Comments on: NQC announces first mainstage solo set…ever?

By: Mary St.Clair

Mary St.Clair — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 16:16:09 +0000

I have the same recording that LSJ and Daniel refer to: NQC 1999 In addition,on that recording Glenn Payne sang “I Won’t Have To Cross Jordan Alone” solo. Of course, those are different circumstances, and he sang during the Cathedrals’ time slot.
To be short about it, I agree with jb and JimT, but disagree with Chris Unthank.
We should keep in mind who started NQC 50 years ago:members of the Blackwood Brothers QUARTET and the Statesmen QUARTET (emphasis mine)

By: shirley rowsey

shirley rowsey — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 04:06:22 +0000

I have been a fan of southern gospel music for the last 40 years. I love quartets, trios, soloists and even duets if they’re good. I think most people view NQC as a gospel music convention not just a “quartet” convention. There are some incredible quartets and there are some losers. Certainly not enough good ones to fill up a convention. I applaud whoever is responsible for improving this event with talent no matter what it’s numerical configuration. I believe it will improve attendance to add “talent” no hurt it.

By: Carol

Carol — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 04:30:35 +0000

jon, if the main reason for changing the fan awards was to cut back on time, that could be accomplished by just announcing the nominees and then the winner. the presenters take a large amount of time telling stories and joking between themselves.

By: jon

jon — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 16:27:00 +0000

jb, first off, the fan awards have nothing to do with the nqc. the fan awards are soley the singing news magazine. the nqc just allows the presentation ceremony to take place during nqc. but the changes in the fan awards are partly due to the fact that the nqc has put pressure on the singing news to stay with in the time restraints given to them. consistenly the award have gone over their time limit. so to accomodate this the singing news revamped the awards not only to bring a new freshness to them, but also to cut back on the number of awards given so as to hopefully stay with in the alotted amount of time.
oh, yes, and chris unthank, the consistent voice of anything anti-traditional quartet speaks up yet again. ugh…

By: ChrisUnthank

ChrisUnthank — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 17:22:45 +0000

I applaud the changes. Way to go NQC.

By: jb

jb — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 14:09:22 +0000

Jim T.: I have to agree with you. Put the soloist in the afternoon showcases. It is a quartet convention. They are going to keep on and they won’t have a quartet convention. First they make huge changes in Fan Awards, then cancel Monday night quartet night and now this. I am not against Ivan personally, I just don’t think soloist should be on the evening showcases.

By: JImT

JImT — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 12:44:49 +0000

Another step backward for the NQC. This is supposed to be a quartet convention. With attendance dropping every year wouldn’t you think they would figure out people like to hear quartets?
If they want to change the name to the Southern Gospel Convention then it might be OK to have Ivan Parker and others do their karaoke act.
For the first time in the past ten years I haven’t renewed my tickets, and don’t expect to anytime soon. I’ve had it with canned accompaniments, watered down talent, and now I have to sit through soloists, too? I don’t think so.

By: John

John — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 20:38:27 +0000

Before I make this comment, let me say that I appreciate Chuck Peters reporting the news. He does us a great service. However, the information he was given by the NQC is flawed.

This may be the first time in recent history that a soloist has been on the main stage, but there were several that performed at the early conventions.

Big Jim Waits, Jimmie Davis, Winston Blackwood, Don Butler, Vep Ellis, Wally Fowler, Arnold Hyles and Frank Stamps are ones that I can recall.

Although he wasn’t a noted gospel music artist, I think Stuart Hamblen also was on one of the early conventions.

By: Daniel J. Mount

Daniel J. Mount — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 20:27:56 +0000

They do have showcases. That said, I do have one of the NQC live CDs you must be thinking of, and I’m not really sure now to answer your question.

By: LSJ

LSJ — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 20:21:20 +0000

I have NQC CDs with Ivan Parker, Ernie Haase, and Brian Free on them. Were these not recorded at the mainstage of NQC? I’ve never been, so I don’t know if they have a side stage that they would’ve had the soloists perform on or what. Just curious.