Answering a reader’s question

Normally, I would not use an entire post here to answer one question from one reader, but since he posted his question in a post I made on football(!), I figured he wouldn't be able to find the answer to his question anyplace else.

And since I am the only one who can answer it, Gerry Ingram, if you're reading this, this post's for you!

Gerry referred to a post I made a LONG time ago about a solo album by the late Jim "Big Chief" Wetherington, which is understood to this day to be a rare, sought-after classic by gospel music fans.

However, Gerry, it's not available on CD. I have it on CD because my copy was a gift given to me by one of the musicians that played for Chief on the album....L.David Young, a good friend of mine.

The album was issued sometime in the mid-1960s. My friend Dean Adkins would have a better idea of when it came out than I would(he owns the original LP, and he knows such things)...but it was issued as Scripture LP-129, and simply entitled "Big Chief Jim Wetherington". It is one of the finest solo bass singer albums that I've ever heard.

Chief is backed by Young on the piano, and Larry Taylor on the organ, and the album also mentions the presence of a harp, supplied by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. It is dedicated to the memory of Chief's grandfather, Ben Swett.

Does that help, Gerry? I hope Dean reads this too, and feels free to add any information that I'm either incorrect on, or unintentionally left out.

Good luck finding this classic album.

A weekend in the candy store

I realize by revealing the following, I'll look as though I'm hopelessly behind the times.

No matter...to some people, my tastes in gospel music only confirm such a belief.

I don't know how many of you get to freely surf the internet at work, and I'm not saying I do either. But when I'm at work on the weekends, sometimes I have long stretches of down time, and every once in a while I get to spend that down time examining what's online.

This weekend was one such weekend, and I happened upon YouTube. Now, YouTube is a current rage among online enthusiasts, primarily because almost anytime anything of remote interest to at least two or three people happens, it seems to be available to the whole world to view on YouTube.

Such is the case with gospel music....it is amazing how much old footage of it there is on YouTube, and I spent a lot of my "down time" watching, listening to, and enjoying it.

I saw clips of older gospel quartets singing from concert and television appearances, checked out lots of Gaither Homecoming clips(the videos of which I've yet to purchase), and even saw some old black gospel quartet footage of groups like the Dixie Hummingbirds and the Hamonizing Four(two of my favorite black quartets)from years gone by. Why was I never aware that this stuff was even there? No matter, as I eagerly sampled clip after clip of vintage singing.

I must acknowledge one major contributor to that glut of video footage now available on YouTube. I have mentioned my friend Dean Adkins here, and in my history articles for Southern Gospel News when he has been a main contributor. Dean has one of the largest private gospel record and memorabilia collections that I'm aware of. And one great thing about Dean is not only does he know as much about the music as anyone I can think of, but he has always been willing to share his knowledge, recollections, and now, his video archives with all who are likewise interested in gospel music(e.g., myself, among many others). Dean himself is a treasure, and his videos he has posted to YouTube are treasures as well.

One which immediately got my attention was a clip of the Rebels Quartet circa 1965(presumably off of the old "Singing Time In Dixie" TV show)singing "I Want To Get Closer". That Big Chief Wetherington-penned classic is a vehicle for a quartet's bass singer, and the Rebels had my favorite...the late London Parris. I think many even today would be amazed to watch London hit those low notes on that song while more than a foot away from the mike stand the group was using. And they would also be charned to see a young Jim Hamill singing the lead with his characteristic smile and enthusiasm. I know I was all that, and more as I watched and listened with nostalgic pleasure.

And if you like good low bass singing, Dean's younger brother Will(who sang with the Gospel Harmony Boys)is featured on a number of the clips Dean submittted as well, and I recommend Will to all fans of that kind of singing. You see pelnty of it on the clips Dean submitted.

A couple of the Gaither clips fascinated me. One was a ad hoc quartet of older singers, composed of Rex Nelon on bass, Ben Speer on baritone, Jake Hess on lead, and then 93-year old gospel songwriting legend Robert Arnold singing tenor. Those guys made a good quartet! And you could tell Arnold was in his element singing tenor, having fun just singing a song he not only wrote, but loved(as did everyone). When they were through, the entire cast gave them a standing ovation! And Arnold got appreciative hugs from Glen Payne and Hovie Lister. It was truly amazing to see the love and bonding all those singers gathered had for one another. And there was no need for "cutting edge" stage presentation, instrumentation, or vocal stacks or tracks. It was just four guys who knew their craft, and had fun doing it. It made me remember vividly what attracted me to the sound of gospel quartet music when I was but a boy.

The other Gairher clip featured JD Sumner and George Younce ribbing each other unmercifully while affirming the close friendship they shared for decades. It was the most basic kind of human bond, and we all enjoyed watching it. Partly because we enjoyed George and JD, and partly because most of us have friends like that, and we know how that sort of thing makes us feel.

Bill Gaither's recent autobiography is called "More Than The Music", and is there any doubt that the success of all his Homecoming projects reflects that very thought? Yes, the music is great, and the singers are also great. But they are also great people, and great friends....and it's all that implied in the existence of gospel quartet music that made it special for so many of us. Sometimes I think that those who just focus on the music and "updating" it for this culture miss the point of gospel music in this regard...by miles.

So thanks to MY friends Dean...and Dave, Duane, and Neil(who I also predictably watched this weekend)...and London...JD...and George. You helped me have a great weekend letting me watch some of the best music ever made, and the best fun, too.

They’re on their way!

While looking through the February Singing News(which I received today in the mail), I was heartened by what I saw in the Personal Appearances section.

For the first time that I'm aware of, the Liberty Quartet's itinerary for the next month is listed.

This is a most welcome development, for I have been saying here(and elsewhere)for some time that this excellent quartet from Boise, Idaho(tenor Keith Waggoner, lead Dan Gilbert, baritone/pianist Doran Ritchey, and their manager, sensational bass singer Royce Mitchell)is one of the finest full time quartets in the nation at present...and based on what I've seen in the past five years, they are arguably the finest fulltime gospel group working out of the Western United States. And it's high time that the greater gospel music world becomes more aware of them.

Having a regular presence in the leading gospel music print magazine is certainly a boost.

I hope this is the start of more recognition to come...I can't think of a group more deserving of it.

Dedicated To The Hymns

It's been a long time since I've reviewed a gospel album here, and I think it's high time I did something about that.

And the album I'm choosing is one that is among the most meaningful and prized in my record collection. In this case, it's because when it comes to gospel singing, you can dress it up and adorn it with the most current and elaborate vocal and instrumental arrangements conceivable...but what it will always come down to is the most reverent and heartfelt singing possible, and the finest available songs to convey the most important and urgent message in the world.

This album..."Dedicated To The Hymns" by the Couriers Quartet from 1962(Hymntone LPC 3082)does not have the most elaborate production, even by 1962 standards. It has no stacks or pitch correction(such things didn't exist 45 years ago!)or even multi-tracking...it wasn't even recorded in stereo!

What it does have is four dedicated, devoted singers and one extremely gifted piano accompanist performing some of the finest hymns and gospel melodies in straight, unadorned four-part harmony. There will always be a place for albums like this in gospel music, regardless of what the prevailing trends may be in the gospel music industry at large.

At the time the Couriers made this album, they were still using their lead singer, Neil Enloe, as their pianist as well. By this time, they were starting to really establish themselves as one of the finest young quartets going...and they were establishing the Northeast United States and Canada as areas(and markets) eager for gospel quartet music. They were well underway in bringing other established Southern quartets up North to make new fans, and in return, they were becoming a more visible part of the Southern circuit, including making annual appearances at the National Quartet Convention.

The Couriers were still a few months away from hiring a regular piano player(in this case, Jerry Evans). But when they decided to make an album of hymns, they procured the services of a friend of theirs, Bryan Jones, who had recently left the Toney Brothers Quartet, a group the Couriers were very friendly with. Jones never joined the Couriers, but he did play on this album and their final quartet album, "Down Memory Lane" in 1966, as well as play piano with them onstage at Carnegie Hall in June of 1963 when they were part of that historic concert there. Jones' outstanding stylings and technique was perhaps as responsible as anything for making this album a special hymn listening experience for all who bought this album.

And that it was...Duane Nicholson, Enloe, Don Baldwin, and Dave Kyllonen had never sung better on record to this point in their careers. They took 12 of the best known sacred melodies to that point and sang them as clear and solid as a quartet could sing them.

This album was reminiscent of the classic Rebels Quartet album "Sacred Gems" from 1957, which was also a reverent, competent, straight rendering of great traditional songs. That album's continued popularity with gospel fans is evidenced by the fact that it was reissued no less than 4 times, including 1 CD issue.

To my knowledge, "Dedicated To The Hymns" has never been reissued(although it is available from the original Couriers[Dave, Duane, and Neil]in CD form at their personal appearances), but the eternal appeal of the songs and of the arrangements of them by the quartet will make it a treasure for anyone who is able to get it and listen.

There is something about the best sacred songs in the world sung straightforwardly by a male quartet. If you agree, you'll want to sample(and possibly own)"Dedicated To The Hymns" by the Couriers Quartet. IMHO, it is one of the finest albums of its' type ever recorded. Check it out, and see if you agree.

The 12 songs on it are as follows...

Living By Faith
The Old Rugged Cross
In The Garden
Power In The Blood
Whispering Hope
Let The Lower Lights Be Burning
The Old Account
Open My Eyes
I've Pitched My Tent In Beulah Land
What A Friend We Have In Jesus
Amazing Grace
Lord, I'm Coming Home

Not quite a New Year’s resolution

I'm not one to make New Year's resolutions.

The main reason for that is because the sorts of things people usually make New Year's resolutions to do are things we all should be doing anyway. I don't need to formalize such wishes by submitting them to a societal ritual.

But today, I just decided I need to do something that I've not done for too long.

Since I suffered a stroke in April 2002, I've been plagued with dysarthria...a common effect of a stroke, and especially debilitating for me, since I've made my living for the past 25 years in radio. I'm healthy for the most part...it's not as though that problem affects my life that much, except that the ability to speak clearly and distinctly is an essential in my line of work, and it has limited my work life during the past six years, and it hurts me inside quite a bit.

Today I was reading some material on dysarthria, and noticed that there ARE things I can do to minimize or perhaps cure it altogether...and I've been smacking myself all day wondering why I never tried to do those things during these past few years.

I've come a long way back through the exercises I was given in the period just following my stroke, and I still do those exercises every day.

But it's never ceased to torment me that I've not recovered more...and after reading what I did today, I've decided that I've had enough!

So now I'm going to dedicate myself to leaving no more stones unturned to do all I can to once and for all, vanquish any signs of speech impairment I have left.

And part of the reason I'm posting it here is to give myself the necessary motivation to keep on trying to wipe out the last traces of my speech problems. I never want to forget how I feel today. Kinda holding my own feet to the fire, so to speak.

So here I go...I'm out to conquer.

Keep this in your prayers...and wish me luck.

Thanks, and a thought

I just took a look at the statistics for my blog.

According to them, yesterday(Monday, 1/14)was the second busiest day for activity in the nearly two years I've had this little corner of the web.

And this month has been the most active one as well.

Now, I never started doing this with the idea that it would be a "must read" spot on the web for people to go and surf. And I have no illusions that with this extra activity, this blog has now become(or is becoming)a "hot spot" for those who routinely visit southern gospel oriented web blogs...I know that is not the case.

For this blog has no pretensions about being a "news site" or a place where the most compelling thoughts and opinions are posted...all it's ever been is about me, and what I think of phenomena involving gospel music, my personal life, the lives of my friends, and the work of fellow bloggers. That's all I ever intended it to be...and frankly, it's all that I can do.

And even at the outset, some of my postings were misinterpreted, deliberately taken out of context, and the subject of ill-informed personal attacks on certain otherwise well-intentioned message boards. That is all passed and gone...water under the bridge, as it were. But it gave me pause to consider why would people go to so much trouble to publicly villify me without even taking the time to contact me about my intentions, and not just go someplace else and ignore me if they truly felt I was such an objectionable person.

Of course, by being here and sharing my thoughts with the world it can be rightly argued that I open myself up for that kind of reaction. And if that comes with the territory, so be it. The benefits to me from sharing my thoughts and ideas with you, my friends, far outweigh the occasional catty(pun intended)comments I get from those who are not willing to read, communicate, or otherwise understand.

Enough digression...here is my point today.

I am truly happy and proud that this humble portion of the web is being visited and read more frequently of late. And I want to send all of you who have done so(and especially you frequent visitors)my sincere thanks for taking the time to peek through this little window to my heart and mind. I really appreciate it.

And whenever I imagine that I might not get the credit nor attention that some of my colleagues get, I think of (what else?)a gospel song that expresses what I'd like to think.

This particular song is a country gospel song, written(I think)by Hank Cochran, a well known name among country songwriters and performers. I first heard it on the second album Porter Wagoner recorded with the Blackwood Brothers in 1966("More Grand Ol' Gospel")...it's titled "You're Not Home Yet".

It is a story song, with Wagoner doing a recitation midway through(as he often did). He tells the story of a preacher and a "celebrity" aboard a plane, flying back to America(presumably)after spending some time abroad. The preacher is described as one who had worked hard preaching abroad, and had "won a lot of souls". But as Wagoner continues his story, when they arrive, there was a huge crowd of admirers there to shower adoration upon the celebrity. By contrast, there was "...no one there to greet the preacher". Wagoner says at that point the preacher looked to the heavens and said, "Lord, did you forget?" And the preacher then heard God's voice saying, "No, son...I didn't forget...but you must remember, you're not home yet."

And then the song goes into the chorus...

You're not home, you're not home
You're not home yet
I can still hear my Lord's voice ringing
There'll be no crowd to greet you
No choir of angels to meet you
(Spoken)No son, I didn't forget
But remember, you're not home yet

I can wait.

Two different worlds

...was the title of a great pop song done originally by Jane Morgan in the 1950s, and done even better in the 1960s by Lenny Welch(that record is one of my secular favs).

It also describes my life to a great extent, and maybe it does yours as well. Let me explain what I mean in my case.

In my 9-to-5 existence, I serve as utility man for a highly rated, heritage news/talk radio station. In that existence, I am regularly in contact with area(and national)newsmakers, a general public that never hesitates to vent their feelings about issues of the day to me during our talk shows, and in station e-mail correspondence. Along with that there is interaction with my co-workers, assorted salespeople, all of whom seem to be in a manic rush to get their jobs done...with or without my help.

As you can imagine, under such circumstances, I am bombarded with almost every point of view on anything(the news, politics, sports, the economy)that is out there. Once the workday is done, there are the inevitable errands to do, where I run into more of the same. It sure seems ironic that in this high-tech age we live in, where everything marketed purports to be for our greater convenience, that people seem to be busier and more in a hurry than ever before.

I do get pockets of time to relax in the midst of all that, but on some days they really seem too few and far between.

All that changes, though, once I finally escape that world, and retreat into the shelter of my own home, where I usually am in far more control of my existence(barring the occasional breakdown of car or home appliance).

It is there I can catch up on my reading, stop and take a deep breath, or even turn on my computer and interact with good friends, or type missives like this to all of you! Truly this is a far less demanding and frenetic existence.

But most of all, I can regain my emotional and spiritual equilibrium by playing(and singing)the kind of music that means the most to me.

Sometimes that music is classical, and I am calmed and stirred inside by the marvelous melodies and the tremendous abilities of the musicians...sometimes it is the innovative techniques of jazz, and sometimes it is even of the joy and liberation expressed in the rock n' roll and R&B of the 1950s and 1960s.. I enjoy all of that.

But most of the time, it is the music that praises and exalts God.

For that is what makes my life have any meaning at all...and the gospel and other Christian music I enjoy both affirms and inspires me to stay on the path of life I know is best. It is, as the old hymn says, my "balm in Gilead". If I wasn't able to spend a significant part of my day in the midst of that music, it would make my life harder to live..

In other words, the world I come home to is just as important to me as the world in which I make my living in, if not more so.

I need both worlds, for different reasons. But they're both there, and the sum of those two worlds is my life, for better or worse.

I seldom talk about my radio life away from it, and most of the people in my work world are totally unaware of what I do in my time away from the station. Yet both together make up who I am.

I suspect that it is much the same for most of you as well.

What to do(my answer)

While visiting the message board this morning over at Southern Gospel Music Lovers, I happened on a thread there that asked the question, "What to do?" Tony Brown, known there and on other message boards as LowRevelator(he sings bass for the Revelators Quartet, you see), posted the following discussion starter...



Sharon(Tony's wife)and I were talking about what needs to be done to make SG more popular, and came up with a couple of ideas. I thought I'd throw them out here and see what you all say.

1. Focus on entertainment. Ministering will occur because of the Holy Spirit, and the words of the songs we sing. They are gospel songs, after all. The Statesmen and Blackwoods Brothers filled halls by being entertaining.

2. (This one is my own, btw!) About half the "professional" groups now on the road need to give it up. Sing on the weekends around your area, if you like. You're not good enough to sing professionally. If your group is known mostly for its "spirituality", you're in this category.


Well, there are my two ideas, for a start. Give your opinions on these, or come up with your own. Let's just have a discussion!




I tried twice to post a response there, and I was unable to do it successfully. Also, because my response was rather lengthy, I decided to post my reply right here, since both Tony and his wife Sharon visit here faithfully, and I know they'll eventually see it.

I encourage those of you who are able to do so to post a response to Tony's question on the SGML message board itself...I know he and the rest of the SGML staff would appreciate it. And only respond to my response if you want to comment on what I say specifically. OK?

Now...my response.

1. One thing I feel that will help increase the popularity of what is known as "southern" gospel is for the several well-meaning people to stop trying to redefine the genre. Southern-style gospel music in its purest form is based on four-part male harmony, and all the music in the twentieth century that descended directly from that. Not that SG(as it's commonly abbreviated in this day and age)ought to be sung by only males, only by quartets, and even only in groups.

But this is the foundation of the genre, and the genre in that form is a distinctive part of American musical culture that needs to be valued and celebrated, not watered down and submerged in attempts to accommodate popular musical trends(which come and go)or to curry favor from people who are not inclined to appreciate it regardless. This doesn't happen with most genres of music...and southern gospel does not need an identity crisis. It needs to stand up for what it actually is...only then will it achieve the respect it deserves.

2. To achieve the kind of popularity the Blackwood Brothers and the Statesmen did, gospel groups must strive to be the best musical organizations they can be. The Blackwoods and Statesmen acheived the respect, notoriety, and popularity they did because they could stand toe-to-toe in musical quality and professionalism with any other artist of their day...in ANY genre. It sometimes appears to me that this kind of dedication to the craft is sorely missing among too many of the gospel artists performing today.

The Blackwoods and Statesmen practiced, rehearsed, and practiced and rehearsed some more. Good enough was never good enough for them. Good enough seems to be enough for too many today in the gospel field, and until our gospel singers insist upon the highest standards for this music(the most uplifting and moving there is), the kind of acceptance and respect that gospel singers ought to have won't be there.

I applaud the sensitivity to ministry that many modern gospel artists profess, and I do feel that anyone in any line of work representing the gospel of Jesus Christ ought to uphold the highest standards of behavior and witness possible. But gospel singers are just that...SINGERS. Since they depend on income derived from their abilities, they are by definition professionals. And as such, they need to realize that entertaining their audiences is not "selling out", IT IS THEIR JOB(emphasis mine). Contrary to what some say, there is no fundamental disconnect between ministry and entertainment...quite the opposite.

Very few gospel singers are called to use their music to evangelize their audiences(notable exceptions: the original and current Couriers...both of whom have been successful and prolific musical evangelists). Gospel singers have an unusual and powerful gift...the gift to make music. THEIR MUSIC IS THEIR MINISTRY(sorry for appearing to yell...just wanted to make my point). The musical entertainment provided by a gospel artist IS the artist's ministry...and as Tony said above, the songs state the message quite plainly(or should).

And it is the message that people expect to hear from a gospel artist, so there is never a reason to suspect that people who voluntarily go to a gospel concert will be "turned off" immediately upon hearing the message. Gospel artists that make a big to-do about their "ministry" need to realize that if they do what they're supposed to do well...the God they serve will bless their work...and by entertaining the audience that in most cases paid to see them, they will have fulfilled their calling...and quite possibly might make an impact upon those audience members that can't be explained in mere musical terms alone.

So what to do, then? Well, if you claim to be southern gospel, then sing southern gospel, and don't be ashamed of it. And sing it well, so that it will please people, and get them to want to hear you sing it again...and again...and again.

Then, who knows what might happen?;-)

By request…why be a part of the GWSGFF?

Since wintry weather has taken a rare momentary hold here in Central California, I'm resigned to staying in on this Friday night.

And since I'm here, I might as well oblige a request.

You see, a while back I asked my readers here to make suggestions as to what topics they would like me to discuss here on this blog, and I had a couple. I'll act on one of them after I finish listening to a few more of my live Kingsmen LPs, but tonight I'll honor the other one, for a very loyal reader here as well as a dear friend.

Back in 1997, the Board of Directors of the National Quartet Convention voted to establish regional conventions...some in Canada, and one out west in Fresno, California(my home town). As long as that convention was held in Fresno, I attended. It was my chance to see many of the country's finest gospel artists all in one place without having to drive to one of Polly Grimes' concerts in either Oakland or Long Beach, which is as close as most of the major groups came to Fresno.

After the first couple of years, the NQC board voted to move the Great Western Quartet Convention(as it was called then)from Fresno to Sacramento, citing better travel connections. And I suppose they were right, if one evaluated travel connections solely on the basis of airplane connections. Even now, Sacramento has far better airline connections than Fresno. But in every other aspect, Fresno is better.

For one thing, it is more centrally located than any large city in California, being near the geographic center of this large state. More important, it has a gospel music connection unlike any other western locale. For one thing, the majority of migrants to California from the South and Southwest settled in the Central Valley, of which Fresno has been the largest city...and they brouight their favorite music with them when they came. My long-time neighbors as a child growing up in rural Kerman introduced me to gospel quartet music when I was very young. They were from Texas, and loved the Blackwood Brothers, Statesmen, and the Gospel Singing Jubilee, which I would sometimes watch with them on Saturday afternoons(when it was on back then in Fresno).

For another, Fresno is where ex-Blackwood Brothers bass singer Don Smith(who became a close friend, and whose KMJ radio show I would first produce and later co-host)established himself after he left the Blackwood Brothers to settle down with his wife, Peggy. Once here, he not only established a radio presence on KMJ(always the area's most prestigious station), but he also established one of the area's most successful music stores, called Gospel Music and Supply Company(at Smith's insistence), and had a good part-time quartet on the side, the Gospelaires.

It was Smith who along with Grimes got a lot of the major quartets to appear here with his group. Since Smith and James Blackwood always remained close friends,. Fresno audiences were able to see the Blackwood Brothers on a fairly regular basis here in Fresno. In fact, the first gospel concert I ever attended was one Smith put on in the 1970s in Fresno with the Oak Ridge Boys(they were still big in gospel then), the Happy Goodmans, and an up and coming group from nearby Salinas who Smith often encouraged and featured at his concerts, the Hinsons...along with Smith's Gospelaires.

Because of the popularity of Smith's shows on KMJ(he had a daily program into the 1970s, and two Sunday programs that eventually became one), people in the Fresno area became loyal gospel music fans. That strong fan base no doubt was key to the NQC board's selection of Fresno as the first site for the Western Convention.

But the Western Convention floundered in Sacramento, and when the NQC sold it to Les Beasley and Claude Hopper in the early 2000s, the new owners decided to move it back to its' rightful location. The completion of the 16,000 seat Save Mart Center in 2001 helped in that decison as well, I'm sure.

Anyway, for the last five years, the Great Western Southern Gospel Fan Festival(as it's now called), has provided a most congenial venue for the nation's leading gospel groups to gather, and since its' location is rooted in a gospel music tradition of its' own, singers and fans alike enjoy the opportunity to get together annually there.

Who has been here? Well, among the headliners in recent years, Signature Sound, Legacy Five, the Dove Brothers, the Hoppers, the Florida Boys, the Pfiefers, the Dixie Melody Boys, and the Nelons have come here to enthusiastic response.

And regional groups from the West, such as the Liberty Quartet, Revised Standard Version, the Johnson Family(both the Northern and Southern California versions), the Golden State Quartet, and the Sons of the Shepherd have graced the Save Mart Center stage as well.

Most all those groups are returning for this year's event at the beginning of May. And surely more will be added between now and then...stay tuned to this blog for more information as it becomes available.

Still, some of the bigger gospel music names have yet to appear at this event, or haven't done so since it was part of the regular NQC.

I urge those groups to consider making the trip...it's a nice break from the regular circuit, there's a lot of great scenery to see on the way out here...and around here once you get here. Fresno is the only metropolitan area in the country within a 100-mile radius of three national parks!

Besides, the people out here have a historic love and appreciation for gospel music...and Bill Gaither's Homecoming concerts always sell out here as well.

So the Great Western Southern Gospel Fan Festival is a must-see event for any gospel music fan in the Western United States...and we get lots of charter buses here from Oregon and Washington too(as well as some of their groups)!

Come out West this May...and enjoy some great gospel music...and people!

A few thoughts on the NQC

It seems like this time of year is replete with speculation and debate on the proposed lineup for the upcoming National Quartet Convention in gospel music.

2008 is just a few hours old, and there's already discussion about certain types of gospel groups being excluded from the NQC's main stage.

I recently read an open letter from the Chuck Wagon Gang to their many fans informing them that they will not have a presence at this year's convention as things currently stand. And the reason for this is because the NQC board voted to exclude them from the main stage this coming year, and offered them a spot in a showcase instead.

As I understood their letter, to the CWG, this is unacceptable because they will not be singing to the same size audience as they have in past years, and their concern is that not only will their audience reach be reduced, but that such a move will have a negative effect on how much of their product they can sell at their table as a result.

There could be some pride involved here as well, since the CWG has long been justly regarded as a heritage gospel group that has earned the right to a main stage appearance based on their career record sales and reputation.

As I've always understood it, the NQC was conceived as THE annual appearance to make for any gospel group...for being invited there was the sign that an artist was considered among the leaders in the genre. It was a place where all the leading groups could gather, and sing in one place for a few days for as many fans as could come and watch them.

In addition, and especially in the NQC's early years, it was also a gathering place for the industry professionals, such as record companies, promoters, and media people(radio, TV, magazines)to see all the groups, and develop relationships and make short and long term bookings for future concert dates.

In short, it was like a gospel music candy store for artists, fans, and industry people...to assemble and celebrate the best things about the gospel music industry in one place. Kind of like an All-Star weekend in a professional sport.

But if it's like an All-Star occasion, is it for everybody?

If by "everybody", you mean the categories of people I mentioned, I'd say "absolutely". If by "everybody", you mean everyone with any connection at all to those categories, then maybe not. Let em explain.

In an All-Star game, not every player in the sport is allowed to participate...only those that are determined the outstanding performers in that sport get that honor. I'm not sure that the NQC was ever intended to be a stage for every artist singing gospel music. In the early days especially, there were standards that artists had to attain before they were deemed worthy of inclusion in the convention lineup...ranging from a certain level of professional competence and reputation to overall popularity with the expected audience.

And doesn't that make sense? After all, the NQC is not a free event. There are tickets that are sold for it, and expenses that everyone wishing to be involved in it must pay. The event has to be sustained, after all.

And for all the talk of ministry in gospel music(which I don't deny that is there), the fact remains that when you're charging people admission to see you sing, you are in the entertainment business. And that is not necessarily opposed to ministry(as I've long contended), but it does mean that certain conditions must be met in order to make the event viable.

And one is, people have to want to see you. And another is, you must satisfy the audience...whether by sheer performance, a combination of performance and ministry, or whatever..

Now I have a LOT of sympathy for artists like the Chuck Wagon Gang and their fans. And if it were up to me, and me alone, I would give them an automatic pass to the main stage every year...as I would with other heritage artists who are not on the main stage roster, such as the Harvesters, the Melody Boys, the Weatherfords, the Blackwood Brothers(the newest version of which are not included this year as yet), and the Stamps(who may BE on the main stage this year, I don't know). Those artists have names and legacies that helped BUILD the NQC, and for me, that's enough to earn the right to be there.

But I don't run the NQC(thank God, I hear some of you saying)...and for those who do, should we not expect them to select artists that they feel will attract and hold the biggest possible audience?

The NQC has been under a lot of pressure due to competition from not only successful artists who have managed to become successful without exposure there(e.g, the Gaither Vocal Band and Signature Sound), but from competing genres of Christian music who have siphoned off some of the "southern" gospel audience. And it's quite understandable that the NQC board wants to make their annual event as attractive to as many people as possible. And given the shifts in tastes in recent years, perhaps it's more understandable to evaluate the board's moves thus far in that light.

I'll conclude this lengthy analysis with another analogy(not the best one, but the one most handy).

Jeff Feagles is a punter with the New York Giants football team. He has managed to stay in the league since the 1980s, quite a feat given the average longevity of an NFL player. Feagles has never made the Pro Bowl(the NFL All-Star game)in that time, but he's always been there, helping whatever team he's been with for over 20 years. Should he be in the Pro Bowl this year?

Well, Feagles is not one of the league's punting leaders this year...nor has he ever led the league in punting. And I know of no fan movement campaigning for him to go. The fact that he has been a dependable, skilled veteran for a long time doesn't seem to impress NFL officials choosing players for the Pro Bowl. His numbers don't say he's the best, and when the game's experts discuss who the league's best punters are, his name is seldom mentioned. And I don't know that Feagles has a lot of fans, or particular fan appeal that would compel people to want to watch him punt.

So Feagles won't likely make the Pro Bowl this year, either.

And for comparable reasons, most of the gospel groups I named a couple of paragraphs ago won't be on the main stage at this year's NQC, either...despite their long-time competence and appeal to their core of fans.

Hey, I've got people I'd like to have sing there, too...but I know they won't be doing it.

There's a lot of time between now and the convention, though...and one never knows what might happen. So, to fans of the CWG and the other worthy groups on the outside of the list looking in, don't lose hope yet.

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