Why I'm Thankful

Three years ago, my mom and dad's Thanksgiving dinner consisted of Jello and hospital cafeteria food, as my dad had just had a heart attack the day before. The next fall, Dad had to have quadruple bypass surgery and spent the next Thanksgiving finishing up his recovery. Then, last year, Mom found out that she had breast cancer and began her first surgeries during Thanksgiving break.

Needless to say, Thanksgiving hasn't quite been what it should be the last few years.

I am thankful beyond words that this year, I sat down to my Thanksgiving dinner across from Mom and Dad, both with a relatively clean bill of health. Mom has been cancer free for a year now, and Dad hasn't had any more problems with his heart. The only problem they have now is that they don't have any excuse for someone to be waiting on them hand and foot!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone....and BRING ON CHRISTMAS!!!!!!

Not just a voice

Aaron Swain posted a clip of the Cathedrals singing "This Ol House" with Kurt Young (and not the infamous Dove Awards clip) that sounds pretty decent. Aaron, who is apparently impressed with the video, seems to think that Kurt could have "easily been one of the best tenors the group ever had...." under different conditions.

DBM, however, counters with his own argument, which in a nutshell, states that Kurt displayed too many technical flaws to be considered a "top tenor." While true, I offered my own thoughts that such flaws could have been due to lack of confidence, which seems to be the consensus of most comments. I'll let you check out the post for yourself, so as not to rehash the entire thing.

This brings up an interesting question....can a singer's confidence outweigh their ability? Can one's performance cause audiences to overlook the fact that their singing is less-than-perfect? Sure, showmanship is something that is important to ANY live performance, regardless of genre, but when does it take the front seat to talent?

Case in point would be the early clips of Ernie Haase with the Cathedrals. There are times where it seemed that Ernie was straining to hit some of those notes (which he still does today), but he seemed comfortable on stage. He had confidence. Whether each note was a bullseye or not, he was throwing at the target knowing that there was a reason he was there.

Kurt, on the other hand, always had this look on his face as if to say, "Oh boy, I hope I don't mess this up!!" He rarely moved and seemed stiff as a board, giving a whole new meaning to the term "flat-footed singer." Even on a song like "I've Just Started Living," which is meant to evoke excitement, he just kinda swayed back and forth and sprayed pitches throughout the verses.

When Danny Funderburk joined, the first record they did included "Who Am I," which had a bit too much screaming, even by Danny's standards, but at least the guy was confident.

O Holy (?) Night

There is a recording that circulates through the SG industry of an absolutely horrid rendition of "O Holy Night," that pretty much epitomizes the term "budget recording." It sounds like someone bought a Christian World track on a clearance rack, popped it into a karaoke machine, and did their best impression of a dying mule (especially at the beginning of the final chorus).

I first heard it when a songwriter friend of mine forwarded it to me. He said he'd received it from another group who forwarded it to him. We didn't know if it was for real or if it were a joke, but either way, I was rolling on the floor (as was anyone else within earshot).

Then last year, while working a convention in Pittsburg, I heard the recording again. Someone in another group had a copy of it and we were all huddled in a van listening to the atrocity and laughing hysterically. I also heard someone say, "That's Steve Mauldin!!"

Now, I have heard a couple others say the same thing on separate occasions, so it's possible that it is indeed Steve Mauldin singing (what I assume to be) a purposely awful rendition of one of my favorite Christmas songs. I have yet to confirm this 100%, so I will say that at this point, I believe it's Mauldin, but can't be sure.

Either way, the recording is an absolute riot!!!

Hidden Treasures

Nearly every group has, at some point, recorded a project (or several) of cover songs. They are easy to record and usually serve as a "filler" project between mainline releases. Sometimes they're "classics" that everybody knows, other times they're covers of popular songs from the last 20 years or so. As a result, songs like "Beulah Land," "I Believe In A Hill Called Mount Calvary," and "Midnight Cry" have been recorded by more artists than even the songwriters can count (partly due to the lack of royalties from some groups, but that's another post altogether....).

What I'd like to see, however, is a list of songs that a group today could cover that hasn't already been sung to death. Gold City did it with "Turn Your Back," which has been covered a couple times, but hasn't really been done a lot since the original Cathedrals cut back in 1982. The Gaither Vocal Band has been doing it a LOT with Imperials songs lately, as well.

So, let's have a little fun....pick a song from yesteryear that you think is ready for a fresh recording, and name the group you think it would fit.

I'll start with a couple ideas of my own:

You Can Walk On The Water (originally the Cathedrals, cover by the GVB) - it's got that cool beat, and I think Wes Hampton could really tear this one up
I Won't Walk Without Jesus - (originally the Hinsons, cover by Gold City) - with GC's leaning more toward straight country arrangements, I think this would fit Bruce Taliaferro nicely

Mission Statement

It's been a while since I've written an in-depth post that didn't include a YouTube posting of some sort. With a couple other bloggers feeling the need to post their mission statements as of late, I figured I'd take a stab at doing so myself.

I write when I feel I have something meaningful or relevant to say. Often it's related to Southern Gospel Music, directly or otherwise. Sometimes, it's a personal note, sometimes it's completely off the wall. I try to keep things on a consistent track so as not to turn off the few dedicated readers I have.

I have seen other bloggers post statistics on their sites. While I do occasionally check the stats on my site, I don't really put a lot of weight on them; I stand nothing to gain from a large number of readers other than a bunch of people knowing what I'm thinking. Sure, I have links on my page to my music, but I can honestly say that I haven't seen one single sale based on readers to this site, so rest assured, my goal is not to sell anything or to turn a profit somehow.

Some may ask, "Well, why even have a blog? What's your reason behind it?" The answer is simple: it's a place to let my thoughts, ideas, opinions, etc., known to the general public with the hope of making even the slightest impact on an industry that I love dearly. I'm not claiming to be the next Hovie or JD or Gaither; the odds of me having even close to the kind of influence these people have are slimmer than Nicole Richie. I just like knowing that my passion can be shared by others and that, just maybe, people will look back and say, "that was a good idea."

YouTube is addicting.....

Okay, so I work third shift and have a lot of time to float around YouTube. Below is an interesting glimpse at Guy Penrod at the beginning of his GVB tenure. It's quite interesting to watch, as I think this may have been one of his first tapings with the group (based on the rather stiff performance). Needless to say, he's definitely come a long way....

A tragic story....

Many of you remember "Little Steve" Sanders from the Gospel Singing Jubilee. He released multiple gospel albums from the age of 6 well into his teenage years, often backed by the Florida Boys, as well as appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show, a Broadway production of "The Yearling," and even a film role along side Faye Dunaway and Burgess Merideth in "Hurry Sundown." He was an amazing talent, to say the least.

In his late teens, he left gospel music for the rock scene, joining Mylon LeFevre in Europe and eventually joining a group called Pyramid. Starting in 1982, he began touring with The Oak Ridge Boys as their rhythm guitarist and as lead singer for their band's stage feature until 1987, when he stepped into the vacancy left by William Lee Golden. Steve continued to sing baritone with the Oaks through 1995, when mounting personal issues led to his leaving the group.

After he left, he retreated to Florida for a couple years, and reports say he had been considering a comeback in Nashville. Those plans came to an abrupt end when he died from an apparent suicide in June of 1998.

Below is footage of Steve as a teenager on the Jubilee, backed by the Florida Boys. A great talent lost way too soon.....

Goodbye Monument?

The grapevine states that Monument may be leaving the road. If true, this could be an interesting lesson in "crossover appeal." Monument is one of the few groups that made a conscious effort to broaden their audience by singing "clean country" songs, ala the Statlers or the Oaks. They even stated that they were trying to fill the void left by the Statlers by playing the state fair circuit and naming their tour "Faith and Family."

The problem with such a move is that by the time the Statler Brothers settled into the state fair, Americana genre, they already had years of success behind them, much of which was due to the assistance of Johnny Cash.

To their credit, Monument took a BIG gamble, and it seemed to be working at a glance, but if the end is really here for the group, it apparently was a gamble that didn't pay off....

New GVB single??

Unless it's just an album cut making waves, it looks like "Jesus and John Wayne" has been released as a single by the Gaither Vocal Band.

I find this to be a rather strange choice given the current absence of Guy Penrod. When Lovin' Life was released, all of the publicity toted "Jesus and John Wayne" as virtually written for Guy (and given the fact that it's a Gaither family composition, that very well may be the case!). Guy does seem to enjoy singing the song, and it was featured on the Country Bluegrass Homecoming DVD series. Why then, with Guy taking an indefinite leave from the GVB, would the latest single be a song so strongly associated with him??

Maybe they want people to know that Guy's break isn't permanent. By featuring Guy on the new single, perhaps it's way of saying, "Don't forget, Guy is still a member of the GVB and he WILL be back....at some point....."

Personally, if that were the case, I would've gone with "Prisoner of Hope." I like that song MUCH better than "Jesus and John Wayne," but that's just my opinion, which is why I love blogs!!!

Well, how 'bout that?

In what I figured was just another one of my YouTube show-and-tells, I inadvertently came up with a response to Doug Harrison's double threat post, which was brought to my attention via David Bruce Murray. Funny how that all works out, huh??

I can see DBM's point. Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives are pretty much a four-piece band consisting of two guitars, a bass, and a drummer. All four musicians also sing. Knowing Marty Stuart, I would assume that he is a stickler for quality, which means each musician who sings must be able to do both with great ease. Proof that it CAN be done.....

A lot of the argument AGAINST singer/musicians in SG is the idea that a lot of secular artists who sing and play an instrument are only sub par and one. Complaints of, say, Keith Urban's singing compared to his playing run rampant at Averyfineline. This is a valid argument to an extent. There are plenty of fantastic musicians who can, at most, carry a song on pitch or, at worst, scream through it desperately.

I would say, my argument FOR such a novelty would be, obviously, Marty Stuart and the FS, and groups like Diamond Rio, and the pioneers in the "singing country band," Alabama. Even if the question of the singing drummer comes up, the solution has already been solved by putting the "fifth member," normally a pianist, at the drum kit.

And just for fun, below is a clip of the country group, Exile, showing off their ability to play and sing simultaneously. The lead singer in this clip, Paul Martin, is also the bass player/singer featured in the Marty Stuart clip I posted yesterday; he not only plays guitar and bass, but also drums, keys, steel, and just about anything else under the sun....AND SINGS!!! Not to mention, he kinda has that Guy Penrod hair going in this clip.....

The Unseen Hand

Marty Stuart is a walking encyclopedia of country music. He can quote song lyrics, name singers, dates, awards, you name it. Not only that, he has a HUGE collection of country music memorabilia, such as suits, guitars, and such from stars that even the artists themselves have forgotten about. On top of that, he is also an avid gospel music fan, having taken part in two different Gaither tapings.

Below is a clip of Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives singing at the famous Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree. Three singers harmonizing around one mic while an electric guitar accents the performance. Why does this seem so much more "alive" than anything gospel has to offer today??

My thoughts on the GVB Reunion Clip

Most people have posted their thoughts on the upcoming GVB reunion video by posting the clip recently found on YouTube (the clip is found here....)



Now, just for fun, let's see what it sounded like when it was first recorded.....



Granted, Terry Franklin's absence is felt, but overall....well, you decide!! It appears that in the last 14 years, Mark still hasn't quite mastered those breaks....

Gold City - "A Gold City Christmas"

With Christmas coming, I figured I'd focus on Christmas projects for reviews. This is actually the second Christmas album I am reviewing thus far, with several more to come. I always love listening to Christmas music. It's almost like rediscovering forgotten treasures each year when pulling out the different CD's.

In the case of A Gold City Christmas, I must say that it is one of those "sleeper hits." It was originally released independently (then distributed by Cathedral Records) in 2003, then reissued in 2005 by New Haven Records. I was actually pleasantly surprised when I found it while stocking shelves at Family Christian Store, as there was little-to-no publicity regarding its re-released (save for an ad in the Singing News).

What makes this album an interesting treat is the mixture of personnel. The group lineup at the time it was originally recorded consisted of Jay Parrack on tenor, Jonathan Wilburn on lead, Danny Riley on baritone, and Tim Riley on bass. When the reissue was produced, however, some minor (and some major) changes were made. First of all, by 2005, Jay had left the group and Steve Ladd was making a name for himself as tenor, so Jay's lead vocals were replaced by Steve; some of the harmony vocals were also replaced by Steve, but there are still songs where Jay can be clearly heard in the mix. Secondly, featured on the cover is Bill Lawrence, who had a short tenure with the group on bass. However, all of Tim's previously-recorded vocals (including leads) are left intact (I guess being owner of the group has its perks!). The only songs to include Bill are "Silent Night" and "O Come All Ye Faithful," which were added to the project for the reissue. As a result, you wind up with at least three different lineups on one project.

Personnel aside, however, I must say that this album is by far the best of those produced by the late Doug Riley. The arrangements are fresh and enjoyable and the production is reminiscent of the Garry Jones era. The Band of Gold (which, at the time, consisted of Doug, Adam Borden, and Channing Eleton) were just as good as any standard studio musicians (and their familiarity with the singers probably was a huge plus). Also, given the fact that the final product included several changes and two new songs, the album plays as smooth as any. Unless you're listening for them, you'd be hard pressed to pick out the differences, which I believe says a great deal about Doug and Danny's work as producers. It's a real shame that Doug left us so early....he could've easily made the transition to in-demand studio producer.

The song selection includes 11 tracks of Christmas standards and one newer cut. As mentioned above, the standards are given fresh approaches, so they don't sound rehashed. "Go Tell It On The Mountain" is given an up-tempo, hand-raising gospel arrangement. "Let It Snow" and "Winter Wonderland" are both jazzed up, but without abandoning the quartet feel. Jonathan Wilburn sure seems to have fun with them, too (I've always found it interesting when gospel acts include these two songs, as they are essentially secular love songs with a winter theme as opposed to actual Christmas songs). GC doesn't seem afraid to sing about the "holiday" aspect of Christmas, including songs like "It's Begining To Look A Lot Like Christmas" and a medley of children's favorites about Santa. Far-right religious figures view this as compromising the birth of Christ; I look at it as playing into the fantasy of a child's Christmas holiday.

The two a capella songs are top-notch. The album kicks off with "Angels From The Realms of Glory," and right off the bat, the group sounds as tight as ever (and that Tim can still rattle any subwoofer). "The First Noel" takes the singers into the stratosphere with amazing range. What I really appreciate about these two cuts is the fact that the voices weren't stacked to the point of sounding like a choir. The vocals are full, but do not sound overdone, which is lacking in quite a bit of a capella studio recording (and in some cases, live performances!!).

My favorite cut on the project has to be "I Have Seen The Light" (big surprise, since I recorded the same song with the same basic arrangement the following year myself!!). While the rest of the album pretty much sticks with the classics, this song takes the listener into a different direction, making them actually listen to the true Christmas meaning, as well as witnessing to the deity of Christ, something that is often lost when listening to what are often too-familiar carols and standards.

When stocking up on Christmas music for this season, keep your eyes peeled for A Gold City Christmas. I highly recommend it!

N'Harmony - initial thoughts

I had a chance to hear N'Harmony's re-debut project, and so far, two people have reviewed it, so I am going to refrain from adding to that list. Instead, I am going to give my initial thoughts on the group itself, using the project as reference.

First of all, judging by singing and blend, this group has the ability to go places. They have the talent to establish a distinct and solid sound....they just need the time and experience to get comfortable with each other's strengths and play to that, which they seem to be working on with a couple songs on here.

This project, Favorites, was recorded relatively quickly from what I understand, so the songs are familiar ones that the group could easily pull out on the fly. I feel that, with a little time and experimenting, N'Harmony could easily find their niche. They easily have the talent.

If Gospel artists were politicians....

...and no, I'm not talking about Rick Hendrix. I'm talking about, if you could pick your leaders in Southern Gospel like you could with government offices, who would be the candidates, and who would you vote for?

I have a feeling that one of the candidates would be Nick Bruno. His regular articles basically tell about the many ways he would improve the industry. Eliminating (or reforming) the singles charts, calling out the many "labels" and "promoters," and establishing distinct levels of talent and ability would probably be his main campaign points.

Another up for the top spot would be Bill Gaither (no big surprise there). His ticket would include modernizing the genre, bringing it up to date with current trends and making it relevant to today's market place. His experience as a leader is indisputable, and his vision has changed the face of southern gospel as we know it. He's also responsible for giving the spotlight to the hottest quartet to hit the stage today.

On the other end of the spectrum would be Roy Pauley, running on the conservative ticket. I have a feeling his policies would see the elimination of "unnecessary" instrumentation, resulting in a four-voices-and-a-piano act, as well as strict dress codes and appearance codes. Jake Hess's birthday would become a national holiday, too.

Then we have the SG Congress, which would consist of the Singing News Senate and the House of SoGospelNews. Various amendments, bills, laws, etc., would come from these two houses, with majority votes ruling. That in itself would result in an all-too-familiar battle between houses....

Of course, the National Quartet Convention would be the Supreme Court, deciding which groups to hear and which ones to throw out. Their final ruling stands, although decisions have been known to be overthrown (such as the absence of Gaither & Co.).

Okay, the elections have obviously fried my brain, so I'll leave it to you to carry on this fun idea....

New Layout

Yeah, I've had the same layout since day one (with some minor cosmetic changes here and there), but I think I like this template a little better. It's a little easier on the eyes and a bit more "defined" than my previous layout. Maybe I'll do a new banner....haven't decided that one yet. But anyway, here's the new look!!

Can you tell that I'm slightly sleep-deprived??

An Interview with Joe Bonsall

Joe Bonsall is well-known in the music industry as the energetic tenor and emcee for The Oak Ridge Boys. Aside from his singing duties, Joe is also a diligent student of the banjo and a critically-acclaimed author, having written a series of children's books (Molly the Cat), the most recent Oaks biography, An American Journey, and a moving tribute to his parents, GI Joe & Lillie. On top of all of that, Joe has been a dear friend for many years. He was the first to really introduce me to the music industry and has been one of my biggest personal supporters and influences.

This past October marked Joe's 35th year with the Oaks. To help commemorate this milestone, I asked Joe to take part in a special interview - one that goes a little deeper into not only the Oaks' gospel career, but Joe's personal faith and experiences. He was more than gracious and has gone into quite a bit of detail, as you can see below. I want to thank Joe for taking the time for this interview, and I hope that everyone enjoys reading it as much as I did preparing it!!

First off, in the book you wrote on the Oaks, "An American Journey," you dedicated a section to talk about the faith of the group and how each Oak was a dedicated, born-again Christian. What was it that led you to Christ? What was your first exposure to gospel music?
Actually both answers are relevant to one another. When I was at a huge crossroads a unique chain of events transpired. First some kids in the neighborhood from Christian Endeavor talked me into going with them to a Gospel Concert in a Philly suburb. I went because there were a few good looking girls going and one guys named Bunky had the coolest Buick convertible. I saw the Courier, the Eastmen Quartet and the Blackwood Brothers with J D Sumner. It blew me away. Something inside of me right then and there told me that somehow this was all in my future. The same kids did not let me down with this so I went to a few more concerts with them and eventually went to a camp meeting and accepted Christ around a campfire while everyone sang Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus. I did JUST that and he has guided me until this day. I guess you could say I was lead to Christ through a BUICK!

What made you want to become a singer, and on the same note, what got you singing in gospel groups?
After my life changing spiritual experience and my father’s subsequent stroke (I was 15) I really felt that I wanted to sing. I had performed a lot while when I was little and I was also very sickly when I was little and somehow singing always made me feel better. It still does today. After realizing that no big time quartet was ever going to call me on the phone and inform me that their lead singer died and I had the job… I figured I had better start my own group. So I did!

Who were some of your musical heroes?
All of the great quartets of the day....Blackwoods, Statesmen, Couriers, and I also loved the doo-wop groups and Elvis!

Tell us a little about your time with the Faith Four and the Keystones. How long did you spend in these groups, and how would you describe them?
I was germing around the records racks and bothering every singer in every group from the Harvesters to the Goodmans when I met another young man who was doing the same thing. His name was Ron Graeff and I found out he loved this stuff like I did and he lived just 18 blocks from my house in Philly. I started going over to his church and we started singing together and eventually we found some other guys and became the Faith Four. This was right out of High School. We booked churches every weekend and worked during the week. Another strange part about that night in Harrisburg was that I heard a 19 year old singing bass with the ORIGINAL Keystone Quartet out of Bristol, PA. Eventually we became friends and it was through Richard that I joined the Keystones full time right after my 19th birthday. I refer you to the book An American Journey for more details!!

How did you get to know the Oaks before joining them?
The Keytsones who had moved to Buffalo New York promoted Gospel Shows all over the North. We used to book the OAKS. After Richard left to join the STAMPS we turned ourselves more into an Oaks farm team. Hired a full band and went with more of a rock approach. Duane Allen produced a bunch of albums on the Keystones in those days and we worked a lot of dates together. Richard joined the Oaks in 1972 and I followed in 1973. Been here ever since

Before the Oaks, had you ever been offered (or tried out for) positions with any other groups?
No, Not a one! Not even a BANJO JOB!

When you joined the Oaks in 1973, you were following Willie Wynn, a fan-favorite and, at that point, the longest-running Oaks member. What was it like stepping into that position?
It was huge. I loved Wilie just like everyone else. The thing I knew that I had to do was just be myself. I did not sing like Willie and looked NOTHING like Willie. I figured if I just worked hard at being myself I would eventually make a place for myself. I never did try to replace Willie… I just sang it my way and it worked. I STILL love WILLIE! We see him quite often in Florida.

What was the deciding factor that led you to join The Oak Ridge Boys?
I prayed long and hard about it and it just seemed like God said this was what I should do.

You came into the group just as they were starting to make a transition out of gospel music. Did that play into your decision to join them?
Well that was not really the case. We were still singing the Gospel ciruit quite exclusively when I joined. I had no idea when I joined the group that we would keep morphing like we did.

You speak often about "the gray years" during the mid-70's (and the Oaks' move out of gospel music) where things seemed very bleak for the group, including a lot of criticism from other groups. Being as you were the last one to join at that point, did you ever feel like you may have made a mistake during that time, before things started to turn around?
No!! Not ever! I always believed down deep that things would work out for this group. It was all too special to ever fail. IT STILL IS!! I say that with humility and giving GOD the honor and Glory. I am juts one part of all that goes on here. We are very blessed and have been for a long time. I might ad that even in the bleakest of times we always enjoyed the music and have ALWAYS had a lot of fun!!!!

Within 5 years of joining the Oaks, the group was an established country act. what was it like, going from a struggling gospel act to a top-tier secular act?
Well again, it did not happen overnight. It was a slow transition. When we sat at the ACM awards in 1978 with a Best Group and Best Album award sitting in front of us it hit me that we were actually on our way to doing some great things.

Was there ever any hesitation to make such a move?
No, at that time I was tired of the restraints and the narrow minded attitudes of southern Gospel. It was time to go. Besides, had we stayed we would have starved. The promoters and such just did not like us anymore and the feeling was pretty mutual. Vowed that people would NEVER walk out on us again. They never have!

All through your country career, the Oaks always incorporated gospel music into their shows, and in the processes, were reaching audiences with God's word that full-time gospel groups couldn't reach. Was this part of the plan when making the trasition out of full-time gospel music?
Not part of a plan. Just doing what came natural. In our hearts we are a Gospel Quartet. THAT has never really changed. We just had musical ideas that were ahead of their time. Not like today where if you look at the Dove Awards it is like a big Rock and Rap concert. I never could have called THAT in the mid-seventies. Back to point… Southern Gospel is the address of our roots and our heritage so we still sing Gospel and love to do so. I DO think that we HAVE reached a a lot of people with our Gospel songs and that is a Blessing!

At the peak of your country success, did you ever think to yourself, "What if I had stayed in gospel music?" On the same note, if you hadn't joined the Oaks, do you think you would've stayed in gospel music, or gone in a completely different direction?
Hard to say but I would guess NO and NO. I have always followed my heart and what I perceived was God’s Will for my life. I certainly have not ALWAYS got it right but for the most part I feel just fine about how I have handled my pathways and opportunities. I really would not change a thing!

After more than two decades of country success, the Oaks returned to their gospel roots with "From The Heart." What was it like to be singing a full album of gospel music again after so long?
I loved every second of it and Duane and William and Rich did as well. The timing seemed right and it was a Blessing to get to pay tribute to where we came from. Let’s face it. Each OAK was affected by southern Gospel as a very young boy. It is STILL our first love!!!

With "From The Heart" also came your first appearance on the famous Gaither Homecoming series, singing in front of gospel artists that at one point were against the Oaks' move from gospel music. Was it strange being around these people after all those years? Were there any hard feelings?
For the most part it was a blast. Some of the older artists at that thing were a bit wary of us but all the young kids loved and respected us. I think a few of the older ones were afraid we were coming back!!

Having been in the industry for so long, there are young acts today in all kinds of genres who list the Oaks as an influence. Signature Sound even went to far as to perform a tribute medley during a recent ceremony, and this past year, you shared a bill with Gold City. What's it like after all this time to see and hear young gospel groups paying tribute to the Oaks?
Well, like I said before, the young kids all seemed to be darn happy we were around. So many HAVE shared their own story of how the OAKS and our music had become an influential part of their lives and man that means the world to us. Young Country acts say the same things. Just recently I heard Montgomery Gentry and Trace Adkins talking about the Oaks as visionaries and pioneers. Quite an honor for the four of us to hear things like that. It reminds us that the hard work and honesty and integrity have payed off. We are not finished either. A new CD in 2009 and a full date book. God has been good to the BOYS!

This past month marked your 35th anniversary with The Oak Ridge Boys. If you could go back in time and talk to yourself in October, 1973, what would you tell yourself about the last 3 and a half decades?
Hang on tight Joey. You have quite a ride ahead. Stay focused and put Christ first and you will be singing for a long time. You will write a book or two and even one day take up the BANJO. Joey would have said… “HUH?”

For more information on Joe Bonsall and the Oaks, visit the following links: http://www.josephsbonsall.com/
http://www.oakridgeboys.com/