Singer/Songwriters in Southern Gospel
Songwriter Daryl Williams posted an insightful column over at SoGospelNews about singer/songwriters in Southern Gospel Music. One thing he said, in particular, caught my eye:
There are still a few artists out there today that deliver their own great material, but not near as many as we had in the past. There is something special about hearing the songwriter sing their own song.
Is this quantifiably true?
Are there fewer good singer/songwriters then there used to be? Of course, we have prolific songwriters like Bill Gaither, Rodney Griffin, Joseph Habedank, Jim Brady, Mark Bishop, and Scotty Inman at the forefront, who frequently are supplying groups other than their own with material regularly, and we also have less prolific writers like Ernie Haase, Misty Freeman, Dustin Sweatman, Sheryl Farris, McCray Dove, Ernie Haase, Gary Casto, and Kim Collingsworth.
Fortunately, singer/songwriters are still a major part of the genre. But are they less so now then they used to be?
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 Grigs (July 21, 2009, 6:09 am)
How about Ernie Haase? LOL
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Daniel J. Mount Reply:
July 21st, 2009 at 6:11 am
He’s in there … and yes, he was in before your comment. I didn’t just edit him in.
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Scot Reply:
July 21st, 2009 at 8:23 am
I think Clarence was hinting at the fact that Ernie is in your list twice.
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Daniel J. Mount Reply:
July 21st, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Aha! Now there I’m guilty. Oops!
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Comment by GospelMusicFan (July 21, 2009, 6:37 am)
Here a listto check out:
Ellen Adney
Tim Ard
Kimberly Allen
Rick Angel
Ricky Atkinson
Mary O. Bachmann
Glenn Baker
Delores Barr
Linda Barton
The Bledsoes
Donna Beauvais
Kathy Joy Bell
Chris Binion
Mark Bishop
The Bledsoes
Sandy Bloemer
Gary Boytim
Jim & Melissa Brady
Lynda Bridwell
Michael Bright
Shelly Brown
Stephanie Brown
Bill Burns
Jack Cannaday
Bobby Carter
Nancy Capps
Steven Cheney
David Clark
Larry M Collie
Michael Combs
Carolyn Connor
Jeanette Cooke
Michael Combs
Gerald Crabb
Roddy & Eric Crochet
Eddie Crook
Phil Cross
Ernie Dawson
Jimmy Dooley
Chris & Marlene Downing
Sammy Easom
Naomi Edwards
Barbara Fairchild
Penny & Paul Ferguson
Billy Fields
Charles& Glenda Fitzgerald
Freedom Trio
Frances Fulton
Marty Funderburk
Iva Gardner
Dee Gaskin
Alan Godsey
GospelSongWriter
Sylvia M Green
Tim Greene
Rodney Griffin
Rebecca Griffis
Phil Grimes
Rebecca Griffis
Donald Harding
Wayne Haun
Patti Hawkins
Joel Hemphill
Shirley Henderson
Laverne Hill
Kenny Hinson
Ronny Hinson
Dewayne Holt
Eric Horner
Katherine Howell
Steve Hurte
Curtis Hyler
Cheryl Jackson
James Jackson
Gordon Jensen
Shane & Denise Jeter
Annette Johnson
Mark Jones
Rex & Vonda Jones
Betty Jordan
Donna Kazenske
Ed King
Sharron Ray King
Danny & Dee Kramer
Sheri LaFontaine
Denver Lamb
Thomas Dwight Latham
Craig W Ledford
Debbie Lewis
Ray & Laura Lewis
Joel Lindsey
Tim Lovelace
Tim Lovell
Reggie Lovorn
Mark Lowry
Moni Lutz
Mark Mathes
Kim McLean
Annie McRae
Elmo Mercer
Kris Miller
Sandra Miller
Walt Mills
Quinton Mills
Randy Mobley
Tim Monroe
Rosalee Moore
Van & Kathryn Morris
Max R New
Gerald Newsom
David Patillo
Squire Parsons
Rebecca Peck
Larry Petree
Candy Pfifer
David Pitillo
John Poe
Jeff Purdue
Sally Quick
Lois Reece
Marjorie Reece
Robin & Kim Rhoades
Brenda Robinson
John Darin Rowsey
Kyla Rowland
Danny Rushing
Shane Sawyer
Bill Schell
Floyd & Christine Scott
Debra Shepherds
Cheryl Smith
Sheri Smith
Sue Smith
Paula Stefanovich
Ronnie & Beverly Sparks
Kevin Spencer
Kevin Stokes
Jay Stone
Michael Sykes
Gerald Sweatman
Randy Swift
Garrin Templeton
Terry & Carmen Thrasher
Terry Tidwell
Kathy Timmins
JoeTomlinson
Jack Toney
Gene & Ann Young
Randy Vader
KennaTurner West
Danny White
Scott Wilemon
Dianne Wilkinson
Dave Williford
Loretta Withee
Lanny Wolfe
Tony Wood
Sandra Wright
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Comment by brady (July 21, 2009, 8:01 am)
#2 – I’m not sure you got the point of this topic. It is singer/songwriters, and while people like Joel Lindsey, Dianne Wilkinson, Rebecca Peck, and Marty Funderburk are some of the best writers out there today, they do not sing in groups, at least on the level that I feel Daniel intended this message. Correct me if I’m wrong, Daniel.
I think Daniel is referring to people like Ronny Hinson, Dottie Rambo, Lanny Wolfe, and Joel Hemphill, just to name a few from years past who basically wrote everything their groups sang on every project they did, and did it at a high level of consisency on a national level. Other than Bill Gaither and Mark Bishop, I’d say that very small percentage today currently supply even 50 percent of their group’s material. Rodny Griffin would come closest. Gerald Crabb did it when the Crabbs were together as one.
I do think one major thing to consider is the quality of music. Yes, some writers may write everything their group does, but are the songs good quality? Would the notably best writers of today think the songs were good if they were at a round table discussing them? Do they all sound alike? Etc. I think quality is a major factor. Just because a writer writes all the songs for their group doesn’t necesarily mean they should.
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woody wright Reply:
July 21st, 2009 at 8:20 am
. . . my feelings are not hurt . . . really!
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brady Reply:
July 21st, 2009 at 4:06 pm
Gee, Woody, I wasn’t the one that left you out!! LOL! Take it up with GospelMusicFan in post #2! LOL!
I imagine Belinda Smith, Twila LaBar, Barbara Huffman, Marcia Henry, Barry Weeks, Sandy Blythe, and Sandy Knight would have liked a mention, as well.
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Amy Rogers Reply:
July 21st, 2009 at 9:50 am
I agree whole-heartedly. I have noticed on some albums where 8-9 out of 10 songs are written or co-written by the same individual, always a group member, that some of them don’t really come out the best. I get the feeling that the producer said, “OK, we need a fast song here” (or a slow song, or a sad song, or what-have-you) and the writer just sat down and made something up to fit the bill. (I really did hear someone on the Gospel Greats talking about this like it was an accomplishment.) Not infrequently, a song like that ends up being just “filler.”
Of course there isn’t just one way to write a song, but one likes to feel that there was a little inspiration behind it. On the other hand, as Gerald Wolfe said (jokingly), “Every album has to have a dead spot.” Unfortunately, I think this can be a good way to have them!
I realize I’m being ultra-nit-picky here! An album with 8 home runs is a tremendous accomplishment, so why should I sit around wishing that it had one more on it? I just thought I’d mention it, since we were on the subject … perfection is a nice goal, anyway.
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brady Reply:
July 21st, 2009 at 10:24 am
I agree, Amy. And a “filler” song shouldn’t be a lesser quality song. A lot of times groups pick out songs for their projects that are the type of song they need on stage. So, while a song may not be that song that would grab radio’s attention, it may be just what the group needs to open up with or use as an invitation song. But it can still be of good quality.
And I think that one person writing each and every song over a long span of time can sometimes magnify that writer’s weaknesses as much as it does to showcase their talent.
And projects that have 8 songs that I really like are very few and very far between.
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Amy Rogers Reply:
July 21st, 2009 at 10:28 am
99% of the time they’re Greater Vision, for me! (I’m kind of being more transparent than I meant to be here … )
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Daniel J. Mount Reply:
July 21st, 2009 at 3:20 pm
No, Brady, you’re right … I was talking about artist/performing songwriters.
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Comment by Kyle (July 21, 2009, 8:59 am)
Even the great writers don’t churn out homeruns all the time. Ronny Hinson has turned out a lot of fluff, and Ernie Haase’s “Happy Birthday, Anniversary Too” was, in my opinion, completely pointless.
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Meagan W. Reply:
July 21st, 2009 at 9:09 am
What may be “fluff” for some often turn out to be signature things for the given person or group. I think it’s good to have a mix of good, scripturally/spiritually powerful songs and some more “fluffy” ones. Even some of the greatest songwriters out there right now write what you call “fluff” songs like Rodney Griffin and Bill Gaither.
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Comment by Meagan W. (July 21, 2009, 9:09 am)
Just to let you know Daniel, you have Ernie Haase in that list twice. Once in the beginning and once towards the middle.
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Daniel J. Mount Reply:
July 21st, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Guilty!
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Comment by brady (July 21, 2009, 10:02 am)
#5. I agree, Meagan. Not every song can or should be a huge power ballad. “Fluff” is good–it makes for a well-balanced program. But the “fluff” songs still need to be of good quality.
If a writer’s fast songs all sound the same and all his/her slow songs sound the same, etc, it honestly showcases the writer as being very one-dimensional. A good gospel song needs to be creatively unique, Biblically sound, and written technically accurate. And just because a song is popular with the masses of people, doesn’t mean that the professional writers, people who actually know what they’re doing and have the songs to back it up, would agree.
Music is so subjective–much like beauty is in the eye of the beholder, musical beauty lies within the ear of the listener. What one person thinks is the greatest song in the world, another might say is only mediocre. There are those songs that are undeniably incredible by anyone’s standards, where a majorty of fans and writers alike say “this is an awesome song.” But there are also those that fans love, and writers sit back and scratch their heads and say, “Why?”
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Comment by Dianne Wilkinson (July 21, 2009, 10:57 am)
Hey, Daniel…you have a great blog site! I was interested, of course, in the comments you’d receive on this thought-provoking question. I will mention one thing…”fluff” songs. Even if a song is just the greatest, most rockin’, up-tempo SG song ever, with the hottest track, it’s more important than ever that this type song have a strong lyrical content (I would actually prefer to say “doctrinal”, but everyone will know what I mean…lyrics of substance). Of all the things I’m passion about concerning songwriting (and that would be EVERYTHING), I have the strongest feelings about that. Even my “White Flag” song which has been SO much fun for Clayton and the Triumphant Quartet is a song about urging someone to accept Christ, and then go out and witness to his friends. So, that’s just a word from a non-artist writer who loves it more than ever at this age in my life (old!), and more blessed than ever. Please pray for ALL the songwriters…especially in these times we’re living in. We don’t have long to get the message out!
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Meagan W. Reply:
July 21st, 2009 at 11:04 am
Dianne,
Thank you so much for commenting. It is always so fascinating to hear thoughts from songwriters. Thank you for your very valuable insight!
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Daniel J. Mount Reply:
July 21st, 2009 at 3:21 pm
“Even if a song is just the greatest, most rockin’, up-tempo SG song ever, with the hottest track, it’s more important than ever that this type song have a strong lyrical content (I would actually prefer to say “doctrinal”, but everyone will know what I mean…lyrics of substance).”
I couldn’t agree more!
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Comment by Andrew S. (July 21, 2009, 12:04 pm)
To answer your question, Daniel, there is something interesting about hearing an artist convey his or her own song. The whole idea of hearing a songwriter sing his or her own songs allows the listener to view the songwriter’s viewpoint as they wrote their songs. Rarely an artist or even the demo for the artist’s listening has been able to display the song with the original feeling given to the songwriter when the song was written. I like to hear people like Joseph Habedank, Bill & Gloria Gaither, Karen Peck Gooch, Kim Collingsworth, Joel & LaBreeska Hemphill, Jim Brady, Rodney Griffin, Ronny Hinson, and Mark Bishop sing their own songs simply because they express the song like no other artist can–straight from the heart.
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Meagan W. Reply:
July 21st, 2009 at 3:29 pm
I do agree that the songwriters themselves give a uniquely expressive performance to their own songs at times. However, I recall reading an interview with Libbi Perry Stuffle where she talked about how they meet with Kyla Rowland and pray and discuss her songs as they are choosing something of hers to put on a CD. I also remember Rebecca Peck introducing her song, His Life for Mine, on the Song of a Lifetime DVD before the Talley Trio sang it. She talked about the fact that she felt that it was a gift to her that the Talley Trio chose to record it because they sing it the way she wanted it to be sung when she wrote it. It’s always great to hear writers sing their own songs. But sometimes artists can convey the spirit, heart, and power of a song enough to perform it incredibly well also.
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Amy Rogers Reply:
July 21st, 2009 at 6:16 pm
I’ve noticed this, too. When I got Far Beyond This Place I was looking at the lyrics before having a chance to listen to some of the songs. When I saw the first verse to “He Washed My Feet,” I felt that Rodney, as the writer, would have to be the one to sing that in order to really get it across. (I can’t remember how it goes right now, but it’s about Judas.)
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Comment by brady (July 21, 2009, 12:42 pm)
Actually, #8 Andrew, this topic has two questions. The last question is “are singer/songwriters” less so now than they used to be. And that answer, in my opinion, is “it depends.”
If you’re talking singers who write some for their own group and/or a few songs for other groups here and there, I believe those types of writers are more prevalent than they used to be. That would be the likes of Joseph Habedank, Scott Inman, Jim Brady, etc.
But if you’re talking about singers who write their entire repertoire or at least 90 percent–Gerald Crabb, Michael Combs, Mark Bishop, Phiil Cross, Ronny Hinson, among others–then I would say that those types of writers are probably around the same as in years past. What I personally think is great is that some of the writers we remember from the 70’s like Bill Gaither, Gloria Gaither, Ronny Hinson and Joel Hemphill are still around and continuing to write great songs as far as I know. Had we not lost Dottie, I’m sure she would have still been at it, too.
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Pingback by SouthernGospelBlog.com » Singer/Songwriters in Southern Gospel, chapter 2 (July 22, 2009, 6:01 am)
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Comment by Paul the Concert Guy (July 22, 2009, 7:49 am)
This may be off topic slightly but…my favorite songwriter, from the ones you mentioned Daniel, is McCray Dove…he is able to write in a special way with unique chord progressions, and so on.
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