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Expanding on a previous post, I've noticed that the groups that have the least amount of turnaround are the small-time, or "local yokel" groups that work on weekends around town.
Two groups immediately come to mind. In my neck of the woods, there is a group that has been together for nearly 10 years. They have had made only two personelle changes in that time. Are any of them really big-time worthy? Probably not. Maybe that's why they are so loyal and stick it out with the local groups.
I would think that the singers who are really worthy of the "big time" [insert laugh track here] in SG will not last very long in the smaller groups. Anyone worth his weight in vocal cords could probably have his pick of which group to join, whereas the less-qualified vocalists usually plant firmly in the minor leagues just so they have someplace to sing.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Friday, February 16, 2007
Loyalty? Check these stats....
I did the math yesterday for a post VERY similar to this on another forum, and here’s what I came up with….
The Cathedrals performed their final concert in 1999, which means that we’ll start our experiment with 2000 and go up until 2007.
Right from the start, not counting The Cathedrals, we had two acts: Legacy Five & Ernie Haase Minus Signature Sound. From there, as many as 14-15 groups and 22 members have been directly or indirectly involved in group changes branching from these two acts (I previously said there were less, but if I did my math right, these numbers should be correct). See below for a detailed list of my findings for the last 7 years....
L5, while fairly stable with four of the same original members (two of which were relatively new to the “big time”), is on their third tenor. One tenor got bitter and quit gospel altogether, another went solo, then joined another group, and the third joined, started to leave, then changed his mind. So we have Roger, Scott F, Glenn Dustin, and Scott Howard who have remained (if Glenn & Scott H were with a group previously, I need to change my math, but I do not know if this is the case). Josh Cobb joined fresh, left, and now is singing a mutant form of rock music somewhere. Tony Jarman, formerly with Poet Voices (I believe), took Cobb's place, then left after a few years to "go solo," only to join the Old Time Gospel Hour Quartet. Frank Seamens (formerly with The Sound, as was Scott Fowler) then joined, only to decide to leave, then change his mind and stay.
Total memebers affected: 7
Total groups directly or indirectly affected (including L5): 3
Ernie was solo, then half-solo, half Old Friends tenor along with George Younce on bass, Jake Hess on lead, and Wesley Pritchard on baritone (which, I don’t care how you slice it, was pure novelty), then solo again, then started Signature Sound with Garry Jones (”Taco” from the peak Gold City years and who also played piano with Old Friends). Joining Garry and Ernie were Shane Dunlap, former owner of the underrated N'Harmony, Doug Anderson, formerly with The Lighthouse Quartet, and Tim Duncan, who was left without a job after Poet Voices folded. Less than a year into the group, Garry and Shane left (you decide why). Shane went solo while working the occassional “Trio” date with Kirk and Anthony until Anthony’s death, while Garry started another new group, Mercy's Mark. Two more members (Roy Webb, also formerly with Lighthouse) and Ryan Seaton (formerly with the Dixie Melody Boys, I think) were brought in to Signature Sound take their spots.
Mercy's Mark consisted of Garry on baritone, newcomer Josh Feemster on lead, Anthony Facello (formerly with Heaven Bound and one or two others, but I can't remember just who at the moment) on tenor, and Chris West, also formerly of N'Harmony, on bass. Once again, less than a year, half of the group disappeared when Facello and West departed (Facello apparently is now a real estate agent in Nashville, while West just seems to have disappeared altogether). After a brief hiatus, Garry brought in Christian Davis (formerly with with OTGHQ and his own short-lived group, Christian Brothers Quartet) and Brent Mitchell, another newcomer.
Total members: 15
Total groups directly or indirectly affected: 11
Grand total members: 22
Grand total groups direclty or indirectly affected by changes: 14-15
Not counting groups who lost members, gained members, or traded members, this is quite a bit of turnaround. Several groups saw change less than a year into their run. While this can be somewhat alarming to know that so many groups have this trouble, it can be healthy in a way, as it weeds out those who are not dedicated to the group. But even the Cathedrals, when they became a quartet in the 60's, had a fairly stable lineup for several years before Bobby Clark departed.
The Cathedrals performed their final concert in 1999, which means that we’ll start our experiment with 2000 and go up until 2007.
Right from the start, not counting The Cathedrals, we had two acts: Legacy Five & Ernie Haase Minus Signature Sound. From there, as many as 14-15 groups and 22 members have been directly or indirectly involved in group changes branching from these two acts (I previously said there were less, but if I did my math right, these numbers should be correct). See below for a detailed list of my findings for the last 7 years....
L5, while fairly stable with four of the same original members (two of which were relatively new to the “big time”), is on their third tenor. One tenor got bitter and quit gospel altogether, another went solo, then joined another group, and the third joined, started to leave, then changed his mind. So we have Roger, Scott F, Glenn Dustin, and Scott Howard who have remained (if Glenn & Scott H were with a group previously, I need to change my math, but I do not know if this is the case). Josh Cobb joined fresh, left, and now is singing a mutant form of rock music somewhere. Tony Jarman, formerly with Poet Voices (I believe), took Cobb's place, then left after a few years to "go solo," only to join the Old Time Gospel Hour Quartet. Frank Seamens (formerly with The Sound, as was Scott Fowler) then joined, only to decide to leave, then change his mind and stay.
Total memebers affected: 7
Total groups directly or indirectly affected (including L5): 3
Ernie was solo, then half-solo, half Old Friends tenor along with George Younce on bass, Jake Hess on lead, and Wesley Pritchard on baritone (which, I don’t care how you slice it, was pure novelty), then solo again, then started Signature Sound with Garry Jones (”Taco” from the peak Gold City years and who also played piano with Old Friends). Joining Garry and Ernie were Shane Dunlap, former owner of the underrated N'Harmony, Doug Anderson, formerly with The Lighthouse Quartet, and Tim Duncan, who was left without a job after Poet Voices folded. Less than a year into the group, Garry and Shane left (you decide why). Shane went solo while working the occassional “Trio” date with Kirk and Anthony until Anthony’s death, while Garry started another new group, Mercy's Mark. Two more members (Roy Webb, also formerly with Lighthouse) and Ryan Seaton (formerly with the Dixie Melody Boys, I think) were brought in to Signature Sound take their spots.
Mercy's Mark consisted of Garry on baritone, newcomer Josh Feemster on lead, Anthony Facello (formerly with Heaven Bound and one or two others, but I can't remember just who at the moment) on tenor, and Chris West, also formerly of N'Harmony, on bass. Once again, less than a year, half of the group disappeared when Facello and West departed (Facello apparently is now a real estate agent in Nashville, while West just seems to have disappeared altogether). After a brief hiatus, Garry brought in Christian Davis (formerly with with OTGHQ and his own short-lived group, Christian Brothers Quartet) and Brent Mitchell, another newcomer.
Total members: 15
Total groups directly or indirectly affected: 11
Grand total members: 22
Grand total groups direclty or indirectly affected by changes: 14-15
Not counting groups who lost members, gained members, or traded members, this is quite a bit of turnaround. Several groups saw change less than a year into their run. While this can be somewhat alarming to know that so many groups have this trouble, it can be healthy in a way, as it weeds out those who are not dedicated to the group. But even the Cathedrals, when they became a quartet in the 60's, had a fairly stable lineup for several years before Bobby Clark departed.
Welcome!!
After floating around some of the other SG blogs, I have decided to join the ranks and post my own blog, rather than eat up space on other forums with my lengthy views and opinions.
I encourage everyone who feels the need to comment on anything I post here. This is an open forum for discussion and opinion, and I always enjoy hearing other thoughts.
Stay tuned....this could be fun!!
I encourage everyone who feels the need to comment on anything I post here. This is an open forum for discussion and opinion, and I always enjoy hearing other thoughts.
Stay tuned....this could be fun!!
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