PA system. The phone call and the news Bennett shared about his health that night seemed to energize Legacy Five to a higher level...after that phone call, Legacy Five put on an especially inspired performance. Clearly the guys in the quartet loved Bennett, and were encouraged and determined to do their best with him in mind, in his absence.

The following year, I DID see Bennett, with a shaved head as a result of his chemotherapy, and on that night, he played and sang with Legacy Five with unusual energy. His performance was so electrifying, joyful, and captivating, he again pushed Legacy Five to a new energy level. He no doubt inspired many in the audience that night, and I KNOW he inspired me!

That was the thing about Bennett...despite all the discomfort and frustration he HAD to feel at his health situation, he never seemed to allow any of it to dampen his joy and hope. Through his writings in the Singing News and online, to his onstage performances, to his interaction with his many fans and friends in concerts, Bennett was always an inspiration and blessing to anyone and everyone who came in contact with him. No self-pity for Roger Bennett...no way!!

It would have been understandable for Bennett to slip now and then, and let his guard down, and reveal the tensions and frustrations he had to have felt during that time. But, as far as I know, he never did. That trait of his alone will always be an example and goal for me, to show the joy, love, and compassion to others that Roger Bennett consistnely showed, despite the obstacles he faced. Though nearly a year younger than I, he was an example and model for me as a believer in Christ.

And needless to say, Bennett was quite a musician. While not the flashiest pinaist in gospel music, he was certainly among the most technically accomplished...and he was also an inspiring singer as well. To this day, I am inspired every time I hear "When The World Looks At Me" and "Don't Be Afraid". In addition, he was a true "quartet man", in every sense of that expression.

Roger Bennett was a man who believed what he sang and played, and lived it as well. He has provided us all with many fond memories of musical excellence, Christian style...and I look forward to scouring record bins again with him, on the other side of this life.

Here's to you, Roger Bennett....

A take on the Inspirations

Moving forward then...

A bit of a debate has arisen of late between my friend and fellow blogger Daniel Mount, and another well-known blogger(and those who share his opinion)on the reason for the impressive popularity to this day of the Inspirations, even after nearly 43 years of existence.

Daniel seems to be convinced that that popularity is mostly due to the song material that they have chosen, while those on the other side of this fence are convinced that there are more factors than simply that.

Well, sorry Daniel, but I believe it's more a case of the latter...now mind you, song selection has been a very important factor in the long popularity of the Inspirations...they seem to have had the knack over the years to consistently find songs that fit their style, and they have also seemed to consistently perform those songs in a way that their many fans enjoy...not once, but again and again.

But saying THAT infers that there is more to the Inspirations' popularity than merely their song selection.

And there is. What factors do I think help make them so well-liked by fans, and so well-respected by their peers and by so many others(they ARE, you know)?

For one, the Inspirations have definite, inbred musical ability. Now I hear those of you out there who cringe when you hear them sing in their North Carolina mountain accents saying, musical ability? The Inspirations?:-)

Yes, musical ability. The Inspirations.

For openers, I constantly hear about how "pitchy" the Inspirations allegedly are when they sing. Oh, really? Any of you care to cite song and verse where the Inspirations are off pitch or off rhythm? Come on, I'm waiting.

Now, every group misses a note now and then. And I'm not saying the Inspirations are technically flawless, by any means. They do NOT and never have sung with the technical proficiency of say, the Blackwood Brothers or Statesmen. And they don't have a smooth blend reminiscent of such quartets as the Cathedral Quartet or even today's King's Heralds.

But the Inspirations are NOT off-pitch typically. Some may be turned off by the way some of their individual voices sound from time to time, but that is a LONG way from saying that they can't sing.

The Inspirations' musical accompaniment also comes in for criticism from time to time. Because Martin Cook plays a relatively simple and uncomplicated piano style, he's accused on occasion of being an unaccomplished pianist. Same goes for his son Myron on the bass. But because they don't extend themselves more than they do instrumentally, does it follow that they're necessarily "bad" musicians? Of course not.

To illustrate that last point, I harken back to the days of the late Hank Williams, Sr. and his longtime backing band, the Drifting Cowboys. Their relatively simple backing led some to believe that they were not very accomplished musicians, either. But there was much more to them than met the ear.

One of them said in a magazine interview in the 1970s that Williams ORDERED them not to get too "hot" on their instruments, offering as his reason the idea that his audiences wanted the music to be kept simple. If they played like that, Williams said, people would tell them that they were one of the best bands they had ever heard.

And you know what? That's EXACTLY what people told the Drifting Cowboys...maybe ol' Hank had a little more on the ball musically than he was given credit for.

In a closer example, anyone remember the Chuck Wagon Gang? They were only the gospel group that sold more records than any other gospel group before them, or since them. And their vocal style was not far removed from the basic songbooks. Dave "Dad" Carter always told them that he wanted their listeners to think they ould sing just as good as any member of the Gang...in other words, they sang for the people, to the people, just the way that the people themselves would. And this quality endeared the Chucks to millions of people for decades...and still does today.

The Inspirations are products of that same tradition. They put on no airs in person or on record, they sing songs people like to hear, in the way they like to hear it...with plenty of the time-honored gospel quartet staples...lots of tenor leads, LOTS of low bass singing, and a lot of convention style four part harmony(as in their 1992 version of "Glory To God In The Highest", a song that Daniel was impressed with hearing them sing when he saw them do it live), and they stick with what they do best, and deliver it on a consistent basis. You always know what you'll hear on an Inspirations album...for better or worse(depending on your tastes). None of this chasing after that elusive "cutting edge"...the Inspirations know what they do best, they know what their audiences want, and they give it to them.

IMHO, that's why people continue to like the Inspirations, and flock to their concerts even today, despite the fact that the group is aging(with all the things that go with that), and despite the fact that the group has chosen to keep its distance from both the Gaither machine and the NQC(which they VOLUNTARILY skipped on occasion in the 1980s).

And the Inspirations are careful to project an image that their fans can admire, and non-gospel fans can respect, as well.

The Inspirations are about as self-contained as a gospel music organization as one can imagine, and they have insisted on putting their fans and what they want first. So it should be no surprise, if one goes back and analyzes their career carefully, why they continue to hold such popularity with gospel music fans after all these years.

A careful response

Apparently someone out there is not happy with me(not that THAT is an unusual situation! lol).

From just down the street(so to speak)at SGBlogNews, I am being taken to task for "lamenting" the passing of the so-called "good ol' days". I am further being advised to "wake up and smell the roses", evidently inferring that I am missing out on a lot of great gospel music being made today, merely because my own tastes tend to gravitate more toward the gospel music made in years past.

Perhaps I am...but I simply don't think so. To the rest of those contentions, I simply say "hogwash"!

One thing I am very careful about doing(here and on gospel music message boards)is not attacking the musical tastes of others. Even though I may personally question the musical tastes of those who don't enjoy a lot of the quartet music of yesteryear in favor of what I consider to be the relatively lyrically challenged, derivative, sterile, and shallow music of today, you will not see or hear me ever attack the likes and dislikes of those whose tastes differ from mine.

Still less will you ever see or hear me infer that those whose tastes differ from mine OUGHT to stop listening to what they like, and listen instead to what I like, because they NEED to hear what they're missing.

I'm sorry that this particular individual feels that I go on too much about the music I like in my own blog, which people are free to read or not read, and agree or disagree with the conclusions drawn. Perhaps in the future I'll start discussing music I'm not as familiar with(out of choice), and concluding every such observation with a hearty recommendation, regardless of whether I enjoy the music within or not.

I am very aware that times change, sometimes for the better, sometimes not. For example, in terms of technology, science, and medicine(among three)there have been innumerable ways in which our lives are richer and of higher quality and convenience than they've ever been. I am personally a beneficiary of such progress, and I hail it.

On the other hand, I have also noticed changes in schools, personal morality, and social and fashion customs. I don't see quite the same kinds of progress in those areas...in fact, I see a great deal of regression in such aspects of our lives. Clearly then, the mere passing of time does not alone guarantee "progress" in any given area.

I won't even BEGIN to discuss where televison and radio fit in to this particluar line of thinking, IMO.

And I won't go into a detailed musical analysis, either, of why I prefer the gospel music of the 1950s and 1960s to the gospel music of today, in general. You don't care, for one thing, and for the purposes of this entry it is merely sufficient to say that I prefer the music of those older eras to that of today.

And for this, I'm criticized? Well, at least I'm guilty of THAT criticism...other types of criticism, I'm not nearly as guilty of.

And with that, my rebuttal ends. All I can say here for now is that I like what I like, and I know why I like it! And for those who like something different, I'm glad you enjoy it. I will never tell you not to enjoy a lot of the gospel music made today, regardless of how uninspired, uncreative, and uninspiring I think it might be.

For contrary to the assertions of some observers, music is NOT an empirical science, where good and bad can be objectively measured to an absolute standard. It is, and always will be, ultimately a matter of personal taste.

And my personal tastes are firmly based in the gospel music of the 1950s and 1960s, because that was the gospel music that first made a noteworthy impression upon me, and continues to to this day...thus, in a sense, it's still MY contemporary music.

And a fella can do a LOT worse than be stuck in the social, musical, and moral standards of those days.

So those of you who care to read the musings of this "inquiring mind", I'll continue to share them here with you...and I truly hope you'll get something positive out of reading them.

And if you don't, that's OK, too...you can share yours with me, and I'll go on just the same.

Ah, the good ol’ days(Pt. 2)

I found the title of the book I referenced in my last entry here.

The book is called, "How Nashville Became Music City, USA...50 Years Of Music Row", by author and songwriter(heard of him? I haven't!)Michael Kosser.

If you like reading about the music industry, the book is a fascinating study of how a quiet Southeastern U.S. city(Nashville, TN)became the eventual headquarters of the ENTIRE recording industry(NOT just country music)by the 1970s.

The book does an admirable job of discussing how the music industry as a whole found a hospitable, comfortable place to center itself in Nashville...the first hand anecdotes from all the hitmakers and those behind the scenes as well are worth the price of the book to me as a reader.

I would love to see a similar look at the involvement of gospel music in those famous recording studios that not only it used, but all the other genres of popular music as well. Maybe someone will do one someday.

I'm very pleased with the response my initial post on the subject got...thoughtful comments by three people that I respect a great deal for their knowledge, insights, and input.

I don't normally respond in the comments section...but since I enjoy the fact that my blog is now interactive, I chose to enter into dialogue with my esteemed readers.

But that's not quite fair...because I always have the final word here. And if I have anything pertinent to say in response to what others contribute, then I should merely post a new entry...so that's what I'm doing now.

First, Daniel Mount(whose own blog is an excellent read for gospel music fans)pointed out that there is a group today on the scene that recreates the excitement and fervor that the Blackwood Brothers and the Statesmen did in their heydays(as I quoted one anecdote in the book as alluding to)...and thus, there was no reason to despair at the fate of gospel quartet music.

To respond to Daniel, I assume he is referring to Ernie Haase and Signature Sound, who assuredly are creating quite a stir and excitement among fans of gospel music, both with their recordings and their stage presence.

For my part, I cannot deny that SSQ indeed has done a fine job doing all that in the gospel genre. However, I don't feel there is a similar excitement about them among non-gospel fans as there was over both the Blackwoods and the Statesmen)or some other quartets)in their heydays. Certainly in my experience, those older quartets got a LOT of respect and praise for the music and legend they created. While not intending to take away from SSQ one bit, their influence and impact hasn't quite reached that far, IMHO, yet.

My good friend Neil Enloe commented on the difference in the message between gospel music and its' country counterpart, and posited that perhaps THAT was the reason that the gospel quartets made such an impact upon fans of music back in the day.

Ultimately, I agree with Neil...the inherent superiority of gospel music lies in the message of life and hope it offers, as opposed to the message of many country songs being one of darkness and failure. This is the main reason why I choose to listen to gospel music most of the time rather than its' secular brethren.

But I'm sure Neil doesn't mean to impugn all secular music out of hand...in fact, I KNOW he doesn't! Neil is a fan of much of the well-crafted pop music of the 1940s and 1950s, and he likes similar types of songs written after that! He has long maintained that songwriters(of which Neil is one of the better gospel ones)are storytellers, and a good story makes for a good song, regardless of its' musical trappings.

In any case, my comments were directed more toward the sheer musical abilities of the classic gospel quartets, rather than the lyrical basis of their work.

In my own case, growing up in the 1960s and 1970s, it was the musical proficiency of groups like the Blackwoods, the Statesmen, the Rebels, the Oak Ridge Quartet, and Neil's own Couriers that first drew me to gospel music. At the time I first fell in love with it, I was too young to understand the message fully that the songs were communicating, not having grown up in a church atmosphere to have that as a frame of reference for the lyrics I was hearing. All I knew was, I liked the harmony, the high tenors and the low, low basses, and I loved the enthusiasm and conviction they all sang with. My guess is that those factors played a part in the reaction to it of those quoted in Kosser's book as well.

Now, as I matured, the message likewise grew in my mind, and the seeds likewise grew. And when it came time for me to make that eternal decision, it was that very gospel music(especially that of the Couriers!)that became the new anthem for my life...which it remains to this day.

But like many others(I would guess), I was first attracted to gospel music because of its' quality, and its' musical power.

Then Norm Graham commented and attempted to explain the historical context behind audiences of the 1950s and 1960s being moved by gospel quartets when they heard them. I agree essentially with most all of Norm's conclusions in that regard. Norm is a very knowledgable and perceptive poster on a number of gospel music message boards, and he knows a lot about quartets and records as well...and I always welcome whatever contributions to my posts he cares to make.

Norm pointed out how different times are now from those days...and maybe that is part of the rub. Certainly the world of music is so compartmentalized by comparison today that audiences are less likely to hear the variety of music and appreciate it in the way that people like Neil, Norm, and I did when we were growing up.

I still remember the days when Top 40 radio played ALL the top songs that were popular at the time...there was none of this "well, it doesn't fit our format" kind of stuff we have today. I can remember as a boy hearing the likes of the Beatles, Elvis Presley, Marty Robbins, Frank Sinatra, and Louis Armstrong ALL being played on our local top 40 station when they had hits. That kind of stylistic diversity will NEVER occur on a regular basis again in today's radio. I think that that sort of approach keeps our youth from having the kind of music appreciation they ought to have.

Maybe Norm is also right when he infers that in the structure of today's gospel music industry, it'll be tough for gospel music to have the kind of impact on the general record buying audience than it did in the days Kosser's book speaks of.

And THAT makes me a bit sad.

Ah, the good old days

I wish I could've bought that book today.

Today, after I took care of all my personal business, I actually had time to go to the Borders bookstore here in town and read through some books...a pastime that, sadly, I haven't had much time for in a while.

One book caught my attention in particular...the title of it escapes me as I type here, but it is a historical account of how Music Row in Nashville evolved, and in the process, how Nashville became "Music City, USA".

The book offered a number of first-hand anecdotes of just how the studios, the publishing companies, and the record labels all came together to make Nashville the #1 force behind recorded music in the last half of the 20th century.

One such first hand profile was of a man who would become a leading A&R man there who cut his musical teeth on the old "All Night Sings" that Wally Fowler used to promote in the 1950s. A lot of the people who would later become major players in the recording industry got interested in music because of the gospel quartets of the 1940s and 1950s.

This gentleman particularly noted the Statesmen and Blackwood Brothers, who he said had "more talent" and stage presence than 90% of the country acts of the day, and he spoke with nostalgic affection about how good they and many of their competitors in gospel music were.

My first reaction after reading all that was, "Why don't people speak that way about gospel artists anymore?"

Now, I realize there is a lot of truly talented people out there today in the gospel field. But it DOES seem that fewer fans of music in general are aware of the talent that's in the gospel genre, especially when you compare what many of the top artists in the general music business were aware of in the gospel field back then. Clearly, that sense of excitement about the best gospel music artists is missing now when compared to what was taking place 40 years ago.

And, to me, that is a sad thing.

I've gotta buy that book the next time I go to Borders.

Some deliberate “random” thoughts

I apologize for not being more active this week here, especially in a week where some bloggers had a piece of center stage in the gospel music world!:-)

I was considering a pair of topics to post on here...one had to do with something very inane I saw on a gospel music message board, but since there was no way I could express my thoughts about this without ridiculing the person who posted it, I've decided against posting about it. Unlike some bloggers, I don't need to bash someone else to give people a reason to read my blog.

That leaves the topic of the infamous "blogger summit" conducted this weekend, reportedly capped by a discussion between representatives of Crossroads Records, industry professionals, selected "insiders", and a few gospel music bloggers!

No, I wasn't invited...nor did I expect to be. Mine is not a blog that attempts to regularly report on industry news, review current releases, nor comment on current issues regarding the gospel music industry. There are plenty of bloggers out there who do all that, and do a better job of it than perhaps I would ever do.

Among such bloggers are David Bruce Murray, who perhaps does the best job of writing honest, fair-minded reviews of current gospel product, and in addition offers informed, reasoned commentary on issues regarding the industry.

Another is Daniel Mount, who does a fine job covering gospel music news stories, along with offering analysis of industry happenings and trends, and he also tries to review interesting new gospel releases. Both men do a fine job, and deserved to be invited to such a meeting to discuss thoughts and ideas regarding the gospel music industry.

Then, of course, there is perhaps the leading gospel music blogger of the day, whose inclusion in such a meeting should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with the reading habits of today's gospel music fan.

There was some consternation expressed initially from those who possibly wondered why they were not also included, or wondered why some of those who were included WERE included. This was annoying to read at first, but now I can understand a little bit of why those who felt that way did so.

I understand it, but I don't share those sentiments.

Why? Without meaning to speak for anyone else, I don't perceive myself as being a part of the gospel music "industry"...nor do I have any desire to be so. My blog exists solely for the purpose of expressing myself, and whatever may pop into my "inquiring mind" on a given day. I have no agenda for reform or redefinition of any aspect of the gospel music industry.

Do I think the industry could serve me better? Possibly. Do I think it could serve the mass gospel music audience better? Oh, undoubtedly. Do I have any ideas on how it can? I'm sure I do. And frankly, if I cared enough about the "industry" to express them, I would. But, I don't. I'm someone who simply likes the gospel music he likes, and doesn't need any "industry" or any critics to tell me what I ought to like. I just like what I like.

So I don't feel "ignored" at all because no one asked me for my input in this weekend's "summit". In fact, I tend to liken such exercises to the gobs of meetings I'm required to attend at the radio station I work at. Sure, there are worthy ideas brought up from time to time. And occasionally, some real breakthroughs in policy occur as a result of them. But I invariably question why such boring contexts are required to share these ideas in. Couldn't I just tell the people who make the ultimate decisions what I think. and content myself with whether or not they accept or reject my ideas then and there? Most often, I fail to see why not...since that's the way most of the ideas are accepted anyway at my station!:-)

Now, I'm sure I sound a little naive here. And I don't mean to infer that there were not worthwhile ideas shared by many at this "summit", especially among the aforementioned bloggers! I'm sure there were.

I'm just as sure, though, that I didn't miss a thing by not attending this "summit". And I'm also sure I'll go on liking the same kind of gospel music I've always liked...without the undue influence of an "industry" or "charts" to tell me what the best songs are.

And the "industry" will go on as usual...without me having any particular say on how it goes, or without me having any desire to become part of it or to have any "power" in it.

And I will continue to "give the world a smile...each day".

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