On awards and recognition

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

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

Well, not really.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Christmas Courier Style

One of my joys in recent years at Christmas time has been enjoying the Couriers singing Christmas songs to me on CD.

Why am I such a Couriers fan? I realize there are many fine gospel artists out there...and I enjoy them all. I enjoy the Couriers in particular because (1)they were among the most musically advanced groups in their field, and (2)they combined that excellence with a dedication to Christ that was unique even for gospel singers. They were seldom conscious of musical trends, preferring instead to make the kind of music they felt was appropriate for them, and that their audiences enjoyed. They eschewed what was "in" or "cool" in favor of what they felt was right for their cause. And as people, they always had impeccable reputations, and practiced what they preached with the utmost in personal integrity.

So yeah, I like 'em! They're good(in EVERY way you can define it)! And the two Christmas albums they recorded were fine examples of what I described above.

The first of those was 1964's "Joy To The World(and other Christmas favorites)"(Scripture 104), which was an object lesson in exactly how a gospel quartet SHOULD sing Christmas songs. All 12 cuts were seasonal standards, and their harmonies were top-notch, their singing crisp and pure, and their arrangements tasteful and appropriate. When one considers that the album was recorded in just two and a half hours in the middle of the night following one of the group's legendary extended road trips(some 300 days)...and it was done in the Nashville area some 500 miles away from their Harrisburg, PA homes, the quality of the music on the album is even more extraordinary to behold.

It was not recorded with the most advanced recording technology available even then(not to mention today), unlike some of their other albums of that period(including the two they made for Warner Brothers), but the full force and beauty of the songs comes out unimpeded, and it is the perfect album to play for the family Christmas celebrations and gatherings.

The main instrumentation is the piano of then accompanist L. David Young, and he is complemented by some of Nashville's finest session musicians. The steel guitar used(I'm not sure of the player)is almost enough in itself, so skillfully is it played and utilized to set the mood for each song on the album.

The highlights for me of the album are "The First Noel", "There's A Song In The Air(featuring baritone Don Baldwin)", "O Holy Night(featuring lead singer Neil Enloe)", and "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear(with a fine lead vocal from Young, a most underrated singer)".

But if you want traditional Christmas songs done in a manner worthy of them, there is no better place to hear them on than the Couriers Quartet's "Joy To The World".

Their other Christmas album is a joy for a different reason. It was done with a full orchestra(expertly organized and arranged for by Couriers' associate Jerry Nelson, who had done their "Sweet And Shouting Spirituals" album back in 1970, my favorite trio album of theirs), some backup vocalists, and it was noteworthy in the group's career, for it was their final album recorded with the combination of Enloe, tenor Duane Nicholson, and bass/baritone Dave Kyllonen, who disbanded after the album, not to reunite musically for another 24 years.

"Peace On Earth", the 1980 album I'm speaking of, is a fitting end to that Courier era. The collection of Christmas standards(many of which are on the "Joy To The World" album), are well-chosen and well-arranged, and some are combined into memorable medleys. By this time, the Couriers had gone away from straight southern gospel to a more "inspirational" style of gospel singing(the category that their famous 1977 Dove Award winning album "Ovation" won in), and the arrangements were a great deal more complex and sophisticated than in most of their earlier albums. Quite a step forward for a group that never considered itself among the most musically proficient, but if one were to only study the work of the Couriers in detail over the years, one would realize how skilled they were indeed.

The combination of the orchestra, the singing, and the timeless quality of the songs themselves makes for a fine Christmas mood, and I would have to say that "Peace On Earth" is not only one of the finer Christmas albums I've ever heard, I would recommend it unhesitatingly to anyone wanting a proper "mood" Christmas album for a home so desiring one.

Not only do Christmas and the Couriers go together, so do great music and testimony and the Couriers.
These two albums prove it.

A classic Christmas, team style

Surprsingly, there have been relatively few gospel quartet Christmas albums released over the years. Considering the kinds of songs they sing, one would think there are hundreds of them out there...given that gospel quartets have been on "record"(so to speak)since the late 1920s.

Sadly, there are not. But the ones that have been made are almost uniformly excellent. Not surprisingly, one of the very best of those is a collaboration between the two most popular gospel quartets of the mid-20th century, the Blackwood Brothers and the Statesmen, who were business partners as well as arch rivals in quartet popularity.

"The Team"'s 1962 collaboration had an incredibly long title(why, I'm not sure...ask producer Darol Rice!)..."James Blackwood and the Blackwood Brothers and Hovie Lister and the Statesmen Wish You A Musical Merry Christmas"(RCA 2606), which was reissued on RCA Camden in 1969(Camden 2351)under the more reasonable title "O Come All Ye Faithful"...but despite the cumbsersome title, it is gospel quartet singing at its' best...not that you would expect anything less from two of the greatest gospel groups to ever sing.

The two quartets were at the peak of their 1960s popularity, and each had recorded occasional Christmas songs before that, but this was the first such album of Christmas music that either group had done. The Blackwoods at the time consisted of tenor Bill Shaw, lead James Blackwood, baritone Cecil Blackwood, and JD Sumner singing bass, with Wally Varner at the piano. The Statesmen had Rosie Rozell singing tenor, Jake Hess singing the lead, Doy Ott singing baritone, and James "Big Chief" Wetherington singing bass, with the venerable Hovie Lister at the piano.

The album kicked off with both quartets teaming up on "O Come All Ye Faithful", with Varner on piano and Shaw doing a solo on one verse. Then the Blackwoods presented a pleasant version of "Silver Bells", followed by the Statesmen doing "Go Tell It On The Mountain". All the cover songs on the album were appropriate songs for each quartet to sing.

And of course, with the bass singers of each quartet being among the most prolific gospel songwriters of the period, you knew that there were going to be original songs for the album as well. The next song, "Praises To Our King", done by the Blackwoods, was a Sumner original, as was "Christmas Means Christ To Me", also done by the Blackwoods to close out Side one. In between was a wonderful version of "White Christmas" by the Statesmen, with a memorable solo from Big Chief.

Side two opened with a rousing version of "Joy To The World", sung by both quartets, followed by the sole Big Chief composed song, "Christmas Time Is Here", sung by the Statesmen. None of the original songs would make anyone forget the classic songs of the season, but they were pleasant musical additions to the album nonetheless.

The album concluded with four Christmas classics...the Blackwoods contributed a fine version of "O Little Town Of Bethlehem", while the Statesmen did a very nice version of "Away In A Manger", which featured a tender solo from Rozell.

The two concluding songs are my favorites on the album...the Blackwoods with a beautiful rendering of "O Holy Night", which featured Bill Shaw, and the Statesmen doing a new version of "Silent Night"(which they had previously recorded), which had a moving vocal solo from Lister.

This was an excellent album, and a bonafide Christmas classic, regardless of whatever musical genre you enjoy most. I would say that if you had to have just one gospel quartet Christmas album, this is the one to get. It's out-of-print now, but if you check sites such as eBay, I'm sure you can find a copy available...so get it if you can!

Another look at a legend

Sometime back, I made some frank observations about a true gospel music legend, Jim "Big Chief" Wetherington.

Those comments were not universally accepted, nor did I expect them to be. After all, according to some longtime gospel music fans, the Statesmen were the greatest quartet ever(almost beyond reproach), and their long time bass singer, Big Chief, is indisputably the greatest bass singer who ever lived.

I'm still not convinced of either point, but I have to take another look at the Chief based on a gem of an album I heard today.

Mind you, I still believe that with the Statesmen, the Chief was sometimes careless with his enunciation of lyrics, and especially in his later years, his voice was so mannered to the point where it almost bordered on self-parody.

But I have another take on all of that, thanks to a Christmas gift CD I received from a legend in his own right, L. David Young, formerly of the Kingsmen, the Ambassadors, the Prophets, the Sons of Song, and last but not least, the Couriers Quartet...the highlight of Young's career, to the point where when he decided to retire from the road before even reaching the age of 30, he made it clear that he would not play for another group.

Young was the ultimate fill-in for a while after that, substituting on dates for Coy Cook of the Florida Boys, Vestal Goodman(!), and even Hovie Lister with the Statesmen...such was his talent and versatility.

It was about the time of all that that Young went into the studio with the Chief, organist Larry Taylor, and a myriad of harps furnished by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, to accompany the Big Chief on the piano for a solo album Chief was recording for Scripture Records. Young(who has become a good friend)sent me that album on CD for Christmas.

It is an album that fans of the Big Chief point to as an outstanding example of what an excellent singer Chief was...and you know what, they're right!

The album notes say that it is dedicated to Chief's grandfather, S.A. Swett, and recorded in his memory. I suspect that somewhere in heaven, Grandpa Swett was well pleased.

For the album is a collection of gospel standards sung sensitively, and with taste. And unlike a lot of bass singers, Chief does not try to "show out" his voice, or how low he can go...he just sings the songs, and drives home the point of their lyrics. His tone placement here is exquisite, his interpretation of the lyrics flawless, and yes...I can understand each and every word!:-)

Young's piano, Taylor's organ, and all the harps provide a fine musical backdrop for the Chief's renderings, beginning with "Jesus", and continuing through "Beyond The Sunset", "Life's Railway To Heaven", and "Amazing Grace". Then comes perhaps my favorite cut on the album, the moving "Good Night And Good Morning".

Amazingly, Chief's undeniable talents as a writer(over 200 songs to his credit)and arranger(he arranged a lot more of the Statesmen's material than he is commonly given credit for, including their classic version of "Just A Little While")are not spotlighted here at all...just his considerable singing ability. And on this album, that's enough!

Side 2 is equally strong, with versions of "Dwelling In Beulah Land", "Then Jesus Came", "Blessed Assurance", "A New Name Written Down", "There Is A Fountain", "When We All Get To Heaven", and concluding with a fine version of "The Old Rugged Cross".

Now, lots of bass singers can sing the notes that Chief does on this album. But I'm not sure they all can sing the songs with the same musical effectiveness. Chief as a soloist does a very moving job with some of the finest lyrics ever written(maybe that's why he didn't feel the need to share any of his own compositions, perhaps?).

The CD Young sent me contained a "bonus" cut(not included on the LP?), "Gospel Train's A Rollin'", which sounds the most like a Statesmen song than any other on the CD, complete with unnamed background singers. Chief does it in his best Statesmen style.

I own all of London Parris' solo albums(all 5 of them), and most of JD Sumner's...but I can honestly and objectively say, I don't know that I've heard a better bass solo album than "Big Chief Jim Wetherington"(Scripture SR129)...thank you, "Little" David, for a very swell Christmas present!

It's not enough to completely revise my earlier opinion of the work of the Big Chief...but it did force me to listen to him in a new light!

Give me Liberty, or…

Who says all the good southern gospel comes from down South?

One of today's better quartets calls its' home base Boise, Idaho...right out West! And make no mistake, they are one of the better quartets going today in the entire country!

The Liberty Quartet became a full-time quartet in 1996, and is made up of four very good singers...not to mention good men(even more important!)!

They are led by bass singer Royce Mitchell, an original member, and consist of Mitchell, tenor Keith Waggoner, lead Dan Gilbert, and baritone and pianist Doran Ritchey. Their repertoire ranges from the old-fashioned quartet sounds of yesteryear to more modern stylings. And it is backed up with a deep commitment to ministry, which to me makes them reminiscent of the old Couriers Quartet.

They have been regulars at Fresno's Great Western Fan Festival, formerly the Great Western Quartet Convention for the past several years. That is where I first saw them, and have followed them closely ever since. They do about 200 dates(on the average)throughout the United States and Canada, and even into Alaska(where they recorded a live project). Like the Couriers, most of their appearances are in churches, but they occasionally appear at concert halls and auditorimus as well.

Their presentation is always professional...competent and heartfelt, but also with humor and fun from the stage. But they never forget their mission and calling, which is to present the gospel in song and deed for their audiences. In this sense, they are also similar to the Couriers. With those similarities, it's not hard to understand why I am such a fan of the Liberty Quartet.

But also, like the groups I listened to in childhood that first attracted me to gospel music in the first place, the Liberty Quartet features an outstanding bass singer in Royce Mitchell....he not only can rattle chairs with his lowest notes, but can carry solos in his mid and upper ranges as comfortably as you could hope for in a bass singer. His tones are clear and his diction immaculate, and he sings with absolute confidence whether he is supporting the group in harmony or out front carrying a lead. His voice is among the finest in gospel music today, and if Liberty were more widely known, Royce would be considered at or near the very top of the bass singer field.

On the Southern Gospel News message board, a poster there mentioned Royce among the outstanding bass singers going, and I enthusiastically agreed. Unfortunately, my support was so enthusiastic, I unintentionally offended a quartet-loving friend with a comparison to another oustanding bass singer of today.

Which I didn't mean to do at all....but honestly, I can't think of very many bass singers that are better than Royce...I'm not saying that he is the best, mind you, but if you'll listen to him at some length, I'm willing to wager that you'll agree with me that he is among today's very best bass singers. In addition to his marvelous voice, he is also a gifted arranger, and a very dignified, upstanding representative of the gospel that the Liberty Quartet so devoutly presents to its' audiences.

The rest of the quartet shares Royce's professionalism, proficiency, and dedication. So if you're wondering who I might recommend to you as a prime example of a great gospel quartet today, I would unhesitatingly endorse the Liberty Quartet to you...absolutely.

If the Liberty Quartet appears anywhere near you, I invite you to check them out and see(and hear)for yourself...you'll be glad you did(and blessed)!

Try it…you’ll like it!

Sometimes, I guess you could call me an evangelist for gospel music.

Tonight at work(where I'm typing this from), I was talking to a friend on the phone, and describing the radio show on Sunday mornings I co-host. Naturally, I was asked about the kind of music we play on the show, so I decided to give her as direct an answer to her question as I could.

I have recorded a number of my favorite gospel songs...old and new...from my personal collection into the hard drive system our station runs on...so I decided to give her a mini-concert over the phone. For the next several minutes, I played her songs by the Blackwood Brothers, Gold City, Legacy Five, the Florida Boys, and even(naturally)the old Couriers Quartet!

She is a hardcore Amy Grant/Mercy Me/Jars of Clay fan all the way(even thinking that Terry Blackwood was part of the Blackwood Brothers...she knew him from Andrus, Blackwood, and Co.)...and she was not really familiar with the gospel quartet sound. But with each song I played, she found she liked gospel quartet music more and more....which made me smile...because I've always maintained that gospel quartet music is irresistible if you like good music!

So tonight, gospel quartet music got a new fan...proving that people with open minds and ears can fall in love with it when they only give it a chance. But most of you know that, right?

A night with a legend without porfolio

First of all, it's great to be in my new home!

Kudos to Susan Unthank for her patience and assistance in moving my little corner of the web from SGBlogNews.net over to SouthernGospelNews.com...my online home base for three and a half years now!

Anyone into southern style gospel music knows that the number one spot on the web to visit is SouthernGospelNews.com...and I have been very proud to be a member of their staff for just over two years now. I'm privileged to be a part of their team...and to be on the front page of the site for more than just my history articles. Thanks again, Susan!

The Unthank family has been a force behind the scenes now in the gospel music industry for some time now...and appropriately, my first entry here will be about another gospel music force that has blessed gospel music fans and the industry for three decades himself.

Tracy Dartt is a Dove Award winning songwriter, with titles such as "The Last Sunday", "With Him", "Your Blesser Ain't Never Been Blessed", and most recently, "God On The Mountain". He is also a fine singer and the leader of a family trio that is the only full-time gospel group touring that is based in California.

Dartt's major contribution to gospel music are his distinctive and unique songs, which defy conventional gospel music cliches, and state the truth of the gospel message in fresh and unconventional ways. In addition, he refuses to be confined or hemmed in to a particular musical style. He has written songs of a conventional southern gospel nature, of a more modern country sound, of a contemporary pop approach, of a fun, novelty style, and even a polka! It is impossible to predict what the next Tracy Dartt song will sound like musically...the only certainty in his music is that it will convey the gospel message. and it will express properly understood Christian doctrine.

I saw Dartt's trio in a small Fresno church Sunday night, and was thoroughly charmed and entertained, not only by Dartt, his wife(a pretty fair pianist), and their son, Stone Mountain(himself a fair vocalist and sound man), but by BJ Speer, a young man who sings with the Dartts and is also featured on songs of his own.

The Dartts managed to sing their most popular songs and requested ones, and blended in brand new songs with some highly entertainign novelty numbers, such as "I Wonder If David Danced The Polka", a sort of "theater of the mind" song that envisions David performing Psalms in the style of polkas, much like Dartt himself grew up with in his native Minnesota(and I did on the farm in Kerman, CA).

Dartt is a true artist and communicator, not allowing himself to conform to other people's ideas of how he "should" write or sing, but doing so as he chooses, and as the Spirit moves him. A highlight oif the night for me was the hilarious "Let's Form A Committee", a song that will resonate with anyone who has ever tried to accomplish anything at all in the context of a church structure. Who says the church is above a poke in the ribs once in a while? Not Tracy Dartt, that's for sure.

I got a chance to talk to Dartt after the concert for a while, and he properly appreciates many of today's finest gospel singers, but is troubled(as I am)by the preponderance of pop influences in the music, out of concern that the basic identity of gospel music is being threatened by the "watering down" of the music, and the reliance upon lyrical cliches.

But like all the true troupers of gospel music over the years, Dartt continues to make the kinds of music he feels he should make, without over-reliance on marketing or current trends. He is an artist who, despite not getting the recognition that perhaps he deserves, is committed to practicing his craft in the way he feels he should, and for him is the right way.

It was a pleasure to be in the company of Tracy Dartt, a gospel music legend in his own way.

The Cerces in Bakersfield

Firt of all, my apologies for being so slow in posting here…”real” life has been ultra-busy of late, and there have been a lot of things going on…I assure you, though, that this “inquiring mind” is as active as ever!

Plus, I’ve been in a “packing” mode here…because this blog will be moving soon! I’ll keep you all posted with the details as they become available.

Last week, I had the privilege of making the drive down Highway 99 to Bakersfield to see some good friends of mine sing. The Cerces were singing at a very humble church on the eastern edge of Bakersfield, and though it was a small facility, it was a place where one could be intimate with the Lord…and a church that seemed to suit the Cerces just fine.

Groups from two other area churches came as well…so the attendance was quite good, and it was heartening to me personally to know that some of the people there came because they heard about the event on the radio program I co-host every week.

Cliff Cerce is a gospel trouper in every sense of the word…he played piano for years with several groups back east, and has quite a reputation as an engineer and producer. He has “rubbed elbows” with a lot of the most talented gospel singers in the business, and he’s obviously learned a great deal from all of them.

In recent years, he has traveled with his wife and another male singer as the Cerces, and like his heroes(and mine)the Couriers, he has a very evangelistic, people-oriented musical ministry that endeavors to sing songs with strong spiritual content that people can enjoy, and relates to them in a natural, personable, winning attitude from the stage.

As he did on this night. The group has come a long way musically in the few years they’ve been in existence, and on this night, they mixed uptempo favorites that the audience clapped their hands and tapped their feet to, and mixed those with thoughtful, reflective songs that reached the hearts of those in attendance…and no doubt the humble atmosphere of the church helped contribute to tht necessary feeling of initimacy.

The group admittedly lacks the polish of groups like the Couriers and others who are on the full time circuit today, but as I reflected on it that night, since when does the overall effect of music absolutely depend on how polished an artist is anyway?

When Cliff or Anita or lead singer Andy Fauth took a lead on a lyric, they communicated the meaning and sense of it in a meaningful and direct way that got through to us in the audience…it was on key and on pitch, but far more important, it was heartfelt…and it communicated its’ message in a completely effective and unqualified way. It really was a meaningful musical experience, and while the Cerces may never be accused of being musical virtuosos in the way that the Blackwoods or Statesmen(or even the Couriers)were, the results of their efforts could not have been surpassed by anyone else, if the smiles and acknowledgeents of the happy audience afterward were any indication. And after all, isn’t THAT what music is really supposed to do? Especially gospel music!

I had a wonderful time of fellowship with the Cerces afterward…it wa the first time I had met Cliff or Anita, let alone Andy or his wife Sylvia, though I’ve been in contact with them all for some time before that. And the waffles tasted pretty good at 10:30 PM!:-)

The Cerces are wonderful, God-loving people who are absolutely dedicated to sharing music inspired by God with people who care to hear it, and with people who need the lift that only that kind of music can provide them. And I was privileged to be a part of that evening on the eastern edge of Bakersfield with them, in an old country church.

In the ear of the beholder…

On my way to work this morning, I was listening to the famous Couriers Quartet album “Nothing…but the Gospel Truth”, a classic by any standard of gospel music, and reflected anew on how fresh it must have sounded in its’ day(1963), especially because of their use of a full orchestra on the recording, truly an unusual approach to an album in that day.



While reflecting on that, some thoughts occurred to me, and I thought I’d share them with you today.





Listening to that album now, a lot of its’ distinctiveness is lost in the fact that gospel music has gone through a lot of changes since that album was released. Its’ sounds, though striking for that time, are almost commonplace today…so when I tell people how innovative and different that album was, that impression is lost on my friends whose point of reference is of today, and not 1963.



Those who are younger and haven’t the ability or inclination to take themselves out of their own historical context and transfer it to another time they may or may not be familiar with can’t be faulted for automatically doing so upon prompts from me. That would be unfair.



But to truly appreciate some of gospel music’s most memorable recordings, the ability to look back in that way is useful, if not absolutely necessary, in truly appreciating it for what it is, and what it had to have been for audiences first hearing it. While the rest of gospel quartet music was content to stay with a piano-based sound, with only the occasional use of a rhythm guitar and bass, here came an album that boldly crossed established musical lines.



Anyone who heard “Nothing…but the Gospel Truth” at the time of its’ release who was a fan of gospel quartet music had to be wondering, “What’s with that music?” The use of a full orchestra, combined with fresh, confident vocal arrangements had to be at least a little unsettling for the regular audiences who bought that kind of product.



Especially from the Couriers, whose image was that of a very straightlaced, evangelically oriented musical group. Certainly the “Holy Joes” of gospel music(as some derisively described them) would not release something so “worldly” in sound and appearance. For the record not only had a commercial, almost “pop” sound to it…the jacket was orange with blue letters…and was released(to the horror of some longtime Courier fans)on a label owned by a movie company(Warner Brothers)…had the Couriers “sold out”?



Happily, the album was merely the same timeless message wrapped in a more contemporary package for the day…a daring move for the Couriers, but one valued and appreciated 43 years later by scores of gospel music fans.





The album was not a huge seller in its’ day, but it remains an important historical signpost in the history of gospel music. And the music on it is very good, too!





So, for those interested in important historic achievements, and great gospel music as well, “Nothing…but the Gospel Truth” is worth looking into and listening to. It’s worth the attempt to travel down memory lane!

I just love gospel music

I thought I’d play a little “Jeopardy” today.

That’s the famous game show where you’re given the answer, and then you must find the question that goes with that answer. For example, given the title of this entry, I can safely ask:

Why did I start this blog?

And in truth, one of the reasons I did was because I love gospel music enough to where I thought I’d need a vehicle to express my thoughts about it.

Another question I could ask that would fit is: Why do I participate on southern gospel oriented message boards?

Same answer. I love discussion about this music, and I enjoy fellowshipping with those who share my love for it with me.

Now some of those places discuss the music more than some of the others, but I don’t care. I enjoy them all all the same.

Yet one more question I could reply with is: Why do I write a history article for a gospel music website?

Again, the identical answer. I love quartet style gospel music in particular, and I enjoy sharing information and background about those who have made that kind of music over the years, and laid the foundations for the gospel music we so enjoy today. It is a labor of love, and something I never tire of sharing with people.

Do I get to go on to Double and Final Jeopardy?

I hope so. Because the more opportunities I have to discuss and share about this great music that contains the most urgent message in the world for all mankind, that makes me a happy camper, so to speak.

Occasionally, when you visit this corner of the Web, you’ll get my takes on this or that issue…and sometimes you’ll find me expressing myself on the issues of my life that affect me in particular on that particular day. But mainly, you’ll get a regular treatise on how I love gospel music, and examples of why that is so.

That is my privilege and pleasure in having this space.

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