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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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-----------March 31, 2006SG BUS DRIVER RIDES IN STYLE03/31/06 SG BUS DRIVER RIDES IN STYLE Doug Keller, one of Gold City's former bus drivers, climbed aboard the coach again when he agreed to help GC with part of the driving duty on a recent Canadian trek. Gold City decided to honor Doug, in a unique way, for his willingness to get behind the wheel. read more on this story here: http://www.sglive365.com/news2033106busdriver.html
March 30, 2006CD Alert: Hinson Hits/Gospel Legacy Series Good news for fans of the Original Hinsons.
New Haven Records has released a collection titled Hinsons Hits that should be available in stores now. This is part of New Haven's ongoing Gospel Legacy Series, which has already brought us collections by the Goodmans, the Stamps, and others. Track titles for the Hinsons project include: 1. Joy Comes In The Morning 2. Mercy Built A Bridge 3. Soul Fillin' Station 4. Call Me Gone 5. Two Winning Hands 6. God's Gonna Do The Same 7. Till The Land 8. Shinin' In 9. The Touch Of The Master's Strong Hand 10. Hallelujah Meetin 11. Ain't That What It's All About 12. The Lighthouse March 29, 2006DVD Alert: Homecoming CatalogGaither is re-releasing a dozen Homecoming titles on DVD on May 23...no word on the price point, but here's the list of titles:
Feelin At Home Harmony In The Heartland Moments To Remember Rivers Of Joy Sing Your Blues Away Singin With The Saints Something Beautiful Sunday Meetin Time Sweet Sweet Spirit This Is My Story What A Time When All Gods Singers Get Home Roger Bennett Health Update03/29/06 ROGER BENNETT HEALTH UPDATE A newsletter, emailed this week from Legacy Five, includes a note from Roger Bennett. The doctor in Houston has given him a good report. read more on this story here: http://www.sglive365.com/news2032906bennett.html
March 28, 2006Any Potential Number Ones Here?Here's a list of songs the March 28 Singing News Trade Review newsletter is listing as "new singles." I'm not trying to encourage gambling, but I've put my predictions on how high each song will eventually go on the chart in parentheses along with the month I believe it will get to that level.
1. "If It Takes A Valley" - Brian Free & Assurance - Daywind (Top 5 by August 2006) 2. "Nothing But The Blood" - Crabb Family - Daywind (Top 15 by July 2006 if most stations use the cut with the intro; Top 25 if they don't. DJs, your listeners will want to hear that intro, at least when you initially introduce the song. It would be fine to switch to the shorter version a month or two later.) 3. "The Race" - Lauren Talley, Scott Inman, Annie McRae, Kelly McRae, Adam Crabb - Daywind (Top 50, August 2006...I honestly don't expect this song turn too many heads.) 4. "Heaven's Hero" - Greater Vision - Daywind (Top 10 by August 2006...It's good, but I'll be surprised if it goes all the way to number one.) 5. "I Needed To Hear That Today" - Mark Trammell Trio - Daywind (Top 20 by August 2006...great song...It's my personal favorite of these eight choices.) 6. "The Cross Was Enough" - LordSong - Daywind (Top 15 by August 2006...You really have to admire a group that makes a recording so good they are still releasing singles from it two years later. It certainly doesn't hurt that they have a steady gig opening for Mark Lowry which evidently pays them well enough that they don't have to flood the market with cheaply made recordings.) 7. "When I Got Down On My Knees" - Lewis Family - Thoroughbred (Top 50 by August 2006) 8. "Don't Let The Sandals Fool Ya" (live version) - Triumphant Quartet - Daywind (Top 10...maybe even Top 5 by May 2006...This song is already at number 15 as of April, up from 28 in March, so it's safe to say it will climb at least another five slots next month.) I'm not sure there are any number ones on this list, but if forced to choose one, I'd pick "If It Takes A Valley" by Brian Free and Assurance. March 27, 2006CD Review: Under Grace (Ivan Parker) RATING: 4 Stars Label: Horizon Producer/Arranger: Roger Talley Website: www.ivanparker.com Song Titles: "The Grace That I'm Under," "I Am Whatever You Need," "I Will Lead The Blind," "Very First Thing," "Love Called My Name," "My Lord's Been With Me," "Miracle River," "Every Knee Shall Bow," "I'm Having One Of Those Days," and "I'd Rather Have Jesus" Under Grace kicks off with an electric guitar loop that settles into a light pop music blend with the occasional country guitar lick. Although I can't recall him ever using a track quite like this before, Ivan Parker sounds right at home singing over the mix. Pulsating strings and piano arpeggios open the next track titled "I Am Whatever You Need." The strings are a bit bombastic and too hot in the mix for my taste. Good lyrics by songwriter Terrry Wilkins, though. The pace slows down for the next cut, "I Will Lead The Blind," a song written by Woody Wright that challenges the listener to reach out to those in need. Next up is an exciting country/blues blend titled "Very First Thing." Parker gets deep in baritone territory at the beginning of each chorus to contrast his higher register in other sections of the song. The next track on Under Grace is a relatively unoriginal ballad titled "Love Called My Name" that borrows too many phrases from other songs ("I love you this much," "love beyond measure," etc.). This is followed by an upbeat musician's playground called "My Lord's Been With Me." Parker himself penned "Miracle River." It starts off with the familiar descending bass guitar line from "Sixteen Tons." My previous comment about "Love Called My Name" applies to "Every Knee Shall Bow." Also, there's a transition to the chorus of "I Bowed On My Knees" at the end of "Every Knee Shall Bow" that is awkward. The CD concludes with an upbeat track titled "I'm Having One Of Those Days" and a traditional version of the old hymn "I'd Rather Have Jesus." It's great to see Ivan Parker taking musical risks with songs like "The Grace That I'm Under" and having fun on cuts like "I'm Having One Of Those Days." The most notable inconsistencies are found in the song selection and the production. There's not a problem with the quality of the music production when looking at individual songs. It's just that the project as a whole lacks a clear musical direction. Songs could be described seperately as progressive, traditional, orchestrated, blues, country, or pop leaning. The CD comes across as a mixed bag with nothing stylistically tying all the songs together. On the positive side, there's one consistently top notch element on Under Grace from beginning to end: Parker's voice. If you're attracted to the Ivan Parker as a singer more than anything else, you should be more than satisfied with Under Grace. Labels: CD Review March 22, 2006Angie Hoskins Suffers Torn Vocal Cord03/22/06 ANGIE HOSKINS SUFFERS TORN VOCAL CORD A personal letter, emailed to select news outlets today, from The Hoskins Family, says that Angie Hoskins Aldridge has been battling a serious vocal problem. Apparently she has a torn vocal cord. read more on this story here: http://www.sglive365.com/news2032206hoskins.html
March 21, 2006CD Alert: In Christ Alone - Greatest Hits (Michael English) Click HERE to see more details about a CD that's been a long time coming...a greatest hits collection by Michael English. Titled In Christ Alone - Greatest Hits, songs included on the project are:
1. In Christ Alone 2. Solid As The Rock 3. Mary, Did You Know 4. Heaven 5. Holding Out Hope To You 6. Save Me 7. There Is A Love 8. (Love Moves In ) Mysterious Ways 9. Healing (with Wynonna) 10. I Bowed On My Kneeds And Cried Holy 11. Heaven To Earth 12. Right Where You Are 13. The Maker Of The Road Those last two songs are new. It will be interesting to see which version of "I Bowed On My Knees" is used. See my previous blog entry for a list of all the variations that are out there. Also, "Mary, Did You Know" was re-recorded for English's Christmas CD, so there's a couple of ways that song could go as well. According to the distributor, the release date is now set for June 27, 2006, but I wouldn't hold my breath. If you read the previous blog entry which also mentioned this product, you'll see it was set to release in February at that time. To make things more confusing, the record label's website lists a March 28 release date. I've heard of delaying CDs containing all new material in the past, but it's rare that a GREATEST HITS CD release is delayed over and over like this. After all, it isn't like they have to record all the songs again from scratch. Is it really that difficult to choose the cover photo? March 20, 2006A barber, a rich lady, and a gospel starHere's an interesting story that has just surfaced. In the 1960s, a Milwaukee man named Richard Moore divorced his wife against the wishes of his eight childern and married a lady named Johnel Fisher who was twenty years younger than him. According to his obituary, they were still married when he died in 2004. If sources are accurate, an influx of money from his rich young wife was the key to his success as a barber. Moore owned the Handsome Barber Shop in Milwaukee, where he boasted of famous clients like basketball superstar Charles Barkley.
Mrs. Moore passed away as well last fall. She left all her money to the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. Now there's a story circulating about Mrs. Moore and gospel singer Jessy Dixon who is a longtime member of the Gaither Homecoming Tour and a legend in black gospel music. Australian blogger Martin Roth (who has an uncanny ability for finding obscure stories about gospel music) has posted a link to a story about a lawsuit brought by Mrs. Moore's attorney against Dixon. In the suit, if the story is accurate, Dixon is being accused of fraud. When going through her records, Mrs. Moore's attorney discovered that she had made donations totaling more than $700,000 to Dixon over a period of several years. Mrs. Moore's stepson Haralson Moore claims she and Dixon began a dating relationship after she met Dixon on a Gaither cruise. Although Haralson and his brother inherited his father's barbershop which his stepmother funded, Haralson feels he should have the money she gave to Dixon. He says he was the only child in the family who ever got along with her. Haralson is quoted in the story as saying, "It should go to me, because I'm the one in need." However, the lawsuit is trying to recover the money so the wishes of Mrs. Moore's will can be carried out...that her assets be donated to the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. She left nothing to her stepchildren. Dixon has yet to make any comments on the subject. Those are the facts of the case as presented in the write up. I think a few things are clear so far: 1. 2. If following Mrs. Moore's wishes is really the ultimate goal of the estate, they're going to have a hard time proving she didn't wish to give money to Dixon...especially if it's true that her step children contend she used her money to lure their father away from their mother in the 1960s. They're going to say Dixon claimed to have a non-profit status when he really didn't, since Mrs. Moore claimed her gifts to him as charitable donations, but even so, it will be difficult to say she wanted the money to go somewhere else. 3. The big issue for Dixon is not what she claimed on her tax form, but what he reported as income on his. He has more to fear from the IRS than he does from Mrs. Moore's estate. Springside Marketing carries my book I am pleased to announce that Springside Marketing, a Southern Gospel by mail retailer, is now carrying Murray's Encyclopedia Of Southern Gospel Music. Click HERE.
About Springside Marketing: Springside Marketing was created in response to an inquiry Paul Heil's syndicated The Gospel Greats radio program was constantly receiving: "Where can I get the music you play on the air?" Few Christian bookstores maintained a good stock of Southern Gospel music, except from, perhaps, a few top groups. And regular "record shops" had few if any current Southern Gospel recordings. (What they had was usually old.) So, Paul and his wife, Shelia, decided to do something about it, forming Springside Marketing to provide Southern Gospel recordings by mail. (Click HERE to read the full history of Springside Marketing.) Mop Up on SG BiographiesLong, long ago, when I first started blogging, I mentioned that I prefer Amazon.com over eBay when shopping for used items like books or CDs. I just went shopping online for some books I've been wanting to buy, and again found this to be true.
If you like to read about Southern Gospel, I'm sure you've already bought my book. What you may not have done, though, is mop up on some Southern Gospel biographies that are now remaindered and available for ridiculously low prices in hardcover. I just ordered used hardback copies of: 1. Bill Gaither: It's More Than The Music ($1.50) 2. Vestal ($2.50) 3. The Cathedrals: The Story of America's Best-Loved Gospel Quartet ($2.95) If you're on a tight budget or just plain tight with your money like me, I highly recommend checking out the bargains on used books through Amazon. Books are shipped from independent dealers, so you can't combine shipping costs. That's where the bulk of the final price comes...not for the product, but $3.49 per item for shipping. Even so, my total was a mere $17.42. Consider that vs. the $20 price tag each of these books carried when they were first released. When buying used items like books, DVDs and CDs online, most people think of eBay, but I've found more vendors per title, an easier to sort interface, comparable prices and a smoother checkout process with Amazon. You can pay for all your purchases at once and avoid Paypal. All vendors are required to use the same shipping fee structure. If you don't want the hassle of dealing with each vendor directly, deal with Amazon and you can usually count on being at least within a few cents of the best deal you'd have found at eBay. If the absolute bottom line is your first priority, though, it pays to check both sources. I went to eBay and after wading through some unrelated results of my search query, I found three copies of the Cathedrals book (vs. twelve at Amazon). Two would have been about 25 cents less than I paid at Amazon including shipping, but the eBay vendors with the lowest prices only accept Paypal payments. Same deal with the Bill Gaither book. I could have got it 20 cents cheaper at eBay if I'd dealt with a Buy It Now vendor who only takes Paypal. No one at eBay had the Vestal Goodman book up for auction, though. In contrast, six different dealers had used copies for sale at Amazon ranging from a modest $2.50 on the low end to $50.00...that last one is looking for a sucker! Dottie Rambo On Dunaways' New Album03/20/06 DOTTIE RAMBO ON DUNAWAYS' NEW ALBUM Dottie Rambo was in the recording studio last week with The Dunaways. read more on this story here: http://www.sglive365.com/news2032006rambo.html
March 19, 2006One Booth Bro Temporarily Off The Road03/19/06 ONE BOOTH BRO TEMPORARILY OFF THE ROAD Michael Booth told a concert audience, this weekend, that his brother, Ronnie, is at home resting.. and should be back on stage in late April. read more on this story here: http://www.sglive365.com/news2031906booth.html
Trammell & Hurst Join Forces03/19/06 MARK TRAMMELL TRIO & STEVE HURST JOIN FORCES Mark Trammell announced this week that the MTT is teaming up with Steve Hurst (Steve Hurst School Of Music) to present regional vocal seminar/ministry schools this coming year. read more on this story here: http://www.sglive365.com/news2031906mtt.html
March 17, 20062006 Singing News Fan Awards - Round Two Predictions And ObservationsIf you're bored with talk about numbers and stats and prognosticating, go on to the next post.
Despite the accusation that the ballot looks the same every year, fans can be a bit unpredictable when it comes to voting in the Singing News Fan Awards. You just need to know where to look for discrepancies. Logic suggests that a group or individual getting nominations in an overall category (Male Singer, Female Singer, Traditional Quartet, Mixed Quartet, Trio) would also get at least one nomination for an individual part category (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Lead, Baritone, Bass) and/or the musician categories (Musician, Pianist, Band). If Group X is in the top ten, then it must be because they have a member who is considered to be in the top ten as well, right? This usually plays out as you'd expect, but every year there's a few exceptions. I mentioned in a previous post that Peg McKamey is up for Female Singer, but not for Alto or Soprano. She's the only exception among the Female Singer and Male Singer nominations, so there's no need to explore those categories in detail. There's some interesting stuff in the other categories, though. Below, I've listed the Traditional Quartet, Mixed Quartet, and Trio nominations with codes to indicate the more specific categories where these groups were also recognized. The legend is S (soprano), A (alto), T (tenor), L (lead), Br (baritone), Bs (bass), Ba (band), M (musician), and/or P (pianist). I've also placed an asterisk (*) beside each group I expect to advance to the final ballot after the next round of voting. Traditional Quartet *Brian Free & Assurance - T, L, Br, Bs, Ba, M, P Dove Brothers - none Gold City - T, L, Br *Inspirations - T, L, Br, Bs, Ba, P *Kingdom Heirs - T, L, Br, Bs, Ba, M, P Kingsmen - Bs, Ba Legacy Five - T, L, Br, Bs, P Palmetto State Quartet - T, P *Signature Sound Quartet - T, L, Br, Bs, P *Triumphant Quartet - T, L, Br, Bs, P Note that all Brian Free/Assurance, Signature Sound, Triumphant and Kingdom Heirs members were nominated, including both of the Kingdom Heirs' musicians. I expect those groups to dominate the next round of balloting as well. I picked the Inspirations as the fifth group that will advance, since they got nominations in every possible category except Musician. The big surprise here with no individual nominations was the Dove Brothers. I thought David Hester would be nominated in the bass category at the very least, since there's no competition for basses from Trio nominees and Tracy Stuffle is the only bass from a nominated Mixed Quartet. The answer lies in the fact that seven of the the top ten quartets placed their members in the bass category, leaving only three slots. Mixed Quartet member Tracy Stuffle got one, and Ed O'Neal and Gene McDonald, who were nominated despite their respective groups not faring as well in the overall category, got the two that were left. So Hester was the odd man out. Mixed Quartet Collingsworth Family - none *Crabb Family - L, S, A, P, M, Ba Freemans - none Hayes Family - none *Hoppers - S, A, M, Ba Hoskins Family - S, A *Isaacs - M, Ba Jody Brown Indian Family - none *McKameys - S, A, M *Perrys - L, Br, Bs, A, P All Perrys members were nominated in individual categories, so they should advance easily. The Crabb Family, Hoppers, and McKameys are strong as well. Four groups had no individual nominations and are relative newcomers with the exception of the Freemans, so look for those groups to be eliminated. That leaves the Hoskins Family and the Isaacs. I went with the Isaacs. Trio *Booth Brothers - none *Greater Vision - T, L, Br Greenes - S Jeff & Sheri Easter - S, A Karen Peck & New River - S *LordSong - S, A *Mark Trammell Trio - T, Br Ricky Atkinson & Compassion - none *Talley Trio - S, A Whisnants - A All Greater Vision members were nominated in individual categories, so they should advance. I went with the Mark Trammell Trio as well, since voters tend to lean towards male groups. The Talley Trio is an annual favorite as well. I think the Booth Brothers will still advance despite their lack of individual nominations. Their last CD was very strong. There was probably just too much competition from Traditional Quartet nominees, the Mark Trammell Trio, and Greater Vision for the Booth Brothers members to place among the top ten tenors, leads, and baritones. I have no concrete reason to pick LordSong as the fifth group other than them being my personal preference. It could just as easily be any of the other nominees. We'll find out if I was right in a couple of months! After The Parker Trio...03/16/06 AFTER THE PARKER TRIO... Our sgUpdate reporter recently had the opportunity to visit with Brandt and Angie White of The Parker Trio. P3 has its roots in Canada, but is based in Nashville, TN. From 1997, until 2 months ago, the Whites had traveled full time with group members, Warren and Shannan Parker. On January 7th of this year, in Goose Creek, SC ...that all changed. Warren Parker was struck and killed by a truck,... just after he stepped from the group's bus. We asked Brandt and Angie to share a little with us, about what has been happening with them, since that day. read the complete interview here: http://www.sglive365.com/news2031606p3.html
March 16, 2006My music on .mp3Click HERE to listen to my latest work in progress. I arranged this classic quartet song, recorded all the instruments, and sang all the vocals...yes, from the tenor part (which isn't all that high) to the bass (which isn't terribly low). From one end to the other though, I'm covering a little more than two and a half octaves ranging from a low C to the A above middle C.
I'm not happy with the mix/EQ. If anyone has any suggestions for improving it (besides getting better singers and musicians), I'd appreciate it! :o) March 15, 20062006 Singing News Fan Awards - My MissesIf you are a Singing News subscriber, you can view the Top Ten nominees for each Fan Awards category on the Singing News website. I posted my first round votes a few weeks ago. Most of them made it. Obviously, I wish all of them had made it, but life goes on!
The following got my vote this year, but didn't make the cut with the majority of fans: Alto: Susan Jackson Album: Anything But Ordinary, Everything But Typical (Dove Brothers) Horizon Individual: Jeremy Lile (Crystal River Quartet) Bass: David Hester Songwriter: Joel Lindsey Soloist: Mark Lowry Musician: Doug Riley Pianist: Anthony Burger Artist Website: www.hopescall.com Small Market DJ: James Metcalf, WJFJ, Columbus, NC My only real surprise is that the majority of fans failed to agree with me in voting for Burger and Riley. Maybe they assumed they wouldn't be eligible. At any rate, the contestants are now decided and subscribers will have the chance to vote in the second round when they get their May 2006 issue. One situation struck me as interesting. Peg McKamey Bean is in the top ten for the overall Favorite Female Singer, but she isn't nominated for an Alto or Soprano award despite there being relatively less competition for a top ten slot in those categories. (It should be noted that McKameys members Carol Woodard and Connie Fortner are in the running for Alto and Soprano respectively, but I'm speculating that Peg's role is considered to be that of a second soprano or female "lead" possibly and so she's not eligible. Otherwise, you'd think a person getting enough votes to finish in the top ten for an overall award would also get enough votes to finish in the top ten for a corresponding lesser award.) Jeff and Sheri and NQCIf you haven't heard...Jeff and Sheri Easter won't be at NQC this year...wait a minute...oh yes, they will. They sent out a letter to fans yesterday stating they had asked for a small raise from NQC and had been denied, so they wouldn't be there this year. Within a few hours after going public with their reasons, though, they had been in touch with NQC and worked things out to appear for two nights. For the back story, click HERE and HERE.
Some are calling this type of public airing a "breath of fresh air," honesty with the fans, etc. Others have privately (so far) referred to it as a publicity stunt. My personal opinion is that it's really the only way for the artist not to look bad in front of their own fans in this situation. Blunt honesty with the fans over this is maybe somewhere short of refreshing, but it certainly is unusual. Compare this to the absence of the Gaither Vocal Band and Signature Sound from NQC, which has long been a topic for debate and speculation among fans. Neither group has, to my knowledge, ever let their fans know why they choose not to appear at NQC. With that in mind, I have to say publicity stunt or not, it was a smart move on the part of Jeff and Sheri Easter to avoid disappointing their fans. Now that they've worked out a deal with NQC, their fans should also look favorably at NQC for their willingness to come to the table and work out a deal as well. March 14, 2006First Look At First Love Babies03/14/06 FIRST LOOK AT FIRST LOVE BABIES "Tell me that isn’t the cutest thing you have ever seen!" That's the comment from Troy Peach when he shows the picture of twins, Clayton and Shelton. picture and story here: http://www.sglive365.com/news2031406firstlove.html
March 9, 2006Will The Real Imperials Please Stand Up?As of today, there are at least three gospel groups using the name Imperials, and all three have ties to the group started by Jake Hess in 1964. See HERE, HERE, and HERE. Let's break it down...  The Real ImperialsFirst we have the group I'll refer to as the Real Imperials. Of course, THEY call themselves the Imperials without the "real," since they really are the real Imperials. :o) Some people might say they aren't the "real" group, because these guys probably have the least recognizable names of the three groups. However, the fact is that this group is the only group that has been continuous since 1964. Armond Morales sang bass with Jake Hess and the rest of the original group in 1964 and continued to travel and manage them until 2003, when Ian Owens became just the second bass singer in the 39 year (at that time) history of the group. Joining Owens in the current Imperials is Armond Morales' son, Jason, who has been singing baritone with the group for seven years; a terrific tenor named Jeremie Hudson who has also been with the group for seven years; and lead singer Shannon Smith, who became the group's lead singer in 2003. By the way, this particular line-up of the group has their first all new CD coming out later this year, and from all I've heard, it's going to be outstanding. I had a chance to chat with the guys for a bit about it last weekend and I've heard two songs. Be prepared for one Southern Gospel song and otherwise expect a recording that sounds very much like 4Him could have sounded if they'd had a deep bass singer in the mix. Check out their website for more information.  The International ImperialsNext up is a group I'm calling the International Imperials to distinguish them from the Real Imps. I chose that name because the most recent news on their website says they sang at an Elvis Presley tribute event in Belgium last October. This group includes Gus Gaches, who isn't a former member of the Imperials as far as I know; Joe Moscheo, who played keyboards for the original group in the late 1960s and early 1970s; and rounding out the group are Terry Blackwood and Sherman Andrus, who were in the group during the same era as Moscheo. This group is particularly confusing since they bill themselves as the Imperials just like the real Imperials. Maybe that's OK as long as they only sing overseas. I don't know if this group is singing regularly or not. They don't have a schedule posted on their website and no product that's uniquely their own for sale.  The Classic ImperialsFinally, there's the Classic Imperials, who just today announced they had signed a recording agreement with Nick Bruno's Song Garden label. Unlike "Real Imperials" and "International Imperials," "Classic Imperials" isn't a name I made up. This group actually bills themselves as the Classic Imperials. Armond Morales and Jim Murray even own the trademark. This group consists of Rick Evans, who is not an ex-Imp as far as I know; Jim Murray, who sang tenor for the original group for twenty years from 1966 to 1986; Armond Morales, the 39-year veteran bass singer, and David Will, who was the baritone singer for the group for a period of 23 years (1976-1999). (Real Imperials baritone Jason Morales was Will's successor.) Now, to make this more confusing, Jim Murray, Armond Morales, Terry Blackwood and Sherman Andrus recorded a CD two years ago which billed them simply as "The Imperials." This line-up also had a website for a while referring to themselves as the "Classic Imperials." Ironically, this line-up minus Morales plus a non-ex-Imp bass singer named Hovie Walker also owned a trademark on the name "The New Imperials Quartet" at one time. New? Let's just hope Russ Taff doesn't get any ideas about starting up a group using another variation on the Imperials name...although a line-up of Taff, Jonathan Pierce, and Ron Hemby (if he's still around) would definitely be a group worth hearing. If case you're wondering, the trademark for "The Imperials" is owned by Clarence Collins of Costa Mesa, California. I have no idea who he is or what his connection to the group might be. I just thought someone might ask, and I wanted you to know I tried to explore every angle of this story. Of course, I didn't get into Little Anthony And The Imperials, since they sang another form of music and have no connections to the group formed by Jake Hess in 1964 as far as I know. Their trademark has been dead since April 2004, so I assume the group is no longer active, thought they do have an official website. Labels: History Vocal Band Private Video Taping03/09/06 GVB PRIVATE VIDEO TAPING Gaither.com has announced that the Gaither Vocal Band will be recording behind closed doors later this month. The Vocal Band is scheduled to video tape Tuesday, March 21st. read more on this story here: http://www.sglive365.com/news2030906gvb.html
March 8, 2006Diamond Award Renamed To Honor Anthony Burger03/07/06 DIAMOND AWARD RENAMED TO HONOR ANTHONY BURGER Allen Smith (Publisher/CEO SGN Scoops Magazine) told our reporter today that the "Instrumentalist Of The Year" Diamond Award will henceforth be called the "Anthony Burger Instrumentalist Of The Year" Diamond Award. read more on this story here: http://www.sglive365.com/news2030806diamond.html
March 6, 2006Dancing With The Stars, Anyone? Are there any guys out there wanting a date with Joyce Martin? Evidently she's on the market and in the mood for some dancing. Click HERE for details.
If you look at Joyce's list of friends, you'll see a number of other famous and not quite famous people who use MySpace.com for interacting, too. Then you can click on THEM and see who they know and why they're on MySpace, and then check out their friends, etc. Then you'll suddenly realize it 3 in the morning and you haven't gone to bed yet. Interesting stuff...it struck me as being sort of like a wormhole to Nashville's version of E! or Access Hollywood...a great time waster. Maybe useful and maybe not, but certainly informative. Enjoy. March 5, 2006Mark Lowry Injured In Motorcycle Mishap03/05/06 MARK LOWRY INJURED IN MOTORCYCLE MISHAP Reports from Bob Sauer, at Mark Lowry Productions, say Mark suffered injuries in a motorcycle accident this weekend. Read more on this story here: http://www.sglive365.com/news2030506lowry.html 03/06/06 upDate: Bob Sauer confirms that Mark Lowry did have surgery on the injured leg Sunday,.. and he may be in for more. Bob says: "He'll be resting comfortably in the hospital for about five more days. There is quite a bit yet to be determined on how the leg will be handled, so we'll get the word out when we know more. It won't be a daily update. We have had to call off the March concerts but he will have one wild story to tell at April's Senior Trip here in Nashville." Sauer also adds that they appreciate the offer for cards and gifts,.. but they are asking that fans hold onto them and send prayers instead - lots of prayers for a speedy recovery.
March 4, 2006Anthony Burger - Cleveland Service
03/04/06
-----------ANTHONY BURGER - CLEVELAND, TN SERVICE Additional viewing and funeral services, for Anthony Burger, were held in Cleveland, TN,.. Thursday and Friday. According to an sglive365.com reporter in attendance, the Friday service included the Voices of Lee (Lee University) singing We Shall Behold Him, The Old Rugged Cross (first song AB ever played) and the Hallelujah Chorus to end the service. For the last song,.. they were accompanied by Anthony Burger, playing on the big screen, in a video clip from the Masterpeiece dvd. Other performances included: Kevin Williams (guitar solo) Kirk Talley sang He Is Here and Serenaded By Angels Those attending the service seemed to be mostly local family and friends, a few Burger Buddies (Anthony's fan club) and Cleveland or Chattanooga area residents. Artists in attendance were: Tim Lovelace, Phil Cross,.. as well as a few members of the Dixie Melody Boys and the Kingsmen. March 3, 2006CD Review: Be The Miracle (Mark Lowry) RATING: 4 1/2 Stars Label: Mark Lowry Productions Producers: George Hairr, Ray (Chip) Davis, and Michael English Website: www.marklowry.com Song Titles: "Be The Miracle," "What Kind Of King Is This," "I've Never Been Out Of His Love," "Carry Me," "Jump Across Jordon," "God Is Crazy About You," "The Sweetest Song I Know," "Give It Time," "God Calls Us All," "Whatcha Need," and "Going Home" Comedian Mark Lowry has twice found success by recording a collection of relatively serious songs. Be The Miracle follows in the footsteps of But Seriously (1998) and Some Things Never Change (2003) in that there's no spoken comedy, just singing. Be The Miracle begins with the mid-tempo anthemic title track. (The feel of the intro with an accordian in the mix made me think of "Two Sets Of Jones" by Big Tent Revival.) Songwriters James Thiele and Jeff Silvey have crafted a lyric that could be a strong candidate for a mission organization's theme song. "What Kind Of King Is This" is next with a light pop music feel. Lowry is joined by Susan Ashton for a duet on the lushly orchestrated "I've Never Been Out Of His Care," a Phil Johnson song originally recorded by Dallas Holm on the now classic I Saw The Lord (1981). "Carry Me" is another cover tune, written by Sonya Isaacs and recorded by her family group on the CD by the same name in 1994. Michael English and Kim Lord join Lowry on the choruses of this song to create a trio arrangement. Be The Miracle shifts gears to a more upbeat mood for the next three tracks. "Jump Across Jordon" is a Southern Gospel male quartet arrangement with some nice horn licks thrown in for good measure. The horns continue for the next track as well, yet another self referential ode to Lowry's hyperactivity, but with the focus this time being "God Is Crazy About You." It builds into a double time frenzy before concluding with a few more horn blasts. "The Sweetest Song I Know" is the Albert E. Brumley classic tune with a modern arrangement. Four songs remain. "Give It Time" is a Woody Wright lyric with a fun, Country rhythm. "God Calls Us All" and "Whatcha Need" also have vocals that feel lighthearted, though neither is outright comedic. "Uplifting" is a more appropriate adjective. Be The Miracle concludes with the Gaither classic "Going Home," with Kim Lord and Michael English again joining Lowry. Mark Lowry knows how to put together a good CD. Every lyric has plenty of "heart," and the production quality on Be The Miracle is excellent. Be The Miracle is being distributed by New Day Christian Distributors. Labels: CD Review Kingsmen Remember Anthony Burger03/03/06 KINGSMEN REMEMBER ANTHONY BURGER The Kingsmen website now features several rare and historical photos taken during Anthony's career with the group. read more on this story here: http://www.sglive365.com/news2030306kmen.html
McRaes: Victims Of Theft03/03/06 McRAES: VICTIMS OF THEFT Thieves struck gospel music duo The McRaes. Reports say a trailer, owned by the sisters, was taken while they were in Nashville. read more on this story here: http://www.sglive365.com/news2030306mcraes.html
March 2, 2006Goodbye Anthony John Burger
03/02/06
GOODBYE ANTHONY JOHN BURGER A special memorial service for Anthony Burger was held March 1st at Christ Church in Nashville. read more on this story here: http://www.sglive365.com/news2030206ab.html 
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