Do you see what I see?

Check out this link for the latest Gaither DVD, Rock of Ages, and tell me if you spot the same oddity that I did. I'll give you a hint....it has to do with recent SG headlines....

Class of 2008???

There have been several rather high-profile changes being made so far in 2008. Jonathan Wilburn's departure from Gold City has brought in Bruce Taliaferro, a lead singer who, from what I understand, has experience with other groups, but is a relative unknown on the national circuit. Jason Waldroup's exit from Greater Vision also opens up the opportunity for another newcomer to join the "top ranks." Could other groups see shifting in the near future (for better or worse)??

These first two changes (both within the first quarter of the year) come on the tails of several disbandments. With 2007 being the "purging" year, so to speak, maybe 2008 will be the year of rebuilding for the industry....

The Cathedrals - Distinctively

Thanks to Gary Byrd, a "lost" Cathedrals' album is now finally available to many fans who have never had the opportunity to hear it (without scouring eBay, anyway). Distinctively was a table project released on the Cats' own Eternal label, and is the first project to include Danny Funderburk on tenor. It seems that not very many copies of this project were produced; even when older table projects were still available on cassette on the Cathedrals' website, this one was never listed. It also comes just before the release of Danny's signature song, "Somebody Touched Me" and the group's subsequent rise on RiverSong/Benson, so it doesn't surprise me that the table projects ended with this release.

As a whole, the overall sound pretty much matches another Cats "B-project," Greater, and was recorded within two years of that release (my guess is at the same studio in my hometown of Cincinnati). The instrumentation is minimal, consisting of a five piece band (with a fiddle or mandolin on a couple songs for added flavor). There are no horns or strings, which means that the ballads have a more stripped-down feel, but the nice part of this setup is that, when translated to the stage, it is a little easier to arrange, since you don't have to use a piano to make up for the lack of an orchestra!

Another indication that this is not a mainstream label release is the song selection. Quite a few covers here, including a new rendition of one of George Younce's signature songs, "Thanks To Calvary." Most main-line albums will include as much new material as possible, and since table projects are usually on a smaller budget, it is usually cheaper (and easier) to secure rights to previously-recorded songs.

The album itself is interesting to listen to from an historical standpoint. As stated above, this was Funderburk's first project with the group, yet for some reason, he sounds a little more confident on this project than he does on The Prestigious Cathedral Quartet, which was released by RiverSong Records the following year. He seems to shoot for a lot more high notes and shows off a little more here than he does on, for example, "Somebody Touched Me." He also has a slightly-different vocal quality that I haven't heard on any other projects. It doesn't sound strained, but it does sound a bit forced, although after singing with the likes of Ivan Parker and Mike English, I can see why he'd have to be able to hold his own!! I can somewhat see what George and Glen meant when they said, "It took Danny a little while to find his place in our arrangements." His voice is quite heavy on the vibrato, which would soften over the years.

The song selection, as mentioned before, is made up of a lot of covers, but the Cats give each song their own stamp. "He's A Personal Savior" is slowed down somewhat and gets a half-time feel that I've never heard on another arrangement. "Who Am I," a wonderfully-sung Funderburk solo, drops a chorus and puts the two verses together; the track has a definite early-80's ballad feel, as well. "Thanks To Calvary" actually sounds a little more upbeat than normal here; the tempo is sped up just a bit and it just feels a little more "happier."

My favorite tracks on this collection are "Who Am I," "Cheer The Weary Traveler," and "Whiter Than Snow." Danny's performance on "Who Am I," while somewhat raw, is full of emotion and feeling, which makes up for the slight imperfections (studio engineers and record executives need to re-read that line OVER AND OVER!!!!). In his only real feature on the project, Mark Trammell seems to have a lot of fun with his verses on "Cheer The Weary Traveler." The whole song has that old spiritual feel to it, and the entire track is done with a bouncy acoustic guitar. To show the vocal abilities of the group, the entire song is done with no more than a rimshot on drums, yet it builds with excitement by sheer singing.

"White Than Snow," in my opinion, is the best cut on the entire project. George's booming bass voice seems to be at it's peak here; not only does he hit the lower notes with ease, he also shows off his upper register just as smooth, and the entire performance is full of "soul." I don't think any other bass singer could've pulled off the performance George does here. Danny gets a chance to sore into the rafters with his rubato second verse, and really shines, showing even early on that he was unique among the thin, feminine-sounding tenors of the day. Danny would actually record this song again on a solo project (produced by pianist Roger Bennett) a couple years later (he even used it as the title for the album).

"When Jesus Comes In The Clouds" is one of those songs that grows on you. It's a mid-tempo, countrified arrangement of a standard quartet sound. The track is subtle and minimal, again letting the singing carry the song. Glen Payne leads the verses, with Mark getting a solo chorus and Danny ends with a couple modulations-worth of high notes. At first listen, I didn't care for the song, but the more I listen to it, the more I like it.

There are a few "filler" tracks on this project, but that is to be expected on such a release. "I'm Happy In The Lord Anyway" and "If It Keeps Getting Better and Better" are your generic 4-part vanilla songs. Nothing really spectacular, just straight-forward singing and playing. "John The Revelator" is along the same lines, althought noticably more peppy. "Even So, Lord Jesus Come" seems to be the required old-time ballad, although to his credit, Danny softens up on the end of the song in a similar fashion to "Whosoever Will" from the Travelin' Live album.

Is it the best Cathedrals album? No. Is it the best among the best of the table projects? No. It IS, however, an important offering in the history of the group, as it is the beginning of what would be one of the most popular lineups of the group, and in the context of timing and circumstance, it's a decent project worthy of a listen.

P.S. This album is available (at least for the time being) at Gary Byrd's website (click on the Downloads link). It sounds like the audio came from a cassette release, as there is some analog hiss in the background and no noticable vinyl pops. It also sounds like he went out of his way to make sure the sound quality was the best it could be. Even if you have the record, you might wanna visit the site and download the zip file that includes mp3's for all of these songs, as they sound pretty decent!

Gary also has the full video for the Cats' Can He, Could He, Would He video (at 1GB, however, it does take quite a while if you try to download it, even on high-speed connections).

Looks like he's still got it....

Those of you wondering what Tim Riley's been up to, check out this video posted by YouTube user BamaMTA04. This is actually the second half of two videos shot on March 21, 2008, but this shows that the former Gold City bass singer has "still got it" (and I'm not referring to the beard he grew after retirement, although he still has that, too....)

Table projects.....

A followup of sorts to Who Owns What.....when it comes to table projects, obviously the group owns the masters, but what if the group disbands or retires?

Case in point: The Cathedrals. They released an enormous amount of "table projects" on their own Eternal Records label, some of which Todd Payne (Glen Payne's son) has released through HIS own label, Cathedral Records, to stores as part of the "unreleased" series, but the majority of them have not seen the light of day since their initial printing and selling at Cathedrals concerts in the 70's.

Now that both George and Glen have passed away and the group is retired, where does ownership of those masters pass to? Do any of the Payne or Younce kids own it, or does it become public domain (or for that matter, what is the statute of limitations before something becomes public domain)?

I need to quit thinking so much!!!!

DVR Alert

This news has been floating around for a while, but since it's closer to the actual event, I thought I'd post a little reminder for those who have DVR, Tivo, or the good old-fashioned VCR....

Gold City will be appearing on TBN's "Praise The Lord" this Friday, March 28th, at 10pm EST. According to their newsletter, it was taped earlier in the week, but from what I understand, this will be Bruce Taliaferro's "official TV debut" with the group. For those who have been wondering if the transition will be a good thing for GC, you won't want to miss this broadcast!!

Kirk Talley's comeback?

It seems that in the last couple of years, some artists have been trying to make a "comeback" in Christian music. It started with Kenny Bishop and his much-praised solo debut. Last month, we saw Michael English release The Prodigal Comes Home (that project is easily one of the best projects that will be released this year and has fast become one of my all-time favorites!). Now, according to a press release on SGN, Kirk Talley is working on a comeback, as well.

Nothing against Kirk, but I wonder if he'll find success with his effort. Given the circumstances of his fall (which I won't go into here; a quick Google search will give you all the details you need), some churches may be a little less forgiving (although, sin is sin regardless, some people tend to put more weight on some than others). I'm sure he'll find quite a bit of support from the more liberal churches, but that also creates a catch 22; the southern gospel audience is very rarely described as "liberal" by any definition. Unless Kirk gets a big-time backer to say, "Yes, he is changed," or "He is still a wonderful and annointed vocalist," he may be blackballed from the heart of SG bookings - the conservative mid-sized churches made up of older congregations.

He may, however, have a slight advantage created by this same demographic....a lot of the SG audience either doesn't have computer access or doesn't bother with searching SG websites. If Kirk is trying to book himself (or even if a booking agent is doing the work), odds are they'll direct the pastors to Kirk's website, which has removed all traces of his battles. Since five years have passed since the news broke, there's a good chance that a lot of the churches, unless they have access to a SG grapevine, will be completely oblivious to Talley's circumstances. I haven't seen a Kirk Talley show, so I don't know if he goes into detail about his situation (or if he even mentions it at all), but if he just sticks to singing, they may be none the wiser.....

It appears that Angie Hoskins is promoting Kirk's new single. Given that Angie has just recently started her promotions venture, this is DEFINITELY a risky move on her part. Yes, Kirk has the name recognition, but will it be POSITIVE recognition? Again, listeners may be conveniently unaware of Kirk's past, but radio station managers will no doubt be well aware, which could affect airplay. Unless she has some more artists lined up, she may be setting herself up for trouble. All due respect to Angie, I wonder if any other radio promoters turned Kirk down for the same reasons before she picked him up....

A big difference between Kirk and artists like Bishop and English is that the latter two had a record label behind them pushing their projects. Kenny Bishop had Daywind behind him which, while not necessarily a powerhouse, is currently one of the most influential labels in SG. English has Mike Curb behind him, which not only can push to the gospel market, but also is a major influence in other markets. Talley appears to be releasing his project independantly, so having a major promotional outlet is going to be hard to come by.

My suggestion to Kirk would be to get in tight with an "emotional sponsor," so to speak, who can help promote him. Go on tour with a big-name group who could vouch for him in a way. Maybe hit the road with Mark Trammell Trio, or see if he can work some of the "Evening To Remember" events with MTT, Legacy Five, Greater Vision, and Danny Funderburk. Return to the crowd that recognizes (and still respects) him, much like Mike English did with Gaither, or even Mark Lowry.

By looking at Kirk's website, it appears that the new album, Beyond Words, is not being treated as a concept album (whereas English's entire new project, The Prodigal Comes Home, was entirely about struggle and redemption). Perhaps, Talley is, in a way, trying to treat the whole situation as if it never happened, which in the long run, may be the best method. Perhaps hoping that the SG audience will forget (or never learn of) what happened may work in his favor. It wouldn't be the first time an artist has done so....

Preview of Coming Attractions

Courtesy of Youtube user Garribolas, here's Signature Sound staging one of their new songs, "My Heavenly Father Watches Over Me" (aka "I'll Trust In God," according to the clip). I must say, I'm slightly disappointed, not because the song is bad (I'm actually quite impressed), but because I had found this song on an old Oaks record (featuring the great Willie Wynn), and was planning on bringing it to Acclaim to record on our next project. Guess they're right when they say, "Timing is everything!!"

Of an interesting note, if you pick up the ORB CD at Wal-Mart that includes the old version, you'll also find one of Duane Allen's first recordings with the Oaks, "Someday," which was covered by Signature Sound on their previous release, Get Away, Jordan. I guess Ernie must be as big of an Oaks fan as I am!!

New Videos posted

I've posted some new videos to my YouTube channel. This time, I've got a couple more Cathedrals songs, several Signature Sound clips (from their first live DVD, which is now quite rare), and some classic Gold City songs. While you're there, check out my VAST collection of Oak Ridge Boys clips, as well. Hope you enjoy them!!

Also I've added a video to Acclaim's YouTube channel as well. It's a clip from our new CD. You can access that channel here.

YouTube Find of the Day

I love this song, and this is, at least in my opinion, one of the best renditions!! From the Cathedrals' Reunion VHS, here is "Yesterday."



Thanks to bubers2007 for posting this clip. Visit the YouTube channel here.....

File under "Wow...."

I could not believe my eyes when I saw this. I HAD to take a picture of it!! This is at one of the local Christian bookstores (the name is blurred, but it's labeled as an exclusive to the store, so it won't take long for someone to catch on to where it is).....

Yes, that is an Ernie Haase "Collector's Edition Bobblehead"!! I have not seen a bobblehead for any of "& Signature Sound," so I just have to wonder if there will be a Doug, Ryan, or Tim edition (or for that matter, a Bill, Guy, Marsh, or Wes edition). I'm not sure what the marketing tie-in is, either.

I will say this....I think they went a little overboard in the chin size. It could possibly pass for Jay Leno or Mark Lowry....

An idea for the Singing News

The big news today seems to be the Singing News adding an online version of its magazine in PDF format for subscribers. By now, I'm sure you've heard the details, but just in case....here, here, & here....

Now here's my idea. Groups can make some spare change by selling the Singing News at their product tables. Why not offer an online affiliate deal for groups? Place an ad for the SN on their website with a "subscribe now" option and a percentage paid to the group based on their referral. Other websites offer similar deals (such as ChristianBook.com), and it could be a driving force not only for the Singing News, but also for group websites.

Just a thought.....

Some thoughts on performance trax

One thing I love about southern gospel (and Christian music as a whole) that no other genre does is the release of original performance trax. No other style of music that I'm aware of will take a full production and willing remove the vocals so that other people can sing those same songs. If you wanna sing the latest Kelly Clarkson song, you either have to buy a cheaply-produced Karaoke track or hire a band. Wanna sing the latest single "My Journey To The Sky" from the Gaither Vocal Band? Head over to the Christian bookstore and pick up the original track that they GVB used on their own CD. Considering the number of people who sing "specials" in church (and the number of local and regional groups who cover a lot of popular gospel songs), this is one of Christian music's biggest (if not often ignored) markets.

The way the original performance trax are made is that an engineer simply removes (or mutes) the lead vocals (and in some cases, the background vocals as well), but leaves everything else intact, so you wind up with a final mix of a song that just doesn't have the singers present. Since this is done with unmastered mixes, often the songs are just left unmastered when they are released as soundtracks (since it would cost even more to have a performance trax CD mastered on top of the original album). An interesting side effect is that last minute changes made to the songs in the mastering process (such as shortening an intro or ending) are ignored when the performance trax are released.

The first time I noticed this is when I bought the original track for "Promises One By One" by the GVB. The ending of the song on the track was a little more extended than the original album cut (which was also included as the "demo track"). Apparently, at some point before the release of the album, the end of that particular song was clipped (which, if you listen closely to the album, you can tell where the cut was made).

Another song that was strangely edited is the original album cut on "Echoes From The Burning Bush" on the Cathedrals' Radio Days album. The CD has a piano eighth note followed by Eb/Db chord and a guitar lick. Musically, it sounds as if the first chord was missing (which would've just been a standard Eb major chord). After the first chorus, the intro is repeated, and you can hear what the first line should sound like with the piano playing the first line. When you listen to the Homeland Original Track for that song, however, that Eb major chord is present (and the piano has the first line instead of the guitar) at the beginning of the song. Not sure as to the reasoning behind such an edit, but it's kinda fun to hear the differences.

When I got Gold City's Revival CD on performance trax, I found another example of this. "Preach The Word" includes a drum loop throughout the song, and on the album version, the song starts with the piano and the loop starting simultaneously (an interesting approach, since it's an incomplete measure and the song actually starts on the last beat of the loop). The performance version, however, includes another two measures of just the drop loop out front before the piano intro. When this song was released commercially as an individual track, though, the album intro was used, dropping the loop again.

To keep with GC, another oddity is the "Truth Is Marching On." The album version includes an extended acoustic guitar solo intro. This intro is also intact on the complete album performance trax CD that Gold City sells themselves. When the Mastertrax version came out, though, the guitar solo was omitted.

Are there any other interesting changes between album versions and their accompaniment trax??

On a side note, I have heard Gaither update some of his trax for the stage. "John The Revelator" got an organ added to it and "Bread Upon The Water" had a rap-sounded record scratch added on the "Give It Away" DVD, although neither of these changes were available on a performance track commercially.

Who owns what?

With all that is going on with the Imperials, a friend of mine brought something to my attention that is indeed an interesting observation: when it comes to product, who owns what, and who gets paid?

While shopping the local Christian bookstore, my friend came across an Imperials compilation released by New Haven Records entitled Classic Hits. It is part of the Gospel Legacy series that New Haven started a short while back. From the looks of it, NH has been spending money on these projects; they have leased tracks from Word to appear on this compilation. The result is a package that seems to cover a decent timespan of their most popular years both on Heartwarming/Benson/Impact and the beginning of their tenure on Word. The cover photo features Armond Morales, Terry Blackwood, Jim Murray, Sherman Andrus, and Joe Moscheo.

Another package was on the shelf, Legacy, a two-disc set chronicling the Imperials from 1978-1989. This group had a number of different members, including Russ Taff, Paul Smith, David Will, Jim Murray, and many others. To take each member and divy up the royalties would make releasing the disc almost pointless.

So, the question remains....who gets paid? Does each member get a royalty based on their recording? Does all the money go to the group owner, who then has a deal with each former member to distribute royalties (or does it all go in the owner's pocket with the former members SOL)? Not only that, but who has the final say on what is released? Obviously, the record company has at least SOME say, as they're the ones sinking the money into the project, but does the artist retain an executive decision?

I know that some artists had a "lease pickup" deal, which means that they paid for the product up front and leased the final master to the record company, who would then release, distribute, promote, and market the title for a set time frame, but ultimately, ownership of those masters were owned by the group. This is the ideal setup for a group who expects quite a bit of longevity, and should they sign with a new label down the road, they have the potential to re-release this material without having to buy the album back.

Other groups, however, sign deals that leave everything they do with the record company. This is for the group who cannot afford to front the payment for an album. The record company sets the budget, usually has a fair amount of creative input (for better or worse), and when the project is done, they get the money, with the artist getting a royalty share. At the end of the day, the album is the property of that record company, and if the artist wants to use it, they have to negotiate with the label to get permission.

Each group negotiates different terms in a record contract. Some say that, regardless of whether they stay with that label, they have the final say on product being released (The Oak Ridge Boys do this, and when MCA released a compilation last year, not only did they have the final say on what cuts were used, but they also participated in the extensive liner notes). That way, while the artist doesn't own the masters, they still have control over what is released with their name and/or likeness.

There are still "budget" albums that are released as "unauthorized" products. There are a ton of Oaks albums on shelves today that consist of material from the mid-60's, yet feature the current group (or an artistic interpretation of such) on the covers. Legally, these CD's cannot be released without their authorization, but considering the price (and low amount of sales) of these discs, they simply chose not to waste their time and energy trying to fight every low-budget distributor who does this.

In the Imperials case, however, one has to wonder who it is that gets the check. Is it Armond, whose voice is on the recordings (and who owned the group at the time), or is it the current members that Armond sold the group to? Since the whole legal issue is over who officially owns (and who can use) the name Imperials, not who is the rightful owner of the Imperials as a business, I would assume that the current group is entitled to the income, who would then issue Armond a check (although given their current feud, the odds of Armond getting anything but a summons at this point are pretty slim!).

It's times like this I'm glad I'm not an accountant!!

Men wearing makeup

A few comments over at Spring Break @ Averyfineline got me to thinking (a dangerous activity for me, I know!!). What is the big deal with makeup on men??

Makeup, in itself, is not feminine; it's designed to cover up imperfections. Back in the 50's and early 60's, groups would wear makeup to compensate for poor lighting and camera pickup on television (most commonly, they would darken their eyebrows and, if applicable, moustaches). This is also the reason that many people dyed their hair jet black (even Elvis did this). It wasn't a fashion statement as much as it was a necessity to be seen on the ancient cameras.

Nowadays, however, makeup is being worn because it is the "in" thing. I'm not talking about the TV-pink caking that made the Homecoming videos so much more attractive. I've seen several guys appearing on stage with eyeliner of varying shades of black. 10 years ago, this was considered "goth;" now it's considered "metrosexual," which is basically a heterosexual man who is not afraid to display effeminate characteristics - in a way, it's "goth" without the manic depression!!

Fair warning, though....just because a man is wearing eyeliner doesn't mean that he's "girly;" just ask Matchbox 20 or Ernie Haase....

Armond Morales' Letter to Jason

Aaron Swain has posted a letter from Armond Morales to his son. It is a self-described public apology/explanation addressed to Jason Morales. You can read the letter here.

At first glance, it appears that Armond is trying his best to save his relationship with Jason, despite the ongoing feud between himself and MOSH, Inc. (who claim to be the current owners of the Imperials name), and it DOES seem like a very nice and heartfelt gesture, but again, something doesn't quite seem right about the whole thing.

First of all, Jason has rescinded himself from the legal proceedings, so any decisions made or actions taken are done so without Jason's input. Writing a letter to him, public or not, will not have any impact on the proceedings (although, to his credit, perhaps Armond is aware of this, and this may be part of the reason for writing the letter).

This is also the first time I have seen Armond admit that he may have made a mistake when selling the name to the current group.....

I knew that I had the permission to use The Imperials name. I have only learned through our legal troubles that I did not have the right to sell that name.

If this is truly the case, then I guess Armond may have a case for using the name; it may also cause more headaches for the current Imperials, who may not have any legal grounds for using the name regardless.

Either way, this is going to be, from the looks of it, a long, drawn-out (and possibly damaging) case...

Editing existing products??

We all know that "table products" are (usually) financed entirely by artists themselves and used strictly to "fill a rack" at concerts. By design, they're not intended to be "big budget" releases; typically they are recorded with 4-5 musicians and consist of either commonly-recorded or public domain songs (to make the cost considerably less). They're also used when new groups are formed or new members join because they're relatively easy to produce. This is why there are so many "old-time favorites" projects by groups at concerts.

Legacy Five did this with their Heritage series, which turned out to be quite popular among fans (partly because they were spaced out in such a way that you weren't bombarded with three CD's at once and demand could build for another release). I know that their first Heritage release was made available to retailers through Cathedral Records for a short period, as well.

Signature Sound also did a series of table projects, although under a somewhat lengthier title: Great Gospel Songs Of The Last Century. Each one had a separate subtitle as well (Building A Bridge, Glory To His Name, and The Ground Is Level) so you could tell which was which. The first two were done while Garry Jones and Shane Dunlap were still with the group (in fact, Garry Jones produced the first two), and the third one was done shortly after Roy Webb and Ryan Seaton joined. Now, these projects (along with their Stand By Me: Live CD) have been bundled together in a 4-pack for $20. While I already had the live CD, I ordered the bundle to get the other three (since it seems you can't order them individually anymore). Part of the reason was because I really enjoyed SSQ's first live DVD (which is no longer made) that included Garry and Shane, and several of the songs from that DVD were from Building A Bridge.

I was disappointed when I listened to the CD's. I knew the third one was done with Roy and Ryan, but several of the songs on the Shane/Garry projects had been recut with new vocals. Rather than Shane singing on "Had It Not Been," Wesley Pritchard (billed as a "special guest vocalist") recut the lead vocal (which I still haven't figured out, since Doug Anderson seemed to inherit the lead after Shane left), and Ryan has replaced the lead vocals on "Going Home." A couple other choice vocals have been replaced, as well.

I wasn't surprised when the covers were changed to include the current members; this is common practice in gospel music (for better or worse), but if you're going to replace vocals, I would think you'd want to replace ALL of the vocals. Instead, only a few tracks were recut. The rest were left intact, leaving a project that consisted of two different lead singers (and the one that is featured on most of the project isn't even credited). To say the least, it's slightly misleading.

I can't say I'm entirely surprised at the changes. When a group owns the masters to a project, they have the right to do whatever they want with them, and if they decide to replace vocals, change artwork, etc., that's their decision to make. Also, when you go to a concert, usually people buy CD's based on the current lineup's performance, so you want to present them with as much product as possible that reflects such. Groups also will replace vocals on projects that were not released before a change in membership is made (see here for an example of such), but to change existing products can be confusing to listeners who expect one version and instead receive another.

What is the most frustrating is that, when I listened to the samples available on SSQ's website, the samples I heard were the original versions with the original vocals still intact. If the samples had been updated, I would've at least expected an updated release instead of the original recordings.

Another recording that is quite confusing is A Gold City Christmas from 2005. It was originally recorded in 2003 as a table project and later released by Cathedral Records. The first version was done with Jay Parrack on tenor and Tim Riley on bass. After GC signed with New Haven, the CD was reissued with a new cover, new photo that included Steve Ladd and Bill Lawrence, and two extra songs were recorded. Steve Ladd also replaced lead vocals on "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas," and from what I can tell, several harmony parts (most noticably on the acapella "Angels From The Realms of Glory"). Bill Lawrence sang bass on the new tracks, but all of Tim Riley's vocals were left intact (including his lead vocals on "Holly Jolly Christmas" and "Frosty The Snowman"). Granted, being the group owner gives you the right to decide if you vocals stay or go, but no mention of Tim was made on the credits or liner notes (or photos, for that matter), so once again, we have the listener expecting one singer and getting another (although, personally, I'd rather hear Tim anyway!). And from what I can tell, Jay's harmony vocals were kept intact where he was less-prominent.

I'm sure there are others out there (I've heard that Legacy Five replaced Tony Jarman's vocals with Frank Seaman's on later pressings of Heritage Volume III, and according to Aaron Swain, there are versions of Mercy's Mark's Southern Selections Volume Two that include Brent Mitchell and Christian Davis, although all versions I've seen have been with Anthony Facello and Chris West). In MM's case, though, the covers were altered in such a way that there were no actual group photos on the package, and a group lineup was not included on the credits, so while ambiguous, it was not incorrect.

This is also not necessarily a NEW practice, but with recording technology as advanced as it is (compared to 10-20 years ago), replacing vocals on a project can be as easy as opening a laptop, hooking up a microphone, and doing two or three takes. Within a matter of hours, you can have the new vocal recorded, remixed, and remastered, all ready to go to the printer.

My biggest question is....what happened to all of the previously-pressed copies that had the old covers/vocals? Did the groups pull them and place them in storage, were they destoryed, or did they just let the existing copies sell through until they were gone?

Text Messages from EHSS

You have to give them credit, they're doing their best to stay on top of current trends!! Now Signature Sound is offering text message updates! What exactly is included, I don't know. Maybe they'll send notices when they're gonna be in your area. Maybe the E-Team will become the E-Mob[ile]. According to their website, some subscribers will even receive free product from time to time.

The only thing that it does NOT mention is whether or not standard texting and/or cell phone use rates apply....

Garry Jones

SoGospelNews.com has posted an interview with Garry Jones. While the questions are somewhat generic, Garry gives some interesting answers and insight, both into his background and history in SG, as well as the industry as a whole. Not the most in-depth interview, but worth a read!! There is no doubt that Garry knows what he's talking about.

Garry also has a new website up, which looks like it will include a blog (whoo hoo!!). I can't wait to see what God has in store for him!

Singing News "web exclusives"

It appears that the Singing News is starting to catch on to the internet market. They have offered three new web exclusives from some of gospel music's most recognizable artists. I don't have my magazine to enter my login credentials, so I'm guessing that these will be pretty much artist blogs (a novel idea if you ask me, although not entirely new....). In order to see these, you have to have a Singing News subscription (just like most of the rest of the site); the big difference is that these are NOT available in the print version of the magazine, meaning if you wanna read them, you have to go to SingingNews.com AND have a subscription, a way of driving up both subscriptions and web traffic.

It's nice to see the Singing News trying different things. While they're still not quite there as far as setup (locking certain sections while leaving others open, for example), they're definitely improving.

Thanks, Jonathan / I'm not the only one!!

As a long-time fan of Gold City, I want to send out a personal thank you to Jonathan Wilburn for his 12 years with the group. His wonderful singing, lively stage presence, and demeanor with fans is something that will be long-remembered. In many ways, he was the rock for the group. When several personnel changes occurred, he was right there on the front line, still singing away, keeping everything solid and providing that familiarity for fans. While Gold City continues their move into a new era, I'm sure I'm joined by many when I say, Thanks Jonathan, for all the years of fun, ministering, and memories!!

I also want to welcome Bruce Taliaferro to the group. I don't envy Bruce in that he's gonna have some big shoes to fill, but from what I've heard, GC fans and listeners shouldn't have anything to worry about. Bruce, I'm looking forward to hearing you.

P.S. It's official....I'm not the only [openly] bald lead singer anymore!!!