2007 Singing News Fan Award Nominees: Round 1, My Picks Here are my nominations in the first round of the Singing News Fan Awards: Group – Ernie Haase & Signature Sound Male Singer – Mark Trammell Female Singer – Libbi Perry Stuffle Horizon Group – Ball Brothers Horizon Individual – Randy Byrd (Blackwood Brothers) Musician...

(Some of) The results are in First, let me assure you that my post yesterday was not a publicity stunt, or a ploy to get more comments. I was and remain honestly willing to change the general direction of this blog (or adopt a niche) if that’s what a majority of my readers want. That said, it seems like the consensus (so far) is...

Rethinking this Blog I was incredibly honored to be mentioned in the March 2007 Singing News. Doug Harrison, who wrote the article, said that this blog hadn’t found its niche yet. As I thought about it, I realized that he is completely right. I’ve tried to do a little bit of reporting: In-depth commentary, News...

An Interview with Keith Plott For a PDF version of this story, click here. As most Southern Gospel fans know, Keith Plott just left Brian Free & Assurance after singing with them for several years. I recently caught up with him and did a mini-interview. He’s busy putting a solo career together, and I didn’t want to...

Mergers in Southern Gospel Two members each from two different trios, First Love and the McRaes, are joining together to form a new mixed quartet, TK & the McRaes. “TK” is short for Troy and Katy Peach, two-thirds of the First Love trio. The other third, J.P. Miller, has decided to come off the road. Annie McRae and...

Happy 50th, John Crenshaw! I’ll second Inquirer’s sentiments. John Crenshaw, probably the foremost Southern Gospel historian online (and a fine writer, too!), is turning 50 this week. Congratulations and blessings,...

Blackwood Quartet featured on mlive.com An article on the Blackwood Quartet was featured on mlive.com. This is Ron and R.W. Blackwood’s group, the group which John Rulapaugh sings with. Jimmy Blackwood’s Blackwood Brothers Quartet, the one taping a live DVD this evening in Florida, is a different group; Mark Blackwood’s Blackwood...

NQC announces first mainstage solo set…ever? Yesterday, the National Quartet Convention posted an update to their mainstage performances schedule. The Freemans and the Skyline Boys were each given mainstage slots. But beyond doubt (as, with a hat tip, I see Chuck Peters notes), the change that will attract the most attention is the fact that the NQC...

Blackwood Brothers Quartet to tape live DVD tomorrow The Blackwood Brothers Quartet is doing a live taping tomorrow (February 23) at the First Baptist Church in Cape Coral, Florida. The Blackwood Brothers Quartet is managed by Jimmy Blackwood, and features Randy Byrd on bass, Wayne Little on tenor, and Brad White on piano and...

Dove Awards nominees announced David Bruce Murray at MusicScribe has a good summary and commentary on the Dove Awards nominees. He does make a point about how the artists on the Torch project could claim to be Dove Nominated Artists now, though (as he well says) that would be a stretch. The artists on that NQC Special Event project,...