Dave's Top Eight

1. Jerry Reed...Revisited by Darrell Toney (reviewed 6/07) (5 Stars)
2. Sounds Like Sunday by Janet Paschal (reviewed 5/07) (5 Stars)
3. True To The Call by Kingdom Heirs (reviewed 3/07) (4 1/2 Stars)
4. Revival by Gold City (reviewed 10/06) (4 1/2 Stars)
5. Get Away Jordan by Ernie Haase & Signature Sound (reviewed 2/07) (4 1/2 Stars)
6. Breakin' Chains by Three Bridges (reviewed 5/07) (4 1/2 Stars)
7. Big Sky by The Isaacs (reviewed 4/07)
8. Skywriting by Mercy's Well (reviewed 7/07)

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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February 2, 2007

NQC 2007 Schedule

The 2007 schedule for NQC has been posted (subject to change, of course). Click HERE for Mon-Wed and HERE for Thur-Sat. Comparing the 2007 schedule to the 2006 schedule, several changes stick out.

1. First and foremost, quartet night is gone. For years, the evening concert on Monday night has been limited to male quartets, but in 2007, Monday evening will be just like the rest of the week with a mixture of quartets and trios. That really stinks...worse than the Singing News Fan Awards changes, in my opinion. Fortunately, the non-male quartets on the program for Monday night are mostly solid names, including the Booth Brothers, Greater Vision, Hoppers, Karen Peck & New River, Mark Trammell Trio, Perrys, and the Talley Trio. The Pfeifers and a couple of somewhat lesser known quartets (Torchmen and Southern Sound out of Nashville, TN) round out the evening.

2. The evening concerts in 2006 featured 17-18 acts per night with the exception of Thursday, which had 12 acts plus the Singing New Fan Awards event. The 2007 schedule currently has one or two fewer acts listed per night, but it's possible more artists will be added before the event.

3. Two groups will kick off the week with a Sunday night concert again. This year's groups are Legacy Five and the Booth Brothers.

4. Wednesday's three showcases are the same as 2006...Vintage Quartets, Artist Spotlight, and Dennis Swanberg (comedy).

On the Vintage Quartet showcase, the Dove Brothers, Florida Boys, and Kingdom Heirs return for another year. The Perrys and Palmetto State have been replaced by Brian Free & Assurance and Gold City.

On the Artist Spotlight showcase, the Diplomats, Gospel Enforcers, Sons Family, and Singing Ambassadors are back. The Hayes Family and Ricky Atkinson & Compassion have been replaced by Called Out and Heirline. (RA&C graduated to the main stage.)

6. Thursday's showcases are mostly fresh for 2007. The Bluegrass Pickin' Jamboree hosted by Tim Surrett and Les Butler is back, but gone are Mosie's Men, the Artist Spotlight Showcase, and the Low Bass Competition. These have been replaced with the Sevier Heights Baptist Choir and Orchestra, Aaron Wilburn (comedy), and a relocated Instrumentalists Jam Session hosted by Tim Lovelace. (The jam session was on Saturday last year.)

7. Friday will follow the same schedule as 2006. Showcases include Dr. David Jeremiah, two Artist Spotlight showcases, the Brooklyn Tabernacle Singers, and Mike Speck's Choral Extravaganza.

The first Artist Spotlight will have 3 for 1, the Duvalls, and the pink suited Northmen, just as in 2006. Amy Lambert, the Torchmen, and the Hoskins Family have been replaced by the Browns, Collingsworth Family, and Daryl Williams Trio. (The Torchmen return to the main stage after a two-year absence.)

The second Artist Spotlight on Friday has the Gabbards, New Ground, and Jubilation returning. The Rick Webb Trio and Poet Voices return to the main stage. Their replacements are the Greesons, the Crist Family, and the Freemans.

8. Saturday's showcases will again include Pianorama, a Songwriter's showcase, and two Artist Spotlight showcases. The Crabb Jam and the Instrumentalists Jam Session (shifted to Thursday) have been replaced with a Hoppers 50th Anniversary showcase. Pianorama has been lengthened from just one hour in 2006 to an hour and 45 minutes in 2007.

Saturday's first Artist Spotlight has Mark Bishop, the Roarks, and Shiloh reprising their 2006 roles. The Pfeifers won't appear in 2007 on this showcase, but Michael Combs, the Galloways, and the McCraes will.

The second Artist Spotlight on Saturday will feature the return of Paid In Full, the Songfellows, Crystal River, and the Mike Lefevre Quartet. The Ruppes and the Jody Brown Indian Family (aka JBIF) will appear on the main stage this year. In their place in this showcase will be Mercy's Mark and the Gann Brothers. Mercy's Mark will also be on the main stage Monday night.

9. Finally, here's a rundown of who's new and who's out on the main stage for 2007.

NEW: Ricky Atkinson & Compassion, Valor, Mike Lefevre Quartet, and JBIF...also Poet Voices and the Torchmen return to the main stage after having been away for a couple of years. Of these, the group I'm most eager to hear in a live setting is Valor.

OUT: Freemans, Monument Quartet, Hoskins Family, Safe Harbor, Mike Bowling Group (or Mike & Kelly Bowling), Crabb Family, Cumberland Quartet, Galloways, Isaacs, Martins, and Lordsong

Of the groups that are out, the Freemans have been bumped to an afternoon showcase, which is downright mind boggling considering their current radio success. They should be on the main stage. The Crabb Family will be retired by this point. Layer on the losses of the Isaacs (who put on the most tremendous display of musical talent of any group at NQC in 2006) and the outstanding vocals of LordSong, and it's clear the losses currently outweigh the additions.

Of course, we must keep in mind that some of these groups may be added to the main stage schedule, just as several changes were made in 2006. It certainly isn't carved in stone yet.

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posted by David Bruce Murray @ 9:16:00 PM


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