Wake up, Western gospel music fans!

I don't normally post on things like this, but this is one of those times that I just need to let off a little steam...so bear with me.

My co-host on our long running gospel music show on KMJ, Earline Starnes, has done more than her share to keep interest in southern-style gospel music high in this decidedly non-southern part of the United States.

To that end, she has tirelessly promoted concerts throughout our basic listening area of central California. And we have publicized other concerts that we're aware of beyond that area, such as Herb Henry's concerts in the Modesto/Sacramento area, and Ralph Dean's in Southern California.

To say that attendance at most of these events meets our ambitions, though, would not be the truth.

What's wrong? Are our expectations too high? Are we overestimating the potential attraction of the artists we bring in? Are we just overestimating the appeal of gospel music to the people in this region?

I don't think we are, really. Bill Gaither seems to pack them in regardless of where he appears...I don't think it's a lack of appetite for this kind of music. Time and time again I have witnessed audiences exposed to this music respond enthusiasitcally to it, no matter their previous exposure to it. And the Arbitron ratings for our program demonstrate unequivocally that there ARE people out there who enjoy it.

Now, I'm aware that the Gaither organization has resources and methods the rest of us don't use...at least not as well.as his people do. And I'm also aware that his organization takes a more active role in producing their shows than we do ours. That explains at least in part the difference in the attendance between their shows and ours.

But I don't think it explains everything.

I am in a relatively conservative enclave in a predominantly liberal state. People here continually tell our talk shows that they're tired of so-called "entertainment" than offends their basic moral values...that they can't find anything worth seeing on TV that their entire families can enjoy. And they also wrongly assert that there is "nothing" to do in Fresno and the surrounding area that they can take their families to.

Well, excuse me....but Fresno is now California's fifth most populous city. And we've had artists such as the Rolling Stones and Elton John appear here in the last year...with Billy Joel due in a month from now. Maybe that's not exactly the type of "family" entertainment that the aforementioned people are looking for...but it does demonstrate that things DO happen here.

In addition, we also have an active philharmonic orchestra, several big swing-type bands that STILL play regular dates all over the area, not to mention AAA baseball, professional hockey, and division 1-A college football, basketball, and baseball from Fresno State, a university that has attracted national attention with such programs in the recent past.

So there ARE options for people here searching for family activities to take in.

And with the Great Western Southern Gospel Fan Festival every spring, and regular appearances by such gospel artists as Ernie Haase and Signature Sound, Legacy Five, the Dixie Melody Boys, the Melody Boys Quartet, Poet Voices, and the Down East Boys(this Friday at the Faith Community Church of the Nazarene in Clovis-a small free plug there), there is plenty of good southern gospel(the most family friendly musical genre there is)right here for all to see.

So where are you all? Earline and I would love to see you!

If you're out West, and you want southern gospel music to continue to be a presence out here, we need to see more of you. Nothing is more frustrating to a promoter like Earline to work so hard to get these artists to come out here(it's not that easy, folks)and only see a relative handful of people in attendance to see them. And it's also demoralizing to an artist who has travelled a thousand miles or more to sing and not see that many people when they arrive.

Think about how you would feel, and maybe considering the cost to attend a southern gospel concert is miniscule by comparison to other forms of entertainment(most of which will NOT be as fulfilling), you might consider taking the family to attend when these people come your way.

Page 2 of 2 pages  <  1 2