SouthernGospelBlog.com

The Collingsworth Family is launching a concert series called A Special Evening with the Collingsworth Family tonight with a concert in Cincinnati that also features guest artist Larnelle Harris.

It’s an interesting concept. Other artists have promoted their own concert tours before (think Gaither), but for the concert kicking off this series, they are offering weekend packages with hotel accomodations, a meal at Cracker Barrel, and tickets to a nearby attraction (the Creation Museum, a subtle statement I wholeheartedly applaud them for making).

I had been hoping to make it and post a full report, but car troubles are forcing me to stay close to Mansfield right now. (At least my car should be fixed next weekend, so regular concert coverage can resume shortly.)

I know this site has at least a few readers in the Cincinnati area. If any of you can make it this evening, share your thoughts in the comments.

The Singing Echoes is a group that has been on the road for forty years this year. Over the years, they have introduced quite a few songs that have become classics, including “Look For Me at Jesus’ Feet,” “His Tomb is Empty Now,” and “Shoutin’ Happy.”

The group, now in its third generation, is still on the road. To promote their current radio single, “I’m a Used to Be,” they have launched a concept website for their fans to share their used-to-be stories, http://imausedtobe.com/.

The site is a frame-based design, a fairly brief fad in web design that went out of style a few years ago. Minor design quibbles aside, it’s an interesting concept—not one that every single would lend itself towards, but a good idea for this one.

Emusic.com has posted a new Christmas project from CCM act SonicFlood, winners of numerous Dove and Grammy Awards. Interestingly, they list the label releasing the project as … Daywind.

Is this an error? After all, Amazon lists a different label, Resonate. Perhaps the connection is just that Daywind’s sister company, New Day, is distributing the project. But is there anything more to it?

According to this post, Aaron & Amanda Crabb have accepted the position of Minister of Music for John Hagee. They will be leading worship at Hagee’s Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas.

Hagee’s occasional controversial statements aside—many public figures occasionally make controversial statements—this is a great platform for the Crabbs.

Bill Gaither has done more to promote Southern Gospel music than anyone else in the last thirty or forty years. In fact, he is probably somewhere on an all-time top five list that would also include James Vaughan, V.O. Stamps, James Blackwood, and Hovie Lister. And of those five, he has done the most to promote Southern Gospel internationally and in several regions of the country outside of the South.

Whether or not you like his stylistic preferences or his business model—and fact is, he can’t include everyone on the Homecoming series, so he has to make choices—let’s not forget to appreciate him while we have him. Even aside from his contributions to the genre, the fact that the greatest living hymn-writer would choose to devote his talents and energies to promoting the genre is no small thing.

A post-Gaither genre is harder to imagine than than a post-anyone else genre. James Blackwood and Hovie Lister transitioned off the road slowly enough that by their retirement years, other people from their group’s peak years were carrying the banner. (And, in fact, Blackwood and Lister were both featured artists on the Gaither Homecoming tour). On the other hand, Gaither is still so personally involved in the Homecoming Tours that it’s hard to see them continuing at the same level after he retires.

Perhaps the foundation he’s laid, where it’s not even headline news when the Homecoming Tour, Signature Sound, the Talleys, or the Isaacs announce an overseas tour, and it’s barely headlines when a Southern Gospel DVD out-sells any other music DVD period the week it’s released—perhaps this will last till Christ’s return. But we can’t count on it, so let’s not forget to appreciate him while he’s here.

Chris White, who (together with Mickey Gamble) leads Crossroads music, graciously agreed to submit a guest post going into detail about how material is selected for the NQC Live series. He addresses a number of issues raised in this post.

Crossroads has partnered with NQC for the past seven years to produce NQC Live.  My responsibility is to provide all of the audio for television and retail products for the event.  We do this at our cost, then receive the rights to produce this product in order to help re-coup our cost and hopefully, make a profit.  NQC is only partially involved in these selections with most of the determination being mine.  Once I satisfy their requirements, the rest is pretty much up to me.  Daniel, in light of the comments I read, I would like to address a few of them so your readers better understand the elements that go into producing NQC Live.  It might also help them understand that many things that happen in the business that seem strange to them, very often have a valid reason that makes sense with awareness.  Not always, but most of the time.  I will address some of these questions in the order they were written.  First I would like to give an overview of the process.

First off, my only selection options are from Thursday through Saturday.  That’s when the video production is upgraded from Monday through Wednesday.  So, my choices have to be taken from the last three nights of convention.  I have about one week after convention to decide what this product will turn out to be.  I am required, by NQC, to have this product to them by the first of December and on the retail shelves by December 15th.  That is simply part of the contract.  This is to capture some Christmas sales and get them the product to sell to their direct buyers.  So, I have about a week to review all the footage, listen to the best of the best audio and make the selections.  Audio is critical because there is no time to fix anything other than some tuning.  Therefore, sometimes selections will make it or not, based on the audio performances.  Some will or will not make it because a group you want…does a cut you want…and they’re on at 11:00.  Many times there are hundreds, if not thousands of empty seats in the arena.  We trim lighting as best we can to cover that but many times we just can’t cover all the emptiness.  Camera’s can’t put people in seats and I’m not going to show a half empty building.  I wish I had a month to do all this review but it has to be to our engineers no later than a week or so after convention is over.  That takes another 6-7 days of mixing and fixing what we can, then it goes to video editing…then manufacturing…retail set up and shipping to other distributors and stores.  At Crossroads, we normally have 4-6 months to start and complete a project before it hits the shelves.  With NQC Live, I have about 4-6 weeks to prepare it for market.  As you can see, there is little wiggle room on the timeline.

There are a lot of reasons and constraints that help determine these selections and I’ll mention some of those in my response to your readers.  One of those is royalties.  Last year we moved the retail down to $19.99, including the free CD.  With every move I make, I am doing my best to be aware of total cost including event investment, manufacturing, packaging, royalties..both audio master licensing as well as video sync royalties and….any other cost associated with the project.  So, every element that appears on the project, has a cost associated with it.  Therefore to be profitable, there is a thin line on what all can make the project based on every element having two cost associated with each cut.  Those are master licenses and sync.  Considering our discounts to other distributors and retailers, making a profit on a $19.99 retail piece of product, containing all these elements, can be challenging.  If I could load up the project with everything people would like to see, including me, we would have to retail it for at least $29.99 and trust me when I say….that won’t fly!!

Now just let me address some of the individual statements made by you and your readers.  Daniel you say there are only 12 songs on the project when in years past, there have been 15.  Actually in some years there were more than that.  However, as economies change, I have to change with them.  For example, master license fees can increase….which they have…. as well as negotiated sync royalties.  There were in fact 14 songs on the project, including the bonus footage and the comedy segments by Tim Lovelace, Aaron Wilburn and Ken Davis.

Let me explain why Save Me A Seat didn’t make it, which is one of the songs you mentioned.  Jeremy is my nephew through marriage.  I would have loved to have included that cut because he is a family member and he and my niece Nikkei, have been through a tuff couple of months of losses.  First my mom died and then right behind that, Jeremy looses his father.  So trust me when I say that it would have been much more important to ME to include that, than to anyone else.  It would have meant a lot to our family.  However, I couldn’t include it because that was the cut I used from Brian in 2007.  I made the mistake a few years ago of repeating a song the following year.  One out of 15 was a repeat and “some good Christian people” got so angry over the mistake, they returned the product for a refund!!!  So as much as I would have wanted that cut on the project, it couldn’t happen.

Statue Of Liberty.  I considered the cut for obvious reasons.  However, as moving as it was in the hall, the audio would have taken a lot of work and that was time I didn’t logistically have.  He Locked The Gates by The Kingdom Heirs.  That would have been a good choice but I had already decided that I wanted to save it for possible inclusion next year, plus it is still a strong selling component on their current project.   So, I used their top ten nominated cut from this past year, Jesus Made A Believer Out Of Me.

Let me take a moment and explain why certain cuts are, or are not, included.  Someone accused me of not wanting to promote Daywind singles that are flying up the charts.  Now let’s think that through.  Out of the 14 cuts on the project, 50% are Daywind or independent artist.   If this was all about Crossroads, I would fill up the project with our artists.  However, I try my best to make it industry inclusive.  I would love to use the “hot” Daywind songs but one must remember, I have to license all cuts from whomever owns the master rights.  They are seldom, if ever, going to license me a song that is still a strong sales component on that artists current record.  I even enforce that rule on myself from time to time…i.e. He Locked The Gates.  I submit the artists and the selected songs to whoever is the master owner.  In the case of Daywind, I have asked for certain cuts in the past, only to be turned down.  I don’t blame them for saying no but hey….I tried.  Another reason for that is that a lot of artists perform their “sugar sticks” year after year.  In a lot a cases, they don’t have a choice because that’s what people want to hear.  Do you think McCray Dove wants to do Rain or Get Away every year?  No.  But if he didn’t…people would hang him from the first balcony rail they could find.  He does it because he knows the audience wants him to.  So, when it’s all said and done, my choices become very limited because I have either used the cut before, or it’s a current hit that I cannot get licensed.  Not in every case…but in many.  So yes, if I could use the biggest..hottest..best songs available, I would.  Therefore, I choose based on my knowledge of what I believe I can get licensed and that is what I go with.  I submit those choices to Daywind, or whoever the master owner might be, for their approval.  If they approve the license, I put it on and if not…I have to go to plan B.

Now on to some of your readers comments.

Kyle comments that he is not surprised that Gaither and Ernie are not on the project.  Kyle has somewhat of a handle on it by saying we couldn’t afford it.  The fact of the matter is that I would have a better chance of getting Elvis back from the dead to appear on this product, than I would of getting Gaither or Ernie (record company) to license the footage.  Why would anyone conclude that I would not want Gaither or Ernie on the project?  That’s money!  Gaither won’t even let us record the showcase they do, much less license anything.  If any of you can pull that off for me….I’ll take it.  The entire Gaither thing is something I just don’t need to get into.

Bev say’s that she may not buy the project because of some missing people and that soloist were included.  The artists were Perry’s, Triumphant, Inspirations, (SS and Gaither have been addressed).  She was also bothered by the fact that Ivan and Janet were included saying it is a quartet and trio business.  Let me take these in order.  Bev you may be shocked, as you put it, that the Perry’s didn’t make it.  I do normally include them.  However this year, about the only thing they did that I felt was usable, or hadn’t already been used, was a song I knew would not get licensed…If You Knew Him.  So, I was left with no good choice on the Perry’s.  I love them and have known them for many, many years.  As I said, I normally include them.  This year just didn’t work out.  As far as the other artists you mention, I have to stop somewhere.  I can’t give you…well maybe I could but I’m not going to….specific reasons for all artists inclusions or omissions.  I say that respectfully so please take it that way.  You ask why Ivan and Janet were on the project.  I respectfully disagree with you that this should be all quartets and trio’s.  If that were true, soloists would not be on NQC main stage.  I made the product reflect what the NQC board booked…quartets…trio’s…soloist.  Besides, let me assure you since we represent both artists, the fans love Ivan and Janet.  They are both still strong in the market and since I am looking for name value with a proven record, they qualify.  I have already addressed your suggestion that all songs should be their #1 hits.  More often than not, that’s never going to happen because of licensing issues.

Tyler says that it’s really not a highlights video anymore.  Actually, the model of the project has never changed.  It’s always been performances from the main stage, showcase highlights, comedy and at other times, something we can get a camera crew loose to shoot….such as the softball game.  Though Tyler says that this project doesn’t nearly do justice to what NQC has to offer, I’m not sure what more I could do to include all the aspects of NQC.  Buyers want the “music” and that is a proven fact.  That’s what the project is built around.  I am open to any suggestions and would take them all seriously.  Anything that would enhance NQC Live would certainly be a plus.  I have struggled with “freshness” on this product for years but after all, it is what it is.  Just keep in mind that the constraints of contractual issues and other logistical problems, might prove prohibitive in certain situations.

Jbb says that he agrees with Bev and will not buy the product.  I’m sorry for that.  Jbb brings up a group that has not been mentioned and that is Legacy 5.  The reason for that is that I was aware that Frank was leaving and that would automatically date the product from the get go.  I included them in the bonus footage so they were at least on the project, just not listed as Leg 5.  Whether that makes sense to you or not, I don’t know.  To me, it gave them the face time they deserve, without dating the project with the coming change.  I would also say to jbb that the artists included are also what southern gospel is all about and to suggest anything other, is puzzling at best.

Andrew made a couple of comments that I will address.  As for the Collingsworth, they did do a great job.  We represent them as well so it would behoove our cause to have included them.  Why wouldn’t I want them included over another company’s artists or an independent?  However, if I had done that, someone else would have complained because someone else was left off.  Hopefully I have made the point clear that for a number of reasons, I have to stop somewhere.  In my opinion, they have another year or so to keep building name value for the sake of the retail shelves.  I do believe with the same performance level next year, which I’m sure they will deliver, they could possibly be included.  Andrew, when you say that you would pay a “lot” of $$ to see the Perry’s performance of I Wish I Could Have Been There,  so my question would be….how much money are we talking about?  That’s an exciting quote!  I can certainly get you a copy of that performance…..or you could simply buy Volume 4 which includes the cut.

In conclusion all I can say is this…..and I say it respectfully to all.  I haven’t responded because I felt fearful by all the comments.  I simply wanted to give insight to the process.  If we felt that we needed to address all the opinions, by all who have their take on our business , that’s all we would get done.  We as industry leaders often read, or are told of conversations such as this one, where some facts could maybe enlighten people who love the music and the industry.  I’m thrilled that all of you are engaged.  Whether my reasons are accepted or not is not really my concern because I can only change the opinions…or clarify the facts….to those who “really” want to understand the facts.  That’s all I hope to do with this response.  I know all of you won’t appreciate what I have tried to do here but, I think many of you will.  It’s not your fault that you don’t understand all the details concerning many subject matters in our business, because you are not always aware of the entirety of some situations.  I’m sure there are things about your jobs where I may not understand the thinking, simply because I don’t understand your entire process.  Again, all I have hoped to do here is to explain some of your concerns based on all the timelines, constraints, contractual obligations, as well as a basket full of other issues, that I am faced with in putting this project together.  I do my best every year to produce a great product, as best I can, under the aforementioned conditions.  I’m sorry that some of you are so disappointed in the final product.  It took a mountain of work, by a lot of people, to make it happen at all.  To those of you who will enjoy the product….good listening.  Thank you.

Chris White
Crossroads Entertainment & Marketing

“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6:8)

I was thinking today about what the world would be like if everyone would follow God’s requirements. If everyone’s life goal was to show mercy and to walk humbly, there could be no strife because everyone would be preferring everyone else above themselves. There would be no pride, no self-serving attitudes, simply the peace and serenity which God created.

God has been speaking to me especially about humility. It seems like humans expect to be treated a certain way. We want to be praised for what we do, and we want people to think well of us. When good things happen to us or when God opens doors which cause us recognition, that is not bad and He deserves the praise for that but to expect those things is not right. We are here to be His servants, not His royalty. We will live as the princes and princesses we are when we get to Heaven but that is not the example He set for us down here. “But (Jesus) made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.” (Philippians 2:7)

And what about walking in mercy? When I was a child, I used to listen to a song about a snail called Herbert. Herbert was extremely slow (slow as a snail, I would imagine) and people were always having to wait for him. One line of the song said, “Remember that God is patient too and think of all the times when others have to wait for you.” It is so easy to be hard on other people and yet not think about the things in our lives that are equally frustrating to others. Jesus instructed us to “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.” (Luke 6:36) I don’t know about you but I am very thankful for God’s mercy in my life.

It seems like so often, pride wants to rise to the surface. We want our rights, our recognition, our way. But what does God want for us? That should be our greatest desire. “Whosoever shall be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.” (Matthew 20:26b-27)

As we walk through this day, let’s not be concerned about how people treat us but let’s focus on how we treat others: “in honour preferring one another.” (Romans 12:10b)

A few weeks ago, I started a series of posts about soloists and groups from other genres, asking if they had what it took to make it in this one.

Part of my original plan was to get around to Susan Boyle, who became an overnight Internet sensation thanks to this video, eventually on a slow news day.

The announce of her debut album, entitled (to nobody’s surprise) I Dreamed a Dream, has pushed this up the priorities list. Sound clips, up on her website, show that the track list will include “How Great Thou Art” and “Silent Night.” Just yesterday—oddly—the track list also included, and included a clip of, “Amazing Grace.”

So . . . does SuBo have what it takes to make it as a Southern Gospel soloist, to stand alongside the likes of Ivan Parker and Mark Bishop, in the unlikely event she should choose to try?

Pros: Stylistically, her choice of instrumentation isn’t that far off from what our genre uses—piano-driven reflective songs, and big orchestrated ballads.

Cons: I can’t think of any besides, perhaps, her personality. She cracked under the stress of the Britain’s Got Talent final in a pretty public way. Granted, there is nothing quite so stressful in our genre, but an NQC mainstage meltdown is not what our genre needs! Other than that, I don’t see her use of vibrato as a drawback; after all, our genre has had its share of singers who employ vibrato extensively, notably James and Jimmy Blackwood.

So what’s your call?

Coomer Cove has audio of Chris West filling in with Gold City, here.

Word right now is that Tim Riley does plan to stay, at least for the time being; however, he had a number of dates already booked with the Southmen, and he has been finishing up the final ones of those recently.

Live at Oak Tree is a DVD / CD series released by Daywind Records, featuring several Daywind artists singing in a studio setting at Oak Tree Studio.

Greater Vision’s entry in this series features quite a few songs from their Not Alone CD (their most recent recording of new songs), as well as several tracks from other recent projects and several of their greatest hits. Jacob Kitson, who surprised nobody in the industry by winning “Favorite Horizon Individual” at the 2009 Fan Awards, delights with his more than adequate renditions of songs from earlier eras of the group. In particular, he does so well on the Hymns of the Ages tracks that one wishes Gerald Wolfe would re-cut the vocals on that project and have a version available with his vocal. And his rendition of “So Much God” is the best Greater Vision has recorded.

Legacy Five’s Tim Parton joined Greater Vision for the video; the group was backed by a four-piece band that included Parton on piano, John Hammond on drums, Craig Nelson on bass, and Kelly Back on guitar. (Lari Goss took over on piano on several tracks.)

Particularly welcome are several songs—”It Means Just What it Says” and “Treasures Unseen”—that feature Greater Vision with just the live band. It’s these songs more than any other that make this project a must-add for fans who already have Live at First Baptist Orlando and other recent Greater Vision DVDs.

The cinematography is decent overall, though it’s not clear whether the grainy black-and-white footage from one angle was an accident or somehow intentional. Also somewhat distracting is the jerky zooming in and out on the multi-group songs in the bonus footage. The lighting is also good overall, though Rodney Griffin was over-lit to the point that his face lookes overly pale from a few angles. But despite those quibbles, the choice of camera angles and overall end product is enjoyable.

The extras include two songs featuring the three groups in this Oak Tree series (Greater Vision, the Booth Brothers, and Legacy Five) singing “I’m Feelin’ Fine” and “Jubilee,” as well as a tear-jerking bonus on Compassion International, featuring “Faces” as the soundtrack and featuring video footage of the group meeting a child they sponsored for the first time.

Though Greater Vision is at their best on a live stage—as Gerald Wolfe himself notes in the out-takes—this video is a nice change of pace, a welcome addition to their videography.

Rating: 4 stars. ♦ Group members: Jacob Kitson (tenor), Gerald Wolfe (lead), Rodney Griffin (baritone). ♦ Executive Producer: Dottie Leonard Miller. Producers: Paul Corley, Tre’ Corley, Norman Holland, Michael Turner, Shannon Lancaster. ♦ Available from: Artist. Review copy not provided. (And for anyone who actually reads the credits, that’s just a fancy way of saying that I bought it. Annoying FTC regulations … ) ♦ Song list: The Source of My Song; Tell Me the Story of Jesus; Share it with Jesus; It Means Just What it Says; He is Loved; I’ve Been to the Bottom; So Much God; It Pays to Pray; Treasures Unseen; I Want to Know that You Know; My Name is Lazarus; I Know He Heard My Prayer; He is to Me (Bonus Features: The Happy Jubilee; I’m Feeling Fine).