Wait a minute....WHO sang that part???

Being an avid MySpace user, I noticed Ernie Haase posting a new video of Signature Sound doing "Get Away Jordan" live somewhere. While watching this video, a thought crossed my mind: They sure have come a long way (in SOME direction) from their first DVD, "Live In Indiana"!!

Then I realized, most people have never SEEN that DVD!!!!

(Before you think I'm getting into a EHSSQ bash, hear me out!!)

In 2003, shortly after Ernie and Garry Jones put Signature Sound [Quartet] together, they independantly produced a live DVD at Reardon Auditorium in Anderson, Indiana. This was when Shane Dunlap was still singing lead with the group. While the group was still trying to find their proper footing and sound together, this remains one of my favorite DVD's. The energy was apparent, even early on, but the "southern gospel boy band" moves had not yet manifested in earnest (although they did do some jumping on "Stand By Me"). This is the DVD that made me not so skeptical of SSQ.

Then Garry and Shane left.

Within a few months, a NEW DVD had been done (along with an accompanying CD) called "Stand By Me LIVE," and it was done in Ernie's hometown of Evansville, Indiana. Ernie makes a big deal of introducing their new piano player (Roy Webb) and lead singer (Ryan Seaton, who was still pretty wet behind the ears). It was done in the interim between their first label release ("Stand By Me") and their second, ("Great Love"), so all of the songs were originally recorded with Garry and Shane still in the group.

You may be saying, "SO WHAT?!"

Well, all evidence of a PREVIOUS DVD had been removed from SSQ's website and product tables. For all intents and purposes, it basically was considered to have not existed.

As if this were not enough, the covers of their independant releases (their "quartet hits" series) were changed to reflect the current group members (even though Shane's voice and, more obviously, Garry's production and piano playing remains on the disc itself). Eventually, Ernie was able to obtain the masters for their first album, "Stand By Me," and repackaged it to basically remove any traces of Garry or Shane's involvement; group members are not listed, and Jones' credits, once a co-founder, were reduced to producer and piano player.

This is not something that is specific to EHSSQ.... When Josh Cobb left Legacy Five, his bio was hastily removed from their site, and any photos with Cobb included disappeared. By the time Tony Jarman was named new tenor, any traces of Cobb were gone. Oddly enough, however, when Jarman decided to try his hand at solo work, he was still included in Legacy Five's annual music celebration, and is still included in historical info, where as anyone who didn't follow L5 from the beginning may be wondering who the kid is on the cover of "Song We Used To Sing." Not to mention the fact that "I Stand Redeemed," their "most-requested" song and breakout hit - originally sung by Cobb - is being recut....

This is not something that is altogether new. The Cathedrals seem to have wiped out certain members of their history. The tenor between Danny Funderburk and Ernie Haase (whose name escapes me...I wonder why!!!) was kind of swept under the historical rug after a reportedly disasterous Dove Awards appearance. And does anyone remember David Hill (the ORIGINAL voice of "I'm Not Giving Up") or Steve Lacey with Gold City?? Even when the beloved Mark Trammell left GC, a hastily-edited group photo just moved group members around to remove Trammell from the shot.

There ARE groups out there who take pride in their history. Bill Gaither always makes it a point to acknowledge former members of the Vocal Band, regardless of tenure, although it's almost as if only in passing. Granted, Bill is probably trying to be as diplomatic as possible, not trying to show favor for one member over the other, it seems strange to see David Phelps, who helped bring the GVB back to "vocal powerhouse" status, mentioned with the same indifference as, say Buddy Mullins, who made one album and left. I still find it interesting, however, that he often acknowledges Terry Franklin, Mark Lowry, and Michael English as his favorite lineup. So much for neutrality, huh??

I often find it quite frustrating when such "erasures" are performed after a group member leaves, especially from a consumer standpoint. I have been known to purchase (or NOT purchase) a CD because I KNOW how the group sounds with current members. When the CD cover shows a different combo than what's really on the disc (or is just illusive altogether, as Garry Jones seems to have done with the Mercy's Mark "Southern Selections" CD's), I am left to take a guess and hope that I get the group I wanted to hear. This was especially maddening when Gold City released their latest Christmas project to retail, because there actually WERE different members on different cuts. While the cover photo included Bill Lawrence and Steve Ladd, there were still cuts with Tim Riley and even Jay Parrack. What I've yet to figure out, though, is why Steve would recut the lead on "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas," but Tim's lead on "Holly Jolly Christmas" was left intact (group owner privileges, I guess!!). For the record, I'd much rather hear Riley's sub-rattling low G on "I Have Seen The Light" over Lawrence any day!!

I guess my point would be, basically EVERY group has had at least one member leave for whatever reason. We know you're pushing the most recent lineup, but why brush over the past (and potentially mislead fans) by not naming (or even misrepresenting) group members on previous projects or in historical accounts?? Like it or not, they were a part of your group!!!

Me & God

My dad said he'd heard this song on the radio recently. It's by Josh "Long Black Train" Turner and Dr. Ralph Stanley. His reaction was, "I can't stand that song!" I hadn't heard it, and never really made any real effort to find out for myself if it was as bad as Dad thought it was.

Then today, during my lunch break, I heard it on the radio.

Musically, it's a carbon copy of "Long Black Train," complete with the same brush 'n' snare drum loop (which means that the traditional-country fans will like it), but the lyrics to this song resemble something written in a children's Sunday school class. Someone came up with a hook ("Me & God"), and tried to come up with as many rhymes for "God" as possible, regardless of quality (see below):

Early in the morning talking it over
Me and God
Late at night talking it over
Me and God
You could say where like two peas in a pod
Me and God

Juvenile is probably the best way to describe this song. It sounds very similar to the first song I ever wrote when I was 9 years old. Simple. Unimpressive. The fact that this song ever made it to a mainstream country album (let alone singled) is either a sign of how low the music industry standards have sunk, or how badly Turner is attempting to copy the success of "Long Black Train" (still not the greatest song, but definitely stronger than "peas in a pod").

Poetic license aside, one must wonder why God was placed second in the title. The theology of in the song title alone is questionable, but when you're saying things like "there ain't nothing that can't be done by me and God" and "we're a team," you're kinda putting yourself a little too high on the totem pole (or God a little too low!).

One must wonder if Turner feels obligated to include at least one gospel song per disc. That is the only reason I can think of to include such a song. Since Turner is a member of the relatively new Christian Country Music Association, it would make sense for this to be a requirement for membership (and would also explain why The Oak Ridge Boys included two gospel songs on their otherwise-all-country release last year). But even then, I'd be more apt to include a classic hymn (or even yet another cover of "I Can Only Imagine") before I recorded (and SINGLED) this song.

Even the great Ralph Stanley (who comes across as amazingly sincere, even given the childishness of the words) can't save this song. I can only think that his presence is designed to give this song a bit of legitimacy. While he turns in a performance that is arguably light years ahead of Turner, it still is too little....

Absence

It seems that I came out of the woodwork running, only to disappear after a few posts. In all honesty, I was having so much fun posting around other sites (and trying to handle "real life") that I simply haven't had time to post like I originally planned. Don't worry, though, because I'm back at it, and I have a few things to address!!