I had the privilege of attending an amazing concert in Lancaster, PA with Gold City and the Booth Brothers on March 13th.

I was really anxious to see the new Gold City lineup with Josh Cobb and Roy Webb, and so we made the trip up there. Let me just say it was well worth it. It was one of the best concerts I have been to in a long time, and the place was sold out! Several thousand attendees is the estimate for this Garden Spot concert at Lancaster Mennonite High School.

Some of the songs Gold City sang:

·    I Cast My Bread Upon the Water (the crowd was cheering to see Tim back and was energized by his low notes)
·    When I Get Carried Away (Josh showed he’s a powerhouse tenor and Tim absolutely nailed an ultra-low ending. It was so good to see Tim back, and the only word I can think of to describe his bass voice is “legendary.”)
·    He’ll Never Let Go (from the “First Class” project, and a song that will be featured on their new release coming out of all Doug Riley songs)
·    I’m Saved I’m Sure I’m Ready (another Doug Riley song)
·    Rainbow of Love (on this song, Tim Riley hit the lowest note I’ve ever heard him hit in a live concert. I think it was at least a double-low C, but I didn’t have my pitch pipe). A highlight of the night.
·    One Scarred Hand
·    Where is God
·    Satisfied (Josh Cobb was finally featured and he brought the power! He seemed to be straining a bit on one really high note, but was extremely solid, nonetheless. He received a standing ovation. He has a very powerful sound, and he actually reminded me somewhat of Dallas Rogers. Maybe he just looks a little like him, I don’t know, but the power vocals were amazing. He is an incredible addition to the group, and it won’t be long until the SG world stands up and takes notice.)
·    I’m Not Giving Up (Bruce’s mic cut out on the chorus, but Michael Booth popped out from behind the curtain and gave him his mic, and they went on into an encore. Standing ovation)
·    It’s Still The Cross (power ballad, sung very well)

The Booth Brothers lit up the stage next, and here are some of the songs they sang:

·    In The Sweet By and By
·    I See Grace
·    I’m The Lamb
·    Look For Me At Jesus’ Feet
·    Feelin’ Mighty Fine
·    Love Was in the Room
·    Sail On (I liked this Imperials classic)
·    Tradin’ This Old Cross in for a Crown
·    Crying in the Chapel (Ronnie sang this song from his Elvis tribute album, and it was a highlight of the night. Michael and Jim both humorously said that they did not listen to Ronnie’s solo album, and that they did not know the song. The humor the 3 of them put into setting up this song was the kind of humor that only comes from brotherly comraderie. It was somewhat reminiscent of another brotherly combination famously known as the “Three Stooges.” Anyway, these guys decided to “sing” the background vocals anyway, and once Ronnie got going with his soulful Elvis impression, the other two were in the background by the piano, just putting on a circus! Michael had several “Elvis moves” that had the crowd just rolling with laughter.)
·    Castles in the Sand
·    We Believe (the crowd went crazy, and it received one of the biggest ovations of the night. It will be on their next album.)

Intermission

The first half was good, but the 2nd half was amazing.

Gold City came out and did requests, including:

·    Look Who Just Checked In (I always liked this one)
·    Under Control (Tim still sings great)
·    When He Blessed My Soul (I requested this one, and Tim rocked it. The only drawback was that the mix sounded a little harsh for these first 3 songs after intermission, with the bass guitar and tracks too loud and the vocals too soft. However, they had it fixed by the 4th song.)
·    I Love This Land (standing ovation)
·    I’m Rich
·    Midnight Cry (standing ovation, and Danny mentioned that this was the best time he’d ever had at this venue)

The Booth Brothers started their set with the lights out and with the music video of “He Saw It All” being played at the Toronto Homecoming, and then the lights came on after the 1st verse, and there was a live band on stage! This segment was a huge highlight of the night. They had Jack Sammons on the bass guitar; Michael’s oldest son, Christian, on the electric guitar; Ronnie on 2 different guitars (switching between songs); Jim on the acoustic guitar; Roy Webb on the piano; and Michael Booth singing tenor and playing the drums! I laughed so hard just watching him.

After “He Saw It All,” they did “Life Is Like a Mountain Railway,” accompanied by some beautiful playing, and then they hit “I’ll Fly Away” out of the park! Josh Cobb and Bruce Taliaferro came out beating timbrels and whatever they could find with drum sticks! Josh was absolutely hilarious. He stole the show. He had his suit off, but still had a black vest on, and the bright red bowtie which he had been wearing for GC’s set, was untied and hanging around his collar while he danced around in McCray Dove style! Michael said he could barely play the drums back there because Josh made him laugh so hard. He said he thinks Josh forgot to take his pill that day – just like him. After the second encore, the crowd was still yelling for another encore, but Michael said he was too out of shape to sing anymore.

More thoughts:

Michael preached at the end, and virtually everyone stayed to listen. Michael thanked the people for staying, and quipped that he knows he’ll get emails from people complaining about paying “all that money” to hear preaching. Then he said, “I’ve got good news for you: this part is free!” He preached the word. Even though there was plenty of comedy (which we loved), he also made it serious, and got right down to the Word, several different times in the concert. I gained a whole new respect for the Booth Brothers, and it was easy to see why these guys are on top of the SG world right now.

Gold City has made some interesting changes. They are now singing older songs. Very little of this new, contemporary/country stuff that started to turn off some fans, and more of the classics. They are not as loud as they used to be in the mix (I always liked it loud, but a lot of people did not. In fact, the BB’s were louder!). They now have Roy Webb as pianist, which adds a humorous mix to the group, and the crowd loved him. One observation I made is that Danny Riley has a little trouble “bouncing off” Roy, as this type of humor is still new to the group. Roy is so crazy, and it almost takes Danny off-guard.

Danny also told the story of how they got Tim back on the road, and actually said that his mom approached him about it last summer and said that she thinks he should talk to Tim about singing again. The story of her dedication and sacrifice really moved me. Danny’s story about how he talked to Tim to come back was really funny too, and he said Tim told him if he’s going to come back they have to sing some of the old songs again. I think that is a welcome change for most fans. They have Kyle back running the sound, and they were all dressed in dark, sharp suits as well as nice ties (and Josh had the previously-mentioned red bowtie).

The end result for GC is a vastly improved lineup. I still miss Jonathan Wilburn, and if there is one area on which GC needs improvement, it is stage presence. The Booth Brothers are a good example to watch. The fluidity with which they master the stage is amazing. They make the audience comfortable, they compliment the audience, and they have them eating out of their hand. They are humble, hilarious, and totally energized. I think one reason people are drawn to them is because the Booth Brothers act on stage how most people want to feel. If you come to the concert stressed out or sad, all you have to do is watch them and it will make you feel good. GC could use a little more of that energy.

That said, GC has a stellar vocal lineup right now, and they are again, one of my very favorite groups. I never thought I’d say this again, but Gold City is on the road back. Tim Riley is still easily the best bass singer on the road in my opinion, and with Josh’s power vocals, they have a great lineup.

The combination of the 2 groups made for a fantastic concert that I will remember for a very long time. If you are wondering whether or not you should go see the new Gold City, let me tell you it is worth it!

Winter is coming to an end in Ohio, and Southern Gospel groups are starting to venture back north. This Perrys concert would have been my second concert of the year; however, being snowed out from a Legacy Five concert in February makes this first.

Song list:

• I Love to Tell
• I Know it Was the Blood
• Come and Get Me
• You Cannot Improve on the Truth (lead singer Joseph Habedank)
• Prior to a Prayer (baritone Troy Peach, alto Libbi Perry Stuffle)
• This Old Sinner Testifies (bass Tracy Stuffle)
• Group introductions
• Just Over in the Gloryland (piano solo, Bryan Elliott) (Yes, Bryan, I did figure out which song it was this time!)
• The Chainsaw
• I Wouldn’t Take Nothin’ For My Journey Now (Joseph)
• If You Knew Him (Joseph)
• Intermission
• Jesus Opened up the Way (after which Tracy explained that they were singing the shape notes!)
• Old Fashioned Altar (Troy, Libbi)
• Did I Mention (Libbi) – with an a capella encore. It’s not a Perrys concert without an a capella encore; though other groups do it occasionally, it’s a consistent trademark of their sound.
• Almost Morning (Joseph)
• I Wish I Could Have Been There (Joseph)

It was a dinner concert, and that probably played into the audience not being prone to stand. The only two songs that received standing ovations were “If You Knew Him” and “I Wish I Could Have Been There,” the songs that wrapped up the first and second halves of the program.

Troy is holding down the baritone part with more confidence than a year ago; he was up in the mix noticeably, to the point that the Perrys had a more four-distinct-voices full sound than the tighter harmonies I’ve heard before. Every group needs a cheerleader (whether or not they have one), and Troy ably holds down the part well for the group. His stage presence, always smiling or cheering on the featured group member, adds greatly to the group’s stage presence.

Most of the program was similar to what I’ve heard the last few times I’ve heard the group. There were a couple of notable differences, though; for one, Tracy Stuffle did less talking, starting the set with six songs back to back. Also, during the little comedy piece Tracy and pianist Bryan Elliott do at the end, Bryan has typically only sung two short lines; this time, he carried the bass part through the end of the encore, with an impressively resonant slide down to the bottom of the scale.

One other highlight: The last few times I’ve seen the Perrys, they have sung “Prior to a Prayer”; this time, however, it was featured a little more, delivered in such a way that connected with the audience more than any other song except possibly “If You Knew Him.” If they have one more slot for a single left from Almost Morning, audience reaction suggests this would be the best choice.

After the concert, it was a pleasure to meet a reader of this site, Cheryl / Carolina Fan. She had driven all the way from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for the concert, and was going to drive back that night.

EDIT (10:05): It’s going now. I managed to miss the first 20-25 minutes by calculating time zones wrong!

Set list (from 10:00 on):

• I Made it Mine (from some point before I tuned in)
• Battle Hymn of the Republic (with acapella encore).
• Dan Gilbert (lead singer) shares comedy and a testimony. 118 watching online—that stats counter is awesome!
• He Will Come Through (featuring Dan). 122 online.
• Long Black Train (featuring Royce). I’ll be back in a few minutes. 119 online.
• How Great Thou Art. 124 online. In the audience cutway to the lady in the white jacket—was that sign language or signing in tongues?
• Holy, Holy, Holy (a capella). This is going to be good. 125 online . . . and the stream starts cutting out. Guess that was its limit. (Now it’s back.)
• Comedy from bass singer Royce Mitchell.
• Good Time in the Lord. 124 online. This is the first wide audience pan I’ve seen, and there have to be at least 500 there in person, maybe even 700-800.
• Offering. Attendance down to 121.
• The Journey. I was hoping this would be included—I’ve wanted to see it live for some time now.
• Tenor Keith Waggoner delivers the product pitch. He mentions the Blackwood Brothers, the Statesmen, the Stamps, and the Cathedrals—interestingly, a round of applause when he gets to the Cathedrals.
• Happy Rhythm (featuring Royce). Fellow blogger Nate Stainbrook comments on Facebook at about this point: “The more I watch these guys the more I scratch my head over WHY a major label does not pick them up! They deserve it more than any other group!”
• Baritone Jordan Cragun has a decent Rodney Griffin mule-looking-at-a-new gate look.
• Bus Driver (parody of Cab Driver).
• Keith does get to talk during something other than the product pitch! He shares about a song called “I’m His.” 119 viewers—people on the East Coast are getting sleepy. (So am I, but can’t skip out on this concert early!)
• I’m His (featuring Keith). I guess this isn’t a standing-ovation audience.
• Jordan leads the audience in the sinner’s prayer.
• Light at the End of Darkness (featuring Jordan). I’ve never heard him sound better—a rich, full sound, especially for his age. Incredible performance.
• Glory to God in the Highest encore. They must have done it in the first half-hour.

Great concert from a great group.

Probably the high point of the concert (in more than one sense!) was their tenor singer. Toby Hitchcock is an incredible talent, on a par with Wes Hampton. He uses less head tone than pretty much any other tenor out there.

I had intended to post a set list, as usual, but the sound was so loud that I was unable to decipher the lyrics to several of the songs. Of the songs I could understand, particularly memorable were “The Pizza Song” and the group’s rendition of “I’ll Fly Away.”

The baritone and lead singers played various acoustic, electric, and bass guitars. A drummer filled out the live band. There was also a piano on stage, and though a reference was made to the fact that the lead singer could play piano, it went unutilized.

Seeing the group live can rightly be described as an unforgettable experience.

First, the set list:

• He’s So Good to Me (featuring Debra Talley)
• The Promise (featuring Lauren Talley)
• He’s a Personal Savior (acapella)
• Intros
• Jesus, What a Friend for Sinners
• Amazing Grace (featuring Debra and Lauren)
• Life Goes On (Lauren)
• Broken Ones (Lauren)
• That’s Enough (Lauren, with pre-recorded vocal by Jake Hess)
• My Hope is In the Lord (Roger)
• Mountain Mover (Lauren)
• He’s Alive (Lauren)

During the intermission, Roger played an instrumental rendition of “He Keeps Me Singing” as the offertory. In the second half:

• Searchin’ (Lauren)
• The Healer (Debra, Lauren)
• Orphans of God (Lauren)
• If It Had Not Been (Debra)
• His Life For Mine (Lauren)
• Testify (Lauren)

Without doubt, the song that got the biggest response was “He’s Alive.” The camera doesn’t quite capture the spontaneous cheer when the chorus started, but it gives a little hint:

And a special bonus: Here’s a video I produced about the Talley’s sound man, Jim Whetsel, for their TalleyTree-o.com community site:

They sang several songs in the Sunday Morning service. They started with a three-song set before several special 50th Anniversary moments.

• I’ve Come a Long Way
• When the Sun Finally Sets
• Canaanland is Just in Sight – featuring Breana Crist and Tami Crist Starkel. I’ve heard good versions of the song recorded, including the original Heavenbound version, but this is easily the best version I’ve heard live. Seven voices add a big sound that you didn’t know the chorus needed until you hear it that way.

After the 50th Anniversary moments, they sang three more songs:

• Jesus Savior Pilot Me – featuring Tami Crist Starkel
• No Other Name – featuring Tami Crist Starkel
• Lift Up the Cross – featuring Tami Crist Starkel – This was sung at the pastor’s on-the-spot request. They had originally only been going to sing two songs in this time slot. The song received an enthusiastic response.

The pastor delivered what is easily the most memorable sermon I’ve sat through when attending a Sunday concert. Instead of using the occasion of the church’s 50th anniversary to pat the church on the back and congratulate them on the occasion, the pastor (who has been there for 30 of those 50 years) challenged the church that it had become complacent and that it needed to return to the pioneer spirit of its early days. The anointing was so strong that he even broke down crying near the end. It was powerful and well delivered.

After a fellowship dinner, the Crist family did a full program:

• When I Get Carried Away – featuring Rich Crist
• I Believe He’s Coming Back Like He Said – featuring Tami Crist Starkel
• The Anchor Holds – featuring Tami Crist Starkel
• Joy’s Gonna Come in the morning – featuring Tami Crist Starkel
• Introductions. This was probably the most anticipated moment of the evening, as most of the audience was wondering how everyone was related.
• My Heart Knows – featuring Jackie Crist.
• Living with the Light On
• He Knows the Way Home – featuring Tom Joyce
• The Rock – featuring Rich Crist and Tami Crist Starkel
• Great Beyond – featuring Tami Crist Starkel

After a very brief intermission, they began the second half with two acapella numbers. The first was “I Must Tell Jesus”:

Then, they sang:

• He Looked Beyond My Fault and Saw My Need – Also acapella, but with the microphones.
• Lift Up the Cross – They were joined by the church quartet, and got another enthusiastic response.
• Oh Happy Day – featuring Tami Crist Starkel

Probably the element of the concert that surprised me the most was the assignment of solos. As I recall, neither John Starkel nor Lisa Crist had any solos, and Breana Crist and Tom Joyce only had one solo apiece. Jackie Crist, featured on “My Heart Knows,” was surprisingly good. She shares the soprano duties with Tami Crist, and while Tami is more a Kim Hopper-style soprano, Jackie sings a straight, clear tone closer to Charlotte Ritchie. (Actually, neither comparison is good, but no better come to mind.) I would have liked to hear more from Jackie, Breana, Lisa, John, and Tom … but the fact is that with seven people on stage, the family simply has more talent than they can feature in a 90-minute program.

As if there wasn’t enough reason already to make plans to see them again!

To be present in person costs $1000. But the stream is available for free online; sign up here.

The Cathedrals Remembered showcase in the afternoon was spectacular. Since I got there early enough to get a front row seat, I decided not to take notes, as that would look odd on film. I plan to discuss the concert in more detail, adding observations from seeing it in person, once the DVD comes out later this year.

A complete list of Fan Awards winners is here. Overall, there was little surprising enough to be noteworthy in most categories; in many of the categories, the person who won the award last year won it again this year. There were a few notable exceptions:

• Triumphant Quartet picked up their first Male Quartet of the Year win.
• Their bass singer, Eric Bennett, won Bass Singer of the year for the first time.
• Perrys lead singer Joseph Habedank won his first fan award, Young Artist.
• Libbi Perry Stuffle won Favorite Alto for the first time in three or four years. The Habedank and Stuffle wins show that the Perrys’ current lineup (well, particularly the Habedank/Stuffle combination) has now been together long enough to build the kind of connection with their fans that they had in the Stuffle/Loren Harris days.
• The Crist Family won Horizon Group of the Year. This was particularly thrilling for me since I had spent the week updating their website (among several others, none of whom were also up for the award).

Quite honestly, after Fan Awards ended, I took Saturday night off and (during those times I was able to be in Freedom Hall) just sat back and enjoyed the songs. Two highlights that stick out in my memory are the Kingdom Heirs’ “He Locked the Gates” (a much stronger response than earlier in the week) and the Perrys’ “If You Knew Him.” There was applause when the soundtrack kicked off, more when Joseph started singing the first verse, more at the end of the first and second verses, and a standing ovation by the bridge. This song seems on the verge of defining this iteration of the Perrys—the song people will remember this lineup by.

NQC 2009 was an incredibly long but also incredibly enjoyable and memorable experience. In addition to all the posts I did on this site and on other sites, I also did a fair number of feature interviews, which you will get the chance to read in the coming months. Thanks for tuning in!

Rodney Griffin told the story behind a sermon his father preached that inspired “He’ll Carry Me”: “Today I carry you to Your grave; soon You’ll carry me from mine.” The song also received a standing ovation. Jacob Kitson’s voice was so perfect for the song that one cannot help but hope that Greater Vision would see fit to re-cut the song with his vocal at some point.

Triumphant Quartet involved the audience in a handkerchief-waving toe-tapping rendition of “Old White Flag.” Dianne Wilkinson, the song’s author, did not speak until afterward. Initially that seemed odd, but the reason quickly became evident when she presented him with a framed version of the piece of paper upon which she originally scribbled down the song idea and lyrics.

After the Couriers’ virtuoso performance at the showcase, their set on the main stage was a must-see. And what can I say? Three songs, three standing ovations. They started off with their classic a capella arrangement of “I Sing the Mighty Power of God,” receiving a partial standing ovation. “One Nation Over God” got a virtually unanimous standing ovation. As I expected, they closed with “Statue of Liberty,” and the audience was on its feet before the end.

Greater Vision sang immediately before the Signature Sound / Gaither Vocal Band set. Probably the highlight was Gerald Wolfe’s rendition of “There Is a River,” set up by a humorous story of how a lady had quit begging him to sing the song each year and started threatening him that she wouldn’t come back if he didn’t. He said that he told her that the song was so long that he was afraid the program would run over and he would get fined. He asked if she would be willing to pay the $200 fine (for running two minutes over). She said she would. So he asked her if she’d pay it in advance, in case he couldn’t find her afterwards.

Before Signature Sound came on stage, Gordon Mote played an uptempo rendition of “Give The World a Smile.” Mote isn’t a convention-style pianist, and even when he plays something close to convention style, it still has a different feel from when a Stewart Varnado, Bryan Elliott, or even Anthony Burger takes the lead.

Signature Sound sang much the same set they did at the Together showcase. This time, though, they started with their recent hit single, “Reason Enough.” Ernie Haase did give a more detailed introduction to “Wonderful Grace of Jesus,” describing a recent Opryland performance where they sang the song.

Then, in one of the most fascinating transitions in NQC, Doug Anderson sang several lines of a verse to “Reason Enough,” before Ernie Haase started into an acoustic piano-and-voice rendition of “Oh, What a Savior.” A little further into the song, the rest of the Gaither band kicked in, and the soundtrack was punched in for the final ending. It was a fascinating, best-of-both-worlds setup, with the spontaniety of a live song and the orchestra for the big ending.

Signature Sound closed their set with “Amen Chorus,” involving the audience in the fairly simple chorus while Tim Duncan, Ernie Haase, and Doug Anderson sang the solo lines.

The Gaither Vocal Band opened with a song that was probably the single most discussed event of the night: “I Believe in a Hill Called Mount Calvary.” Wes Hampton sang David Phelps’ verse…and, with an astonishing authority, his high tag for the big ending.

Another highlight was hearing Gloria Gaither sing live for the first time. I have probably heard her give recitations at previous Gaither showcases at NQC, but after her recitation on “Something About That Name,” she sang with the Vocal Band for the rest of the song.

Bill Gaither and Michael English closed the set with “Worthy the Lamb.” It wasn’t Guy Penrod, and maybe it wasn’t quite as awesome. But to be almost as breathtaking as Penrod on that song is amazing.

Speaking of Penrod: He is here at the National Quartet Convention. He got in last night, and word is that he will be appearing at the Featured Artist Spotlight showcase in the showcase some time between 12:30 and 4 PM.

The Booth Brothers had a strong set, with a good mix of slow songs (“Look for Me,”) recent songs (“Blind Man” and “Tradin’ The Old Cross”), and a group classic  (“Still Feelin’ Fine.”)

The Diplomats only got one song (“That’s What Heaven Means to Me”), but they pulled out all the stops, pulling in Zane King to play steel guitar and the Hoppers’ bus driver (whose name escapes me) to play rhythm guitar.

The moment I wish I’d caught was when Brian Free & Assurance featuring Jeremy Lile on “Save Me a Seat at the Table.” Lile’s father had passed away earlier in the week. The funeral was that day, and he arrived at Freedom Hall less than an hour before the group’s set. I did catch the song on the live screens in the vendor’s hall. He was choking up in the first verse, but recovered to turn in a strong performance for the remainder of the song. He choked up again in the final tag, but by that point he had already turned in such a strong performance that he received a prolonged standing ovation.

One day to go!

Ernie Haase & Signature Sound started the program. Probably wisely, given the audience, they pulled heavily from the more traditional parts of their repertoire, starting with the classic “Our Debts Will Be Paid” (featuring lead singer Ryan Seaton) and the newer classic-in-the-making “Glory to God in the Highest” (featuring bass singer Tim Duncan).

Their recent #1 hit song, “Reason Enough,” went over quite well. Their acapella rendition of “Wonderful Grace of Jesus” also got a strong response.

They did sing one song from their brand-new Christmas recording (Every Light that Shines at Christmas), “Changed By a Baby Boy.”

Then they pulled out two vintage-style micropones for the remainder of their set. They sang “My Heart is a Chapel,” “Swinging on the Golden Gates,” “Walk With Me,” and “Since Jesus Passed By.”

As Signature Sound walked off stage, the lights were dimmed, and the Gaither Vocal Band walked onto the stage in hazy blue light, singing “Alpha and Omega.”

David Phelps was featured on “At the Cross”; as incredible as the song is recorded or on a Homecoming video, it is indescribably breathtaking from merely feet away.

Michael English was featured on “Temporary Home.” There was a round of applause when he stepped forward. There also was for his part and the other parts in the three-tenor rendition of “The Love of God.”

Mark Lowry and Bill Gaither were featured on “Satisfied.”

Lowry was featured again on Journey to the Sky, and received a standing ovation.

David Phelps sang “Nessun Dorma” solo. He ended the song on a powerfully high note and received a standing ovation.

Michael English and Mark Lowry were featured on “He Touched Me.”

English introduced “Lord, Feed Your Children” by saying that it had been a number of years since he stood on the National Quartet Convention stage, but it was good to be home. The song received a prolonged standing ovation. The Gaither Vocal Band closed their set with “It is Finished,” which received another standing ovation.

After Gordon Mote gave the other singers a break by singing “Old Gospel Ship,” the Gaither Vocal Band and Signature Sound did several songs together. They sang “Great Day,” highlighted by a particularly strong solo from Wes Hampton, “Love Like a River,” “Swing Down Chariot,” “Sitting at the Feet of Jesus,” and “I Then Shall Live.” On the final song, a trio comprised of Wes Hampton, Ryan Seaton, and Doug Anderson sang several lines. Their blend was phenomenal.

I had (and have) a crazy schedule, trying to get video up for a number of websites, so I was unable to spend as much time in Freedom Hall as I wanted to.

I did catch the Mark Trammell Trio set; they sang “Mansion Over the Hilltop,” “Sweetest Song I Know,” “If Only Just a Few,” and “Standing On the Solid Rock.”

The Hoppers and Collingsworth Family sang “Family of God” together. Then the Collingsworth Family started their set with an a capella rendition of “Holy, Holy, Holy,” featuring Courtney. Olivia was featured on “Little By Little.” A teenage trio of Phil Jr., Courtney, and Brooklyn sang a new Gerald Crabb song, “I Know.” (Come to think of it, though, I might not be able to use that any longer, since I recall hearing a reference to Brooklyn having heard twenty.) Courtney played a violin solo (truly solo, without even piano) on “There is a Fountain”; this led into their song “The Blood of Jesus.”

The Talley Trio sang four songs. They started with one of the strongest songs from their new project (Songs You Know By Heart), “Amazing Grace.” Debra sang the first verses, and Lauren finished with the last two. Roger was featured on “My Hope is In the Lord.” Then Lauren closed with two songs, the Talleys classic “Mountain Mover” and another song new to the Talley Trio, “He’s Alive.” It’s hard for a brand new song that many in the audience have never heard to get a standing ovation, but this one did.

Tribute Quartet started their set with two songs from their new project, “I’ve Been Blessed,” featuring lead Gary Casto, bass Dennis Dugger, and tenor Brian Alvey. I scribbled in my notes that it was remarkable how much Dugger sounds like Legacy Five bass Glen Dustin. Casto and Alvey sang solos on another new song, “That’s Why I Love Him So.” Brian Alvey closed the set with “Who Am I”; oddly, for whatever reason, even counting the “Who Am I” encore with the Perrys, Tribute Quartet walked off stage with 6 1/2 minutes left on the clock timing their set.

The Perrys featured Troy Peach and Libbi Stuffle on “Old Fashioned Altar.” For whatever reason (probably, like for so many groups for the rest of the week, microphone issues), one of Libbi’s feature lines in a final chorus was inaudible. And since the audience didn’t hear any vocals when that happened, the Perrys cannot be accused of over-stacking their songs.

One detour along those lines for a minute, if I may. Many singers use stacks–pre-recording their own voices–to help in certain situations. It allows the singers to ease off the power on big endings or save a set in a room with poor acoustics (Freedom Hall, anyone?) But, I am of the opinion that some amateur commentators mistake reverb for stacks. Most sound boards, including the ones used during the National Quartet Convention, have live processing effects. If a singer is minutely south or north of their pitch, and they were either on or slightly off in the other direction a moment before, reverb can add the choir effect that casual readers who know just enough to be dangerous can mistakenly assume to be stacked vocals.

Back to the Perrys’ set. They sang “If You Knew Him,” featuring lead singer Joseph Habedank, and received a standing ovation. They closed their set with “I Wish I Coulda Been There,” encoring it with Tribute Quartet, Morgan Easter (who had begged them to sing the song), and one or two other artists who had stayed in the artist circle to the finale.

* * *

I know, I fell behind, and this post is late. Please accept my apologies, and I’ll do my best to catch up! Maintaining six websites is a bigger job than I anticipated, but it’s a job I love. You have to love this music to survive this convention! But if you do, then the long days are a joy.