MusicScribe BLOG

1 | quartet-man

July 3rd, 2010 at 11:21 pm

No offense to the Doves or Won By One (whose version I heard), but it is pretty much impossible to beat the Oaks’ “In Concert” version. Their own studio which charted didn’t do it, and I doubt if anyone else does. :)

2 | mary

July 4th, 2010 at 3:55 am

While I am also a big Oaks fan, I also love the Ball Brothers and the Doves; I would say I almost love them all equally except that truth be told I would take the Balls… but given that this is a new version by the Doves I cant wait to hear it. Unlike Qman I think the Doves might just pull off a surprise. I look forward to finding out.

3 | Aaron Swain

July 4th, 2010 at 4:08 pm

I think the Doves version is great. It’s one of the best tracks on the project, IMHO.

4 | Kyle

July 5th, 2010 at 2:58 am

Funny story…back in November, I had lunch with McCray Dove and David Hester. We were talking about Oaks songs, and David brought up the live version of “King Jesus,” which he said was a favorite of his. I fired it up on my iPod for him.

I was not entirely surprised to hear him singing lead on it….

5 | QwertyJuan

July 5th, 2010 at 1:16 pm

I hate to admit this…. as I think the Dove Brothers are currently at the top of SoGo, but I abhor David Hester’s voice. I seriously hate to say that about someone I don’t know(that I’m sure is a GREAT guy and a Godly man) but I can’t stand his voice(Sorry David :( )I could only IMAGINE the greatness that would come from the Dove’s employing Aaron McCune.

6 | quartet-man

July 5th, 2010 at 3:04 pm

Although I really liked his predecessor (although he admittedly isn’t a sub bass bass singer), I thought David added a good bit. He gives them the range and sound to do the old J.D. Sumner fifties and sixties type songs. Now, I guess to be fair, Aaron McCune is likely my favorite more recent bass (not counting my three favorites of Richard Sterban, George Younce, and Tim Riley.) Aaron might fit better doing certain things and is more “Sterbanesque” if they are shooting for an Oaks sound. So, I guess it depends on what they are after. (Not that either bass is limited to only a certain style.)

7 | quartet-man

July 5th, 2010 at 3:06 pm

Mary, have you heard the live version of the Oaks? Just curious. If you are going by the studio version, it is a whole different ballgame.

Aaron, I haven’t heard it yet, but I think it is safe to say no matter how well they do it, it will not touch the Oaks live one. If it does indeed do so, I will be surprised, but also curious as to how they could surpass the nearly perfect one IMHO. :)

8 | QwertyJuan

July 5th, 2010 at 7:36 pm

To #6….. I picked McCune because he is currently unemployed(as far as I know) whereas Tim is happily singing with GC right now. Tim is still my all time favorite. BUT, IMO the Doves continue singing “Oak Ridge” style music, and consequently, Aaron would fit the bill much better than David.

9 | McCray Dove

July 5th, 2010 at 8:48 pm

Hey thanks for the comments. But let me say this. We never record a song because we think we can do it better than the artist that had the big hit on it. We record a song because it is a Great Song and we wanted to sing the song. We don’t try to do the song better than Oaks or The Statesmen ect. We just try to be the Dove Brothers and sing the song the way we feel at the time.

I hope you enjoy UNSHAKEABLE and hear a song that you connect with. When you get a chance come out and be with us in concert.

McCray Dove

10 | admin

July 5th, 2010 at 9:46 pm

I don’t think I’ve heard the live version by the Oaks, but “King Jesus” is one of my top three favorite tracks on _Unshakeable_. (I have heard the studio version by the Oaks as well as Won By One’s.)

I like David Hester’s singing style, too. He can drop low when a song calls for it, but he’s also ultra smooth. There are few who can do both with quality. David has a nice expressive quality on par with Rex Nelon when he takes a melody as he does on “King Jesus,” but he can also bottom out on a low G with a nice full tone. Is he comparable to Tim Riley when he hits that low G? No, but there’s probably only one or two bass singers currently singing who can come close to matching Riley’s tone quality in that range.

I’d be surprised if there were seven or eight other guys who can hit that low G that I’d prefer hearing over David Hester, plus he’s closer to number three or four on my list of smooth bass singers. That ain’t bad at all!

11 | admin

July 5th, 2010 at 9:50 pm

One reason the DBQ ranks so high on my list of current groups is because of what McCray just wrote. The vast majority of the songs they are recording now have a notably original delivery even on songs someone else has recorded in the past. By that, I mean you wouldn’t likely confuse the DBQ version for a previously recorded version by some other group.

12 | quartet-man

July 6th, 2010 at 12:52 am

#6, I never thought you necessarily liked McCune better than Rile, I was commenting on how other than the three I mentioned, Aaron was my favorite overall. I too said he was more Steban like than Hester, but Hester is also more J.D. like.

McCray, thanks for commenting. I do think it is a great song and don’t fault you for wanting to sing it. I was just saying as far as I am concerned, I suspect the original will be my choice between the two. However, I really liked what you did with Get Away Jordan and prefer it. Maybe had I heard the Statesmen’s first I would feel differently, but maybe not. :)

David, you are really missing out if you haven’t heard the live version. Same thing with the live version of What A Time We Will Have Over There. The studio versions do not come close to holding candles to these live versions any more than the studio version of Jesus Is Coming Soon does to the two live versions. On King Jesus, the choruses have some slight differences as I recall, and Duane changes out the solo encores. The middle one is much slower, which I don’t like as well, but it does cause it to kick on the chorus again a tempo. The band is kickin’ as well.

13 | mary

July 7th, 2010 at 5:54 am

#7 –Qman, I have not had the pleasure of hearing anything live by the Oaks; but what a wonderful thought to have that exp. someday!

14 | McCray Dove

July 7th, 2010 at 9:39 am

The first single is If I knew then!!! I don’t think King Jesus will be a single.

15 | quartet-man

July 7th, 2010 at 4:03 pm

McCray, I hope you don’t let my comments stop you from releasing it (not saying I have that much weight, but then again I am pretty heavy ;-) ) I am simply stating how much I love the live version and doubt I’ll ever find one I love even as much. There are even some pretty die-hard Oaks fans who haven’t heard the live version, and the song is a good one that deserves to be heard, so if you feel that it was a good candidate before to release, I hope you will.

16 | McCray Dove

July 7th, 2010 at 11:17 pm

Hey quartet-man, Your comments didn’t change anything we already knew what we wanted to do before the cd was finished. I just wanted to let the readers know which song was the first single. If I knew then went to radio two weeks ago.

17 | quartet-man

July 8th, 2010 at 12:25 am

Thanks, McCray. I didn’t want my opinions or my love for the Oaks live version to discourage you at all. :)

18 | quartet-man

July 8th, 2010 at 12:26 am

P.S. Still haven’t heard your new Cd (or the previous). I need to remedy that.

19 | Nate Stainbrook

July 8th, 2010 at 10:57 pm

David Hester is in my top five of favorite bass singers… The song he did on the Doves last album “Leaving On My Mind” sealed that for me… He is one of the smoothest basses in the business in my opinion, and he can also nail those low notes with authority…

20 | Ivory Luke

July 12th, 2010 at 11:41 pm

Hey McCray, great to see your comments! As we discussed in Spartanburg recently, you choose songs you love to sing. Many come from the songs we grew up listening to and performing. There are three songs on this project that the group I sing with were plannng to do before we knew our favorite group(DBQ) had included them on their newest CD. 1. King Jesus—the song I was singing when I finally surrendered my life to Christ. 2. My Soul Has Been Set Free—my favorite version is by Willie Wynn and the Tennesseans. 3. Old Buddha—-cute, fun song from the Imperials…..just good stuff!! Keep up the great work!!! DBQ has great individual talent, but collectively….you are hard to beat. Being a tenor, Jerry is someone I admire and he inspires me. Adding the live band was a brilliant move.

21 | Larry Bedford

July 14th, 2010 at 12:29 pm

I think George Younce was the best bass ever smooth and could hit the low notes without growling, David Hester in also in that range, he’s perfect for the Dove Brothers!