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1. Roger Bennett passes away. If I’m not mistaken, Roger Bennett was the only person this year to successfully crash the Singing News server. While numerous performers passed away this year, Bennett was still a (recording) member of a top-tier group and had been keeping the Southern Gospel community steadily updated on his progress through his blog.
2. Florida Boys retire. While the story might not have attracted as much attention as Roger Bennett’s passing, it will go down as one of the most significant stories of the year. The Florida Boys’ 60-year tradition of fine Gospel singing came to an end. It will be interesting to watch what comes of the name next year.
3. Jim Hamill dies. Although he’d been (mostly) off of the road for several years, Hamill’s contributions to making the Kingsmen one of the top groups of their era make this one of the year’s top stories.
4. (tie) Palmetto State Quartet restructures.
   (tie) Mercy’s Mark restructures. It would be a hard call to say which was a bigger story; both groups had shown promise with previous lineups but had been struggling before (in both cases) all the group members except for the manager left. I took the easy way out and declared it a tie.
5. Old Time Gospel Hour Quartet disbands. Though they’d struggled for several years (since their founder, Robbie Hiner, came off the road) this quartet got off to a very strong and promising start, and based largely on that, I was sorry to see them go.

I think these were the top 5 (6) stories this year.

The Chuck Wagon Gang issued this open letter over the weekend:

Dear friends, fans, and supporters of The Chuck Wagon Gang,

We are contacting you to advise you of a situation which we feel that you, the friends, fans, and supporters of The Chuck Wagon Gang should know. We recently learned that the National Quartet Convention board voted on which groups should perform in 2008 and determined that we, along with several other groups, would not be appearing on the main stage at Freedom Hall for the National Quartet Convention to be held in Louisville, KY in September 2008. Instead, we were offered a spot on a Saturday noon showcase, which is separately ticketed. (Showcases are normally smaller events at NQC for the up-and-coming groups and soloists.)

We were told that cutting groups from the main stage was necessary to cut some expenses and time, and that by secret ballot among the members of NQC board we did not receive enough votes for the main stage. In effect, our status as a 71-year-old group has been reduced from performing twice on main stage to an estimated crowd of some 11,000 people with a decent honorarium, to a proposed performance in a 3,000 seating capacity, with separate ticketing, and a very low honorarium. This situation would also have an adverse effect on product sales at our booth (which we pay for), as sales are directly proportional to numbers in attendance and performances.

While we recognize that the NQC is a private enterprise and they can invite whomsoever they wish, nevertheless, we were saddened and disturbed by their decision. We must remember that James Blackwood and J. D. Sumner founded the NQC based on good quality, old-time gospel music. As you know, many of the old-timers have passed away in recent years, and there are few left who represent the gospel music in its simplest form. It appears by eliminating us and others characteristic of this style, the very heritage of the NQC is being diminished or even possibly destroyed. Is that good for NQC? It would seem that somewhere during the 60-hour main stage event there could two adequate time slots for the 71-year-old, traditional, Chuck Wagon Gang.

The Chuck Wagon Gang performed at the very first National Quartet Convention, held in Memphis, Tennessee in 1957 and has been a part of many conventions since that time. The NQC has always been a good experience for us, as we get to meet many folks that we don’t get to see across the country each year, we meet many promoters, groups, and other business contacts, and of course the vast array of different talent at the event.

The Chuck Wagon is a full-time group, with salaries and many expenses as any other group at NQC. Given the situation, we have declined the side-showcase performance. As it stands right now, we must inform you that, regretfully, The Chuck Wagon Gang will not perform at NQC for 2008.

To those of you who attend NQC, we urge you to continue to support the event. We cannot change the situation, and will abide by their decision. However, you, as the friends, fans, and supporters of The Chuck Wagon Gang could make a difference. If you attend the NQC particularly to see us, or if we are one of the groups that you don’t ever or rarely see other than NQC, perhaps you would let the NQC board know your feelings. If we are variety to the mix that you enjoy, let them know.

The board will meet again in early March. If any of you would like to contact them, please do not email or call them. Please send any signed responses by mail directly to the following address:

National Quartet Convention Board
815 John Harper Hwy, Suite 8
Shepherdsville, KY 40165

We would hope that any comments you wish to make to them would be professional, nice and cordial, but to the point and the impact their decision makes on you. May we suggest that any responses be done soon, while it is fresh on your mind, and received in time for consideration at the March board meeting.

Thanks to all of you for your support through the years. NQC will not break or make us. Life goes on. . .we will too!

We hope to see you again soon somewhere.

Dave Emery, Manager
The Chuck Wagon Gang

A few days ago, when the Dove Brothers sent out an email announcing that they had posted clips of their upcoming release (Life) on their website, I started drafting a post summarizing my thoughts on the songs. But yesterday, when I visited Coomer Cove, I saw that Brandon had the same idea I did. His mini-review is done well enough that it would be a little redundant for me to say essentially the same thing.

I will make a few comments, though. There isn’t really a clear follow-up single to “I Can Pray.” Granted, short of covering Gold City’s “Preach the Word” or “About the Cross,” both of which have similar melodies, it would have been rather hard to do.

Brandon Coomer wasn’t quite sure who had the feature on song #6, “Face to Face with Grace.” He described it as “low to be Eric, but high to be David” and wondered if it could be Jerry Kelso. While I’m not completely ruling out Dove or Kelso, I am fairly certain it sounds like David Hester. He is probably the single most versatile bass in Southern Gospel, and if this is indeed him, he’s re-defined how well a low-note bass singer can sing a solo. In part since I prefer more traditional sounds, and in part due to the strength of the song itself, I imagine this will end up being my favorite song from the project.

The final song on the project, though, was what really caught my attention. I knew I’d heard it somewhere before, and shortly realized I’d heard it on Monument’s Myspace Page. When I first heard the song, I recall being slightly surprised that the only reference to God was a passing illustration on how busy Americans’ lives have become (setting aside “an hour for God”). The song was one of the country tracks on Monument’s recent crossover project.

Since the album title appears to point to this song, I’m thinking this track could be one of the more emphasized on the project. If the Dove Brothers are thinking of using the song to help open the doors to new audiences, it wouldn’t be the first time they’ve tried a new direction. Their last change of course, moving from traditional to moderately progressive, brought the group quite a bit of attention, including a #1 hit and a signature song. Of course, if the Dove Brothers are viewing the track strictly as a novelty track, it wouldn’t be the first time they’ve tried that, either, with 2005’s “Gossip the Gospel” being perhaps the most notable example from their repertoire.

That’s all the long way around getting to my conclusion: This could well end up one of this genre’s most talked-about projects of 2008.

In February, the Gaithers will be releasing the two latest installments in their Homecoming series. Homecoming Picnic and A Campfire Homecoming are set to release on February 5. Sound clips from the projects can be found here and here. The most notable aspect of the song selection seems to be that A Campfire Homecoming features no less than four songs performed by the Gaither Vocal Band, including three in a row (”Lead Me to the Rock,” “Mansion over the Hilltop,” and “Can’t Stop Talking About Him.”)

The projects are described as having “all the elements of the perfect picnic, complete with warm conversation at the dinner table, fun and games, and lots of great singing around the campfire.” The projects were filmed at the Wilson County Fairgrounds / Fiddler’s Grove in Franklin, Tennessee.

If I’m not mistaken, I think the big Gaither promotional push is going to come later in the spring, when the final two of the four videos from the 200+ artist taping in February release. Even though the two hymns DVDs mostly featured familiar Homecoming faces, I’ve heard fans of some of the groups that made their first Homecoming appearance there express a hope that those two projects will feature some of those new faces.

But whatever may happen later in the year, these campfire releases appear to be a nice change of pace in the Homecoming series.

Roy Webb announced in his most recent email update that he’s signed a distribution agreement with New Day:

In other news, I have just recently signed a distribution agreement with NewDay Music. This is a blessing! My music will be distributed to all the major retail outlets! I just pray that God uses my music to reach as many people as possible! I want people to be inspired and lifted up by my music! So, please keep me in your prayers!

I received this after I’d posted the interview, otherwise I would have made mention of it somewhere in the post. This is a good move (and a big move) for him, since, as he mentioned, it will make his music available to retail outlets.

I recently had the opportunity to interview Roy Webb; click here for a formatted pdf of the interview. For more information about his current activities, visit http://www.roywebbmusic.com/.

A highlight:

Q. You had your first concert a few weeks ago. How did that go? How busy has your schedule since been?

A. My first concert went really, really well! It was just a good feeling to get out there and see the fans again, playing the piano for people is what I do, so, it felt great to share what I do with all of the people who were there that night.

Since then, my schedule has been hectic-in a different way! I knew this solo thing was going to be ALOT of work-and believe me it is-but, now I am responsible for EVERYTHING! So, I am busy with everything from ordering product, to maintaining my website, handling dates, mailing out website orders, coming up with new musical ideas, practicing, writing new jokes and comedy material, the list goes on….AND on top of that-just trying to be a good Dad and Husband. Wow….no wonder I’m tired everyday!

Click here for the rest of the interview.

On a personal note, I was out of town last Saturday and thus missed my daily post. During this trip, I had the chance to be interviewed by Phyllis Schlafly on Eagle Forum Live. If you didn’t catch the interview on your local station, you can hear the two half-hour segments here and here.

As I re-read my series of posts for last year’s 12 Days of Christmas Series, entry #1 really stands out. A year ago, this is what I posted:

If I had the power to give anyone any Christmas gift, my first choice would be easy. I would give Roger Bennett a clean bill of health.

For years, Roger Bennett and Anthony Burger were Southern Gospel’s two most popular pianists, legends in the making. But with Burger dead and Bennett off the road for now, Southern Gospel lost its two best in one fell swoop. So it was an easy decision to pick Bennett to start this series.

Of course, he is now cancer-free at last. But my Christmas wish and prayer today is that God would grant Roger’s wife Debbie and their children Chelsea and Jordan peace and comfort as they face their first Christmas season without him.

If I could give any present to Southern Gospel fans, it would be to provide the funding to top groups so they can afford a band.

The Kingdom Heirs are pretty nearly the last holdout among top-level groups in maintaining a three (or more)-piece band. I don’t want to see live music totally disappear, or to see the live band era totally fade from the Southern Gospel genre.

I recently had the blessing of hearing Triumphant Quartet’s latest Christmas CD. It starts with “Jesus, What a Wonderful Child” which the Talley Trio included on their project a while back. Two songs I hadn’t heard before were “Hope Has Hands” and “Mary’s Christmas,” the latter of which was sung by Clayton Inman who did a terrific job.

When I first started listening to “Christmas Shoes,” I really wasn’t sure how a bass singer would do but Eric Bennett did a great solo.

They repeated the Cathedrals’ acapella arrangement of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and then David Sutton sang a really neat song called “Jesus is Lord.”

As I listened to Jeff Stice do a piano solo of “O Holy Night,” I thought, “I’d love to see him do that in concert.” I love the song anyway but Jeff is one talented musician!

Probably the neatest song on the project is the title song, “We Need a Little Christmas,” which Legacy Five also recorded earlier this year. However, on Triumphant’s version the families of the group members join in and sing. It was introduced by Paul Heil. Upbeat and fun, this song is definitely a winner!

Closing the project is a “Medley of Fun” which includes “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town,” “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Feliz Navidad,” “Walking in a Winter Wonderland,” “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” “Jingle Bells,” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (another piano solo).

One thing that added to the project was, between each song, Jeff would play a short piano solo of a carol. Then it would go into the next song. I’ve never heard a group do that before but it gave it more of a Christmasy feel.

If you like Triumphant Quartet, you will like this project!

~Sony Elise