Signature Sound launches blog, announces Cathedrals Tribute
Ernie Haase has launched a new blog. I must say that it’s the most impressive graphic design I have seen to date on a blogspot-based blog.
His most recent post is the most newsworthy. A year ago, January 2008, they began work on a Cathedrals Tribute project, singing classic Cathedrals songs Signature Sound style. Haase just posted a YouTube video with clips from several of the songs; they are getting ready to do these songs in live concert settings in preparation for a June 6, 2009 video taping.
On the video:
- Movin’ Up to Gloryland
- Life Will Be Sweeter Someday
- Wonderful Grace of Jesus (the careful attention they’re paying to vocal dynamics and blend on this one will pay off!)
So right now the biggest question is probably which other songs they will be including. We’ll probably be able to piece together at least a partial list from concert reports over the next few months.
It will be particularly interesting to see if they make a point of recording Cathedrals songs they haven’t done yet (e.g., “Death has Died,” and “We Shall See Jesus,” which I think Doug Anderson would tear up!), or if a good number of the songs are tracks they’ve already included on their previous recordings. They have already done quite a few:
- Telling the World About His Love
- Oh What a Savior
- It’s Alright
- Had it Not Been
- Mansion Over the Hilltop
- Gentle Shepherd
- Heavenly Parade
- No One Ever Cared For Me
- Shouting on the Hills
- Dry Bones
- Going Home
- When They Ring the Bells of Heaven
- I Don’t Know Who Holds Tomorrow
- He Touched Me
- When the Saints Go Marching In
- He Didn’t Come Down
- Something About That Name / I Will Serve Thee
- Trying to Get a Glimpse
- Then Came the Morning
- Farther Along
- Plan of Salvation
- He Made a Change
- Heaven’s Joy Awaits
Blame it on whatever you like! Fact is, my reason is simple enough: I have no interest in any secular music. 
(jealous pout)
Comment by Meagan Williams (January 12, 2009, 11:58 am)
I am actually looking forward to this project and hoping it will be a good one. I know I’m in the minority when I say this…but in all honesty, I did not enjoy their Dream On CD/DVD project. They have such a great sound, I really appreciate their work more when they do not try to get so artsy and progressive. Although I admire the effort, it was a bit of a disappointment to their true SG fans.
I still love them though and expect great things to come out of them. I’m excited about this project!
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Comment by Samuel (January 12, 2009, 12:19 pm)
I agree with Meagan. Honestly, I think the last good Signature Sound album was Get Away Jordan. Personally, I think for this next concert, they should just dtick to a pian/rhythm guitar/lead guitar/bass/drums format, non of the brass and other instruments. P{lus, they should record the original arrangement of Boundless Love.
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Comment by DJPhil (January 12, 2009, 3:08 pm)
I saw the video on the Gaither program on TV last night and was VERY dissappointed with this project. It didn’t really seem like a Gospel project to me, almost like a Disney production…This is the first Sig Sound project I won’t be getting for myself.
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Comment by martha (January 12, 2009, 3:12 pm)
Dream On is AMAZING…if you ask me!!! I love both the dvd and the cd…and all I can say is EHSS gets better with every recording. I LOVE the video of them practicing the Cats songs. Wow…that’s gonna be a great project! Ernie’s blog is reallly great, btw! There’s a hilarious video called “Sleeping In The Studio” that you HAVE to watch!! lol
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Comment by J.D. (January 12, 2009, 9:57 pm)
It hurts to admit it, but I do agree with #1, 2 and 3. It seems like they spend more time on the ’show’ aspect of their performance than the content and what the SG audience really appreciates. They are very entertaining, but so are other SG groups without all the ‘Disney-type’ additions.
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Comment by Daniel J. Mount (January 12, 2009, 10:02 pm)
Well, everyone, their TV specials tend to get all the “exciting” moments, and condense out a lot of flat-footed solid singing. When I’ve seen them in concert, 2/3 to 3/4 of their songs have little or no choreography or flashing lights.
A couple of years ago, before the group signed with Gaither, I was looking at SG history, how groups like the Blackwood Brothers and Statesmen brought in lots of new fans, then a generation later the Happy Goodmans and Kingsmen, and then another generation later, the Cathedrals and Gold City brought a lot of new fans in.
I’d been wondering if any groups in this generation would fill that role, getting a lot of people interested in solid male quartet-style singing. And then EHSS took off.
You know, the excitement gets a lot of people curious. But I’ve known a good number of people who first notice EHSS, then get to like their more traditional numbers, and then get into other Southern Gospel groups. And that thrills me, because it means that SG will be around and strong for another generation.
Do I like every song they’ve ever done? No, though I like many of them. Is Dream On their best project ever? Probably not, but not every project can be their best ever. But I must tip my hat to them for what they’ve done to bring a new generation into our genre.
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Comment by abk (January 13, 2009, 3:46 pm)
Not the biggest Sig Sound fan, but I gotta admit, they know how to market their material. Let’s face it, the livelihood of a quartet or any other gospel group is the selling end. Sig Sound doesn’t do all the dancing moves or wild clothes because they think it’s the way southern gospel should be presented. They do it because it gets peoples’ attention and it sells….at least for now. The saving grace is the fact that they still are good singers. Many have commented angrily on their dance moves. Multiple folks have referred to them as a “boy band”. I’ll be honest, I really don’t get their whole stage presentation either, but I do recognize their ability to somehow recognize a new and unusual way in which they can sell their music, and actually make a good living singing as a gospel quartet. That deserves respect.
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Comment by Meagan Williams (January 13, 2009, 5:39 pm)
Do not get me wrong, I really like EHSS. They’re younger and fresh and that is nice. And they do have a great sound. I just prefer more music along the lines of tradional SG from quartets like this, as opposed to more progressive.
They are masters at marketing. They discern well what will be favored and popular among their fans.
And yes, I have seen them live in solo concerts as well as on the Gaither Homecoming stage and they do not do as much of the choreography as you would think.
It’s very different to talk about them in a concert setting as opposed to talking about their CD/DVD recordings. Two different playing fields there.
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Comment by martha (January 13, 2009, 5:47 pm)
Has anyone of you (not counting Meagan and Daniel) met these guys?? Not to sound like a broken record and not to be picky….but they’re some the most sincere, friendly, down to earth, Godly guys you’ll ever meet. And…not that you guys were really saying this exactly; but they are NOT all “show” and “marketing”. They’re singing the gospel truth. I’m good with people saying they don’t quite like they’re style of MUSIC…but when it comes to attacking they’re style and saying they’re all show…I get a bit on the denfensive side.
Consider yourselves warned! haha
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Daniel J. Mount Reply:
January 13th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Martha,
Did anyone say marketing was a bad thing? (My day job is actually in marketing!) When someone refers to someone having the success they do because they’re good marketers, I at least don’t take it as an insult.
After all, the best marketing can’t sell you something you don’t want, and anyone in marketing knows that. Marketing is just getting someone in contact with something they already want (or they discover they want after hearing your pitch!)
~Daniel
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Comment by martha (January 13, 2009, 5:59 pm)
It’s not at all a bad thing!
Hope I didn’t sound like it was. What I meant was, Signature Sound is not ALL marketing. They’re much more….and ya. Do I make any sense?
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Daniel J. Mount Reply:
January 13th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
OK, yes, that makes sense.
The thing in marketing is if you’re trying to market a bad product, word of mouth will work against you. And clearly, though not everyone’s an EHSS fan, enough are that that’s not happening.
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Comment by Grigs (January 13, 2009, 6:51 pm)
I still think “Great Love” was their best, followed by a tie between “Get Away Jordan” and their self-titled album. I don’t think “Dream On” is as good as those three, but that it is a fine piece of work. The one thing that has gotten progressively better with each album is Ryan Seaton’s lead vocals.
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Comment by Gladys (January 15, 2009, 9:37 pm)
When I first watched the “Dream On” Gaither show on tv, I didn’t think I would enjoy the dvd. However, I saw EHSS in concert at the Hartville Kitchen in November and purchased it. I loved it! Also, that concert was outstanding. Ernie gives a performance that would pease everyone. I have seen them many times & this one was their best ever. I can hardly wait for the Cathedrals Tribute. It will be fantastic!
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Pingback by SouthernGospelBlog.com » Signature Sound posts another Cathedrals Tribute preview (January 21, 2009, 7:49 am)
[...] Ernie Haase & Signature Sound posted another preview of rehersals for their Cathedrals Tribute project: [...]