Ira Tucker

I don't see anyone else in my immediate blogging circle talking about this, but I feel obliged(note: NOT obligated!)to...long time gospel fans need to take note of this passing.

Two days ago, Ira Tucker, lead singer for probably the top black gospel quartet of all time, the Dixie Hummingbirds, passed away from heart complications. He was 83 years of age, and to that day was still a performing member of the quartet, which he first joined as a youngster in 1938.

Tucker was probably the first man to be a stylist in black gospel music. With the 'Birds, he specialized in what became known in the 1950s as the "hard" quartet sound. On record and in person, that style was exemplified by lots of note bending and syncopated rhythms, and out-and-out screaming at times...but never for its' own sake...he screamed on-key.

The 'Birds started as a jubilee-styled quartet(the predominant style of the day among black quartets...modeled on the famous Golden Gate Quartet)before evolving into the more syncopated, rhythmic styled quartet they became known for being in the 1940s and 1950s, when they quickly became known as black gospel's preeminent quartet.

For their arrangements, despite their occasional freneticism, at times were quite sophisticated. Tucker and the 'Birds were exceptional musicians, and as their reputation grew, they became widely known even with white audiences.

Tucker would often leap off stage into the audience, never losing his place in the song, but working up a tremendous level of energy that would mesmerize his concert and church audiences. Onstage during certain songs, he would drop to his knees as if in prayer, still not missing a beat or a spot. Quartets were the primary focus of black gospel in those days, and many aspiring young black singers raised in church either sang in quartets, or yearned to join one.

Tucker and the Dixie Hummingbirds were not only influential on other quartets, but on singers who chose to make their musical mark outside gospel. Among artists heavily influenced by the Dixie Hummingbirds were the Temptations, the Isley Brothers, the Four Tops, and the Impressions. Tucker himself influenced the likes of Bobby Bland, Jackie Wilson, Solomon Burke, and Wilson Pickett.

And many white gospel quartets were fans of the Dixie Hummingbirds as well. The Blackwood Brothers recorded their song "The Devil Can't Harm A Praying Man" in 1959, and their "Live Right, Die Right" at about that same time...and the Statesmen were likewise fans as well. And as styles changed with time, Tucker and the Dixie Hummingbirds likewise adapted, eventually getting some backhanded recognition for singing backup on Paul Simon's big 1970s hit, "Loves Me Like A Rock"(which the Oak Ridge Boys also recorded).

When Tucker started singing, gospel music was by no means considered a ministry...it was a way of life for musically inclined black people. The choice for them usually came down to the blues(secular)or gospel(church). Some black singers, Tucker notable among them, could not bring themselves to sing anything other than gospel or spiritual music professionally...the biggest reason why talented quartets such as the Dixie Hummingbirds, the Harmonizing Four, the Sensational Nightingales, and the Mighty Clouds of Joy remained in gospel rather than "crossing over" into the R&B and pop worlds.

In any case, Tucker was an icon in the field of black gospel music, especially black gospel quartet music. As one who learned early on to appreciate all kinds of music, I wanted to take this space to salute the memory and the legacy of one of the all-time masters of the craft.

A week in the life

What a week.

I'm sure that all of you have had weeks like this...with days so packed with things to do that it seems they run together at such a rate that it seems the WEEK is only 24 hours long, and not each individual day.

As I sit here typing this, the remarkable run of the Fresno State baseball team rolls on...the Bulldogs are but one win away from the College World Series championship series, having only to beat North Carolina once more this weekend. I don't know if they will, but it's been an inspiring story of a team that could...despite all kinds of obstacles.

I pick up on stuff like that, because if they can, so can I. And I've had more than my share of obstacles this week...which is part of the reason I've not been here more.

But even(or especially)during weeks like this, I've got my music to keep me company...and be my friend.

I've read elsewhere about why gospel music fans are fans of this genre of music, and if you asked enough of them at different times, I'm sure you'd get a wide variety of responses.

For me, it's the message, first and foremost. Then along with that, I suppose it's the sound of the music. The(usual)four-part harmony has always resonated in my ears, and the different ways it's used to convey the message has always hooked me.

But more than just the sound, it's the exuberance and joy of the singers that's infectious to me...and I just can't help but join in and get caught up in the spirit of it all. It's that feeling that makes the music more than just a song...it is like a being unto itself...a friend...that can always give me instant fellowship, and chase away any blues I may have.

And that's why it's especially a blessing to have it here with me during weeks like this...and I not only can share it with others, but when I need to, I can hold it next to me, and keep it all for myself...and it's OK either way.

So, to borrow a concept from David Stein, I sometimes celebrate life through sports, and more often, through friends, work, and fellowship...but always, through the music which means the most to me...gospel music.

And in so doing, no matter how my days and weeks go, I can celebrate life.

One more trip to the “watershed”

OK. One last thought on "watershed" albums, and then I'll finally move on to another topic(or two).

It has occurred to me, upon reflection, that I easily could have added at least two more albums to my existing list(see previous posts)of albums that had a substantial impact on the southern gospel genre, much like the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and the Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds" had on rock music.

And I'm sure if I kept reflecting, I might even discover more...but if I list too many, the albums already there may find their significance a bit diluted...and I WON'T do that. Just because an album is really good doesn't qualify it for this list, as I attempted to explain earlier on.

But to save time and space, here are two albums I SHOULD have listed initially, but inexplicably didn't.

THE STATESMEN QUARTET WITH HOVIE LISTER(1957, RCA 1411)-Inasmuch as the Statesmen will always be among the most influential groups to ever sing gospel music, an album of theirs ought to be on this list. And like before, I'll justify my selection by weighing it with my criteria I established earlier.

1. Was it popular? I can't say that it was a gold record, but the fact that it remained in the RCA catalog for many years certainly suggests that it was a steady seller. And its' influence would suggest that a lot of singers heard it.

2. Did it change gospel music? Arguably, the Statesmen did as much as any quartet to shape gospel music...and this album defined their style perfectly. Lots of would-be singers were motivated to make gospel singing a career because of this album.

3. Did it draw a line in the group's career? A little tougher here...their earlier recordings showed a definite journey stylistically to this point, and their subsequent albums continued in that direction. I suppose this album proved that the Statesmen could sustain their excellence over the then-relatively new 12" LP format.

Additionally, the album solidified the place of many songs in the group's permanent repertoire..such as "Led Out Of Bondage", "One Of These Mornings", and "Glory, Glory, Clear The Road". The Statesmen's first LP definitely belongs on any list of key gospel music albums.

As does...

SOMETHING SPECIAL(1982, Canaan 9890)-As has been observed elsewhere, this LP solidified the Cathedrals as THE quartet of the 1980s, and also laid the groundwork for the big production albums by them and many other groups that are still being issued today. It was a turning point in the quartet's career, because it cemented a relationship with Bill Gaither and Lari Goss that marked the group's sound over the rest of its' career. And the popularity of songs like "Then Came The Morning", "Let Freedom Ring", and "Turn Your Back" didn't hurt their commercial appeal any. Without further explanation, it seems apparent that this album meets all my criteria for being a so-called "watershed" album.

If I think of more, I'll post them, too. What do you think?

The Cerces - Live in St. Louis

It's been a while since I did an album review here...especially of a current release!

The main reason for that is that I'm not by design an album reviewer...I tend to like what I like...and leave it up to everyone else to do likewise.

Tonight, however, a certain album has come to my attention...and I feel that people who visit this corner of the web ought to know it's out there.

It is by the Cerces...very good friends of mine, and dedicated singers devoted to minister to their audiences through their music.

Back in June of last year, they recorded a concert they did at Bethel Fellowship in Florissant, Missouri(a suburb of St. Louis)for release on CD and DVD.

What you think of this album will depend a lot on what you expect when you listen to or attend a gospel concert.

If, for example, you're looking for state-of-the-art video and audio production, for ostentatious, acrobatic singng, full of highs and lows, and melisma, and other devices so used(or abused)by singers of today, you're not likely to be overly satisfied here. The Cerces don't aspire for virtuosity, or try to take your breath away with their presentation.

If on the other hand, you enjoy straightforward, heartfelt singing of some of the best gospel songs written in the last 20-40 years or so, and if you like down to earth, unprententious stage presentation, and a group that strives to reach out to YOU as if you were the only person in the audience, you might find yourself enjoying the Cerces very much.

I have only seen the Cerces in person once in my life, in late 2006 in a small church in Bakersfield. Such intimate settings really find the group in their element, and their presentations really work in those kinds of places.

This is not to say that the Cerces would not charm an audience in a larger, auditorium-like setting, only trying to illustrate where I feel the Cerces are particularly effective. I don't know whether or not Bethel Fellowship is a large, medium sized, or small church.

Part of the reason I don't is...I was so taken by the Cerces' stage presence in this particular DVD, I didn't really pay attention to much else. This is why I suspect that they could be equally effective in any setting, provided they were "on their game".

Now, when I saw them in 2006, they had decent stage presence then...the people in that tiny church were attentive and taken with the unpretentious style of the group. I thought they were in this DVD as well.

And with such songs as "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God", "John The Baptist", "He Only Sees The Blood", "Give Me Jesus", "Refiner of Gold", "Sheep And Goats", "In God We Trust", and "Enduring Faith", how could someone looking for a good gospel message in song not notice, even for just a song or two?

And the friendly manner and personalities of Cliff Cerce and his wife Anita is refreshing to watch in this age of "American Idol", where it seems everyone who takes a stage is out to become the next big star, even among gospel singers. The two Cerces and lead singer Terry Yarham labor under no such delusions of grandeur, preferring to focus on their songs and the message in them.

Even the between song patter is not convoluted or scripted with stock jokes and lines(which too many gospel groups present as entertainment)used and recycled through many years and concerts. What you see when you see and hear the Cerces are themselves...for better or worse. This transparency and sincerity is the same kind of thing that made artists of the past like the old Couriers(who are role models and mentors to the Cerces, as they have been to so MANY artists over the years)the beloved artists they were.

Of course, even the nicest group of people in the world would not build a loyal fan base if they couldn't "carry the mail". And with the addition of Yarham on lead, the Cerces sound better every time I hear them anew. The improvement in their singing between that concert I saw in 2006 and this one(on both the CD and DVD)is so rapid, it is reminiscent to me of the Couriers' huge jump in skill from their first album(1958's "Beyond The Sunset")to their third(1960's "Answers Your Requests")or the reorganized Blackwood Brothers' similar improvement between 1956's "Hymn Sing"(their first 12" album for RCA)and 1958's "Stranger of Galilee". The Cerces have come a long way...and they're still coming!

Of the 18 songs on this project, my favorites are "He Only Sees The Blood", "What The World Needs Now Is Jesus", "Stepping In The Light", "Refiner Of Gold", and "Enduring Faith". I also appreciate their balance between songs with recorded tracks and songs they do with Cliff at the piano(Cliff is a fine veteran gospel pianist, by the way), a style which I personally prefer.

But again, it depends on what you look for in your gospel music. If flash and dash is your forte, you might not find enough in the Cerces' careful, thoughtful approach to moving songs with strong lyrics(although you will find a bit).

But if you like to see genuine, caring people present strong gospel songs with well-crafted lyrics, and see approachable singers who are real and true to themselves, you might want to check out "The Cerces: Live in St. Louis". I did, and I'm glad.

Happy birthday, Neil!

Life again has been busy here, but I decided to take a few minutes out of my usually hectic morning to acknowledge a special occasion.

Neil Enloe is not only one of my most loyal readers here and friends to boot, but he is truly a living gospel music legend. And today, the former Couriers' lead singer turned 70 years young.

Neil acknowledged my 50th birthday this past May 16th in this very corner of the web...so it's only fair that I return the favor on his big day!

By any standards, Neil is a man truly blessed. Most people who visit here know of his numerous accomplishments in gospel music...his Dove awards, and his many years singing and writing with one of gospel music's finest and most acclaimed groups, but ask Neil, and he'll tell you that's all well and good, but there are many other things that are more important to him than even personal recognition for his many talents.

Their names are Ruth, Beth, Heidi, and Tim. And he is justly grateful for people such as Don Baldwin, Duane Nicholson, Dave Kyllonen, Eddie Reece, Jerry Evans, L.David Young, and Eddie Hawks...treasured colleagues, mentors, and friends in his long ministerial service.

And he is equally thankful for his parents, who molded and shaped his values and instilled a love for God and others into him. Likewise, his siblings(all still with us!)...Charlotte, Dave, Bob, Phil, and Dan...all Godly people like him, and people who have enriched his life and many others.

And finally, he is grateful to God for good health and good friends that he has made here, there, and everywhere in a long life of service to Jesus Christ.

So happy birthday, Neil....and here's to many more years of service and blessings. Thanks for what you've shown and given me.

Reflections on “watershed” albums

First of all, I want to thank all of you who responded either privately or publicly to my posts on "watershed" gospel albums.

Enough time has passed by now after I posted my own list to look back a bit and wrap up my observations on the subject.

I know some of you who have yet to officially weigh in on the subject surely have your own lists...maybe even other criteria I overlooked in such a discussion. If so, please don't hesitate to post your own lists. All I ask is that if you do so, please justify your selections as best you can.

I ask this in part because most of the readers to my blog enjoy the fact that not only do I state my own opinions, but that I invariably cite reasons why I think as I do. For the benefit of those readers who enjoy that, I hope you will respond in similar fashion.

The other reason I ask that is that when I see such threads myself on other blogs or message boards, and input is sought, invariably such threads are deluged not with reasoned commentary, but reflexive one-word Pavlovian answers such as "George Younce" or "the Cathedrals" without any justification as to why those answers are being posted. It becomes nothing more than a simple regurgitation of one's favorites, and nothing else. My readers can do better than that. Besides, this whole exercise was not at all about one's favorites or the "best" of anything.

The operative word/words in this exercise were "Sgt. Pepper" and "Pet Sounds". For those of you either too young to remember those epic albums or not interested in them when they were popular, those two albums are considered two of the most influential and important albums in the history of rock music.

My friend Wes Burke, on his "Burke's Brainwork" blog, stated categorically that in his opinion, Gold City's album "Pillars of Faith" was an album that was for gospel music what those albums were to rock music. That inspired the exercise that I posted. My last post was my list of albums that could conceivably be considered the "Sgt. Pepper"s of gospel music, since I disagreed with Wes' conclusion regarding "Pillars". OK?

Now saying all that, that is NOT to advocate that my list consisted of what I felt to be the "best" albums in all of gospel music history. Even many rock fans don't feel that "Pepper" was the best Beatles album. However, the consensus is that "Pepper" was probably the most pivotal album release in rock history, because it effectively drew the line between the rock music that came before it, and that came after it.

In other words, was "The Blackwood Brothers In Concert" that group's best album? I don't think so. But the reason I put that album on my list is because of its' significance in the overall picture of gospel music history...being the first live gospel album ever released. It set the stage for a whole new type of gospel record album...and many great albums followed in its footsteps. Hence, it had(IMO)a "Pepper" like impact on gospel music.

THAT was the operative criterion for inclusion in my list. When I saw some of the albums listed in the comments to my list, I shook my head at some. Given the criteria I listed in my post, and the reasoning I offered above, how could anyone think that the Cathedrals' "Campmeeting Live" was such an album? It was not even their most noteworthy live recording. Or "Quartets" by Greater Vision(an album I enjoy very much)? Even though conceptually it was unique, how many other groups did similar albums? It's not as though the Booth Brothers rounded up a bunch of bass singers and made a quartet album of their own...they didn't. And nobody else has done something similar in that album's aftermath.

In fact, NO album made by Greater Vision, or the Crabb Family, or even the Perrys would qualify under the criteria I used for my post...mostly because the histories of those artists are still being written...and enough time has not yet elapsed for their impact to be fully felt on gospel music history.

My post was not simply a list of good albums, and certainly not a polemic for the "best" albums in gospel history. That's a different kettle of fish entirely...to be evaluated by a different set of criteria. And I'm not sure it's fully possible to be that objective all by one's self to make that kind of pronouncement.

Favorites? Well, my friend Daniel Mount has proposed that each of us post on our favorite gospel albums. Two things preclude me from jumping right on board with that one, however.

One is that my favorites tend to change over periods of time. In other words, what might be my top ten today might not be by next week. Like most of you, I'm constantly evaluating and reevaluating my favorites. So such a list might become dated really quickly.

The other is the one I mentioned above. Almost always such posts inspire Pavlovian responses as to why I'm wrong, and why my favorites should be their favorites(which they'll helpfully list for me...ALL of them!). Since everyone is entitled to his or her favorites for whatever reason, I make it a policy never to comment on anyone else's favorites...and I hope for similar consideration regarding mine.

It might not make for the most entertaining reading.

Now if someone asks me, I'll be happy to share such things with them...either privately, or here(depending on what I'm asked).

Anyway, those are my initial reactions to your reactions. Thanks again for sharing your thoughts here in my little corner of the web.

Finally…my list of “watershed” albums

I know, I know...it's been a LOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNG time since I've been here.

I'm beginning to wonder if this is a post that God doesn't want me to make! Twice in the past week I've tried to do this, and the first time I tried posting this when the site was down for maintenance. Then I was hit hard by a flu bug, and after a week, I've finally got enough energy to try again. Once I did, I had to leave for work before I could finish it...when I tried to save it, my computer would not allow me to.

So here I go once more....if THIS fails, I know I'm fighting a losing battle.

In a post that seems to have been a year ago that I posted it, I was responding to Wes Burke about his contention that Gold City's "Pillars of Faith" was an album that impacted gospel music in the way that the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" or the Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds" affected rock music in the mid-1960s.

Whilw taking nothing away from "Pillars", I opined that it was not on that level...I followed that conclusion with a challenge to all my readers to offer suggestions on what albums, if any, would have been that type of album in gospel music.

Some of you had some interesting choices of your own...for my part, I withdrew from debate, giving time(plenty, as it turned out!)for as many of you to respond as possible before I offered candidates of my own.

Here now, are my choices...I'll justify them on the basis of the criteria I used in my initial post...which were...

1) Was it popular? Do most fans know of it?

2)Did it change gospel music? Surely a "Pepper" type album would be hugely influential on the genre, to the point of other artists trying to emulate it(or it's impact).

3)Can you draw a line in the artist's career from it? As in "before" that album, and "after" that album?

4)Did it forever change that artist's career?

Some of you tried to use that criteria as well...some of you didn't. Anyway, here are my choices for possible gospel music "Peppers"...as always, feel free to respond with your own comments.

The first album...THE BLACKWOOD BROTHERS IN CONCERT(1959, RCA 2137)

This was gospel music's first live album...and as such, set the stage(no pun intended)for the many classic live albums to follow down the years. This was one of the 7 albums Cliff Cerce suggested in his comment, but since it really wouldn't be accurate to cite 7 "Pepper" type albums, I opted to choose which of Cliff's "Magnificent Seven" would be the best example of what I was trying to talk about.

Going down the criteria, then...here's how that album rates.

1)I would imagine it was quite popular, considering that it stayed in RCA's catalogue for nearly 13 years...and almost everyone familiar with gospel music of that time either has it, or is VERY familiar with the album.

2)As Cliff said, this album(and the other albums he cited)proved that you could package a gospel concert for the people, rather than have to go to a concert yourself(easy for Southerners, but hard for people in the West, and nearly impossible for people in the Northwest and Mountain states)to experience the excitement of a live gospel concert. This album was certainly groundbreaking in that respect...especially since it was the first.

3)Well, just five years prior to the release of this album, the Blackwoods had experienced the most traumatic turning point of any gospel artist's career...losing two of their key members in the famous 1954 plane crash. While the quartet had already released five albums with the new members(Cecil Blackwood and JD Sumner), it was arguably this album that firmly established the new direction the Blackwoods were headed in. With several Sumner original songs("I Wouldn't Trade", "Never", "He's All That I Need", and "What A Morning"), the kind of arrangements they began doing with this album, it's arguable that this album can be used to a degree to draw the line between the "pre-crash" and "post-crash" Blackwoods...and that line helped define what was to become "the" gospel quartet sound for the next decade and a half.

4)Well, it certainly helped rejuvenate them...and keep them atop the quartet world for a while longer.

My second pick...The Couriers...NOTHING...BUT THE GOSPEL TRUTH(1963, Warner Bros. 1514)

Cliff also makes a case for the Couriers' 1970 album "Sweet and Shouting Spirituals", but I think this album had more impact on the gospel music world overall. I know some of you are going to accuse me of extreme prejudice on this one...but hear me out...let me explain why I chose it.

1)Like my first pick, there were no real gospel charts at that time to really demonstrate how popular the album was...but the fact that as late as late 1964(a year and a half after its' recording), Billboard Magazine indicated it was one of the top selling gospel albums that they were aware of tends to suggest that it circulated fairly widely...and other artists certainly spoke of it and liked it.

2)Not that much at first...but it DID directly influence an Akron, Ohio quartet called the Cathedral Quartet to issue albums featuring string and brass sections(which this album had...combined!)...and other artists hearing it were inspired to combine pop(read "contemporary" for the day)stylings with the basic gospel quartet sound to create a different sound that would have a stronger appeal to young people. This album's influence was certainly felt by the end of the decade.

3)In the Couriers' case...most definitely! Prior to this album, they were known as a good young regional quartet...because of the stir that this album caused, they vaulted into national prominence...going from an "up and coming" quartet to one that had definitely arrived.

4)Obviously, it did...the Couriers' image changed from a "regional" quartet to an innovative, talented player on the gospel scene.

Now, my third pick..The Imperials-NEW DIMENSIONS(1968, Impact 1962)

Always intended to be a "different" quartet, this album firmly established this extremely talented quartet as one of the top artists in the genre...and proved there was life for them after Jake Hess!

Going down the criteria...

1)I don't know that this album was a BIG seller...but it certainly did well for them down the years, and fans still remember a number of songs from it.

2)Did the sun rise at all this year? The revolution that this album helped cause not only propelled the Imperials to gospel stardom, but it inspired groups like the Oak Ridge Boys, the Stamps, the Downings, and even more established groups like the Blackwoods, Statesmen, and Rebels to modernize their sound and try to gain some younger fans. It started a trend that was only reversed in the late 1970s by a "counter-revolution" led by artists who didn't choose to point their careers in the same direction. But boy, what great music came from this trend!

3)Again, this is obvious. The Imperials proved with this album that they would still be a vital force in gospel music even without their founder...and even now, there is a "pre-Jake" and "post-Jake" period discussed in connection with the Imperials.

4)It certainly did change the Imperials' career...they quickly morphed from traditional gospel quartet to(within ten years)a "contemporary Christian" industry trendsetter.

Finally, there's...The Kingsmen-LIVE, NATURALLY(1981, Heartwarming 3534)

Daniel Mount may wonder why I chose this live album of theirs over their Dove-award winning 1973 album, "Big And Live". Well, because it sold a lot more records...and because I believe it had more influence on gospel artists that B&L did.

Again, my criteria...

1)Not only was this album one of the biggest sellers of all time, it had the most popular #1 hit ever, "Excuses".

2)In the sense that it established the Kingsmen and their performance style as the definitive live sound for a gospel quartet, and even today has influenced a number of younger live performers, it set a standard that is still sought for by gospel artists today. Many artists today still WISH they could command an audience in the way flamboyant group MC Jim Hamill could.

3)One can make a case that this album did draw a line between the "pre-LN" and "post-LN" Kingsmen....before, they mostly released studio albums...after, they released almost nothing BUT live albums...trying time after time to cash in on their rep as gospel's top live act. It DID change the direction of their career.

4. See #3 above.

OK, have at it. I'm still not sure even those albums are "Pepper"-type albums, but they certainly were "watershed" albums in the careers of those artists, and of gospel music in general.

But I'd love to get your input, and hope it was worth the wait to finally get mine.

Sorry, folks…

...for being so quiet here over the past several days.

I DID attempt to post my own nominees for southern gospel "watershed" albums. I finished that post, but unfortunately when I tried to enter it, this site was down for maintenance...so that post remains somewhere off in the internet void, and I do plan on trying again as soon as I feel up to it.

But for now, I seem to be engaged in a prolonged battle with a flu bug...which is really unusual. For one, I'm rarely sick, and for two, when I am, it's usually just a 24-hour thing...but not this time. Even tonight, I'm unable to sit at my computer chair for an extended period of time. My stomach has really felt unstable during the past week...so it'll at least be another day before I resume any kind of regular posting here.

In the meantime, I DO want to thank those of you who sent me happy birthday wishes(it was Friday)...I appreciate the thoughts and the feelings behind them very much.

But I'm on the mend, and I shall return!

Watershed albums…an interactive exercise

For the idea behind this post, I want to give thanks and credit to Wes Burke, whose Burke's Brainwork is one of the more fun gospel music blogs to read.

Recently Wes posted on the old Gold City album "Pillars of Faith", a much-acclaimed recording that erased forever any doubts as to whether the Alabama-based quartet was the top quartet at that time in gospel music. It was an excellent album with many of the group's most well-remembered songs, including "One More Time Will Do It", "Beneath This Armor", "If God Be For Us", and their Easter season classic, "There Rose A Lamb".

A great album indeed...but Wes got a little carried away in his praise of it, IMHO. He described it as the "Sgt. Pepper" or "Pet Sounds" of gospel music, after the Beatles' and Beach Boys' mid 60s rock classics respectively.

I confess...I'm old enough to remember the impact those two classic albums had on the pop music world. So influential were they that subsequent rock albums were never the same as before. Instead of 10-12 songs thrown together on an album, albums became the main creative concentrations of rock artists...the era of the big top 40 single had ended.

Sure, there were still huge singles. But what pop music fans looked forward to from their favorite artist was no longer their big single, but their new album. The popular and critical acclaim both those albums received changed the world of rock music forever. Even today, fans still draw lines in both the Beatles' and Beach Boys" careers, denoting their "pre" and "post" Pepper and Pet Sounds eras.

Was "Pillars" the same kind of album? Not really. It didn't really change how gospel albums were marketed or made. "Pillars" was not new musical ground for Gold City...if anything, it was a culmination of everything the quartet had been heading towards for the decade since they became a headline gospel quartet.

That's not to take anything away from "Pillars"...it was a great album. But a "Sgt. Pepper" or a "Pet Sounds" it was not, at least by the criteria I used.

So what gospel albums would be that kind of classic, I wondered? Hence this post.

Everyone has his or her own idea of what would make a "Pepper"-type album in gospel music. I do, you do, and so do your gospel-loving friends.

So, since there are no right or wrong answers really in this kind of exercise, I'd like you to help me come to a consensus as to which gospel albums in the southern genre's history would be a "Sgt. Pepper" or a "Pet Sounds" type of defining album.

Suggested criteria(you can add some of your own)...

1) Was it popular? Do most fans know of it?

2)Did it change gospel music? Surely a "Pepper" type album would be hugely influential on the genre, to the point of other artists trying to emulate it(or it's impact).

3)Can you draw a line in the artist's career from it? As in "before" that album, and "after" that album?

4)Did it forever change that artist's career?

You get the idea. I have candidates in my head already, but I want to know what yours are(maybe you have better ones than I do)...then, sometime next week, I'll tally it all up(and so some thinking on it myself)and post a list of possible "Sgt. Pepper" or "Pet Sounds" gospel albums.

I'm looking forward to your input on all of this.

Once more with the Liberty Quartet

I guess I'd better hurry up and finally post this...some very nice people have been waiting at least two days for me to do so!

This past Sunday, I was still basking in the reflections of spending three days amidst some of the best music and artists creating it that I could experience, when my always restless mind got to thinking.

"Surely some of those people are still around here", I thought. "Why don't I check out one of them tonight wherever they might be while they're still here?" After all, southern gospel artists aren't constantly singing everywhere they're able to out here as they are in the Southeast!

But where could that be? Fortunately, our radio show aired that morning, and as is our custom, we mentioned to all our listeners where these artists would be that day...so I could plan. Everyone else was out in places like Modesto or Bakersfield, close enough to drive to in a day, but since I only had the evening to spend, they were too far to go to to be able to get home in time to get a good night's sleep(I had to work the next morning, after all!). So who would I see, and where would I go?

Fortunately, the Liberty Quartet(one of my favorite groups from the event)was singing at a church service at the Riverdale Assembly of God church, just a half hour from work. And it was a 6 PM evening church service, so I'd have plenty of time to get there(I get off at 4P on Sundays normally). So that was that...Riverdale Assembly, here I come!

Besides, when I left the Save Mart Center Saturday night and said goodbye to Liberty manager and bass singer Royce Mitchell, I breezily told him "See you next year!" to which he responded, "I hope it won't be that long!" What a great way to surprise Royce as well as satisfy my appetite further for great gospel singing!

Little did even I know what I was in for!

Once inside the Riverdale Assembly of God church, I knew I was in a special place.

For openers, in the temporary facility they were using while their brand new sanctuary is being built, there were fans EVERYWHERE...on the ceiling, on the walls, you name it. It made me think of those old country churches you hear sung about so often in gospel songs.

For another, each seat was fully equipped with old fashioned "redback" hymnals! I have been so used to seeing lyrics of P&W songs being shown on church walls of late, and hymnals tossed aside in favor of them, that I could not help but feel as though I were in some sort of "retro" dream, and I had landed in a church that still did things the way I liked them done! For if it's true that you can tell a lot about a person by his book or record collection(something I've long maintained), then you can tell a lot about a church by its music!

And boy, would I find THAT out Sunday night!

When the service opened, it started with special music...led by church staffer, musician and regular gospel blog reader Jim E. Davis, who has TWO groups(his family group and the Riverboys, a local male group)and is an accomplished gospel songwriter, his best known song to national gospel fans the excellent "Preach The Word", made popular by Gold City on a recent project of theirs.

Jim is quite a piano player, too...and he led the church BAND(yes, they had one)...a guitar, a bass, and a horn section as well...in spirited song...not only did his family group sing, but so did the Riverboys, and their Ambassador Youth Choir, the very same choir that came out on stage Thursday night at the GWSGFF to back up the Hoppers on "Jerusalem"!

They are a touring choir that is GOOD...almost every singer I saw from that church is of professional caliber and could have sung at the GWSGFF! I have heard a lot about churches like that, but I had never been in one like this! And EVERYONE...young and old...knew all the words to all the songs being sung...and was singing along...and didn't need any books or director to lead them! I could tell by looking at the guys in the Liberty Quartet that they, too were in awe of this incredibly musical church!

One aside about this choir...when I entered the church, one of them greeted me. His name is Jordan, and I've known of him since he was a kid. Many years ago when I hosted a call-in sports talk show following Fresno State sports broadcasts on KMJ, Jordan, though a mere youngster, would call in and talk to me. He remains a loyal KMJ listener(and still a fan of talk shows), and it's as though he has grown up before my ears! I am so proud of Jordan for what he's become in these years, serving and honoring the Lord and his family...and I was proud to see him up there singing in that talented choir.

When it finally came time for Liberty to sing, they quickly fit right in. This was the first time I had seen them in a full concert situation, and their program is expertly divided into sections, a traditional quartet portion, a partriotic section, a section where original and current sounding songs are sung, and a section that is designed to move the audience into a spirit of worship(this WAS a church service, after all!). And all of those sections were sprinkled with moments of reflection and humor. Liberty really DOES know how to relate to an audience, as well as how to sing all types of gospel songs. And MC Royce Mitchell allows each member of the group to have significant time on the mike, addressing the audience and introducing songs.

But the outstanding facet of this service to me was, when the quartet got into that part of the concert that encouraged worship, when the pastor of the church joined in and began conducting a prayer service within the main one, the Liberty Quartet, while still on the church stage providing musical backdrop, faded into the background while the pastor led the prayer portion. It was John 3:30 being carried out into real life...and it was extremely moving. The Liberty Quartet had been quite entertaining, and had captured the hearts of the congregation...but they knew why they were there, and assumed their proper place at the proper time.

When the pastor had finished his prayer "sub"service, the Liberty Quartet concluded the service with a pair of requests that put an exclamation point on the end of a great evening of singing...and church! I could tell the quartet was genuinely moved by the service, and the feeling was mutual among the worshippers.

Heck, the Liberty Quartet is genuine, period! They are the real deal, and once again showed me why that I liken them so to the old Couriers, who they resemble not only musically but in their countenance as well. I once again had quality fellowship with them, and I am very glad to call them friends as well as great modern gospel music artists.

But the Riverdale Assembly of God church was as big a "star" that evening as was Liberty. I was greeted warmly by many members of the congregation, some of whom knew me from here, and even more who knew me for many years due to me being a local radio personality. It was a wonderful feeling. I have never seen a more "musical" church in my life, and I may never again.

I have a feeling that I'll be back at that church again for more great music. And I KNOW I'll be around for more great eveings of singing and fellowship with the Liberty Quartet, true ministers of music and the top gospel group in the Western part of the United States(at least IMHO, anyway!).

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