SouthernGospelBlog.com

While this blog isn’t covering CCM news, this SoGospelNews story transcends genres. As much because I support adoption as anything else, I have been aware of CCM singer Steven Curtis Chapman’s efforts to promote international adoption through Shaohannah’s hope.

According to The Tenneseean, one of the three Chinese girls Chapman’s family adopted, Maria (age 5), was killed in a freak accident while playing outside in their family’s driveway. One of her older brothers was driving a vehicle and did not see her in the driveway.

This is the kind of thing that nobody with a driver’s license wants to think about…but we must, so that hopefully it does not happen closer to home.

EDIT: As my readers remind me, Chapman did write / co-write several Southern Gospel hits, “I Can See the Hand” (Cathedrals) and “Sing With the Angels” (Gold City).

Perhaps this is something that only interests web designers, but I confess to being fascinated by traffic statistics. Since Musicscribe and Averyfineline both posted their recent numbers, and it seems to be a slow news day (so far), for whatever it’s worth, here you go:

• Yesterday: 2,985 unique visits / 6,872 page views
• Last Week: 16,698 unique visits / 44,369 page views
• This month to date: 42,911 unique visits / 104,650 page views
• Last month: 52,377 unique visits / 117,733 page views
• Year to date: 225,799 unique visits / 458,016 page views
• Total to date: 641,252 unique visits / 1,072,595 page views

When I started this website, I hoped that one day I could number my daily readership in the hundreds. Numbers like these boggle my mind.

Thank you all for coming back time and again…and giving me a good reason to do the same.

EDIT (5/21/08, 12:39 PM): It just occurred to me to post total visits / page views since the start of this blog. Turns out I just passed 1 million page views a few weeks ago and didn’t even know it.

Scott Fowler shares a couple of Legacy Five pictures with us in this photo album from the SouthernGospelBlog.com photo gallery. Among the pictures is this one of Legacy Five at the Grand Ole Opry:

Southern Gospel legend Dottie Rambo’s funeral is today. It will be held at Christ Church in Nashville, TN at 1 PM Central Time. The church will not be streaming the funeral live; however, there have been reports that they will tape it and might post it online afterwards.

Visitations were yesterday and Saturday. Memorial donations can be made to the Dottie Rambo Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 50508, Nashville, TN 37205.

Larry Ferguson, Chris Barnes, and Ronnie Meadows continue to recover from their injuries; Ferguson’s family has been treated for various injuries and released. Contributions to cover their ongoing medical costs can be sent to Citizens National Bank, Attn.: Marcia Henry, 3212 South Glenstone Avenue, Springfield, MO 65804.

Last night, I went to a concert featuring Greater Vision and three soloists. The concert was hosted by soloist Greg Lockridge, who was recording a live video yesterday evening. He brought in Greater Vision and the other soloists to help draw a good audience. (The plan worked; I’d estimate attendance at 400 to 600.)

The concert started with Lockridge taping his live video. (The rest of the 3.5-hour-long concert was also taped, but it was unclear what would make onto the finished product.) Lockridge performed nine songs and did two audience sing-alongs:

• So Good to Be with the People of the Lord.
• All You Need is a Need.
• Blessed Assurance.
• I Am the Way.
• He Sent Angels. Introduced by a touching story of how he played it for his grandmother shortly before her death, and she commented that she liked the song. It was the first time she had spoken in several weeks.
• I Know He Lives.
• I’m Guilty.
• I’ll Fly Away. Audience sing-along.
• He Touched Me. Audience sing-along. These two were done without soundtracks; John Darin Rowsey played piano.
• Written in the Scars. A well-written play off the astrology-influenced phrase “written in the stars.”
• Just Stand. Lockridge asked the audience to stand during the song’s intro. The song was good enough that the audience probably would have stood anyhow, but perhaps not until the chorus.

There was no assigned seating, and I arrived early enough to get a front-row seat. The cameras panning the audience  were positioned toward the middle of the audience most of the time, since they also were recording the performers. So if you purchase the DVD, you’re unlikely to see my face in an audience pan. However, based on what I saw in the monitors, since I am not exactly short, you will probably get quite a bit of time viewing the back of my head. Fortunately, I remembered to comb my hair before the concert.

After an intermission–during which Gerald Wolfe made the day of this blog’s contributor Sony Elise by calling her and wishing her a happy birthday–the audience returned for the other three artists. John Darin Rowsey was up first and sang seven songs:

• Home is Always Where I’d Rather Be.
• Singing With the Saints. He introduced the song by commenting that he had written it for the Gaither Vocal Band.
• Lucky We Met.
• Let the Healing Begin. He introduced the song by telling how he wrote it for his wife as she was working through the trauma of memories of childhood abuse.
• Jesus Loves Me / Oh, How I Love Jesus. Audience sing-along.
• Ain’t No Grave. This was the same song recorded by the Isaacs and others.
• I Am Not Ashamed of the Gospel. This was the song recorded by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir (and possibly others, whose names are escaping me at the moment).

Soloist Mike Allen (who also sings bass with the Prophets Quartet and the Gaither Homecoming series) was up next. He sang:

• God is With Us.
• Roll Away Troubled River.
• Child of the King. He did this one as an audience sing-along.
• The Love of the Lord. Allen recovered well from a microphone malfunction mid-song, even making a joke about it between lines after it was back on.
• Forgive Me when I Whine (a well-done recitation).
• Way Down Deep.
• So I Love Him Dearly.
• What I Have. While it might be hard to envision this Bishops trio song being done by a bass singer, it was well done.

Greater Vision finished the evening with an hour-long set.

• He’d Still Been God. Though the first three artists had been well received, the audience enthusiasm unmistakably went up a notch or two when Greater Vision took the stage with this song.
• Tell Me the Story.
• As I Am.
• We are so Blessed. Wolfe introduced the song by commenting on Mike Allen’s recitation “Forgive Me When I Whine,” a recitation done earlier by George Younce. Wolfe said that the first time he heard Younce do the recitation, he followed it by singing “We are So Blessed.”
• My Name is Lazarus. The song got the most enthusiastic response of the night. Audience enthusiasm kept building throughout the song, and broke into a round of applause leading into a standing ovation during the final chorus. About halfway through the second and final chorus, it occurred to me that this the was song that put Greater Vision at the top, and it was the last time I would hear the lineup that made it famous performing it. So it was special to catch it live one more time.
• Redeemed Medley. Well-received with an audience sing-along.
• A Mighty Fortress. Gerald Wolfe introduced the song by saying how they recently performed their first concert at a Lutheran church. The only Lutheran song they had recorded was Martin Luther’s “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.” Though they had never intended to stage it, they did that night, and it brought down the house. Wolfe said that he decided that thereafter, every time he did a concert and a Lutheran was in attendance, he would sing the song. Two were present, so they did the song.
• It Means Just What it Says.
• Till the Storm Passes By. Host Greg Lockridge introduced the group by commenting how Gerald Wolfe’s rendition of the song was the first Gospel song that broke through to his heart. Greater Vision pulled out all the stops with this rendition and brought down the house. This song got their second standing ovation of the night.
• God is So Good. This was tied in with an altar call, delivered by Rodney.

Since Jason Waldroup was recovering from walking pneumonia, Gerald Wolfe arranged the program so as to not tax his voice; other than incidental lines here and there, his only solo was his verse on “My Name is Lazarus.”

Random fact of the day: By my sister’s count, during the concert, Wolfe, Griffin, and Waldroup tapped their feet 1,597 times.

Concert photos can be found in the SouthernGospelBlog.com gallery here.

With apologies to contributor Diana B. for my tardiness mentioning this, I want to point you to photos she took last weekend at Scott & Kasey Inman’s wedding. They’ve been posted in the SouthernGospelBlog.com photo gallery here.

If you have Southern Gospel-related photos you’d like to contribute to the photo gallery, email editor@southerngospelblog.com for submission information.

Rating: Recommended. (Updated: 4 stars of 5)

Producer: Royce Mitchell & Doran Ritchey
Label: Liberty Quartet
Website: http://www.libertyquartet.com/
Song List: I’d Like to Say it Again; I Can See the Hand; The Eastern Gate; Still Feelin’ Fine; The Lighthouse; Everywhere I Go; Ride That Glory Train; I’ll Tell it Wherever I Go; There’s a Light at the End of the Darkness; Temporary Home; Bus Driver; Baritone Whine.

Typically, when a major Southern Gospel group releases a table project, most of their fans have heard the songs chosen many times before. But things are a little different here. Liberty Quartet’s schedule keeps them off the typical Southern Gospel circuit, and they are often the only Southern Gospel group that their fans know. So many of the people who purchase this project will be hearing these songs for the first time.

The project includes several Cathedrals songs, “I’d Like to Say It Again,” “I Can See the Hand,” “Ride That Glory Train,” and “Everywhere I Go.” There’s an interesting lyric change on the first line of the second verse on “I’d Like to Say it Again.” Where the Cathedrals’ rendition says, “There’s a healing balm in Gilead / It is the crimson flow,” Liberty’s rendition begins “There is healing through Jesus’ blood / It is the crimson flow.”

Of these Cathedrals covers, probably the highlight is the energetic cover of “Everywhere I Go.” The song, originally recorded on Live in Atlanta, is a classic example of a Cathedrals song that would have been better remembered if it hadn’t been overshadowed by some bona fide classics elsewhere on its project (”We Shall See Jesus” and “Movin’ Up to Gloryland”). Many east coast Southern Gospel fans who already have fifteen renditions of some of the other songs on this project will view this catchy rendition as the project’s standout track.

Probably the most recent song covered is the Booth Brothers’ “Still Feelin’ Fine.” This energetic rendition will undoubtedly delight live concert audiences.

One other highlight is “The Eastern Gate.” The rendition is somewhat similar to the Dove Brothers’ rendition, with the lead (Dan Gilbert) taking the first verse, the bass (Royce Mitchell) taking the second, and group harmonies on the third.

The project closes with two novelty songs. “Bus Driver” is written by and features Royce Mitchell, while “Baritone Whine” is written by and features Doran Ritchey.

This enjoyable collection of classic Southern Gospel songs will introduce these songs to a new audience, while having enough fresh arrangements and new songs to leave much for long-time Southern Gospel fans to enjoy.

Years ago, on the Kingsmen’s 1973 landmark live album Big & Live, they introduced their trademark rendition of the hymn “Love Lifted Me.” In my opinion, the arrangement on their 1981 Live Naturally album was even better.

I had been of the opinion that no group since has had the right combination of voices to pull off that arrangement…until I saw this.

And from the video notes, this was just the encore.

Greater Vision has selected their next tenor, Jacob Kitson of Tribute Quartet. Kitson is from Yuma, Arizona, and is the oldest of twelve children (four boys, eight girls). Various biographies posted online refer to Kitson as being from Yuma, Arizona; perhaps this is his birthplace, because his family group (with whom he sang until joining Tribute in 2006) is based in Michigan.

The Kitsons released a self-titled CD in 2006 (sound clips here); it’s not clear whether this was recorded before or after Jacob left to join Tribute. But I must say that the vocalist on “More than Able,” a Greater Vision tune, sounds quite a bit like Jacob. If this is him, this would support what Rodney Griffin said in Greater Vision’s press release:

Rodney Griffin said… “I look forward to what the Lord has in store as Jacob joins our ministry. Jacob says he’s been a Greater Vision fan since he was a teenager. Now that’s he’s joining us, we’ll see how long he remains one! LOL”

Tribute released two CDs with Kitson, My Tribute and Anticipation (sound clips here). Their radio single “When Those Gates Open Wide,” featuring Jacob, is posted in its entirety on their homepage. It is also posted on Tribute’s MySpace page, along with several other songs featuring Jacob singing a harmony part and one other song on which he’s featured, “God Knows.”

Something tells me that Jacob Kitson will be 2009’s Horizon Individual of the Year. And he will deserve it, too.

Singing News has posted the top 5 nominees in the 2008 Fan Awards. I am posting the top 10, displaying the top 5 winners in bold, so that it can be clearly seen who did and did not advance to the final five.

Let’s save guessing the winners until the final ballot comes out; enough could change in two months that it could substantially impact the choice of winners.

Favorite Artist of the Year
Booth Brothers
Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
Gold City
Greater Vision
Inspirations
Legacy Five
Parker, Ivan
Perrys
Triumphant Qt
Wolfe, Gerald

Mixed Group
Browns
Collingsworth Family
Diplomats
Freemans
Hayes Family
Hoppers
Isaacs
Lesters
McKameys
Perrys

Male Quartet
Brian Free & Assurance
Dove Brothers
Down East Boys
Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
Gaither Vocal Band
Gold City
Inspirations
Kingdom Heirs
Legacy Five
Triumphant Quartet

Trio
Booth Brothers
Greater Vision
Greenes
Jeff & Sheri Easter
Karen Peck & New River
Mark Trammell Trio
Pfeifers
Poet Voices
Talley Trio
Whisnants

Soloist
Bishop, Mark
Combs, Michael
Crabb, Jason
Ford, Larry
Lee, Cricket
Lowry, Mark
Mote, Gordon
Parker, Ivan
Parsons, Squire
Paschal, Janet

Male Singer
Bishop, Mark Soloist
Booth, Michael Booth Brothers
Booth, Ronnie Booth Brothers
Dibler, Matt Inspirations
Fowler, Scott Legacy Five
Free, Brian Brian Free & Assurance
Holcomb, Mike Inspirations
Parker, Ivan Soloist
Rice, Arthur Kingdom Heirs
Wolfe, Gerald Greater Vision

Female Singer
Bean, Peg McKamey McKameys
Easter, Sheri Jeff & Sheri Easter
Gooch, Karen Peck Karen Peck & New River
Hopper, Kim Hoppers
Paschal, Janet Soloist
Stuffle, Libbi Perrys
Talley, Debra Talley Trio
Talley, Lauren Talley Trio
Whisnant, Susan Whisnants
Woodard, Carol McKameys

Horizon Individual
Barker, Pat Dixie Echoes
Browder, Matthew Browders
Crist, Breana Crist Family
Crist, Jackie Crist Family
King, Sharron Kay Soloist
Kitson, Jacob Tribute Qt
LeFevre, Jordan LeFevre Qt
Lile, Jeremy Brian Free & Assurance
Paschal, Daryl Down East Boys
Rivers, Justin Austins Bridge

Horizon Group
Aaron & Amanda Crabb
Austins Bridge
Browders
Crabb Revival
Crist Family
Old Paths
Shiloh
Soul’d Out Qt
Spoken 4 Qt
Tribute Qt

Young Artist
Fortner, Eli McKameys
Free, Ricky Brian Free & Assurance
Habedank, Joseph Perrys
Holt, Matthew Perrys
McGlamery, Devin Karen Peck & New River
Penhollow, Terah Crabb Crabb Revival
Simpson, Josh Gold City
Sweatman, Dustin Mark Trammell Trio
Thompson, Amber Nelons
Trammell, Nick Perrys

Tenor
Booth, Michael Booth Brothers
Free, Brian Brian Free & Assurance
Haase, Ernie Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
Hodges, Billy Kingdom Heirs
Ladd, Steve Gold City
Martin, Jerry Dove Brothers
Seamans, Frank Legacy Five
Sutton, David Triumphant Quartet
Waldroup, Jason Greater Vision
Watkins, Archie Inspirations

Lead
Booth, Ronnie Booth Brothers
Dibler, Matt Inspirations
Dove, McCray Dove Brothers
Fowler, Scott Legacy Five
Habedank, Joseph Perrys
Inman, Clayton Triumphant Quartet
Rice, Arthur Kingdom Heirs
Shivers, Bill Brian Free & Assurance
Wilburn, Jonathan Gold City
Wolfe, Gerald Greater Vision

Baritone
Anderson, Doug Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
Brady, Jim Booth Brothers
Campbell, Melton Inspirations
Dove, Eric Dove Brothers
French, Steve Kingdom Heirs
Griffin, Rodney Greater Vision
Howard, Scott Legacy Five
Inman, Scott Triumphant Quartet
Selph, Derrick Brian Free & Assurance
Trammell, Mark Mark Trammell Trio

Bass
Bennett, Eric Triumphant Quartet
Chapman, Jeff Kingdom Heirs
Duncan, Tim Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
Dustin, Glenn Legacy Five
Hester, David Dove Brothers
Holcomb, Mike Inspirations
Lile, Jeremy Brian Free & Assurance
McCune, Aaron Gold City
Reese, Ray Dean Kingsmen
Stuffle, Tracy Perrys

Soprano
Brown, Jessica Browns
Crabb, Amanda Aaron & Amanda Crabb
Fortner, Connie McKameys
Gooch, Karen Peck Karen Peck & New River
Greene, TaRanda Greenes
Hopper, Kim Hoppers
Isaacs, Sonya Isaacs
Ritchie, Charlotte Jeff & Sheri Easter
Starkel, Tami Crist Crist Family
Talley, Lauren Talley Trio

Alto
Bean, Peg McKamey McKameys
Brown, Michaela Browns
Easter, Sheri Jeff & Sheri Easter
Hopper, Connie Hoppers
Jackson, Susan Peck Karen Peck & New River
Penhollow, Terah Crabb Crabb Revival
Stuffle, Libbi Perrys
Talley, Debra Talley Trio
Whisnant, Susan Whisnants
Woodard, Carol McKameys

Musician
Collingsworth, Kim Collingsworth Family
Cook, Martin Inspirations
Fortner, Roger McKameys
Free, Ricky Brian Free & Assurance
Holt, Matthew Perrys
Murphy, Dennis Kingdom Heirs
Ollis, Eric Whisnants
Parton, Tim Legacy Five
Stice, Jeff Triumphant Qt
Varnado, Stewart Dixie Echoes

Songwriter
Atkinson, Ricky
Bishop, Mark
Brady, Jim
Crabb, Gerald
Cross, Phil
Griffin, Rodney
Hinson, Ronny
Inman, Scott
Rowland, Kyla
Wilkinson, Dianne

Album
Carry On Booth Brothers
Everyday People Greater Vision
Know So Salvation Legacy Five
Look No Further Perrys
Never The Same Dove Brothers
Once Upon A Cross Mark Trammell Trio
Real Faith Brian Free & Assurance
Things Are Different Now Inspirations
True To The Call Kingdom Heirs
You Gotta Love It Triumphant Qt