Southern Gospel blogger Kyle Boreing’s father James passed away suddenly and unexpectedly earlier this week. Keep the Boreing family in your prayers! Kyle is a regular contributor to David Bruce Murray’s Musicscribe blog.

Past the Press Release is an interview series featuring a new member of a professional Southern Gospel group. It’s a chance to look past the standard “excited to be here” press release comment and learn a little more about them. Meet Union Street baritone Andrew Goldman!

Daniel: Over the last few months, Union Street (formerly The Ryan Seaton Quartet) has generated enough buzz and won enough fans that I thought readers would be interested to see an interview with the group’s newest face. I understand that this isn’t your first time singing with a Southern Gospel group, though. What group(s) have you sung with previously?

Andrew: I’ve been around Gospel music my entire life. I joined the Conquerors Quartet as their lead singer in 2006, when I was a Sophomore in high school. Once, I began my college career at Oakland City University, I joined their ambassador Gospel group, Earthlight. I traveled with both groups during my college years.

Daniel: What or who inspired you to start singing?

Andrew: My family has been my inspiration. My dad started singing with the Conquerors Quartet when I was six months old. I always wanted to be like him, and be a member of the group. I have had the honor of singing alongside of him with the Conquerors since 2009. Not only is he an amazing vocalist, (100 times better than I’ll ever be), he’s completely in tune with what God has in store for each and every one of our concerts. Not only does my father sing, but my mom has one of the smoothest alto voices you have ever heard. She sounds a lot like Karen Carpenter. I’m blessed with such talented parents. I also have had the opportunity to sing with both of them as a trio.

Daniel: Have you had any vocal training, formal or informal?

Andrew: Yes, I actually just graduated with degrees in Music Education and Vocal Performance from Oakland City University. My instructor, Cynthia Retana, has been a tremendous influence in my music. She has helped develop my voice, and helped to take it to the next level. I have studied Italian Arias, Opera, English Oratorio, German Lieder, French, and English Arias under her direction.

Daniel: Readers might be interested to know about a musical connection you share with Ernie Haase, Scott Fowler, Jeremy Lile, and Dusty Barrett. Could you elaborate?

Andrew: Yes, these fantastic artists were once members of Oakland City University’s ambassador Gospel group, Earthlight. I have been a member of Earthlight during my college years.

Daniel: Why the big glasses and bow tie?

Andrew: Union Street wants to not only appeal to current Gospel music fans, but we want to appeal to future, younger fans of Gospel music. Our style and sound is more progressive gospel. The glasses set me apart from others, and I’ve always been a huge fan of the bow-tie.

Daniel: I love bow ties, by the way—I wear one myself when I wear a tie! Do you have other musical talents, perhaps playing an instrument, running sound, or something else?

Andrew: I’ve played the drums since I was 11. I’ve had the opportunity to play alongside some great musicians. I actually started with the Conquerors as their fill-in drummer during their time traveling with a live band. I would not consider myself a sound man, but I did run sound during my time with Earthlight.

Daniel: How long have you known Ryan Seaton?

Andrew: I met Ryan during his time with Signature Sound. At the time, I wasn’t aware that he lived, basically just down the road from me. I later found out, we actually graduated from the same high school (He, of course, long before me). We became friends during this time and have kept in touch.

Daniel: When did you first find out about what is now Union Street, and join in?

Andrew: Ryan called me one day on my way home from work asking me if I would be interested in singing for fun at his upcoming solo concert at his home church. He said that he had an itch to sing with a quartet, and thought it would be fun to put a group together as a surprise at the concert. That’s how it all began.

Daniel: Can you fill us in on plans for Union Street’s debut recording?

Andrew: Union Street is hoping to get into the recording studio soon. We are currently raising funds for this. If you or someone you know would like to help, check it out on KickStarter here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/unionstreet/union-streets-debut-recording. 

I’m also currently working on my first solo project, set to release this summer.

Daniel: How can readers keep up with you and with Union Street?

Andrew: Follow us on Facebook (Union Street). You can also follow us on Twitter @unionstreetqt. You can also follow me @agoldman_12, Tony @TobyHitchcock, Ryan @rseaton1.

Daniel: Thank you for taking the time to do this!

Andrew: Thank you, sir!

For readers who collect Southern Gospel LPs: How do you clean them?

Do you have an (often expensive) cleaning machine? Do you use special brushes or solutions, or make your own solutions? 

Lily Fern Weatherford posted on her Facebook page today that Maude Aimee Humbard has passed away. Maude was the wife of Rex Humbard, the televangelist at the Cathedral of Tomorrow who launched the Weatherfords’ career and formed the Cathedral Trio/Quartet.

Bass singer Tim Duncan’s oldest son was in a serious accident; he requested prayer via his Facebook page:

We are asking for everyone to please pray for our oldest son Breck. He had a head on collision this evening and was life flighted to Vanderbilt Trauma Center. He is currently in ICU with multiple facial fractures, fractured foot and fractured L5 vertebrae. We are now waiting to see what time he will be going to surgery. We are praying but we are also THANKING God for having his hands on him today!

Duncan sings bass for Canton Junction and sang in the past for Poet Voices and Ernie Haase & Signature Sound.

Worth Knowing

• The Gospel Music Association has announced that the Hoppers will be inducted into their Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will be August 14th.
• Long-time NQC emcee Buck Morton’s wife Annette passed away last Saturday.
• Former Sego Brothers & Naomi member Lamar Sego, the last surviving Sego brother, also passed away last Saturday. In recent years, his sister-in-law Naomi Sego Reader has continued the group as Naomi and the Segos.
• Radio promoter Donna Beauvais King will be leaving Daywind at the end of the month to focus on the artists associated with her own promotions company, Vertical Sky. She will be replaced by Southern Gospel soloist Taj Rohr.

Worth Watching

Here’s an in-the-studio sneak peek of a new Mark Bishop song:

Worth Discussing

It’s open thread Saturday—you decide!

The Kingsmen announced this morning that Chris Jenkins is their new tenor. Jenkins, 25, comes from Greensboro, North Carolina, and sang for two years with the Vintage Quartet. He commented:

I am so thankful that God has allowed me to do what I have always loved to do. I could not be more excited about joining a group with such a legacy and rich history as The Kingsmen. I have been a fan of The Kingsmen since I was very young. I look forward to seeing what the future holds with this great quartet, especially this line-up of individuals as they are top-notch vocalists. It is a real honor to follow in the footsteps of some of my heroes.

After Harold Reed left the group last December, Ernie Phillips filled in for several months. After he came back off the road about a month ago, Chris began filling in. After several weeks filling in, he has been officially hired.

The Kingsmen: Ray Dean Reese, Bob Sellers, Randy Crawford, Chris Jenkins, Brandon Reese

Singing News has announced the top 5 finalists in the 2012 Singing News Fan Awards. Their list is here.

This is one headline I thought I would never write. But it’s true. Varnado just posted this on his Facebook page:

I’d like to thank the Dixie Echoes for allowing me the opportunity to live out my dream for the past 14 years. I joined the group when I was 17 years old. Randy and Scoot Shelnut have became like family to me, and it’s been a blast traveling with some great guys through the years. I realize that when people put out statements saying they want to spend more time at home, it seems to be a cover for unhappiness within the group. That is not the case here. I simply have the desire to come off the road for a while. I wish nothing but the best for the Dixie Echoes, and pray that one day, if it’s God’s will, I can return to Gospel music. I have no future plans at the moment and will be filling in for the group until a replacement has been found. Thanks also to the many friends that I have made while traveling! It has been an honor to get to meet so many fine people. I will still be active behind the scenes promoting the music that I love. Anyone interested in auditioning should contact Randy Jr. at scoot@dixieechoes.com

For once, I am practically speechless. This is the sort of thing I’d think of as an April Fool’s Day prank—much like Guy Penrod joining the Inspirations or, say, Scott Fowler leaving Legacy Five. But it’s not April 1—regrettably.

Worth Knowing

• On Tuesday, Tim Surrett’s bluegrass group, Balsam Range, launched a new membership program, Balsam Nation.
• Paul’s Journey has hired Joe Kitson as their new lead singer. He has previously sung with the Dixie Melody Boys, the Toney Brothers, Statement of Faith, and In the Vine. The group has also hired Dodd Meadows to add vocals and instrumentation and help run sound.
• Scott Godsey, who produced Legacy Five’s recent “Ask Me Why” concept video, has launched a media and marketing agency, Godsey & Associates.
• Danny Funderburk’s father, Bill Funderburk, passed away on Wednesday. He was 82; his health had been declining for some time, and he had suffered a heart attack last month.
• Channing Eleton’s mother, Janice Eleton, passed away this week after a long battle with cancer (hat tip, DBM).
• Ryan Seaton’s quartet, Union Street, has launched a Kickstarter campaign to attempt to fund their debut album.

Worth Watching

Worth Discussing

It’s open thread Saturday—you decide!