Cathedrals Tribute project on hold

According to Ernie Haase, the planned Cathedrals tribute project by Signature Sound has been put on hold for the time being. Ernie explains the whole situation here.

Happy Birthday, Dad

The single biggest influence on my passion for southern gospel music is my dad, James. Growing up, Dad had a stack of gospel records that he would play at home. He would copy them to cassette to listen to in the car, as well, which meant that many road trips were spent listening to Dale Shelnut belting out "In The Prayer Room" or Archie Watkins singing, "When I wake uuuuuuuuup.....to sleep no more."

Over the years, what began as something to listen to on long rides became more of an interest, then a passion, and the entire time, Dad was there to encourage me. Whether it be teaching me parts, giving suggestions on recordings, or driving me to gigs, he's always been a helping hand. He's never had any real experience in gospel music himself (save for a church group he sang and played with); but he does what he can to help me along.

Today, January 28th, marks his 66th birthday. I just want to take a minute to wish him a Happy Birthday and thank him for all of his support.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!!!

More changes

According to SoGospelNews.com, Jeff Snyder, who most recently sang with Mike and Kelly Bowling, is now a member of another family group, the Greenes. This would explain why Mike and Kelly are holding open auditions for a new singer, but this leaves me confused; unless I've been completely oblivious over the last year or so (which is entirely possible!), hasn't Paul Lancaster been singing with the Greenes (part of the reason that Everyday Driven disbanded)? What is Paul doing now?

Blogs on Facebook

You can now follow these blogs on Facebook....

David Bruce Murray's Musicscribe
Daniel Mount's SouthernGospelBlog.com
Adam Edwards' Southern Gospel Critique
Aaron Swain's Swain's Musings

and of course, yours truly with Southern Gospel View, both here and here.

This is a great way to get to know some of our readers, too.

Why go solo?

For the last two years, I have been involved in a group in a some form, be it a local band or a gospel quartet. When I left Acclaim last year, I did so on good terms with the understanding that traveling every weekend (at this time) just was not feasible for me. I still talk to the guys in the group (in fact, I talked to Gaylen and Dave just today), and I still count them among my dear friends.

After I left Acclaim, I started playing with some local bands, first on keyboards and later on drums. I was still involved in music, was keeping my musical chops up, and (with maybe two or three exceptions) was in my own bed every night. I have been doing this up until now. Last week, however, I let the band I'd been playing with know that I would be leaving as a regular member. I am staying available to them should they need a fill-in at some point, but as far as routinely playing, I am retiring for now.

Now, for the first time in two years, I will be strictly a soloist. It is not an ego thing (I actually am not too thrilled about the idea of being on a stage alone) and it's not part of a "big plan" to make a name for myself. It's simply a matter of convenience. I want to be able to book myself when I can, and when I have other plans, not have to worry about whether or not it's gonna conflict with a group's schedule.

Some soloists became such after a falling-out with other group members or group owners. Some are the result of necessity after a group disbands. There are those who are seeking to make their own music outside the style of the group they're singing with and there are those who simply want a change of pace.

Me, I do it so I can be the boss, so to speak. Rather than have to adjust my schedule to the group's (and vice versa), I am choosing to let both them and myself have a little more flexibility. In the end, they'll be able to book more dates, and I'll be able to make plans with the family and book dates that are convenient for me to work.

Given the recent (and apparently uncontrollable) speculation regarding Guy Penrod's leaving the GVB and his decision to pursue a solo career, this might provide at least SOME insight as to why artists walk away from a successful career with a group.

Triumphant's "Everyday" preview

I'm especially excited about this, since "Everyday" was a big hit for the Oaks back in 1984 (and even won them video of the year), and Triumphant is one of my favorite groups today. I hope Rick Hendrix does a good job pushing this song....

http://www.myspace.com/triumphantqt

New Photo of the Gaither Vocal Band released

After the admittedly "hideous" photoshopped publicity photo slapped together to announce the newest members of the Gaither Vocal Band, Wes Hampton has released a TRUE publicity photo, the first to be released to feature all five members together....

(just kidding!!! THIS real one....)

It's not even the end of January....

....and already the curveballs are flying!! First the Gaither Vocal Band overhaul, and now news comes that, after only three months, Matt Felts is leaving Cross4Crowns (a group I picked as one to keep an eye on this year). Over the last year, C4C has seen three tenors come and go; let's hope they can pick up someone else and keep charging along. I DID find it a little strange that the press release came from Felts directly, and not from C4C. I guess Matt decided to avoid the Guy Penrod speculation circus and just come right out saying, "I'm leaving."

One can only imagine what February holds in store....

Recording over the years

A funny story from Duane Allen....

In 1979, the Oaks were set to release their third country album for ABC/Dot records. Their first single, "Sail Away," had a release date, and they were under some pressure to meet a certain deadline. They finished their vocals and left on a tour on the west coast.

While out west, Duane got a call from their producer at the time, Ron Chancey. He found a mistake in one of the lines. The third verse was supposed to start with, "Then a smile comes upon me," but when Duane was recording the lead vocal, he sang "BUT a smile comes upon me," which caused the line to not make much sense. It was impossible for Duane to make it back to Nashville in time to rerecord the line before their deadline with the record company, and shipping it to the coast and fixing it in a studio out there was also out of the question due to time constraints.

The solution? Duane told Ron, "Just sing the line yourself." Chancey went into the studio and did his best Duane Allen impression and put the words "then a" on the beginning of the verse, blending it with the rest of Duane's vocals, creating a virtually seamless edit. Now, keep in mind, this was 1979, and recording technology, while versatile, was still somewhat laborious.

Compare that to 2005, when Duane received an e-mail while on tour in the midwest from a TV station....Richard Sterban's bass vocal on a song they'd shot was completely absent; the recording equipment either never picked it up or it was somehow deleted after it was recorded. Either way, they had a television performance for "Elvira" that was missing it's signature "oom papa mow mow"!!

Duane had the station e-mail him the tracks for the song that they had. He called Richard's room, and they set up a microphone in a hotel room. Richard resang his vocals for "Elvira" right there in the room, they recorded it, and e-mailed his part back to the TV station. Within a couple hours, a potentially disastrous flaw was corrected, and with relatively little pain.

Recording technology has come so far that virtually anyone can record, edit, mix, and master a project from just about anywhere. Ernie Haase once noted that some of his and George Younce's vocals for the Cathedrals' Faithful project were recorded at a hotel in Pigeon Forge. I dare you to figure out which ones.

No wonder there's an overabundance of gospel acts today; if you have a laptop and a microphone, YOU TOO can record a CD!!

Signature Sound's Cathedrals Tribute

Ernie Haase has been posting video clips of Signature Sound practicing songs for an upcoming Cathedrals tribute album. The clips seem to be working as far as getting fans excited about the idea. They will be shooting a video for the project this summer, as well. The songs that have been seen in the video clips so far are:

• Movin’ Up to Gloryland
• Life Will Be Sweeter Someday
• Wonderful Grace of Jesus
• I’m Gonna Live Forever
  
• This Ole House
• I Thirst
• God Delivers Again
• Champion of Love
  
• Mexico

When Scott and Roger first started Legacy Five, the first project they did was a Cathedrals-based album. My biggest complain with Songs We Used To Sing, however, was that (with two exceptions) they simply recycled the original Cathedrals tracks and replaced the vocals. On songs where Roger or Scott were featured, you basically got the same song as before with new BGV's.

What excites me about EHSS's project is that, from what I can tell, every song gets a fresh recording, and they're not just carbon copies of the original tracks. I am especially impressed with what little I've heard of "Champion of Love;" Ryan Seaton gets to take the notoriously-challenging lead, and the arrangement sounds a lot smoother than the original track.

I'm hoping we can hear more samples of this project in the near future....if these clips are any indication, this should be quite a project!!

Reba McGuire sues driver of Dottie's bus

According to Yahoo! News, Reba Rambo McGuire is now suing Pyramid Coach, the company that leased Dottie Rambo's bus, DC Investments Leasing, a subsidary of Pyramid, and James Meadows, the driver of the bus on the night that Dottie died.

I'm no lawyer, but I don't really see how this lawsuit would stand up, given that the crash that took Dottie's life and injured everyone else on board was ruled accidental due to weather conditions, but then again, that hasn't stopped people before from seeking compensation....

OT: "The Dark Knight" snubbed for best picture

Despite being tied with "Milk" for the most Oscar nominations (and Heath Ledger's posthumous nomination for Best Supporting Actor), the second-most-successful movie of all-time, The Dark Knight, was NOT nominated for Best Picture or Best Director for Chris Nolan by the Academy. Apparently, comic book movies will NEVER be considered "serious entertainment." I'm not sure why this is the case, unless the Academy simply views comic book movies as "children's fare;" my response is, what is so childish about the murder of Harvey Dent's fiancee, his horrid scarring, and his subsequent psychosis?

Next you're gonna tell me that Adam West is the best Batman ever....

Everybody Wanna Go To Heaven

Anybody else heard this new Kenny Chesney song? It's basically a reggae song with a steel guitar, and the main hook is, "Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to go now." The idea is that, sure, we all wanna go to heaven, but we're having too much fun down here on earth to go right away. There's always time to make up for it later.

I'll admit, the song has a catchy beat, and if it weren't for the message in the song, I'd probably enjoy it, but I just can't get into a song that goes against what I believe. It has the same affect on me as Brooks & Dunn's "God Must Be Busy."

It seems like some country artists have the idea that, as long as you mention God, Heaven, Jesus, or whatever, then you have a hit. Carrie Underwood proved this with "Jesus Take The Wheel," which, while still light years ahead of "Everybody Wanna Go To Heaven," always felt like it was stretching to make a point.

Either way, if you're looking for a strong, theologically-sound gospel message, I would suggest avoiding this Kenny Chesney tune.

A little humor

From November until last week or so, Barack Obama would hold press conferences at a podium that bore a sign stating, "The Office Of The President Elect." Below is what that podium looked like:

Now that he's sworn in, he obviously no longer needs that sign....but oh, what to do with such an elegant piece of cardboard....er, I mean, artwork?? I KNOW!!!!

YouTube strikes once again....

The first time I heard Frank Seamans sing with Legacy Five, I was satisfied, but not necessarily blown away. After a few projects with them, I reserved myself to the fact that, while a more-than-able tenor singer, he wouldn't necessarily be one of my favorites, and would be just another tenor on the list.

Then I saw this clip.....



I rescind all previous thoughts. This is downright AWESOME!! Frank never strays out of his comfort zone, yet still knocks it out of the park. Notice how he shows some restraint and doesn't go too showy on the second verse, saving the sky-high notes until the very end, giving it a most-appropriate climax. He also gives his phrasing just enough "free-style" ad-libbing to give it a truly soulful sound without oversinging his part. A truly impressive performance.

In closing, all I have to say is....Kirk who???

More Cathedrals History

Another clip from around 1982/83, from their Greater project. Love those matching, open-collared leisure suits!! Now, here's another question for the historians out there....I know that the Catherdals used a drummer during their last tour on occasion (I believe George's son-in-law), as evidenced on their Faithful video, but did they travel with a drummer during the era below, or was this one of those cases where a drummer from another group sat in with the Cat's? He seems to know the song pretty well.

Inauguration

If I turn on the radio, I hear special coverage of the inauguration. My local TV station has a headline on their website, "WCPO-TV, ABC Offering All Day Coverage Of Inauguration." Cable outlets have been celebrating all week with TV specials. People are wearing t-shirts, ball caps, jackets, buttons, and tacking bumper stickers on their cars. I can even order a commemorative plate from a TV commercial....heck, I buy the plate right now at Walgreens!!!

I am not making light of the inauguration of our 44th president, and I am not taking a political stance in any way, shape or form, but Barack Obama is just now being sworn in, and already I'm sick of seeing him EVERYWHERE I GO!!!!

A cute song with a hint of sadness....

"The Dream," as song by the Old Time Gospel Hour Quartet and Gold City, is fun to listen to, given the novelty (two bass singers having a sing off, with the obvious winner being Tim Riley), but one can't help but think, in hindsight, just how sad it really is.

The premise, as seen below, is that the OTGHQ and GC did a show together and decided to get something to eat afterwards. Tim, being the butt of the joke, was driving the GC bus and wasn't paying attention when he smashes into the OTGHQ's "new" van, killing everyone involved. The result is that, once in heaven, God tells both Christian Davis and Tim that he only has room for one bass singer, but he IS in need of a soprano, so they have a contest to see who can sing lowest, and the loser gets his voice raised significantly.

What makes this so sad, though, is that, a few years later, Tim's son, Doug, lost his life when he lost control of his truck and smashed it into a utility pole late one night on his way to the group's studio. The police report indicated that Doug was killed upon impact. Hearing the line (and even seeing the video) about being crushed from behind just kinda makes one squirm a bit.

On a side note, the sight gags are kinda fun to watch, especially Mark Trammell's chihuahua....

For the Record

Steve Allen has made some interesting points regarding what seems to be a renaissance of the vinyl record. It's been noted that several gospel artists have been releasing limited numbers of vinyl editions of their recent projects, and the novelty seems to be working. Steve's article is definitely worth reading for those who miss the days of the turntable.

For what it's worth....

It appears that Little Anthony and the Imperials will be inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame on April 4th. For those of you unfamiliar, this is the group that actually owns the name "Imperials," which caused quite a headache last year....

Um, okay.....

Another for the "wow" file....

The New/Old/Revamped Gaither Vocal Band

Bill Gaither has often said he chose the name "Vocal Band" so the group would not be limited to strictly quartet work. 20+ years later, he finally made use of that decision. The Gaither Vocal Band is now a quintet.

You've by no doubt heard the news by now, but just to be safe....the now-current lineup of the GVB consists of David Phelps, Michael English, Wes Hampton, Mark Lowry, and Coach Bill. The long-speculated (and apparently not-that-surprising) permanent departure of Guy Penrod became official today in a press release from Gaither. According to the PR, Guy is finally going after a country career (something he mentioned he had always wanted to do on the Best of Guy Penrod DVD a couple years back).

What IS surprising to a lot of people, however, is that Marsh Hall is also out. The press release states,

[Marsh] is a talented singer and producer, as well as an experienced worship leader, who will undoubtedly enjoy a solid future building on the experience gained during his five remarkable years with the Gaither Vocal Band.

....which implies to me that, as of right now, Marsh has no plans, and also implies that his departure wasn't necessarily voluntary. I had always felt that Marsh would have a successful run with the Vocal Band, especially since he wouldn't be killing his voice by singing the baritone part, but then again, I've been wrong before!!

The return of David Phelps doesn't entirely surprise me. Rumor has it that he is no longer with Word Records, and he seems to be enjoying himself in the footage that has been posted on YouTube recently. Mark Lowry and Mike English coming back, however, was a little bit of a shocker. Mark's been quite successful with his tours with LordSong and Stan Whitmire, and I figured he enjoyed the freedom. Mike just released his big return to Contemporary Christian music last winter and finished a Christmas tour with Casting Crowns; I would've figured he was ready to take on CCM again.

Mark even said in his e-mail newsletter,

I've only known about this for a few days, so I'm still sorta speechless....

which means that this hasn't really been something that's been in the works for a while, although initially I suspected that the Reunion DVD may have been an impromptu tryout for former members....

The most head-scratching move to me, though, is keeping Wes Hampton around. Granted, Wes is more-than-capable as a singer and has filled the void during Guy's absence by switching to lead quite a bit, but with three Vocal Band members filling all essential parts, it seems like Wes' presence would be more to just fill an occasional overdub, kinda like a piano player would.

Anyway, I am anxious to hear what Bill has planned for this group. Some have speculated that it may be "one last hoopla" for the group before Bill finally retires the group, while others have wondered if Bill plans on just stepping down and letting the other four singers take over. It wouldn't be too much of a strech, considering the GVB has pretty much been just three tenors and a baritone for much of its existence anyway, but still, one just has to wonder.

For the record, the photoshopped publicity photo is cool looking, but you'd think someone would've darkened David's shot just a bit so it matched the rest of pictures....

UPDATE: Here's a more detailed press release from Michael English's website:

January 13, 2009

Meet The Brand New Five-Member
Gaither Vocal Band!

Today Gaither Music Group announced plans for a radical transformation of the Gaither Vocal Band, including the departure of long-time GVB lead singer, Guy Penrod, and the group's baritone since 2004, Marshall Hall.

As Gaither has stated at various times of transition, "You never replace a group member� you simply find a fresh, new direction." And with that philosophy at heart, Bill Gaither has gone far beyond simply replacing his long-time lead singer. He has completely recreated the Gaither Vocal Band, now expanding the size of the group from four members to five and bringing back an all-star cast of voices from the Vocal Band's rich legacy of talent.

Effective immediately, the new roster for the five-member Gaither Vocal Band will be: Bill Gaither, David Phelps, Wes Hampton, Michael English and Mark Lowry.

Bill Gaither states, "I am so excited about the sound that this particular group creates together. There are few groups, if any, that have the advantage of having two fine tenors like Wes Hampton and David Phelps at one time! Their sound together is like liquid gold� truly stunning. Together, they will share the demands of the high tenor part and offer a sound we've never heard from any previous Vocal Band. David has been extremely gracious to rejoin the group while also pursuing his solo career, and I have to say that I am enjoying his contribution more than ever."

"Having Michael English join us is also very exciting for many reasons. Today Michael is a very different individual than the young man who traveled with us back in the early '90s. I am seeing a grateful, restored individual who had every reason to believe his singing days were over a few years ago. Throughout his recovery, I have watched him grow healthier spiritually, emotionally and physically� and I now firmly believe his best days are yet to come. What a joy to welcome him to this powerhouse line-up."

"And Mark Lowry� what a defining influence he has been! It is impossible to imagine bringing back an all-star group without Mark. His energy and his unique gift for communication really round off this new direction for the group. Audiences love him and we love him."

"This line-up has energy and vocal power that will blow your mind. And the most exciting part is� their hearts are in this. This announcement grew out of unexpected change, but I've learned to pay close attention when God starts shaking things up. He always has plans that are better than our own."

During this transition Michael is committed to fulfilling as many previously scheduled solo appearances as he possibly can and will do whatever possible to make sure everyone is satisfied. He will continue to do solo dates in the future as his schedule allows.

The public's overwhelming early response to the January 20th release of The Gaither Vocal Band Reunion DVD, as well as the group's 2009 Grammy nomination, has already begun what could be the group's most unforgettable season yet.

The first live concert of 2009 will take place January 29 in Huntsville, Alabama, and tickets are still available. For more 2009 concert dates visit www.gaither.com and click on the 'Tickets' banner.

"A Picture Of Grace" single edit

Listening to the half-static signal of a southern gospel station out of Falmouth, Kentucky, I heard the Gaither Vocal Band's first single with Marsh Hall (and winner of Gaither's 2004 songwriting contest), "A Picture of Grace," being played. As I started to sing along, however, I was thrown a curveball when I realized the song was HEAVILY truncated, resulting in almost half the song being edited out. Although the verses were left intact, the first chorus was cut in half, and the second chorus skipped directly to the tag during "Where once was a portrait....", which was somewhat akward, considering the key change and the fact that David Phelps' lead just seemed to go on and on. I'd never heard this version of the song before, and was curious as to if this was something the radio station did, or if there really was an official "single edit" of "A Picture of Grace" released. I am pretty sure when I heard the song on enLighten or Solid Gospel, it was the complete album cut from the Best Of The Gaither Vocal Band 2-CD set.

Prayers for Frank Seamans, Jr.

According to an announcement on SoGospelNews.com, Frank Seamans, tenor singer for Legacy Five, is asking for prayer for his son, Frank, Jr. The Seamans family recently found out that Frank, Jr., has been diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Please keep the Seamans family and Legacy Five in your prayers.

Another YouTube find

I don't think I've ever seen Kirk Talley playing bass before, let alone doing it with the Cathedrals while Mark Trammell sang lead. This had to have been one of Mark's first clips with the Cathedrals; I believe that "Cherish That Name," which is where this song came from, was one of Mark's first projects with the Cathedrals.

YouTube Find of the Day

A Family Affair

Here's a video for everyone to enjoy (hopefully!) this weekend. This was done on Easter Sunday, 2005, with my three brothers.

Top Picks for 2009

A lot of people have been listing what they felt were the best songs, albums, groups, etc., of 2008, so I'm not gonna add to the list (and duplicate a lot of them); instead, I am gonna post my "watchlist" for the new year. Here is a list of groups I think will be worth watching in 2009, based on what I have seen in recent months:

Gold City - They have been rebuilding over the last few years, and I feel, with the reintroduction of the Band of Gold and with Bruce Taliaferro on lead, they are poised to make a MAJOR comeback. Just one request: single "I'll Walk On"!!!

Cross4Crowns - I first met these guys in the fall of 2007, and I was impressed then. I have been even more impressed over the last year or so, as they continue to make an impact on SG. If they can keep the current lineup, I have a feeling we'll be seeing them quite a bit in 2009.

Greater Vision - Since Jacob Kitson joined on tenor, GV seems to have a new vigor (and with all due respect to Jason Waldroup, a more solid upper range), and Gerald would be VERY smart to feature him as much as possible.

N'Harmony - Shane Dunlap is bringing the group back that he and his father started some years back. It's been several years since there has been an N'Harmony group, and this new incarnation is made up of singers who have been around the industry for a while, even if they are brand new to this particular quartet. The reason I pick these guys is from the attention that Brent Mitchell has been getting with his amazing rendition of "He Loves Me." I also know what Shane is capable of as a producer, so I am VERY anxious to hear a full-blown production from this group....

The Gaither Vocal Band - Given Guy Penrod's indefinite sabbatical (and the mystery as to whether or not he will eventually return to the group), not to mention the interesting timing on the GVB Reunion video, one has to wonder just what Bill has up his sleeve for the Vocal Band.