SouthernGospelBlog.com

My tenth Christmas wish would be for the Browns; if I could, I would arrange for Lari Goss to produce one of their albums. Goss is a legendary producer within our genre, and I think he would bring out nuances in their group sound that could make the project a break-through project for the group.

My ninth Christmas wish is for radio listeners–and really for anyone who wants to see higher quality programming on Southern Gospel radio stations.

Sometimes record companies and radio promoters send the obvious best song to radio. But once in a while, their choices leave the fans scratching their heads. I’ve even come across a few instances where artists were surprised by the songs a label / promoter picked. Since I think this would improve the quality of songs aired, I’d like to see record companies and radio promoters set up email addresses where fans can give feedback on what song they feel should be a project’s next single.

Thomas Marshall, Vice-President to Woodrow Wilson, is perhaps best known for his summary of the job. He said: “Once upon a time there were two brothers. One went to sea. The other became Vice President. Neither was ever heard from again.”

All too often, aspiring Southern Gospel soloists bring that saying to mind. While it’s hard for a vocalist–even a good one–to get going in this group-driven genre, it’s even harder for a pianist.

This year, Roy Webb started his attempt at that difficult task. My Christmas wish for him is that he would get the publicity and attention he needs to succeed.

If I could give Southern Gospel pianists collectively (and individually) any present, I would give them Stewart Varnado as a producer for their piano solo CDs.

Many (if not most) pianists release projects with slow-paced piano solos. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with these, but they don’t really reflect what these pianists can do on stage. Projects Stewart Varnado has produced–his own projects and Matthew Holt’s most recent piano solo CD come to mind–come much closer to sounding like what these pianists do live each night.

Off-topic: Thank you to Sony for filling in for a few days while I was on the road. I had been talking with her about joining, and so I timed her introduction for a point when I knew I might not be able to post for a few days.

The Freemans are one of those groups who have been around a long time but don’t get a lot of recognition. Yet they continue going out and serving no matter what trials they are facing on a personal level.

In thinking over what I could do for The Freemans, I would give them more concerts in 2008. For a group of their caliber and the focus of their ministry, they really should have a concert most weekends except for an occasional week or so off to refuel so they can more effectively minister to people.

~Sony Elise

Thank you so much for the welcome, Daniel. You’ve definitely helped one of my Christmas wishes to come true and I am so looking forward to contributing to this blog.

In thinking over groups I’d like to bless this Christmas, I would love to do something wonderful for The Inspirations. After serving the Lord for over forty years, they deserve a special treat. This year, there are two gifts I would give to them. 1) I would bring Matt’s nephew home from Iraq and 2) I would give Archie completely healed vocal chords and the strength to serve the Lord another forty years.

~Sony Elise

Every year I’ve done this, I’ve attempted to think outside the box. And I am going to do it again here, since in this post, I’ll discuss my own blog.

Of all the things that could improve this blog, I think the thing that would help the most is having another contributor. Like all of you, I go through days or weeks where I’m too busy to put quality time into a daily post. And so I’ve thought from time to time about adding a contributor. But before that happens, I decided, I’ll have to watch them over the period of a couple months (at least), to ensure that he or she can both write at a professional level and maintain the same level of positive but thoughtful commentary that (I hope) marks this blog.

Only one thing makes this Day of Christmas post different from all the others. It’s about to happen.

Ladies and Gentlemen… (drumroll)

Welcome Sony Elise as a contributor to this blog!

She will contribute at least occasional album reviews, and will probably fill in if I have to be out for a few days (provided we’re not at the same event!)

She’s known as SGEnthusiast on the Singing News Forums, and Sony (OFC) for those of you who frequent Homeschool Alumni. I’ve known her for a little while now; we both work for Wisdom’s Gate, a Christian book and magazine publisher. (Wisdom’s Gate publishes three magazines–Home School Digest, a national homeschooling magazine, An Encouraging Word, a quarterly ladies’ magazine, and Brush Arbor Quarterly, a magazine on revival and discipleship.)

I’ve commented on this before, but despite the fact that it might not show, since I’ve studied hard to overcome this deficiency, I’ve only listened to Southern Gospel for a few years. Sony, on the other hand, has listened to Southern Gospel for much of her life, from the 80s through today. (No, I definitely won’t post her age, even if that does show that she’s at least twenty!)

She likes most of the groups I like, and likes a few additional ones, having a slightly greater tolerance for cutting-edge styles. She also brings a first-hand familiarity with groups that were popular in the 1980s and 1990s but have since disbanded.

Join me in welcoming Sony as a contributor to this blog!

Yesterday, Nick Trammell and Jessica Brown announced their engagement. (More precisely, oddly, Daywind announced the engagement, but let’s not quibble over the details.) Nick sings with the Perrys, out of Gallatin, Tennessee, and Jessica sings with her family group, the Browns, out of Le Mars, Iowa.

As they make wedding plans and figure out how to arrange schedules with groups based 13 1/2 hours apart, here are my best wishes to them for a happy, lifelong marriage and successful ministry in any avenues in which God may direct them.

If it was in my power to give the Perrys any Christmas present, I would give them the financial wherewithal and the personnel to put together a live band (including a steel guitarist).

They have the style the Happy Goodmans used to perform down pat, not only for Goodmans songs but also for their own. If they added a live band, that would give their live performances a little extra something that would make a Perrys concert ticket even more of a treasure.

And no, the drummer would not have cymbals.

For as long as I’ve done this blog, every year I’ve done a twelve days of Christmas series, offering gifts I would give various Southern Gospel groups and organizations, if it was within my power.

This year, I’ll start with the Kingsmen Quartet. This past year has been challenging for them, as they’ve struggled through losing some key personnel, as well as the death of past member Jim Hamill, who put the Kingsmen on the map and would appear with the group occasionally.

This year, if I could give them any gift, I would fill the vacant piano bench at their group with former Kingsmen pianist Andrew Ishee. If there ever was a “next Anthony Burger” whose last name was not Holt, it would be Ishee. Many are familiar with his performances with the Palmetto State Quartet; if you never got to see him with the Kingsmen, check out this video of a 1998 NQC appearance with the group.

I think bringing him back would be quite a boost for the group, so that would be the Christmas present I would give them.