Comments on: Mega-groups in Southern Gospel

By: GospelMusicFan

GospelMusicFan — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 07:15:10 +0000

You can not pass judgement on whether SSQ is a mega=group based on your last objective.
The group is young except6 for Ernie so you can not make a judgement based on the “later” factor at this time.
Give them a few years and they might reach that objective.
Remember Bill Gaither was only a roadside singer in small churches in the late 50’s and 60’s.
It tookl years for him to reach a higher level.

By: Daniel J. Mount

Daniel J. Mount — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 23:46:51 +0000

Chris,

I think I’m starting to understand that your point is that the way things are in my area is not representative.

In my case, it wasn’t just “venue booked,” it wasn’t “big enough building.” There are churches with big buildings in the general vicinity that bring in Southern Gospel at least occasionally, but the church that brought in the Crabb Family was the single most “seeker-sensitive megachurch” in the area and I believe brought them in for a regular service–like Sunday Morning–possibly in addition to a regular concert. This was within the past year or so.

Though it’s been a few years since I spent a significant amount of time listening to the local CCM station, when I did, the amount of air time given to Crabb music was, I believe, comparable to the time the local SG station gives to their music, though not quite as much.

Perhaps this isn’t representative of other markets, but the Crabb Family has been embraced by the CCM community in this market.

By: Chris Unthank

Chris Unthank — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 23:39:15 +0000

That should read “They don’t do major CCM tours” NOT SG tours.

By: Chris Unthank

Chris Unthank — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 23:38:10 +0000

I’m not sure what work in the CCM market that the Crabb Family has been doing that was any different than the Cathedrals were doing in the 90’s. The Crabb Family plays church venues that normally host CCM events because that is the size building they need. That tells me they are a mega-group.

You always say they’ve been doing stuff in CCM – yet they aren’t played on CCM radio, they don’t do major SG tours, and their albums are still stocked and considered Southern Gospel in retail and for the Dove and Grammy awards.

By: Daniel J. Mount

Daniel J. Mount — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 19:04:45 +0000

Well, Chris, I was mostly thinking within traditional Southern Gospel. The Crabbs have been doing quite a bit of work in the CCM market; all their concerts locally were at CCM church venues. (I know they do concerts at Southern Gospel venues elsewhere.) But there’s only one response I can have to your post: Duh.

I should have thought of the GVB and Crabs myself.

By: Chris Unthank

Chris Unthank — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 19:01:51 +0000

I can’t believe you left out the TWO BIGGEST SG artists in the last ten years – even bigger than Ernie Haase & Signature Sound: The Crabb Family and Gaither Vocal Band.

I have said it time and time again and I will continue to say it – there are FOUR mega-artists in our community right now – they are EHSSQ, GVB, Crabb Family, and the Isaacs. No one else sells as many records or packs out the place more than these four. Also, no other group has the outside recognition of these four groups.

By: Adam Edwards

Adam Edwards — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 15:35:30 +0000

What makes a mega-group? In a word, consistency. Consistant members and consistent (good, quality) hit songs. Unfortunately, SG has little to no groups that would fit my criteria, usually due to personnel changes. The groups closest to being the mega-groups are:

Signature Sound
Legacy Five
Inspirations (maybe they are already there?)

Just my opinion….