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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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-----------September 29, 2006Drive By CommentsI've done my daily tour of the web and noted a few things that may merit your interest. 1. The Tracks Vs. Bands debate rages on with more than 150 comments and no signs of stopping at the Sogospelnews forum. (I'm pro-band, but I'm far from anti-track. I'm a realistic member of two different male quartets that use tracks plus piano. However, I see the advantages of having all live musicians, but only IF they are talented enough to add to the program.) 2. Is it just me, or does this strike you as being odd? A new gospel newspaper is being formed "in memory of" Paul Boden, who owned U. S. Gospel News. There's certainly nothing wrong with announcing the formation of a new gospel newspaper so soon after Boden's death, but to dedicate the new venture to the recently deceased owner of a competing publication strikes me as...well, I've already said how it strikes me. UPDATE: I've written USGN to ask if the new publication will replace USGN. If this is indeed a replacement for USGN, then the dedication makes sense, but if that were the case, you'd think the press release would have mentioned that salient fact. On the other hand, if a group of writers have left USGN en masse to form a directly competing venture, then tying the new paper to Boden's name is just...well, you know...I'll let you know what I find out. 3. Danny Jones had a great blog entry yesterday about gripe-happy morons who think Singing News runs NQC (and he manages to say it much more politely than I just did). 4. Sooner or later, everyone who bemoans the censorship of ideas on the internet squelches a discussion of their own. I suppose we all have our sensitive topics, yours truly included. 5. Daniel J. Mount has churned out a bunch of entries since throwing his hat into the blog ring a couple of weeks ago. CD reviews, news articles, interviews, etc...and he's getting a lot more comments than Musicscribe. Labels: Observations September 26, 2006Thoughts On American Gospel RadioI finally got to see a copy of the American Gospel Music proposal. The document had no date, so I'm assuming it's the original proposal that was floating around before NQC. If you'd like to read it for yourself, click HERE. (This link resides on Sogospelnews' server, so thanks is due to the Unthanks for providing access.) The document's full title is: The Plan to Power Brand: A Proposal to the Southern Gospel Music Industry from Christian Music Presenters, Inc., Vivici Marketing, Inc. and the National Quartet Convention, Inc. By Dr. Randall A. Bayne, Dr. Roy J. Hayes, Mr. Jim Gibson and Mr. Clarke W. Beasley This proposal is indeed a bold move...quite possibly, it's the bold move that will grow Southern Gospel in the long-term. I definitely believe growth of the industry could come from having a unifying brand for the best artists and denying access to that brand for artists who fail to meet quality standards. At it's core, the proposal is positive. I have to admire the blunt way they describe the current state of the industry, and how they've directed their attention to just about every area of the industry that matters. Here's how they describe the current climate, and I think they're right on target with this statement. a climate whereby doors are closed to the upper echelon professionals of our industry because of being lumped together with the poor quality of the custom recording amateurs. The proposal isn't perfect, though. I've read Doug Harrison's four "logic flaws" regarding AGM, and while I agree with him in principle, I think there's a more serious area. This area has nothing to do with whether NQC can be trusted to choose which artists qualify as AGM artists (they probably can, but some will disagree); or whether the church really wants to hear the top echelon of current Southern Gospel artists (they do, but just don't know it); or whether artists will want to pay to be spiritually "certified" (they will, if it means singing at huge events); or whether or not the word "american" opens more doors than the word "southern" (it probably does).The flaw is that AGM assumes the answer to EVERY area of the market is licensing their brand. If everyone pays, no one is the salesman. AGM is too "license happy." Sure, artists, record labels, etc. should pay for access to the brand, but the media (even radio) is expected to pony up licensing fees as well. The title is right. This is definitely "The Plan To Power Brand." In some ways, it can be viewed as a house of cards. This won't work unless a number of key entities get on board. They pretty much admit that if Singing News balks, their plan won't work. Here's a quote from the document that emphasizes just how crucial they consider a Singing News endorsement to be: This re-branding would need to be promoted and emphasized by the Singing News, both in the positioning of their magazine and their editorial content. We would need support from the Singing News focusing the vast majority of their coverage on the artists and events that qualify to carry the brand. Whether or not they sign on to be an official AGM publication, I suspect Singing News will get on board with promoting AGM given the number of ads AGM should be able to afford to buy, what with licensing fees coming in from virtually every corner of the market...but what if radio doesn't get on board? Media outlets"really aren't expected to sign up until they see the success of the brand in other areas. The document states: With the brand secured and established, media outlets would want to use the brand... Wouldn't it make a lot more sense in terms of establishing the brand to give media outlets a license for FREE from the outset, as long as their content qualifies? It makes no financial sense to ask budget strapped, tight-wad SG radio owners to pay for the privilege of promoting AGM artists...$3000 annually, no less, to be able to say, "You're listening to the best in American Gospel Music" and print the AGM logo on their business cards. Here's the biggest whopping logic flaw of all...RADIO WOULD BE PAYING AGM FOR THE HONOR OF RESTRICTING THEIR PLAYLIST TO AGM ARTISTS. Isn't that something AGM ought be buying? I'm not talking about payola, of course...of course I'm not...I'm just pointing out how ludicrous this seems. It would make a lot more sense to to bring radio on board as one of the key beneficiaries of AGM's efforts, not one of the providers for AGM's success. I should mention that the $3000 annual fee also gives radio stations the opportunity to report to the AGM chart and be considered in the AGM Awards. They want radio to PAY to report to a chart. Get that? PAY. I think AGM could very well attract new fans to the industry, and that is naturally everyone's greatest hope for this proposal. My second greatest hope for AGM was that it might offer a way to cure what has been the Achilles Heel of this industry for decades...horrible SG radio programming. This sure doesn't seem like a plan that will work in that regard. Southern Gospel radio is in the mire both financially and in terms of programming quality. SG radio needs to be saved from itself, not asked to pay a portion of the price for getting AGM up and running. I guess I could sum up my reaction to the proposal by saying I think AGM will probably land somewhere around 70% on the more good than harm meter. Seriously, my total reaction to the overall proposal is favorable. Obviously I'm somewhere in the neighborhood of 100% annoyed that the biggest problem in the entire genre was addressed in such unrealistic terms, though. If they flip that junk around, this thing might really fly. Labels: Observations Is This "Stealing?"Situation: An established group needs to fill a hole in their lineup, and they'd like to be able to announce that a new singer has been hired at the same time they anounce their current member is leaving. They approach a hot new talent who happens to be a member of another group. They haven't advertised an opening in their organization, but they tell him the job could be his at certain rate of pay if he's interested. Question: Was that a bad thing for the group to do? Many would say, "Yes"...especially group owners whose groups are often referred to as "farm teams." They'd say one gospel group shouldn't "steal" group members from another. The response of others would be, "No"...it was a business decision that not only benefits the group with the larger name, but also benefits the young singer who...let's face it...was traveling way too much for his sanity and for not nearly enough pay. And in theory, it also benefits the fans who get to hear a new mix that hopefully improves the overall quality of the group. Here's my take... When I'm approached by a potential new employer, there's no obligation to provide my current employer with a blow by blow report of the interview process. However, once I DO decide to take a new job, I tell my current employer as soon as I've accepted the new job and then I offer to work a fair notice...good communication is key. Telling them I'm leaving as soon as I know I'm leaving and offering to work the notice is where my obligation begins and ends. Whether I initiated contact or my new employer inititiated contact is totally irrelevant. The same thing goes for preachers changing churches. If they do their job as long as they are at the first church and work a fair notice before they leave to go to the new church, what's the beef if their new church approached them or they approached the church first? Why would it be any different in a Southern Gospel group? That being said, I do believe a "fair notice" varies considerably depending on the job. If you're at McDonalds, one week is probably more than plenty, but in a Southern Gospel group, I think we're talking more in terms of several weeks (and even as much as two or three months if the group you're leaving has just released a new CD with your voice and face on it). Unfortunately, this sort of situation often creates hurt for a number of people...the group that hires the replacement singer gets a reputation for "breaking up" groups that pay less...the other group's product sales suffer if the singer didn't work a fair notice...the singer gets a bad rap if he isn't totally up-front with his previous employer and sometimes gets a bad rap even if he is...he may keep it secret from his employer for a while after he's decided to take the new job offer, maybe at his new group's request, both of which are wrong. Even if he IS forthcoming about the situation, he may still get fired from his previous group to pre-empt his new employer's announcement about his transition (which is also wrong). It's a situation that comes up all too frequently with Southern Gospel groups. I'd be interested to know how some of you readers feel about the issue...it would also be interesting to hear the opinions of some group members and/or group owners on this issue...whether you agree or disagree with my observations, I think it would make for an interesting discussion. Turnover happens all the time in this industry. If it hasn't happened in your group for a while, it probably will come sooner than later, so when it happens, act like grown-ups. Or perhaps a better way of putting it is a quote attributed (but so far unconfirmed by me) to Sherriff Taylor..."Y'all act like you got some smarts." Labels: Observations September 22, 2006AUDIO>> Kelly McRae / The McRae's announcementUPDATE: Here's the audio excerpt from my interview with Annie and Kelly McRae about the group re-formation that was made at NQC '06. After reviewing the audio, I also caught the fact that her husband, Ricky Free, will be coming off the road to do more studio work. So, two personnel deletions to make note of.
For the Kelly McRae audio announcement...click here. -Daniel Britt AUDIO>> American Gospel Music Press Conference Pictured (l-r) following the press conference last week are Clarke Beasley, Executive Vice President, National Quartet Convention; Dr Roy Hayes, President, CMP; Eric Dale Knapp, Conductor-in-Residence, MidAmerica Productions; Dr Randall Bayne, CEO, CMP; and Brian Brown, Associate Director, Lifeway Worship Group. ... I attended the press conference at NQC where the convention announced the partnership between CMP, NQC, LifeWay and MidAmerica Productions (management for Carnegie Hall). I rolled tape on the whole conference and have it here for you to hear. CLICK HERE to download the mp3 file that starts with Clarke Beasley's introduction. Then, each member is introduced as they come up to speak. -Daniel Britt September 20, 2006Guy Penrod Faints On Stage ... ?Daniel Mount's blog is reporting that an audience member attending a Gaither concert in South Africa last week witnessed Guy Penrod fainting at the end of a song when Guy hit a high note. I hear Guy is ok ... which is quite a relief to hear! No more dramatic moments, please!
- Daniel Britt September 19, 2006NQC 2006: One Major Thing To Fix For 2007I heard a lot of complaints about the main stage sound quality this year, and not just from the fans. Sometimes it was very obvious, even to the fans, that the mix was off. A prime example was the Dixie Echoes set on Monday night when they struggled to be heard. Other times, it may have appeared that the group was doing a poor job when in fact they were just having difficulty hearing themselves. I've never heard Ed O'Neal off pitch to the degree he was on Monday night, for example. I have cited the difficulty of having so many groups on the same program in the past, and I've commented that the NQC sound crew generally does a good job when you consider the sheer magnitude of their task. However, this year was definitely not up to snuff, even when you allow for that handicap. When a group is on stage, their mics should be on...so explain why a tenor is featured on the first part of the program and it takes a few words before his mic comes up in the mix and then later in the program, the same thing happens with the same mic AGAIN. Whoever was running the board liked to ride the faders WAY too much, they were unfamiliar with the material, and they were always a few beats behind getting the level brought up. That's not the way to mix groups that emphasize vocal harmony. Southern Gospel is not a melody vocal very hot in the mix with three background vocals barely being heard. It's full on multi-part harmony. And the tracks...the tracks were barely heard in the mix...what was there was all highs. Strangely, the mix was always better when live musicians were on stage, which really makes no sense at all. If I can hear Myron Cook's upright bass occupying the lower frequencies of the house mix, why can't I hear ANY bass on Greater Vision's tracks? Maybe it's time to contract sound with a different crew. Labels: NQC, Observations Random Info1. Daniel J. Mount, who has done a tremendous amount of work at www.sghistory.com in recent weeks, now has his own blog. Like Daniel said in an email to me yesterday, I'm surprised no one had secured his domain name previously. Check out Daniel's opinions at www.southerngospelblog.com. 2. Welcome Gene Shell as the newest Musicscribe.com contributor. I've known Gene since 1981 when he played tuba and I played trumpet in the East Rutherford High School marching band. Gene and I co-founded Southern Sounds Quartet in 1994. He recently vacationed at NQC and while he was there, he got an overwhelming urge to start writing for my blog. (I think it's because people I didn't even know were coming up to me and calling me by name.) Expect Gene to contribute the occasional CD review and otherwise express his opinion of various facets of Southern Gospel music. 3. Here's a list of groups I saw at NQC that I'd love to see on a full length program in the future... Route 77: Right now, the group includes Angelina McKeithan and Elizabeth "Lizzy" Long. (Lizzy is the foster daughter of Little Roy and Bonnie Lewis.) These ladies play a number of instruments in addition to singing. They are looking for a third vocalist/player to complete the group, but they're already very impressive as a duo. Mercy's Well: I had high expectations for this trio after reviewing their last CD. Even though you might not expect two slower paced hymns to capture the attention of a crowd used to high paced songs, this group did just that on a showcase at NQC. Hope's Call: This tremendously talented trio knows how to sell a showstopper to a crowd. Their debut on the main stage at NQC won the crowd over immediately. Booth Brothers: Even though I've seen this group perform numerous times, I've yet to see them in a setting where they had time to do full set. Just once, I'd love to see how they'd pace an hour's worth of material. Rick Web Trio: This group has come out of their shell with their new soprano. Wow, all those are trios (or a soon to be trio in the case of Route 77). I did see quite a few male quartets at NQC that I'd gladly go see on a full length program, but I've already seen most of the ones I'd want to see in that sort of setting. Mercy's Mark and Brian Free & Assurance are two that I'd love to catch at some point in the future on a show with only one or two other groups. There's also Valor, which is a trio that sounds like a quartet. I've never seen them perform, not even at NQC on a showcase. Labels: Observations September 18, 2006Annie & Kelly McRae: group changesAs a result of an interview I had with Annie and Kelly McRae during this year's NQC, I found out that Kelly (the younger of "Annie and Kelly" fame) will be coming off the road soon. She recently married Ricky Free (son of Brian Free) and will cease traveling to be at home more.
Annie will remain on the road and will add two members to evolve the duo into a trio and undoubtedly announce a new name for the group. As soon as I have the audio from my interview, I will post the clip that includes their announcement so you can hear first-hand as I heard it. As far as the rumor that Ricky Free will be leaving Brian Free & Assurance, I don't think anything specific was said - so at this point, it's still just a rumor. UPDATE:: I have the audio up in Kelly's own words announcing her departure from "The McRaes." After reviewing the audio, I also caught the fact that her husband, Ricky Free, will be coming off the road to do more studio work. So, two personnel deletions to make note of. For the Kelly McRae audio announcement...click here. -Daniel Britt September 16, 2006My first trip to NCQ!!!
Well, with this being my first trip to the National Quartet Convention, I believe I can sum it up with just one word....WOW!!!! I was in southern gospel heaven. So many of my favorite groups and singers, so many new people that I met, and getting to walk around with none other but David Bruce Murray really made the three days there just absolutely wonderful. And just to think that I had actually told David twice that I wouldn't be able to go. I'm so glad that he was persistent in telling me to make arrangements to go. Thanks, Dave!!! I really can't say what the highlight of the trip was, seeing that there were so many. I knew there were many good groups and individual singers out there, but I had no idea of how many. The morning showcases were excellent. So much new, great talent coming along means to me that southern gospel music is not in danger of becoming a lost art. The evening programs had me on the edge of my seat about all night. Wednesday night, I couldn't even keep my shoes on! You'll have to ask David about that comment. And even though I was glad to get back home, I do wish I was up in Freedom Hall at this moment, still listening to the greatest music ever performed. That music is southern gospel. I absolutely love it and am counting the days until next year. You make sure to look for me next year at NCQ.
"nuff said" Labels: Observations NQC 2006: Fan Awards AftermathThe biggest topic of discussion at SGN's message board regarding the Fan Awards has centered around whether or not the unprecedented Traditional Quartet tie was a literal equal number of votes or just very, very close. In presenting the award, Jerry Kirksey said it was a "percentage tie," which would seem to indicate the latter. Assuming EH&SS and the Inspirations got much more of the vote than the other three nominees...like say 40% each, with the other three sharing the remaining 20%...I think it was appropriate to call it a tie. On the other hand, if the vote results were more like 21%, 21%, 20%, 19.5%, and 18.5%, then I think the award should have gone to the group with the most literal votes. This is a trivial issue, and I'm not going to expend the effort of asking the Singing News to disclose their vote count; I'm fairly confident they don't want to set a precedent of disclosing vote counts, but if any of you do and get an answer, you're welcome to share what you learn in the comments section or send it to me and I'll be glad to pass it along. Also, some have expressed an interest in getting confirmation about the Perrys calling the Crabb Family on stage and giving them their Mixed Group award. Would I really make any of this stuff up? Oh well...if you can't take my word for it, listen for yourself. :o) (Note that Solid Gospel DJ Greg Goodman assumes incorrectly that the Crabb Family won't be eligible for the Mixed Quartet award next year...um...by the time the Crabb Family retires in August 2007, all the Fan Award voting will be over, so yes, they will be eligible.) Labels: NQC, Observations September 14, 2006NQC 2006: Fan Awards, Part 21. Greater Vision wins Website This is a new award, and Greater Vision wins it. Like Steve French said when he was trying his hand at stand-up comedy, we really need a new award in order to keep the Fan Awards moving. In his acceptance speech, Gerald mentions that bloggers have said that Greater Vision doesn't have the slickest looking website. I remember saying Greater Vision's site was "OK," so I guess he was possibly talking about me. I also said this category was more of a "Favorite Artist" vote, since subscribers to the Singing News who don't care about the internet would just vote for their favorite group anyway, and if any new award is to be added, it really ought to be an overall award for favorite Artist. 2. The Crabb Family sings their nominated song, "Shepherd's Call." 3. Ernie Haase wins Tenor. Haase accepts via video from Cape Town, South Africa. 4. Gerald Wolfe wins Lead. In his acceptance speech, Wolfe lets everyone in on the fact that he usually sings baritone. We'll see if he switches categories next year. 5. The Booth Brothers sing their nominated song, "He Saw It All." Jason Crabb and Lauren Talley come to the stage to try their hand at stand-up comedy, but Solid Gospel goes to an extended break as the top of the hour approaches. (Right now, I'm listening to dead air...ah, finally, there's the news...I'm going to miss several presentations and/or performances, but hopefully Goodman will recap what happened in the past ten minutes when we go back to the broadcast...nah, he doesn't. By applying logical deduction, I think I must have missed Legacy 5 performing their nominated song, "Out Of My Darkness"...I'm not sure if Ernie Haase & Signature Sound performed "Do You Want To Be Forgiven" via video from South Africa or not.) 6. Rodney Griffin wins Baritone. 7. Tim Duncan wins Bass. He accepts via video from South Africa. 8. The Whisnants sing their nominated song, "New Day Dawning." 9. "He Saw It All" wins Song Of The Year. This award is accepted by the group, but they bring the songwriter to the stage to have a part in the acceptance as well...good for them. In my opinion, this award really ought to go to the writer rather than the group that sung it. Of course, the group plays a big part in the success of the song, but if Singing News had an overall award for favorite Artist, this particular award could put more of a focus on the people who write the songs. Usually an artist wins the Songwriter category, and this year is no exception. The person who wrote the favorite song this year wasn't an artist, but the average fan doesn't know who Daryl Mosely is...thankfully, the Booth Brothers gave him some time in the spotlight. 10. Rodney Griffin wins Songwriter. 11. The Perrys win Album for Remembering The Happy Goodmans. 12. The Inspirations and Ernie Haase & Signature Sound make history by tying for Traditional Quartet. I hope everyone has enjoyed my remote commentary on the Fan Awards, as well as my posts based on my eyewitness experience at NQC 2006 for the past three days. NQC was a blast. Please don't take any of my criticisms personally if you have a stake in NQC...I'm a fan of what NQC is doing, and I hope the event continues to improve each year. 13. Ivan Parker closes the Fan Awards with "Midnight Cry" backed by a large choir. Roger Bennett recognizes the twentieth anniversary of the song. It looks like they finished before the intermission was supposed to be over. The Martins are scheduled to take the stage at 8:45, and it looks like they'll do it on schedule. (I think it's safe to say that most of the credit for finishing on time goes to taped acceptance speeches, which were all very brief.) No, I'm not going to stay up to listen to the bitter end of tonight's concert with an hour delay, but my Replay A/V software is capturing it for me to hear later. In his recap of the award winners, Solid Gospel host, Greg Goodman, just referred to the favorite "pianoist"...not "pianist"..."pianOist." I didn't know there was such a thing. If you read it all...thanks for reading! I know these last two posts have been rambling. I'll have a few more thoughts on the week to share after I've had a day or two to rest, listen to the recordings captured by my software, and condense what I have to say. Labels: Concert Review, NQC, Observations NQC 2006: Fan Awards, Part 1
I got home in time to hear the Fan Awards on a one hour delayed broadcast via KWFC. You can hear portions of the Friday and Saturday night concerts at the same link. Note that the times printed are Central Daylight Time, so adjust accordingly if you aren't in that time zone. Greg Goodman of Solid Gospel is the host. You don't get to hear every minute of the main stage performances, but there's enough to get a good gist of what is taking place.
I thought I'd keep a running commentary like I did last year. If you're only interested in the pertinent info, and don't really care about my comments, look at the numbered lines with print in bold...I aim to please! 1. Brian Free & Assurance kick off the evening singing last year's Song Of The Year winner, "Long As I Got King Jesus." Roger Bennett and Janet Paschal are the first to get access to the mic and try their hands at stand-up comedy. Bennett's going to "make this quick," he says, and then wastes about five more minutes fooling around with silly random jokes about having to hurry because he has reservations at Steak & Shake, getting food in his cumberbund, etc. Eventually, they manage to present an award. 2. Ivan Parker won Soloist. Bennett makes a joke about Ivan marrying a booking agent. This is the sort of thing that makes Southern Gospel's "biggest night" drag on forever...Greg Goodman, the Solid Gospel emcee, just cut in to say the night is probably going to run long. 3. Triumphant Quartet sings their nominated song, "Don't Let The Sandal Fool Ya." 4. Wes Hampton wins Horizon Individual. I'm not sure who accepted on his behalf or if he happened to be there...Solid Gospel had cut away while the award was being presented. 5. The Lefevre Quartet wins Horizon Group. 6. Jason Waldroup wins Young Artist. This will be Waldroup's last time to win this award. He is not eligible in 2007, having turned 30 this past year. His acceptance speech turned into a mini-sermon with a great challenge to upcoming younger artists about keeping their focus. (Greg Goodman didn't know 30 was the cutoff for Young Artist eligibility.) 7. The Perrys sing their nominated song, "His Name Was John." The track skips in the middle of their song, abruptly going to another section. Goodman calls it a "track malfunction"...I didn't want to think of Janet Jackson, just now...Goodman cuts in after the song to say Mark Trammell's son, "Will," has just joined the Perrys...in reality, Mark Trammell's son, Nick, has just joined the Perrys. Michael Booth and Susan Whisnant come to the stage to try their hand at stand-up comedy. Booth uses a Larry The Cable Guy line, and presents Roger Bennett with a pacifier, according to Goodman. 8. Kim Hopper wins Female Singer Solid Gospel takes a break to run a few ads. So far, all the winners have kept their acceptance speeches brief and to the point. Maybe the evening will move quickly in spite of the presenters. 9. Ivan Parker wins Male Singer 10. John Pfiefer wins Musician 11. Brian Free & Assurance sings their nominated song, "Healed." Tim Surrett and Karen Peck are the next to get their opportunity at stand-up comedy. Peck gets tongue tied trying to tell a dumb blond joke. I'm not making this up. 12. Kim Hopper wins Soprano 13. Libbi Stuffle wins Alto 14. The Perrys win Mixed Group Tracy Stuffle calls the Crabb Family on stage during their acceptance speech to give them a word of encouragement, then he gives their award to the Crabb Family. As Greg Goodman said, I don't know if that has ever happened before. The Perrys always find a way to make their acceptance speeches memorable, and they sure did it again this year. 15. The Inspirations sing their nominated song, "I'm Not Ashamed." ...and boy, does it ever sound rough. 16. Anthony Burger's arrangement of "Claire de lune"/"Jesus Loves Me" is played while a series of photographs is shown in memory of Warren Parker, Doug Riley, and Burger, three young artists who died this past year. 17. A group of legends (Ed O'Neal, Glen Allred, Archie Watkins, Jim Hamill, and Eddie Crook) perform "I'm Winging My Way Back Home." ...and boy, does it ever sound rough...of course, Hamill makes it entertaining and draws in the crowd anyway. Danny Jones comes to the mic to try his hand at stand-up comedy. Roger Bennett asks Jones to ask the crowd to pray that the O'Neal, Allred, Watkins, Hamill, and Crook NOT buy a bus and hit the road. 18. Jones announces the DJ winners: John Whisnant, Carol Davis, and Wayne Wallace and also Wayne and Judy Rhear won Super Fan. 19. Greater Vision sings their nominated song, "Paid In Full Through Jesus, Amen." Kim Hopper and Mark Bishop come to the mic to try their hand at stand-up comedy. I lost my feed in the midst of their announcement of the winner for favorite Band. I'll come back and fill it in below when I find out who won. (Updated now...) 20. Kingdom Heirs Band wins Band 21. Roger Bennett wins Pianist Bennett's acceptance speech is lengthy, but genuinely funny and touches the heart as well. 22. Greater Vision wins Trio Solid Gospel goes to a commercial break as a group is being brought to the stage to sing a nominated song. Unfortunately, the break was made before the group name and the song title were announced. I'll have more on Part 2... Labels: NQC, Observations NQC 2006: Day 3I heard a lot of music today, some great, some so-so, and some that sounded like a train wreck. I took in a few non-official/off-campus showcases during the day. First it was over to Executive Inn for the Heavensound showcase. I have to say one thing about this showcase...I like my music good and loud, but a guy who works on jet engines WHILE THEY'RE RUNNING leaned over to me at one point and screamed, "Dang, that's loud!" Highlights of this showcase were the Imperials, who performed "Arise, My Love," "Praise The Lord," and a Southern Gospel song...the title escapes me at the moment...their new CD is supposed to be out in a couple of weeks. Next, it was over to the Executive West after lunch for the New City Talent showcase. I only stayed for about an hour. The highlight of that hour was Lulu Roman, who mixed some comedy with her singing. I heard a few train wrecks at this one, including number where the band had no idea what chords they were supposed to be playing. I then walked down the hall to catch some of the SGPA showcase...highlights were Brothers Forever and Soul'd Out Quartet. After heading over to KFEC, I stayed in the Exhibit Hall for about four hours before going over to the main stage. A guy named James Hales was supposed to meet me and Dean Adkins at 4:00 PM in the food court, but I guess he got lost or something. From what I understand, he's bad with directions...and the art of using a cell phone, too, evidently. :o) On the main stage I saw the following groups... 1. Rick Webb Trio: This group has really blossomed with new soprano Lynn Westafer. (I hope I'm spelling that right.) 2. Naomi And The Segos: This set was fairly average until the last number when human bass and drum players joined the group on stage. (They also have a pianist.) Then the crowd really got into what they were doing, which was "I'll Put On A Crown." (This proves my idea of a house band for all main stage groups would be a great addition to NQC.) 3. *Isaacs: Plagued with sound issues at first, the Isaacs soldiered on and gave one of the best performances of the evening. 4. Three Bridges 5. *Greenes: The Greenes were in good form again, though they did a somewhat slower set than Tuesday night's. 6. Jeff & Sheri Easter 7. Ruppes 8. Reggie Saddler Family 9. *Legacy Five: The crowd stayed to hear L5...after their set, about two thirds of the auditorium emptied vs. Tuesday night when 80 percent of the crowd was still there as the last group was taking the stage. (This proves my idea of a "power hour" at the end each evening would be an improvement to NQC. On Tuesday, you had Greater Vision at 11PM followed by the Hoppers. Having only one of the top draws positioned at the end is not enough to hold the crowds...not to take anything away from the Chuck Wagon Gang or the Whisnants...but they should go on earlier in the night. L5 and the Kingdom Heirs at the end of the evening would probably have held the crowd, where the Kingdom Heirs alone and/or the combination of the Chucks and Whisnants in between wasn't enough to keep them there. The later ending time probably had something to do with it as well, but it gets worse. The last group on Thursday night is scheduled to take the stage at 12:32 AM, which is ridiculous. If someone stays to the end, let me know how many people are still there then. They have a pretty impressive closing lineup with Triumphant, the Perrys, and the Kingsmen, but I don't think that will be enough to hold the crowd at that hour.) 10. Chuck Wagon Gang 11. Whisnants 12. *Kingdom Heirs: They did great...singing to about 20 percent of the crowd who had remained to hear them. 'Til next year... Labels: NQC, Observations September 13, 2006NQC 2006: Day 2Day 2 of NQC consisted of 4 1/2 hours of showcase groups, and a full slate on the main stage. I didn't hear every single group today. I spent some time in the Exhibit Hall, meeting friends, hopefully making a few new friends, and just generally wandering around. I won't list all the artists who were on the showcase, but some of the highlights included: Route 77 - This new group consists of Angelina McKeithan and a girl who used to travel with the Lewis Family. They're looking for a third female singer/player. Crossmen - A very solid male quartet. Skyline Boys - With Jodi Hosterman now singing tenor, this group has stepped up a notch over last year. Mercy's Well - Smooth like butter...this was my first chance to hear these guys in a live setting. They did two slower arrangements from their Hymns CD, and both went over well. That's significant, considering they were on next to last, and crowds generally want more upbeat stuff or at least a mix. Gene Shell, who traveled to NQC with me this year, said he was most impressed by Soul'd Out Quartet on the showcase. Soul'd Out is a young group with a great sound. The groups I heard on the Tuesday evening main stage concert are listed below. The groups that were most impressive to me have stars by their names with a few random comments here and there. 1. *Hope's Call - This group made a huge impression their first time on the main stage...two slower songs, with standing ovations for both songs. 2. Karen Peck & New River 3. Weatherfords 4. *Greenes: Gene said the Greenes were the second best act of the evening, behind the Crabbs. They did do a good job. 5. *Freemans - This group was impressive, especially when you consider the circumstances of their set. Earlier in the day, the group learned that Chris Freeman's brother Mike had passed away...it was also his 51st birthday. They decided to go ahead and do their set, and needless to say, it was emotionally charged. Please remember this family in your prayers. 6. Pfiefers - The Pfiefers have their moments, but they're a lot better players than singers. They know how to work the crowd, though...you have to give them that...huge ovation and calls for "more" at the end. 7. *Booth Brothers - The Booth Brothers own the stage. 8. Talleys 9. *Crabb Family - Great bands make a huge difference. This group could take us anywhere they wanted to go. They had the best set of the night. 10. Perrys 11. Mark Trammell Trio 12. Lesters 13. Greater Vision Several other groups performed, but I didn't catch their sets. Labels: Concert Review, NQC, Observations September 12, 2006NQC 2006: Day 1Well, the first day of NQC is over and I've enjoyed another "Quartet Night." I don't know if I've ever actually done this in the past or not, but this year I was there from the beginning to the end of the evening concert. First things first, though... The new Exhibit Hall in the South Wing is much wider, but not nearly as deep as the former location...which is totally gone...flattened by the wrecking crews who are prepping to build a brand new East Wing. I walked through about half of it (the South Wing, that is...not the East Wing) before 6:00 PM...same old stuff...groups you've heard mixed in with groups you haven't...and in between those are all the "flea market" style booths we've come to love. There's more than one bus to view this year. Here's who I heard tonight...I put stars beside the groups that gave the best performances plus a few random comments. I started keeping a set list...I was willing, but my pen was weak...I gave up on that idea after it dried up. 1. Opening - September 11 Remembrance: This began with a slide show accompanied by loud music and soft sound clips of people like President Bush talking. It was good, but could have been better if it had been balanced. It then shifted to a live performance with a soloist followed by the Florida Boys singing the National Anthem while a fireman, policeman, and a soldier stood on stage. The live elements were very good. 2. Monument Quartet 3. Old Time Gospel Hour Quartet 4. Dixie Melody Boys: Ed O'Neal struggled with pitch issues for most of their set, unfortunately...we're talking off by a half step...but he still got a good response from the crowd with a bass feature near the end of the group's stand. 5. Toney Brothers 6. Southern Sound 7. Palmetto State Quartet 8. *Gold City: Aaron McCune is fitting into the bass role nicely with Gold City. 9. Florida Boys 10. Legacy Five 11. *Brian Free & Assurance: They did mostly new songs and still had the crowd's attention from the moment they stepped on stage until they left. Gene Shell, who traveled to NQC with me this year, agreed with me that their set was the highlight of the evening. 12. *Mercy's Mark: They did everything right, but the crowd starred at them like a mule looking at a new gate...a great set, but it was evidently for the wrong crowd. I liked it. 13. Melody Boys 14. *Kingsmen: I know people have said the "Kingsmen are back" several times in the last few years, but this is the first set I've seen them do that made me feel like they really and truly are back. Of course, they never really went anywhere, but the energy and the quality are there this year. 15. Inspirations 16. Anchormen 17. Dixie Echoes: The Dixie Echoes did a good job, but the sound crew evidently wasn't able to adjust the gain properly for the studio mics they wanted to use...so we strained to hear them thru their entire set until they finally got it right on the last song...seems like that happened last year...and the year before. Oh well. 18. *Dove Brothers: With only a tenth of the 6:00 PM crowd remaining at 11:30 PM, the Doves had the second best set of the evening. After hearing several new selections plus "Lonesome Road" and responding well, the crowd came to their feet spontaneously for "Didn't It Rain." Hey...if it works, you gotta dance with the one that brung ya... Labels: Concert Review, NQC, Observations September 9, 2006DVD Review: Gaither Vocal Band (Give It Away) BUY THIS DVD RATING: 5 Stars Label: Gaither Music Group Producer: Bill Gaither Song Titles: "Bread Upon The Water," "I Catch 'Em, God Cleans 'Em," "Jesus Loves Me," "I'll Tell It Wherever I Go," "My Journey To The Sky," "The Old Gospel Ship (Gordon Mote)," "If They Could See You Through My Eyes (Gordon Mote)," "Through," "Glorious Impossible," "Worthy The Lamb," "Eagle Song," "The Star-Spangled Banner," "Back Home Again In Indiana (Voices Of Lee)," "Love Can Turn The World," "Glory, Glory Clear The Road (Ernie Haase & Signature Sound)," "Heavenly Parade (Ernie Haase & Signature Sound)," "Child Forgiven," "I Will Go On," "Down From His Glory (Larry Wayne Morbitt)," "Place Called Hope," and "Give It Away" The DVD version of Give It Away by the Gaither Vocal Band contains 14 of the 15 songs found on the CD by the same title. (The exception is "Why Me," which I considered to be the weakest cut on the CD, so in my opinion, this was a good move.) The songs come in the same sequence as the CD, interestingly enough. The DVD also features group interviews; performances by special guests Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, the Voices Of Lee, GVB band member Gordon Mote, and Larry Wayne Morbitt; and footage from various locations including a lake and a shower stall. (I'm not kidding.) The performance footage was filmed at the Indiana Roof Ballroom in Indianapolis, IN. The Gaither Vocal Band is one of the few groups that can put ANY other performer on the same stage, and as long as the quality is there, the fans don't take offense or find the stylistic diversity to be too much. A case in point is Larry Wayne Morbitt, a Broadway star, who renders "Down From His Glory" in a fashion that would satisfy any opera fan. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the song uses the same tune as "O Sole Mio" (an opera standard written in 1898). Morbitt gets a standing ovation from the crowd that came to hear the Gaither Vocal Band. In general, all of the guest performers enhance rather than detracting from the GVB, although Gordon Mote does steal the show with an amazing piano break on "The Old Gospel Ship." The closing title track epitomizes the entire DVD as the GVB is joined by Ernie Haase & Signature Sound on stage, Bill Gaither throws his coat into the crowd, Marshall Hall ends up standing on a table in the audience, ticker tape rains down from the ceiling, and the crowd goes wild. If forced to pick a favorite track, I would probably choose "I Catch 'Em, God Cleans 'Em." This is a fun song with a Lousiana/Country beat that features Guy Penrod and has a break for Mote to show off his piano skills. Other highlights include Marshall Hall's soulful "Jesus Loves Me," Wes Hampton's cover of "I'll Tell It Wherever I Go," and "Eagle Song," a tune written by Russ and Tori Taff that was originally recorded by the Imperials. "Glorious Impossible" is a stylistic departure from the norm for the GVB that leads nicely into "Worthy The Lamb." Give It Away is top notch, not only in terms of production quality, but also in terms of song selection, flow, and the talent pool. I like the CD, though I complained in my CD review about a lack of stylistic consistency. The DVD overcomes this perceived flaw by offering more songs, but it also transcends the CD in other areas. The Vocal Band is loose on the DVD...still polished, but exploring more vocal territory...now firmly hitting their stride with new member Wes Hampton. I particularly enjoyed the infectious energy generated in part by the full band in a live setting (including a section of brass instruments). There's also an element of fun on Give It Away, the DVD, that didn't quite come through on Give It Away, the CD. If you liked the CD, you should still buy the DVD so you can hear and see the same music taken to a new level with lots of "bonus footage" in terms of interviews, songs not found on the CD, etc. Regarding actual bonus footage, there's about an hour's worth of behind the scenes material and a song by the Voices Of Lee that didn't make the final cut. This is in addition to the nearly two hours of concert footage, interviews, and special cutaway material that constitute the main portion of the DVD. Labels: DVD Review CD Review: Jeff & Sheri Easter (Life Is Great And Gettin' Better) RATING: 4 1/2 Stars Label: SheLoved Music Producers: Jeff & Sheri Easter, and Greg Cole Song Titles: "Life Is Great And Gettin' Better," "Livin' In The Rain," "Over And Over," "Joshua's Song," "Feelin' Alright, Doin' Okay," "I Wouldn't Change You If I Could," "All The Days That End In Why," "A Lullaby," "Come See Me," "Daddy Hung The Moon," "Old Chunk Of Coal," and "Dance" Life Is Great And Gettin' Better kicks off with the title track, featuring Jeff Easter on the vocal. "Livin' In The Rain" is up next with a Doc Watson treatment...a walking, medium tempo, with cool guitar licks and good vocal harmony. This cut features Sheri Easter with a guest appearance by Vince Gill. The pace slows down for "Over And Over," an unremarkable song featuring Jeff. He does a good job singing the song, but there's nothing particularly unique about the lyric to make it stick in your memory. "Joshua's Song" is the first track on the CD written by Sheri. This track also features Sheri. It begins with the story of Joshua, the soldier from scripture, then progresses to a story about a man passing away. The chorus fits both scenarios. It's Jeff's turn to be featured next on a fun lyric written by Woody Wright called "Feelin' Alright, Doin' Okay," then Jeff and Sheri share the feature vocals on Arthur Smith's classic love song, "I Wouldn't Change You If I Could." That's the first half of Life Is Great And Gettin' Better. The next six tracks are in a similar Country vein. Alas, there are no Charlotte Ritchie features on this CD, although she does provide background vocals. One track that stands out on the second half of the CD is "Old Chunk Of Coal," with a guest vocal by Country artist Daryle Singletary. Life Is Great And Gettin' Better is the first project released by Jeff & Sheri Easter since they parted ways with the Spring Hill record label. To my ears, it's just as good as the stuff in their Spring Hill catalog, which was consistently top quality. Clocking in at 45 minutes, the song mix includes a number of fun tracks like "Life Is Great And Gettin' Better," "Livin' In The Rain," "Feelin' Alright, Doin' Okay," and "Old Chunk Of Coal" as well as several ballads like "Joshua's Song," "Dance" and others. Among these are a number of songs aimed specifically at families like "A Lullaby," "I Wouldn't Change You If I Could," "Dance," and "Daddy Hung The Moon." These tunes reflect Jeff and Sheri's new addition this past year. The classy photos of their family on the front cover suit the theme of the music, too...it's always nice when the graphics relate to the music that is being sold. Labels: CD Review September 8, 2006CD Review: Imperials (The Lost Album) BUY THIS CD RATING: 4 Stars Label: Word Records Producer: Gary S. Paxton Website: www.theimperials.com Song Titles: "Sonshiny Day," “New Creation,” “Earth, Our Island Home,” “Soon And Very Soon,” “We Are The Band, But He Is The Music,” “The World Didn’t Give It To Me,” “In The Same Old Fashioned Way,” “Closer To Jesus,” “I Love The Way You Love,” and “Sonshiny Day (Live Version)” When the Imperials signed with Word/Dayspring in 1976, David Will and Russ Taff had just joined veteran vocalists Jim Murray and Armond Morales. According to the comments of Morales included in the liner notes, the group recorded an album's worth of music with producer Gary S. Paxton and turned it over to their label head in early 1977. Word decided not to release the project, and sent the Imperials back into the studio with producer Chris Christian. The result of their second effort was a 1977 released project titled Sail On that included the popular "Bread Upon The Water" as well as the title cut and a critically acclaimed song called "Water Grave." Sail On was the beginning of a label/artist relationship that lasted more than a decade and saw the Imperials ride the wave of the quickly expanding Contemporary Christian market throughout the 1980s. If you believe the rumors, the original masters for what would have been the Imperials' Word/Dayspring debut were lost for the past thirty years. Paxton and the label head presumably had a falling out, prompting the label head to decide the project wasn't good enough to be the first release by the Imperials. The story continues that the Word exec used the 24-track master under his desk as a footstool. Before this review is over, I'll debunk at least one portion of this conspiracy theory. It's not possible that the entire recording was lost for the entire period of time because one song was released in 1981, four years after it supposedly became "lost." Maybe other elements of the story are true. It certainly gives the project a sense of mystique. In keeping with the legend, this project is titled The Lost Album. The CD contains nine studio recordings, closing with a live version of the opening track, "Sonshiny Day." This track has a 1970s pop vibe, lighthearted with a straight eighth, un-syncopated rhythm. It's the first of three songs that should already be familiar to diehard Imperials fans, since it also appears on Imperials Live (1978). I don't have a copy of Imperials Live to make the comparison, but I strongly suspect the two live versions of "Sonshiny Day" are one and the same. The group is introduced with the words "Ladies and gentlemen, the Imperials" on The Lost Album version, and the song is positioned first on Imperials Live, right where you'd normally have a spoken introduction on a live recording. The next track, "New Creation," was also recorded in front of an audience for the 1978 live recording. I was able to reference the live version of "New Creation" on Legacy, a two-disc collection of 34 songs from the group's "Word years" (1977-1988). "New Creation" was written by Russ Taff, and features Taff as well. Unlike the live version, which begins with a simple piano chord and Taff's voice, the studio cut on The Lost Album has a Gregorian chant inspired intro, followed by strings before Taff enters with the vocal. It's also pitched a half step lower than the live version and clocks in at nearly six minutes. "Earth, Our Island Home" has a slow string accompaniment and a classic vocal jazz treatment. There's some elaborate chords in this one. "Earth = island home" was a common metaphor in the 1970s following the emphasis on space exploration that began in the late 1960s. Andrae Crouch's now classic "Soon And Very Soon" is up next. This was a brand new song in 1976, having just been introduced by Crouch & The Disciples on This Is Another Day that same year. The Imperials version has a brass driven accompaniment that may have inspired the arrangements of songs that came later for the group like "I'm Forgiven," "Any Good Time At All," and "Let Jesus Do It For You." Armond Morales takes the lead for one verse on "We Are The Band, But He Is The Music." The vocal stylings on this cut are similar to "Earth, Our Island Home," but more on the sappy side. This is the type of song you heard when you stepped on an elevator or walked through a department store in 1976. "The World Didn't Give It To Me" (written by producer Gary S. Paxton along with Bill and Gloria Gaither) is up next. Although the Imperials project was put on the shelf for nearly thirty years, an up-and-coming group called Truth recorded this song in 1977 on their album titled Not Just A Coincidence and sang it for years to come. I believe Gaither also used the song on a children's project. The Imps version is pretty cheesy with a spoken "and that's the name of that tune" at the end. The next song on The Lost Album is the track that proves the album wasn't literally "lost" for all those years. "In The Same Old Fashioned Way" was a popular concert number for the Imperials for many years. The track that appears on The Lost Album was also released in 1981 on The Very Best Of The Imperials. It's a great song written and performed by David Will. It was so popular for the group that the Imperials re-recorded it twenty years later on It's Still The Cross (1997, Big God Records), Wills' final non-seasonal project with the group. "Closer To Jesus" has the least amount of 1970s stylistic "baggage." Featuring Taff, this track actually sounds like it could have been recorded recently. I don't know if Word has considered pushing any of these songs to radio, but this cut would actually sound pretty good on modern Southern Gospel radio. Few listeners would suspect it's thirty years old. "I Love The Way You Love" is another track on The Lost Album that hadn't been released as a studio version previously, but did see the light of day as a concert version on Imperials Live. It's another showcase for Russ Taff...not his most memorable effort, but very good nonetheless. The Lost Album stands up well considering the age of the recording. Is this album better than it's supplanter, Sail On? No, it isn't. Although the Imperials never really recorded any more songs like "Water Grave," that's an all time classic that helped open the door for groups like Petra and others of the wailing guitar/arena rock persuasion. "There Will Never Be Any Peace" took cues from Carole King's Tapestry, as did many other songs recorded in the 1970s. Of course, the songs "Sail On" and "Bread On The Water" speak for themselves. Even though The Lost Album contains several songs that would have made an impact, Sail On is a notch above in just about every way that counts. So in retrospect, Word/Dayspring made the right call in 1977 when they told the Imperials, "Try again. You can do better." That being said, I'm still delighted The Lost Album was finally given the green light. (I hope you've enjoyed reading this review. It required more research than any article I've written since my book!) Labels: CD Review NQC Begins SundayThis year, NQC is getting things rolling a day earlier with a Sunday evening concert event in the South Wing. Featured will be Triumphant Quartet and Brian Free & Assurance. We can only pray to God that the Louisville Courier-Journal and other Louisville media will dispatch reporters to cover the opening event. If they wait until the Monday afternoon showcases, chances are strong that they'll gravitate towards the gaudiest looking amateur group on stage and treat them as the poster child for NQC. Labels: NQC, Observations September 7, 2006The Perfect NQCNQC is an event I've attended annually since 1998. Obviously, I'm an NQC fan or I wouldn't continue to go back each year. For the past few days, though, I've been thinking about what I would change if I was suddenly given the power to call all the shots at NQC and the KFEC. BEGINNING THEMES: Every evening concert would start with a theme. Monday would remain male quartet night. Tuesday would feature family groups and trios as in years past. Wednesday would begin with a series of songs depicting the life of Christ interspersed with narration...like a church choral cantata, but with SG groups singing rather than a choir. Thursday night's theme would be the Singing News Fan Awards, but with professional hosts keeping it moving rather than artists bending over backwards trying to be clever, failing miserably in the process, and making it drag on forever. I like the idea NQC is introducing this year on Friday...family night, with some crossover appeal by bringing in groups like the Brooklyn Tabernacle Singers to appear alongside SG's top artists. Saturday night would be a full fledged Gaither Homecoming event supplemented at the beginning of the evening by some of the top SG groups that don't typically appear on Homecoming events. (In order to meet the added expense of a Homecoming event, I would increase the cost of seats for individual Saturday night tickets, especially on the lower level seating, but try to hold the line on ticket prices for season ticket holders.) STAYING POWER: Every evening concert would end with some sort of "power hour," featuring top groups on stage together. KingsGold (Monday) Cathedrals Tribute with former group members Haase, Bennett, Fowler, Trammell, Wolfe, and others (Tuesday) Patriotic show with the Hoppers, Booth Brothers, Oak Ridge Boys and Larry Gatlin (Wednesday) Nostalgia show with the Perrys, Palmetto State Quartet, Dove Brothers, and Stan Whitmire (Thursday) Super Group made up of the Fan Award winners (Friday) Homecoming conclusion with all the artists on stage (Saturday) HOUSE BAND: NQC would have several top notch, studio quality players on the main stage to supplement all groups that don't have a band of their own. That's not to say tracks would never be used on main stage, but there would be a minumum of four live players performing with every group. FREEDOM HALL: Renovated...period. The place just looks old and cruddy. (I dearly hope a renovated arena is on the agenda after the East Wing renovation is complete.) Labels: Observations Daniel Britt Joins XM Satellite RadioDavid Bruce Murray allowed me a spot here to share my excitement a bit, so here goes: The news is out: I will be producing and hosting a new weekly radio show for XM Satellite Radio, on Channel 34, enLighten! I really can't tell you how excited I am about this opportunity. The show is called "Daniel Britt & Friends" and will focus a large part on artists interviews and documentaries, as well as including other fun features like flashbacks, did you know?, and concert happenings around the country. The program debuts on Monday, September 25, 2006 at 7PM Eastern (4PM Pacific). Each week, you will have three opportunities to catch the show. Here are the scheduled broadcast times: - Mondays at 7 PM Eastern/4 PM Pacific - Thursdays at 10 PM Eastern/7 PM Pacific - Saturdays at 12 Noon Eastern/9 AM Pacific The first program is a tribute to the late Anthony Burger, and for the program, I talked to LuAnn Burger, Lori, Sonya and Lily Isaacs, and Buddy Greene. The week of the show's debut, enLighten will also be paying a week-long tribute to Anthony, including some great contest. As you might expect, you can keep up to date with future programming notes and details, as well as download more extensive versions of the interviews, here at danielbritt.com. I'm also putting together an email newsletter that will keep you abreast of program notes. You can subscribe here. "Daniel Britt & Friends" will be heard on XM Satellite Radio's channel 34, enLighten. You can also hear it online at xmradio.com, at AOL Radio, or with DirecTV on channel 828. - Learn more about XM at xmradio.com - Learn more about enLighten from the XM site - Check out enlighten34.com --Daniel Britt NQC T-Shirt Over at averyfineline, there's been a suggestion to create a t-shirt (in fun) that reads "Spiritually Certified by NQC" ... It kept staring me in the face when I would read it... so, I couldn't resist. It's been designed, you can buy it and maybe even have it shipped by NQC time. Who knows. Here's the link: https://www.spreadshirt.com/shop.php?sid=49585 (note: really, this is just for fun. no disrespect is meant. hey, and it's free press for CMP!) -Daniel Britt Labels: NQC September 4, 2006DVD Review: Jeff & Sheri Easter (The Best Of) A Nutshell Review BUY THIS DVD RATING: 4 1/2 Stars Label: Gaither Music Group Producer: Bill Gaither Song Titles: "John Saw," "Sing, Sister, Sing," "Singing In My Soul," "Praise His Name," "River Of Jordan," "Soaky Bread (comedy)," "Thread Of Hope," "Goin' Away Party," "You Must Be Born Again," "Speak To The Mountain," "Is There Anything I Can Do," "Shekel (comedy)," "I Need You," "Roses Will Bloom Again," "Rivers Of Babylon," "She Loved," "Keep On The Sunny Side," "Cornflake (comedy)," "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," "How To Celebrate Christmas (comedy)," "One Way," "Keep Walkin' On," "Thank You, Lord, For Your Blessings On Me," and " Lord, Send Your Angels" Jeff & Sheri Easter are featured on the latest "Best Of" DVD from the Gaither Gospel Series. As with other releases in the series, this title compiles performances from various Homecoming videos with interview segments between each song. Twenty songs are included, plus four clips of Jeff in various settings attempting to make you laugh. The interviews, conducted by Bill Gaither, are the only footage that is unique to this video. These shed light on topics like Jeff & Sheri's first connection to the Gaither videos, stories behind songs they have sung together, their "surprise" baby (who is well on the way at the time of the interviews), their respective musical families, and road stories. Of course, there's a number of laughs as Jeff tells about some humorous characters he has known, such as his level-headed, snuff dipping Grandma. I don't have to tell you about the quality of the music portions of the videos. The Homecoming video series has set the standard for concert videos from the outset, and they've continued to improve over the years. As with other Gaither video products, you get more than an hour and a half of total footage. There aren't any bonus features on this release and the largest photo on the cover looks a bit grainy, having been lifted from one of the videos, but those have little bearing on the overall quality of the product. All Jeff & Sheri Easter fans should want to get a copy of this DVD. Labels: DVD Review CD Review: Jeff Treece Band (Angels Watching) A Nutshell Review BUY THIS CD RATING: 3 Stars Label: Crossroads Records Producers: Chris White and Jeff Collins Song Titles: "Angels Watching," "Gave It All To Me," "I Couldn't Have Lost Her (To A Better Man)," "Shine On," "More Than Ready," "Motor Home Song," "11:59," "Do The Math," "That's What I Call A Friend," and "Little Hope Baptist Church" Jeff Treece has a style of Country diction that you'll either enjoy or find annoying. His voice suits the style of music that the Jeff Treece Band plays, and he has a knack for finding your funny bone, your heart or both...at times. Angels Watching begins with the title track, a song that Marine Moms Online adopted as their official theme song. "I Couldn't Have Lost Her To A Better Man" isn't about a cheating wife, though it sounds like it could be if you just read the title...or if you just hear the first two verses, for that matter. It all becomes clear in the tag at the end if you're too dense to figure it out before then. "More Than Ready" has a bluegrass treatment with some help on vocals from Gus Gaches, Alisha Howard, and Jeff Pearles. It's the best track on the CD. "Motor Home Song," as you'd expect, is a comedic look at getting older and traveling the countryside in a vehicle that gets nine miles per gallon. "Little Hope Baptist Church" is in a similar comedic vein...someone screams like a girl and moos like a cow before it's all said and done...we're talking Ray Stevens type stuff...just not quite as funny. A few of the tracks on Angels Watching aren't nearly as memorable. This CD isn't for everyone. On a positive note, the music track quality is very good. Assuming Treece's vocal style suits your personal listening preferences, this recording is up to snuff in terms of the way it sounds. Unfortunately, the lyrics range from forgettable to cheesy for the most part...the quality of the songwriting is hit and miss with one or two more misses than hits. Labels: CD Review CD Review: Collingsworth Family (God Is Faithful) A Nutshell Review BUY THIS CD RATING: 4 1/2 Stars Label: Crossroads Records Producers: Roger Talley and Wayne Haun Song Titles: "God Is Faithful," "Swingin' And Marchin'," "The Healer Is Here," "He Loves Me," "God Is In The Shadows," "Tradin' A Cross For A Crown," "How Great Thou Art," "Light From Heaven," "Olivia's Thank You," "Inhabit The Praise," "Sheltered In The Arms Of God," "We Want To Praise Jesus," "You See To Me," "Shine On Us," and "Free To Go Home" Before I heard a note, God Is Faithful immediately rubbed me the wrong way with its non-standard packaging, a booklet that was glued into the cover so I couldn't take it out and thumb through it, and a CD holder that required me to practically break the CD in half before I could get it loose. It's difficult to beat a good old fashioned jewel case. Once I got to the music, though, I was fairly impressed not only with the quality of this recording, but also by the diversity of the Collingsworth Family and the sheer bulk of music they offer in one piece of product. God Is Faithful includes fifteen tracks and clocks in at 57 minutes in length. There's mixed trio arrangements, piano solos, individual vocal solos, songs featuring the entire family, and a ladies trio arrangement. The liner notes are meticulously detailed for each song, even listing the names of an interpreter and a copyist the group used when working with an orchestra in the Czech Republic. Only the best musicians were used for the tracks...names like Jason Webb, the Nashville String Machine, the City Of Prague Philharmonic, David Johnson, and Roger Fortner are just a few you should recognize from the liner notes. Songs range from Inspirational ("God Is Faithful," "The Healer Is Here," "Inhabit The Praise," "You See To Me," "Shine On Us" and "Free To Go Home") to light pop ("He Loves Me") to traditional Southern Gospel ("God Is In The Shadows," "Tradin' A Cross For A Crown," "Light From Heaven," and "We Want To Praise Jesus")...plus there's three piano solos by Kim Collingsworth, including the version of "How Great Thou Art" she used to reportedly steal the show during the Pianorama showcase at NQC 2005. I realize this CD has been out for about a year now. I've had it on my shelf waiting for a review for several months, but I didn't want to pass it by. If you are a fan of traditional family groups like the Nelons of the 1980s or the Hemphills from that same era, you will feel a similar attraction to God Is Faithful by the Collingsworth Family. Labels: CD Review CD Review: Three Bridges (Promises) A Nutshell Review RATING: 3 1/2 Stars Label: Sonlite Records Producer: Jeff Collins Song Titles: "In The Valley There Is A Rock," "I'm Going To Wait," "I Believe," "Have You Heard The News?," "I Heard It First On The Radio," "Yesterday," "A Little Song Coming On," "Stand," "The Door," and "Blessings All Around" Promises has an interesting concept. Each song is preceded by a scripture reading...Charlie Daniels, Ricky Skaggs, Gloria Gaither, Donnie McClurkin, Duane Allen and others are accompanied by soft music as they read a promise from the Bible. Songs on Promises range from progressive Southern Gospel ("In The Valley There Is A Rock") to Country ("A Little Song Coming On" and "The Door") to Black Gospel ("I'm Going To Wait," "Have You Heard The News?," and "Yesterday") to generic arrangements of pop ballads ("I Believe," "I Heard It First On The Radio," and "Stand") to island music ("Blessings All Around"). Promises includes several excellent songs including one that has already done great for Three Bridges on the radio airplay charts. Of the remaining tracks, two or three are of a more moderate quality, while a couple leave you scratching your head wondering why they chose to record such a song. This group has a great deal of potential if they can learn to discern what works best for them and what doesn't. In my opinion, Three Bridges should stick with Black Gospel and progressive Southern Gospel, because they are at their best when singing those styles. Although having well known people read scripture is a great idea, the abrupt stylistic shifts after each song to the soft music accompanying the scripture readings tend to interupt the overall flow. Labels: CD Review September 1, 2006CD Review: Mark Bishop (Everyday) A Nutshell Review BUY THIS CD RATING: 5 Stars Label: Sonlite Producers: Jeff Collins and Mark Bishop Song Titles: "I Don't Believe It," "It All Works Out," "With Me Always (duet with Lauren Talley)," "Remember Who He Is, Remember What He Does," "Let Jesus," "Let The Angels Take The Fallen," "I'm Looking For Jesus," "The Church Homecoming," "Miracle Rose," and "Lord Go With Me" Mark Bishop is a great songwriter. Not only that, he's probably the best songwriter Mark Bishop the performer could possibly find when seeking new material. It's no huge surprise that he wrote all ten songs for Everyday (with no co-writers). "I Don't Believe It" may seem like a strange title for a gospel song, but there's a twist in each verse that makes it crystal clear once you hear it. "It All Works Out" is a mid-tempo story song that progresses from a bedtime story in the first verse to escaping from a storm in the second to a statement about eternal life in the third. Lauren Talley joins Bishop on "With Me Always," a ballad that starts soft and gradually builds to a big finish. Other facets of Everyday that caught my attention include the lyrics of "Let Jesus In," which tells the story of a man's salvation experience; the Celtic tones of "Let The Angels Take The Fallen;" the unpredictable phrase structures of "The Church Homecoming;" and the imagery of the lyrics in "Miracle Rose." "Lord Go With Me" is a "help me through the valley" type song that brings Everyday to a powerful close. Everyday holds your attention from beginning to end, not because Mark Bishop is a particularly superb vocalist and not because the production quality is unique...Bishop's success with Everyday comes because he's an outstanding communicator who is singing songs written specifically for him by a great songwriter...who also happens to be him. Alongside Mercy's Well's Hymns and Brian Free & Assurance's It's So God, Everyday is among the Top Three releases of 2006. Labels: CD Review | |||
