Comments on: Singing News Fan Awards 2008: Round 3 Nominees

By: Interested

Interested — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:56:50 +0000

I know The Collingsworth family well…
I would be interested to know the definition of a “cheesy soundtrack?” Anyone with any familiarity with the Collingsworth Family knows there is nothign cheesy about any of their stuff. From their promo to their CD’s they produce as high a quality as any in the industry. They do not own a cheesy CD. They hire the best and brightest that the music industry (Not just small SG) has to offer.
As far as Kim is concerned, you will not find a more versatile musician not to mention the musical genius of her mind. Those who make the negative comments are revealing either their, ignorance of music, their personal prejudice, or their unfamiliarity with her ability.
As for this award, i am sure Kim isn’t holding her breath about it. You will probably not see much promotion coming out of their office for it either. They are doing quite well ministering as the Lord opens doors.

By: Scott Holmann

Scott Holmann — Thu, 15 May 2008 15:13:59 +0000

MY, MY !! ……. What a firestorm the piano music of Kim Collingsworth has unleashed. It is just so interesting to listen to the couch-potato quarterbacks/pundits do their coaching from the sidelines. What would even be much more interesting indeed would be to listen to these critics perform on the piano themselves. I would speculate listening to the three of you play would quickly jerk things back into proper perspective.

I heartedly agree that Tim Parton and Stan Whitmire are equally awesome players and that Whitmire should be in the Top 5, for sure.

Probably the one very important element you have forgotten is the emotional experience that Kim Collingsworth brings to her audience, when she plays and worships at the same time. You evidently missed somewhere that this nomination is a Fan-Based effort, and the reason Collingsworth is included in the Top 5 is because of the experience the listener has when she plays. All you have to do is walk pass their table in the exibit hall at NQC and you will get a clearer picture of how they feel about her. You can’t even get close to their table because of the mob, yet NQC is not even using them at all this year. I noticed, from looking at their website, there is no mention of them even being at NQC and they are booked in Toronto, Canada with Bill Gaither on the Saturday evening of NQC and elsewhere in Canada on Sunday. So, she will not even be at the SN Awards Program, instead performing on stage with the Gaither Homecoming Tour. VERY INTERESTING …. to say the least. It appears the Collingsworth Family is taking their own route to the top, paying no attention to the old heads on the NQC Board that “DO NOT GET IT”.

How could you leave Mike & Kelly Bowling off the NQC Stage, as well as the Collingsworth Family, and put groups like the Primitives, Soul’d Out, Southern Sound, The Segos, Skyline Boys, etc on the main stage and yet still expect to flourish & grow? That’s why the rest of the music world (both secular & sacred) scoffs @ SGM. It’s schizo.

By: observant dude

observant dude — Thu, 15 May 2008 02:24:50 +0000

#16, I wasnt trying to offend anyone, I was just saying that I didn’t think she was good enough to be in the top 5 in the whole industry. She plays ok, even without the track, but not spectacular like she’s built up to be. I was quite disappointed the first time I heard her, because I was expecting the second coming of Art Tatum or something, but it was just another pianist with a track. Not trying to be mean, just stating a musical opinion.

By: Deron Johnson

Deron Johnson — Wed, 14 May 2008 21:52:48 +0000

#15,

Please notice that I said “MOST players.” Even though I am biased somewhat in the fact that Stan and Tim are two of my favorite players, I still think that they were the best. And, looking back through watching the DVD, every player did very good. And I also noticed the not-as-enthusiastic crowd response over the course of Pianorama for some of the best players. The performances of Stan, Tim, and Channing Eleton were some prime examples of that.

It is very obvious that Kim gets some attention probably because she is the only prominent female player in gospel music. And I’ll be the first to admit that there are some players who I prefer to hear rather than her. But, one can’t take away from her ability. While she may not be the best, she is still good.

Not to take anything away from the actual performance, but maybe I liked it so much because it wasn’t what I was expecting from her. I was expecting a cheezy soundtrack, like what she played at the 2006 Parade of Pianos.

By: Daniel J. Mount

Daniel J. Mount — Wed, 14 May 2008 18:22:02 +0000

*Note*

I’m not saying you have to like every artist. But if whatever you have to say isn’t constructive, find some other website to post it.

Thanks!

By: JS

JS — Wed, 14 May 2008 18:19:00 +0000

#13,

I was at the 2007 Parade of Pianos, and while I will say that her performance was good, I can’t say that it was the best. Because she “IS” a woman gets her some more attention also, you must admit. Stan Whitmire an Tim Parton by FAR outplayed the others there, and they didn’t get near the response. They just sit there and do some awesome playing. …

Like in the presidential debates.. ha! I’ll say… IF Kim Collingsworth were a man, she would probably be getting as bryan elliott.

just an honest opinion

By: Daniel J. Mount

Daniel J. Mount — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:11:12 +0000

#13–I heard that performance, too, and it was quite good. My favorite one of her solos during the 2007 NQC was when the Collingsworth Family was in one of the showcases and she did “And Can it Be,” without a soundtrack (I believe), and got a standing ovation.

I know this is just my opinion, but if an artist does songs (vocally or instrumentally) without soundtracks, and does them with the same quality that they do songs with soundtracks, then I don’t mind if they use soundtracks on other songs.

By: Deron Johnson

Deron Johnson — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:07:54 +0000

# 12-

Usually I would agree with you. I never really liked to hear Kim play, because I always thought she relied too much on the cheezy soundtracks. Plus, I don’t really care to watch her play, because of the facial expressions. However, I really came to like Kim when I heard her play “When They Ring Those Golden Bells” at the 2007 Parade of Pianos without the aid of a soundtrack. It was amazing, and she outplayed most of the players there.

Oh, and by the way, thanks for mentioning Tracey and Eloise. If there are two pianists that are deserving of recognition that never get any, it is them.

By: observant dude

observant dude — Wed, 14 May 2008 02:19:37 +0000

First off #9, yes I have seen the Collingsworth family in concert, and it wasn’t my cup of tea. I also never said ladies can’t be good pianists, I just don’t feel like she (Kim) should be mentioned in the top 5 musicians in the whole industry. When you have Sonya Isaacs, Mike Riddle, and Roger Fortner, to name a few, just sitting there un-nominated, and someone that just plays alot of octaves along with a hugely orchestrated track that mysteriously gets louder towards the very end so people will stand up, I don’t think it’s right.

Ladies can be great pianists….Tracey and Eloise Phillips are two of the best I’ve ever heard, male or female, and Diana Krall is incredible….but they don’t have to have $20,000 worth of orchestration to make us believe it.

By: Amy Rogers

Amy Rogers — Tue, 13 May 2008 23:01:49 +0000

If artists had to be in the group at the time of voting, Roger would have been excluded from getting a posthumous award last year. I don’t see anything out of the way about it myself…

Regarding ladies being pianists – My cousin has told me that the former pianist of their church (a woman) was offered a job playing piano for the Cathedrals. I don’t know if that was true; if so, it surely must have happened by 1988, but so the story goes. I like the traditional all-male quartet the most. But if others can earn their own niche in SG, I say more power to them.