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This evening, I attended a concert by a regional quartet, the Colonial City Quartet. This group had a better group blend than many full-time groups and did both original material and classics. Look for a full concert review on Monday.

Remember the old Dixie Echoes song “Singing News Blues,” where Dale Shelnut said he’d do whatever it took to make Singing News, even if he had to burn his bus to the ground? Whatever it takes to get a headline!
Recently, Lamp Music took delivery of a 7-foot Grand Piano. Good for them. But I am mildly surprised that the delivery of a new piano, even if it is a Yamaha, is headline news.

In other news, the Jackson Clarion-Ledger published an interview with David Phelps, and John at The Inquiring Mind has a fascinating post on the Inspirations.

Roger Bennett, who grew up in Strawberry, Arkansas, was recently featured in that community’s newspaper. The article gives interesting stories about his career, as well as trivia for the buffs. (Did you know that when Bennett and Fowler were attempting to come up with a name for what is now Legacy Five, the name “Fowler’s Howlers” was proposed?) The article is fairly accurate, although off by about a decade when it says that Roger Bennett spent “almost two more decades” with the Cathedrals after rejoining them in 1988.

Hat tip: Martin Roth.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Song list: Joshua; Those Tender Hands; Go the Distance; Run On; Look For Me at Jesus’ Feet; Clouds Roll Back; He Didn’t Throw the Clay Away; Shout it Out; Thanks to Calvary; Stand By Me; Lonesome Road.

The CD starts off with “Joshua,” an uptempo song featuring McCray Dove.

Baritone Eric Dove has often been compared to Statesmen baritone Doy Ott. Ott fans will enjoy Dove’s rendition of “Those Tender Hands,” a song that Ott recorded on a 1964 Statesmen album entitled Hovie Lister Spotlights Doy Ott.

Go the Distance was written by and features bass singer David Hester. The song sounds like it could as well be fresh from the pen of George Younce in 1971; Hester’s songwriting style brings to mind Younce songs like “Better Days,” “Then I Found Jesus,” and “You Better Get Ready.”

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Was Big Chief the Best?

John Scheideman at The Inquiring Mind has an interesting take on the question. John’s seniority in the Southern Gospel online community gives him the right to ask questions that relative newcomers like myself do not dare to ask. For example, I have noticed that Big Chief could be hard to understand, but I had just figured it was my own ears. But John’s confirmation of what I have also noticed prompted another thought, in relation to bass singers who emulate the Big Chief.

At a recent concert, I heard a bass singer (who shall remain nameless) emulate Wetherington while performing a certain fast-paced song Wetherington wrote while with the Statesmen. The bass singer remembered all his words and had the Big Chief-style gestures and vocal timbre down perfectly. The only problem was the diction: I do not believe I understood a single word of the song.

This brings to mind something that George Younce related learning in his first voice lesson. W.W. Combs, his instructor, told him:

“George, it doesn’t matter how low you can go or how loud you can sing; if the audience doesn’t understand the song’s message, you have wasted your time and your money. In gospel music it is the words that matter. Your diction must be perfect!” (From Ace Collins’ The Cathedrals, page 39).

George Younce took the lesson to heart. Bass singers of today would do well to learn from his example.

I will admit to having what can at times be an offbeat sense of humor. Feel free to join me in casting votes in CCM Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards. All votes must be cast by October 13.

Most of our picks are in the “other” (write-in) category and would probably have no chance of winning. But there are one or two top-level nominees that could make it (such as the Gaither Vocal Band).

Here are a few of my picks:
1. (Best Band) Other-Kingdom Heirs
2. (Best Duo or Group) Gaither Vocal Band (Why not? Even if they might not be my favorite group, at least they have a chance!)
3. (Best Male Artist) Other-Gerald Wolfe
4. (Best Female Artist) Other-Libbi Perry Stuffle
5. (Best Artist) Other-Ernie Haase
6. (Best New Artist) Other-Nick Trammell
7. (Best Album) Other-Ernie Haase & Signature Sound – Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
8. (Best Independent Artist) Other-Dixie Echoes
12. (Best Worship Artist) Other-Talley Trio
13. (Best Inspirational Artist) Michael Card
16. (Best Producer) Other-Wayne Haun
17. (Favorite Songwriter) Diane Wilkinson
18. (Best Song) Walk Away Free-Perrys (Yes, it’s that good)
20. (Best Album) Come Thirsty-Perrys
21. (Best Live Performance) Ernie Haase & Signature Sound (of course!)
22. (Best Festival) NQC (of course!)
23. (Most Underrated Artist) Bill Shivers (isn’t he?)
25. (Comeback Artist) The Blackwood Brothers
26. (Best Record Label) Daywind
28. (Best Book) Murray’s Encyclopedia of Southern Gospel (sure, it came out in 2005, but who would know the difference?)
31. (Best Guitarist) Kevin Williams
32. (Best Drummer) Dennis Murphy (Kingdom Heirs)
33. (Best Bassist) Mark Trammell
34. (Best Keyboardist) Stewart Varnado
35. (Best Vocalist) Guy Penrod (who knows; he may have a chance)
36. (Best Artist Activist) Gerald Wolfe

Maybe if a good number of Southern Gospel fans drop by, there might be a few surprises!

From time to time, there are interesting discussions about the testimonies of Southern Gospel performers who share from the stage that they had recently been saved. Singers such as Mark Trammell, Brian Free, Tim Riley, David Hill, and Mike LeFevre have all shared as part of their testimonies from the stage about how they were saved after already singing in a Southern Gospel Quartet.

This got me to thinking. Which Southern Gospel groups require that their members be born-again Christians?

Undoubtedly there are unsaved singers in Southern Gospel groups today. Don’t post any names in the comments; those comments will be immediately removed. But feel free to post the names of groups you know require that their members have made a public profession of faith.

Greater Vision has posted three pages of NQC photos. In his acceptance speech for the trio’s website of the year award, Gerald Wolfe said that Greater Vision might not have the flashiest website out there, but that fans love seeing lots of photos. Unlike many groups, which only post photos of the group on stage, GV has family shots and casual photos in addition to the concert pictures. While the Mark Trammell Trio and the Booth Brothers also have some pictures up, it’s no wonder why Greater Vision won website of the year, despite having the hardest website of the three to navigate. (I have to scroll down past the large main photo every time I want to visit a page.)

For some reason, after checking perhaps twenty artist websites, these three trios were the only groups with NQC photos posted.

There has been some discussion on the Singing News message board concerning who owns various Southern Gospel groups. Somebody was thought to own a certain group, when in fact the owner had hired him to manage it.

I thought that a little research could save a lot of confusion, so with that in mind I searched business filings for about thirty groups. Here is a list of various corporations and limited liability corporations, their dates of formation, and their registered agents.

Tennessee
Legacy Five, Inc.
Date of Formation: 01/07/2000
Registered Agent: George M. Johnson, Brentwood, TN

Legacy Five Leasing, L.L.C.
Date of Formation 10/24/2002
Registered Agent: Scott Fowler, Franklin, TN

Triumphant Quartet, Inc.
Date of Formation: 10/23/2002
Registered Agent: Eric Bennett, Sevierville, TN

Blackwood Brothers Quartet, Inc. (Also Blackwood Brothers, Inc.)
Date of Formation: 06/22/1987
Registered Agent: James Blackwood, Jr., Memphis, TN

Palmetto State Quartet, LLC
Date of Formation: 11/09/2004
Registered Agent: Kerry Beatty, Franklin, TN

Monument Quartet, LLC
Date of Formation: 05/07/2005
Registered Agent: Marshall Pugh, Brentwood, TN

Greater Vision Music Ministries, Inc.
Date of Formation: 04/28/1993
Registered Agent: Gerald Wolfe, Morristown, TN

The Isaacs
Date of Formation: 01/29/2004
Registered Agent:THE ISAACS, LLC , Nashville, TN

Kingdom Heirs
Date of Formation: 07/23/1990
Registered Agent: Kreis French

The McKameys, Inc.
Date of Formation: 05/18/1989
Registered Agent: Reuben Bean

Stamps Quartet, Inc.
Date of Formation: 11/01/1962
Registered Agent: Shirley Enoch

Talley Trio, Inc.
Date of Formation: 06/29/2000
Registered Agent: Roger Talley

Ohio
Signature Sound Quartet, Inc.
Date of Formation: December 20, 2002
Registered Agent: Ernie Haase, Stow, Ohio

Alabama
Gold City Quartet, Inc.
Date of Registration: 01-14-1986
Registered Agent: Tim Riley
Names of Inc.: Gary McQuire, Tim Riley, Gary Jones, Ivan Parker, Brian Free

Mark Trammell Minstries, Inc.
Date of Inc.: 08-21-2002
Registered Agent: Mark Trammell, Southside, AL
Names of Inc.: Mark Trammell

Indiana
Gaither Vocal Band
Bill Gaither has at least 12 corporations to his name

Florida
Dixie Echoes
Date formed: 09/25/1984
Officer/Director: Randy D. Shelnut

The Florida Boys, Inc.
Date formed: 03/03/1997
Registered Agent: Donald A. Roark
Officer/Director: Lester G. Beasley (President), Derrell M. Stewart, and Glennan H. Allred

Georgia
Brian Free, Inc.
Date formed: 12/22/1993
Brian Free, CEO; Pamela Free, CFO and Secretary

The Nelons, Inc.
Date formed: 5/30/1995; date dissolved 7/5/1998
Kelly Nelon Thompson, CEO; Jerry L. Thompson, CFO

North Carolina
Dove Brothers Quartet, LLC
Date formed: 12/31/1998
Registered Agent: David McCray Dove
Duration: NOV 2028
(Hopefully the date of duration is eventually revised!)
Carolina Entertainment, Inc.
Date formed: 9/25/2001
Registered Agent: Ray D. Reese

The Inspirations, Inc.
Date formed: 6/11/1971
Registered Agent: Martin A. Cook
President: Martin Cook. Vice-President: Archie Watkins. Secretary-Treasurer: Mike Holcomb.

The Anchormen, Inc.
Date formed: 2/18/1994
Registered Agent: Ray Bullard

Hopper Brothers & Connie, Inc.
Date formed: 2/3/1972
Registered Agent: Claude D. Hopper

I additionally searched for but did not find corporation filings for the Chuck Wagon Gang (TN), the Perrys (TN), the Toney Brothers (TN), the Ball Brothers (GA), Poet Voices (GA), and the Dixie Melody Boys (NC).

The Palmetto State Quartet has just launched a new design on their website. This is their first update since Wesley Smith joined as tenor. Incidentally, Smith was officially announced as the new tenor yesterday.