SouthernGospelBlog.com

Ellen Gerig, West Coast videographer extraordinaire, has posted quite a few videos from last Friday’s Pacific Gospel Music Association concert. A list of all the videos is here.

Of particular note, former Blackwood Brothers bass Ken Turner did a solo set, from which this was a highlight:

He also rattled the subwoofers in a scrap-iron quartet:

Frequent Franklin Graham song leader Dennas Agajanian also did a solo set, with some guitar picking that rivals the speed of a Southern Gospel piano solo:

And finally, Liberty Quartet was a (/the?) featured artist. They featured their baritone, Jordan Cragun (Kim Collingsworth’s nephew), on “Light at the End of Darkness”:

And if you thought the Hoppers were the only ones who could hit a home run with “Yes, I Am,” wait till you see a male quartet take it on.

…hear Gus say it himself.

This video is from the archives, from NQC 2008 (the first year I did these video greetings).

This post is dedicated to AmyR.

While I started this blog off as a words-only site, in the last year or two I’ve come to realize that if picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth a thousand pictures. So while I could give a song list—and may as well—I think the concert would be far better captured by a video clip of the biggest highlight, of a song that got a bigger response than any other song, despite the numerous career highlights featured.

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:

Legacy Five put the word out yesterday that they have hired Gus Gaches to be their new tenor singer. Gaches has sung with the Calvary Construction Company, the Moscheo/Andrus/Blackwood Imperials, and, most recently, put in several years with Mike LeFevre’s Priority Quartet. He is married to Tamra and has two children, son Gus and daughter Kylie.

Like his new boss, he hides his age well; despite his youthful appearance, he is actually 42 years old. But his voice doesn’t show the signs of aging; in fact, if you only heard his voice, he could pass for a tenor in his twenties.

He comes to Legacy Five with Frank Seamans’ blessing; in fact, he was Seamans’ own choice for a replacement. Their blog states:

He’s the man that Frank recommended fill in for him if he should have to be out during Frank, Jr.s illness. Fortunately, Frank never had to be absent; however, when Frank decided to go back home to be with his family, Frank reminded us to call Gus. We did and the rest is soon to be history.

The two personnel decisions Scott Fowler has had to make since Roger Bennett’s passing have both been concluded in favor of people who bring a strong background in producing and studio work. Tim Parton has produced a number of projects, and regularly works with Terry Franklin to produce Daywind’s songwriter demos. Gus Gaches owns the Vox Box recording studio and is involved in the production of numerous CDs, videos, and live events. In fact, he was even part of the NQC sound crew last year, but don’t hold that against him; as I understand, his responsibilities were more covering the mix that went out on the Internet feed, and there were far fewer complaints about that than about the house sound.

One interesting Legacy Five / Gus Gaches connection: On the LeFevre’s Live DVD, produced by Gaches (and reviewed here), Scott Fowler provided the group introduction.

And since a picture is worth a thousand words, and a video is worth a thousand pictures, here are some highlights from that project:

Also:

• I Bless Your Name
• Without Him
• First Day in Heaven
• Cloud He’s Coming Back On
• When I Get Carried Away

Here’s what the Gospel Singing Jubilee would look like in 2009 . . . highlighted by a guest appearance by the original host, Les Beasley.

Even with the undeniably legendary status of the original featured groups, today’s groups could produce a show just as high quality.

We thought we knew the extent to which Brian Free was a freak of nature.

Turns out the phrase is an understament, at least if these videos are for real. There’s really no reason inherent to the videos for it to not seem real; it looks like he’s really singing the low bass part. And Jeremy Lile’s tenor definitely sounds like a bass falsetto.

Since the comment threads in my posts discussing Guy Penrod and Marshall Hall are still active, I know first-hand that there is an ongoing interest in their music. I get requests often enough for updates on any Marshall Hall solo concerts that I can’t pass these videos by.

He did a solo concert in Venice, Florida last Sunday (September 27) . . . and Wes Hampton showed up. Here they are, singing “Home”:

Other video highlights:

I Believe in a Hill Called Mount Calvary

Jesus Loves Me

Search Me Lord

There is a River

Always

The other day, I came across a video of the Hoppers singing “Miracle In Me.” Of course, since that was a huge song for the Greenes when Kim (Greene) Hopper was still with the group, I anticipated that Kim would naturally be featured.

But as the video starts, the four singers on stage are Greg Bentley and Claude, Connie, and Dean Hopper. So I fell upon my backup hypothesis—that this was shortly before Kim would come on stage, and she was waiting in the wings to come in on the second verse or encore and blow the roof off with a power finish.

But no. In this video, it’s Connie delivering both the mellow opening lines and the power finish. With aplomb.

Now Connie seems to be content to quietly blend and let others have the spotlight. But if that has ever fooled you into underestimating her singing abilities, watch this video:

Here is a video Rich Crist took for the Crist Connect website:

The Inspirations’ new baritone, Donald Duck, who looks remarkably like their old baritone, Melton Campbell, was observed recording a radio liner yesterday: