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Dave's Top Eight
1. Jerry Reed...Revisited by Darrell Toney (reviewed 6/07) (5 Stars) Click title to purchase at CBD.com...click artist name to read Dave's Review. A CD will automatically fall out of the Top Eight after twelve months if no CD surpasses it before then.
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Most Recent Articles
Why blog? (Three years and counting)
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-----------January 31, 2005Nelons DiscographyNelons - Complete Discography Heavenbound DiscographyHeavenbound - Nearly Complete Discography Gospel Harmony Boys DiscographyGospel Harmony Boys - Complete Discography January 30, 2005Imperials BiographyImperials (circa 1945-1953, 1964-present)
Labels: biography Happy Goodmans BiographyHappy Goodmans (circa 1950-1983, 1990, 1996-2002)
January 29, 2005Chestnut Grove Quartet - BiographyChestnut Grove Quartet (1945-1994)
Labels: biography John Daniel "J.D." Sumner - BiographyJohn Daniel “J.D.” Sumner (Nov. 19, 1924-Nov. 16, 1998) Labels: biography January 27, 2005Thrasher Brothers - Biography
Thrasher Brothers (1948-1996)
The Thrasher Brothers (Jim, Buddy, and Joe) performed on the Wally Fowler Gospel Sing at the Grand Ole Opry when they were children in 1948. Five years later, they won Ted Mack’s National Talent Show and subsequently toured with Mack’s group for two years. From 1967 to 1976, the Thrasher Brothers produced a television show called America Sings. The gospel classic “One Day At A Time” was one of their top tunes during this time period. A foray into mainstream pop and country music on the MCA label garnered them a hit song (“Still The One”) in the early 1980s. In 1969, Jim and Joe Thrasher co-founded the Thrasher Brothers motorcoach company in Alabama. After the quartet retired in 1986, Jim became the sole owner while Joe went on to work in the state highway department. Jim has since served as President of the Alabama Motorcoach Association. Joe's son Neil sang with the Thrasher Brothers and later formed Thrasher Shiver, a country vocal duo act with Kelly Shiver that released a debut recording on the Asylum label in 1996. In 1996, Ben Speer produced a Thrasher Brothers release on the Homeland label titled Encore. This final recording by the three brothers featured an all-star cast of bass singers including George Younce, J.D. Sumner, Brock Speer, and Rex Nelon. A 1971 recording of deceased Thrasher Brothers bass singer John Gresham was also incorporated into the project. Labels: biography Biographies are on the way
I plan to start posting some short biographical articles in addition to the member lists and discographies I've been compiling for the past few weeks. All this stuff (bios, member lists, and discographies) will ultimately be copied and pasted to a Southern Gospel history website (which will also feature contributions from other writers). Now, I have no plans to turn this blog into a history site exclusively, but it MAY seem that way over the next few weeks.
-----------As much as I'd like to, I'll probably never be in a position to edit the definitive hardcopy edition of the Southern Gospel Encyclopedia. That type of undertaking would require a substantial budget and a decent research staff before it could be done properly. When that book IS finally written, though, I want to provide the writers with a good place to start. I welcome your comments, suggestions, as well as any source material you may have to contribute. The info is out there in various places. The idea is to begin the process of collecting it and making it easy to find on the web. January 26, 2005Happy Goodmans DiscographyHappy Goodmans – Complete Discography
Kingsmen Quartet Discography
For the most up-to-date version of this article, click HERE.
-----------Labels: discography January 24, 2005The better to link you with
I've gone back and split the member lists from the discographies on the Imperials, Gaither Vocal Band, and Greater Vision. In the long run, I think that will allow for more efficient linking both from outside and inside the blog. (If you already linked directly to one of those articles, you'll need to update your link. Sorry 'bout that.)
-----------This will also help keep the overall length of each article in check. I'm currently formatting several entries that have been submitted. Thanks for the contributions, and keep them coming. January 15, 2005Gaither Vocal Band DiscographyOn DAYSPRING/WORD 1981 The New Gaither Vocal Band 1983 Passin' The Faith Along 1984 New Point of View 1986 One X 1 On STAR SONG 1988 Wings 1990 A Few Good Men 1991 Homecoming 1993 Peace Of The Rock On BENSON 1993 Southern Classics On CHAPEL 1994 Testify 1995 Southern Classics: Volume II On SPRING HOUSE 1997 Back Home In Indiana On SPRING HILL 1997 Lovin' God & Lovin' Each Other 1998 Still The Greatest Story Ever Told 1999 God is Good 2000 I Do Believe On SPRING HOUSE 2002 Everything Good On GAITHER MUSIC GROUP 2003 a cappella COMPILATIONS 1989 Best From The Beginning (WORD) 1995 Can't Stop Talking About Him (STAR SONG) 1999 Classic Moments From The Gaither Vocal Band (Volumes 1& 2) (GREENTREE/BENSON) 2003 8 Great Hits (SPARROW/FOREFRONT) 2004 Best Of the Gaither Vocal Band (GAITHER MUSIC GROUP) See also: Members Greater Vision Discography
Greater Vision - Complete Discography
Early table project 1991 You Can Have A Song On RIVERSONG 1991 On A Journey 1992 It’s Just Like Heaven 1993 The King Came Down 1993 20 Inspirational Favorites 1994 Serving A Risen Savior 1994 Where He Leads Me 1995 Take Him At His Word 1996 The Shepherds Found A Lamb On DAYWIND and/or NEW DAY DISTRIBUTED 1996 The Church Hymnal Series (Volume 1) 1996 Sing It Again! 1997 When I See The Cross 1999 Far Beyond This Place 1999 The Church Hymnal Series (Volume 2) 1999 A Greater Vision Christmas 2000 Perfect Candidate 2001 The Church Hymnal Series (Volume 3) 2002 Live At First Baptist Atlanta 2003 Quartets 2003 Songs From The Stories 2004 Faces COMPILATIONS 2000 Through The Years (BENSON) See also: Members Group stats
I'm in the process of compiling lists of group members and discographies for your favorite groups. Group members will be listed in the order in which they joined. Discographies will be listed in the order of release date and sorted by record label, with compilations (greatest hits, best of, etc.) listed at the end. See the first entry below for an example.
I appreciate any comments, updates, or corrections my readers can offer. My next entry will be for the Gaither Vocal Band. Look for it in a day or two. After that, I'll probably turn to some of the groups that have only been on the scene for a few years. If I'm brilliant enough, I will figure out a way to cross link the data between entries. If any readers have more or less complete member lists or discographies they'd like me to add, please email me at: dbmurray@mailblocks.com. I will reformat your data to fit my layout and give you credit for the submission. Thanks! Imperials Discography
The Imperials
-----------On SKYLITE 1964 Jake Hess & The Imperials On HEART WARMING/BENSON 1964 Introducing The Illustrious Imperials 1964 Fireside Hymns 1964 Blends & Rhythms 1965 Talent Times Five 1965 Slaughter Writes - Imperials Sing 1965 Happy Sounds of The Imperials 1965 He Was a Preachin Man 1965 Slightly Regal 1966 Sing Inspirational Classics On IMPACT/BENSON 1966 Sing Their Favorite Hymns 1967 To Sing is the Thing 1968 New Dimensions 1968 Now 1969 Love Is the Thing 1970 Gospel's Alive and Well 1970 Time to Get it Together 1972 The Imperials 1973 The Imperials LIVE "1968 - 1972" 1974 Follow the Man with the Music 1975 No Shortage 1976 Just Because On DAYSPRING/WORD 1977 (Never Released) 1977 Sail On 1978 LIVE 1979 Heed The Call 1979 One More Song for You 1980 Priority 1980 Christmas with The Imperials 1982 Stand By the Power 1983 Side By Side 1984 Sing The Classics On MYRRH/WORD 1985 Let the Wind Blow 1987 This Year's Model 1988 Free the Fire On STAR SONG 1990 Love's Still Changing Hearts 1991 Big God 1992 Stir it Up On IMPACT/HOMELAND 1995 'Til He Comes On BIG GOD RECORDS 1997 It's Still the Cross 1998 Songs of Christmas 2002 I Was Made for This COMPILATIONS 1973 A Thing Called Love (VISTA) ???? Believe It (VISTA) ???? The Imperials 1968-1972 (IMPACT) 1977 The Best Of The Imperials (IMPACT) 1979 Featuring Terry And Sherman (IMPACT) 1981 The Very Best Of The Imperials (DAYSPRING/WORD) 1984 Old Fashioned Faith (DAYSPRING/WORD) 1986 Sing Of Royalty (Label?) 1994 Treasures (STAR SONG) 1996 Legacy (WORD) 1998 Gospel Music Hall Of Fame Series (BENSON) See also: Biography, Members January 14, 2005Amazon better than Ebay?
Amazon.com is often the first place people look when purchasing new books, CDs, movies, etc. online. Some people may not realize that Amazon is also a great source for used, rare, and out of print items. Signs indicate it's rapidly replacing Ebay as the best place to find a great deal.
-----------Readers of this blog should be pleased to note that Amazon is increasingly offering a wider variety of Christian oriented books and music, including biographical works and even a bit of Southern Gospel music. Last week, I was looking for the book Ain't God Good by Jerry Clower. I checked Ebay first, but no one had it up for auction. I knew it was out of print, but I checked Amazon on a whim. To my surprise, I found there were about ten used copies being offered via Amazon from third party dealers. I bought one for a whopping $4.49, including shipping. The advantage of Amazon's Marketplace is that items are listed until they sell . . . not limited to just a few days like Ebay. This translates into a more stable selection of lesser known titles available at any given time, and keeps pressure on sellers to offer their products at the best price. With Ebay greedily hiking their seller fees by 50% next month (in an economy where inflation is only 3% or so), look for Amazon to become the first choice for shoppers looking to buy used items. January 8, 2005Recording a CD
Mr. Murray,
-----------I am writing because you have answered some of my questions before and you seem to know what you are talking about. I am very new not only to this style of music but also to the industry and how things are done. I am wondering how things are done from beginning to end when a group wants a song from a songwriter and how they get a track made for it for performance purposes and/or recording purposes. I assume we pay the songwriter then pay to have studio musicians record the track in whatever key/style we want. How much does all of this cost? Is there other ways to do it? Sorry to bother you but I have alot of questions and you always seem very approachable and willing to help out.  Thanks!!
Zachary Olah ---------- Zachary, Thanks for the compliments. I do hope most people view me as being approachable. As for being knowledgeable, well, I try. :o) I do know the basics about this particular area, at least. I'll respond to your question in two parts. (I should first disclaim: I'm not a lawyer and this is not legal advice.) I. Securing the Songs A. If the song has been recorded previously, you should submit a written request to the publisher of the song. (Visit BMI.com or ASCAP.com to find the mailing address of a publisher.) This is only required if your intention is to record the song. You can perform a song in the context of a worship service without getting permission or paying a performance royalty. Tell the publisher how many units you plan to manufacture. Provide your name, group name, and mailing address. There is a flat royalty rate per unit for songs that have been recorded previously. It's currently 8.5 cents per unit (or $8.50 per 100 units) for each song you record. The rate increases every two years, and is due to go to 9.1 cents in 2006. Most publishers will issue a license for you to sign and return with payment. This is called a "mechanical" or "mech" license. If you don't get a mech license from the publisher after a few weeks, you should send a second request using the words "compulsory license request." I'd go ahead and send payment at that time as well. Some publishers respond quickly, while others take two or more months to get back to you. As long as you inform the publisher in advance of your intention to record and as long as you pay the fee, your right to record and sell the song is secured. Beware. Some publishers attempt to collect more than the specified rate by tacking on additional "processing" fees. When that happens, I return their mech licenses unsigned along with a polite letter stating that I don't intend to pay any more than the law requires. Of course, I include the proper amount with my letter. Most mech licenses require payment before you sell any units. That's reasonable on small quantities of 1000 or less, because it gets the paperwork out of the way. However, the law only requires that you pay quarterly based on units sold, and does not stipulate a minimum. The key is in knowing what rights you have under the copyright law. See http://www.copyright.gov/ for a more detailed explanation of the law and a copy of the law itself. B. If a song has NOT been published previously, you may have to negotiate a fee. Copyright owners (songwriters/publishers) have full control over who records a song for the first time. Once a song has been recorded, anyone else can record it as long as they pay the mechanical royalty. II. Creating/Obtaining Tracks Song royalties are relatively inexpensive and fixed to a specific rate. Recording costs are not. Creating a music track can be as simple as recording a piano in someone's living room with a decent microphone. . . ultra cheap, in other words. On the other hand, you can hire a producer who in turn secures an arranger, studio musicians, engineers, etc. making it very expensive . . . professional pop acts typically spend tens of thousands of dollars on this step, but most professional Southern Gospel artists accomplish what they want for a few thousand dollars (some as little as two or three thousand). Amateur Southern Gospel groups might opt to use just one individual to create their tracks in a home studio. (I offer a service like this at Musicscribe for $80 to $130 per song.) They can get good results with a minimal investment, but don't kid yourself into thinking it's just as good as a top producer using Nashville cats in an outstanding studio. At the amateur level, it's a game of compromises. There's a number of factors to consider before committing to a recording budget. How often are you singing? What size crowds? How many units can you ultimately move? Do you plan to send singles to radio? In other words, look at the size of your "pond" and estimate how much product you need. Use this formula: Average retail price per unit minus manufacturing costs minus royalty fees. Multiply this by the units you reasonably expect to sell. This is your maximum recording budget, allowing nothing for profit. Reduce the figure to allow for profit to get a final budget figure. It's guesswork, but it will at least get you in the ballpark of what you should spend to avoid losing a lot of money on a project. Another factor is style. It's cheap to record minimal accompaniment, but expensive to use elaborate orchestrations. If your music style demands a sound that too expensive to create from scratch given your budget, you should consider licensing existing tracks. Companies that produce soundtracks like Daywind and Homeland have massive libraries they'll allow you to use (with some limitations) for $125 to $175 per song. Another source is church choral music companies. For example, Lillenas and Word Music will license their choral tracks for a fee. Also, you can sometimes license tracks directly from other artists. I've found some who were very generous to the point of allowing me to use a track for free. In the end, your recording should have a consistent quality level from beginning to end. Otherwise, it will sound haphazard. The key is finding a balance between quality and what you can reasonably afford. January 4, 2005Hymn StoriesI've often recommended the book Amazing Grace: 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories For Daily Devotions to individuals interested in learning the stories behind familiar hymns. The author, Kenneth Osbeck, has actually written more than a dozen books along this line, but Amazing Grace is probably his most popular volume due to the devotional format. With 366 entries, it also offers the most bang for the buck..
I was recently given the second book in a series titled Then Sings My Soul by Robert J. Morgan. This book includes 150 hymns with the story behind the hymn on each facing page. Morgan has presented the hymns in chronological order . . . ranging from "O Sacred Head, Now Wounded" (1153) to "Join All The Glorious Names" (2004). Most of the entries have a 19th or 20th century origin. A number of the hymns included in Then Sings My Soul are still sung frequently by Southern Gospel artists . . . "Because He Lives" and "Haven Of Rest" being a couple of examples. You can brush up on your hymn trivia with these books. For example, did you know it was a guy from Iowa who wrote the words "There's a call comes ringing o'er the restless wave?" He moved to California and saw the ocean first, though. Books by Morgan and Osbeck are available online at www.cbd.com. January 1, 2005Wake up! It's 2005!
Happy New Year to all my readers. I hope you also had a great Christmas. A special thanks to everyone who made the last few months of 2004 interesting around the Musicscribe blog.
I've enjoyed my month long break from blogging, but I'm glad to be back in the saddle again. I hope you'll continue to join me for the ride. Here's to a year of useful and informative blogging. What does that mean? Well, "Useful and Informative" is a theme I've been mulling over for the past month. I think it just might work for this blog. So . . . my new year's resolution for Musicscribe is to generally avoid current news and personal opinions. I want to focus on more practical articles for the Southern Gospel world. This narrows the scope of my blog from what it has been in the past, but it was pretty wide open before. Stick around and you'll see how it all plays out. I'm too am curious to learn what I'm going to write. :o) 
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The Happy Goodman Family began to be known for their singing around 1950. Brothers Howard, Sam, and Bobby continued to sing together as their sisters married and left the group while their brother Rusty pulled a stint in service. Howard married, and soon his wife Vestal joined the group as well. Rusty sang with the Plainsmen Quartet for a while after returning from service, but ultimately made his way back the family group.
John Daniel “J.D.” Sumner was born in Lakeland, Florida. Sumner was inspired to become a bass singer at the age of eight after hearing Frank Stamps perform. He began developing his talent from that moment.
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- All textual content posted at Musicscribe.com and subfolders is owned and copyrighted by David Bruce Murray unless otherwise indicated. No reprints may be made without the permission of the author, except as provided by US Copyright law. Permission is granted to reprint articles on other non-commercial websites only as long as the following conditions are met:
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