Why I write

I am a very blessed, privileged individual.

And not just for the obvious reasons...of course, being among the saved and forgiven is the best thing of ALL about my life, and for that alone, I wouldn't trade who I am with anyone I know on this earth!

But I am fortunate to have been given the privilege of doing two things in my life that I am thankful for each and every day I rise anew(and I'm thankful I can do THAT every day now, too!:-))

First of all, I'm proud to say that I have been in the radio industry for over 20 years now...ever since I was old enough to talk, it was my dream to be on the radio someday...and I am glad that God has given me the blessing of being not only being on the radio, but doing it on one of the nation's most venerable and honored stations! And I've gotten to do the kinds of shows that give me a lot of personal fulfillment as well...in fact, that's been the case for nearly my entire radio career! I am so glad I've been able to make that my primary job for most of my life!

Second, in the last two or three years, I have been given the opportunity of writing the monthly gospel music history articles for Southern Gospel News. I never sought that opportunity, but I'm thankful that circumstances came together for me to have that privilege! I have been a gospel quartet music addict since I was a small boy out on a farm in Kerman, California...and I had no idea I'd be chosen to write someday about the greatest artists in the history of that great genre of music. But I am glad that I've been allowed and chosen to write about these people! Why?

Gospel music touches people who love it in ways that no other music in any other genre can. It is music that celebrates the most profound message there is. And for those who are heartened by that message, that music can reach past just the mind and reach right into the heart. And the melodies and harmonies don't hurt any, either!

Maybe I can use a food analogy to illustrate what I mean. Lots of food tastes good...a nice cake or pie sounds good when you're hungry...but when a well-prepared course of steamed salmon is served to you, how much better it is for our bodies to have a meal that not only tastes good, but is good for you as well! Not that cakes and pies are bad for you necessarily, but when the relative nutritional value of both is considered...well, I'll gladly take the salmon! And when the nutritional value of music is evaluated, to me, good gospel music that reaches both the ears and the heart is tough to beat!

But you know what the most personally gratifying aspect of writing the history articles is for me?

I write these articles to celebrate the legacies of these talented people who made that nutritious music that blessed hundreds of thousands(if not millions)of people for many years. And I want to do justice to not just their work, but to the artists themselves...especially if the artists I'm writing about are still alive to read my words. These artists were all dedicated to their visions and their craft for many years, and as a result of their work, they helped to advance the kingdom of God on earth...I truly believe that!

Some of these artists are not as celebrated for their accomplishments as they might be, Whether that is because they chose a lower profile, or that others just got more worldly recognition than they did, it is my desire to make sure that those artists get their due for what THEY contributed to making the world of gospel music a richer place. I confess to having a soft spot in my heart for the relatively "unsung" heroes of gospel music.

And so I write about ALL the heroes of gospel music...the celebrated, and the not-so-celebrated! And I try to be a true witness to what they all did to make gospel music great. But what makes me the happiest personally is when one of those artists reads what I ahve written about him, her, or the groups they were associated with, and posts a comment expressing their thanks and pleasure about what I may have written.

I am humbled and honored when people like the original Couriers, Ann Downing, L. David Young, Earline Starnes(daughter of the late Don Smith) and Cheri Baldwin(on behalf of her late husband, Don)personally thank me for honoring their work...and the purpose each of them had in making gospel music. I was never prouder than when Young posted his thanks for my article on him, and told me how much it meant to him and his family to have it there to read. Cheri Baldwin has even linked my article on Don to her memorial tribute website for Don, and I couldn't be prouder, or more touched. Even the great Lily Fern Weatherford was pleased with my article on her famous quartet, and when I learned that, I beamed with pride.

This month, I chose to write about the Gospel Harmony Boys, and am likewise proud to have Harold Patrick's daughter, Homer Fry's niece, and Clacy Williams all post their gratitude for my having written about the contributions of those men to one of the finer quartets in gospel music history. Thanks to all of you for making my effort worth it.

I am proud to have made friends with some of those people...they brought joy to my life when they sang, and they bring me even more joy today.

No, I don't live in the past. But the past has a great deal to do with what I am today, and for that, I am eternally grateful.

That's why I am blessed to write these history articles...and why they're a labor of love for me.

THAT'S why I write.

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